Oh merde! If the French just look at my handwriting they will go blind! I can make my capital J two ways, t has several versions, f can look new or old world, my y loops into the line below and sometimes does not close. (I've often bet my handwriting might show a mental disorder or simply a different life outlook as the years wind on, now I'm closer to believing that, from a French perspective.) And few of my letters connect. I will need to hire a French scribe to write my letters to the authorities!
This makes me think of all those Peanuts comics where Charlie Brown is trying to write with a fountain pen in school and his paper is all blotchy with ink spills and sloppy lettering.
Welcome to the land of the iconic “réglure Seyès.” It taught us how to write beautiful cursives, with a pencil first, then with a quill and the equally iconic “plume Sergent Major” dipped in purple ink at the local public elementary school.
I could never quite get used to the standard “college ruled” sheets once in college State- side.
In France, a handwritten, dated, and signed will is legal, even without a notary or witness. It's called a testament olographe. It cannot be typed. I assume this is because it's harder to copy some one else's handwriting for entire pages.
Aside from cover letters for jobs, I've never been asked to handwrite anything in the 30 years I've lived here ( and I have bank accounts, a mortgage, driving license, etc.)
As for the "French always pay bills late", that must be people who are paying rent under the table. Because everything in France (phone, electric, mortgage payments, métro card subscrip, internet) has to be paid through automatic prélèvements from your bank account. I like it because I never worry about "forget" to pay.
Interesting how so many of us have different experiences living in France. 😉
Oh dear, I’m in trouble—my handwriting is terrible! Thanks for this clever hack 😊
Oh merde! If the French just look at my handwriting they will go blind! I can make my capital J two ways, t has several versions, f can look new or old world, my y loops into the line below and sometimes does not close. (I've often bet my handwriting might show a mental disorder or simply a different life outlook as the years wind on, now I'm closer to believing that, from a French perspective.) And few of my letters connect. I will need to hire a French scribe to write my letters to the authorities!
This makes me think of all those Peanuts comics where Charlie Brown is trying to write with a fountain pen in school and his paper is all blotchy with ink spills and sloppy lettering.
Welcome to the land of the iconic “réglure Seyès.” It taught us how to write beautiful cursives, with a pencil first, then with a quill and the equally iconic “plume Sergent Major” dipped in purple ink at the local public elementary school.
I could never quite get used to the standard “college ruled” sheets once in college State- side.
Different strokes ;-)
Gosh I didn’t think my handwriting was too bad and then I saw the symmetry and precision in that example 😱 That handwriting is art!
In France, a handwritten, dated, and signed will is legal, even without a notary or witness. It's called a testament olographe. It cannot be typed. I assume this is because it's harder to copy some one else's handwriting for entire pages.
Aside from cover letters for jobs, I've never been asked to handwrite anything in the 30 years I've lived here ( and I have bank accounts, a mortgage, driving license, etc.)
As for the "French always pay bills late", that must be people who are paying rent under the table. Because everything in France (phone, electric, mortgage payments, métro card subscrip, internet) has to be paid through automatic prélèvements from your bank account. I like it because I never worry about "forget" to pay.
Interesting how so many of us have different experiences living in France. 😉
Incroyable! And yet - we faced a similar Kafkaesque situation in Slovenia. My husband had trouble getting his residence through press accreditation.
In the end the lady said, why don't you just write a letter saying that you love Slovenia and want to stay here? It worked! And it was true! 🤣
SO true! I'm married to a Frenchman and he vouches for this precious 'tradition'. Thank you for explaining it so well, and so comically!