Top 10 Reasons why I love le Nord

With only a few days left before the Christmas holidays, I've started to really think about what I love about the North of France and my life here. Not everything relates to being in the North, but if you're considering a new place to travel, or maybe a year abroad, perhaps I can convince you! Bienvenue chez les ch'tis!

1. Les Français du Nord are the most welcoming and friendly people I've ever met. 
   Of course, there are exceptions, bien sûr, but, in general, you will be welcomed with open arms into the North. I'm involved with three families currently - My family with Marie, Isabelle and Julien; Caroline's family and then my tutees family. Each one makes me feel like a huge part of their lives and never leave me feeling alone! They're also unbelievably kind and generous, with meals, presents, free lifts, advice and conversations that will last for hours. They make my life in France, not only helping me to improve, but reminding me how much I love French, le Nord and being part of their lives.
   
2. EVERYONE says hello to you in all the shops! No matter if you're getting bread or a sassy new dress for New Year's Eve, all shop keepers welcome you into their establishments! So maybe you don't have French families, but you can find a little bit of happiness from this very Northern greeting. I've been told many times that this doesn't exist much outside of the North and often you can be ignored, or even just stared at when walking into other places in France. My favourite boutique for jewellery has actually allowed me to have a little friendship with me and the shop keeper!
   
3. You get invited to MANY meals. This is really true and also very common in the North of France. I found it so kind, yet a little strange, that colleagues I'd spoken to only once, were asking me to their houses to meet their families and eat food with them! This is traditional in the North apparently, as it's a friendly way to meet new people and truly get to know who you work with! Looks like January will be busy for me (and also impossible to shift the Christmas weight!)
   
4.  The food, wine and cheese just keeps on coming. OK so this maybe just France in general, but you never leave the table feeling empty. You may have to wait sometimes until the dead of night to eat, but when you do, my god it's great. The North, like the rest of France, has its delicacies, but I love how you are constantly served more and more until you pop. Aperetif is also a genius invention I need in my English life. It's a drinks starter. You have a drink to start your meal that will be a completely different one to your main. Maybe a cocktail, a liqueur with champagne, or just champagne before your main wine. But most of the time in houses you have 2 or 3 glasses before you reach the table. Fantastic! The wine here is ACTUALLY decent. I think before now I hadn't lived.
   
5.  FAIRE DE BISE! Kissing on either cheek (we do once on each cheek) is the most affectionate and loveliest way to say hello and goodbye to your friends. I get given them to stay goodnight and good-morning here too. HOW CAN YOU NOT FEEL LOVED WITH THIS?!
   
6. People here say SORRY they can't speak to you in English, because you're trying so hard to speak French. This is really true, I often get told my French is incredible and that the other person is so sad or so sorry they can't speak any English. Little do they know I'm grateful for this! It's so kind when Matt comes to stay that everyone makes an effort to speak as much English as possible - like we aren't the foreign ones who should be trying hey!!!! Basically French people are too too kind here!
   
7. CULTURE IS EVERYWHERE. You can't walk far without admiring the architecture, the shops and the fashion, the FOOD, the language, the BOOKS, the museums...need I go on? My favourite thing to do is wonder round (as long as it isn't raining!). I really love exploring, even if it's just my little home town! The North has some wonderful places to explore from giant museums, to the most amazing bakeries!
   
8. EVERY MISTAKE I SEEM TO MAKE IS SEXUAL. Yes so most mistakes or "you can't say that" is due to sexual connotations. This makes me cry with laughter when I'm told this. It's really true that the French language is far more romantic than anyone truly thinks! It's really beginning to show when most mistakes involve sexual connotations though...FRENCH NEED TO CALM DOWN! "Ça m'a fait plaisir" NO. JUST NO.
   
9. FRENCH LITERATURE. OK I couldn't do my favourite things without a geek moment. The libraries, bookstores and even little book markets are INCREDIBLE here. Some bookstores like Furet Du Nord in Lille has 7/8 floors(maybe more I can't remember!) and nothing makes me happier than exploring all of the French literature sections. I also really enjoying talking about the books I read, as it often creates a few shocked and confused faces. I think they think I'm completely crazy, but that's also ok with me.
   
10. You make friends for life. Truly. They say that you cry twice in the North - when you arrive (because it's so bloody cold) and when you have to leave. It's a place that really has touched my heart,  I think saying goodbye for good will be too hard, so I'll forever have to keep coming back. Home isn't always a place, it's a feeling.