Sure but I don't know how good a job I will do putting it into words :)

We lived in London ([redacted]) and just outside ([redacted]) before we moved. We moved to the outskirts of [redacted] (we're a 10 minute drive from the nearest metro station). Takes 20 minutes to drive into the centre (Bellecour). About 10 minutes to drive to Tete D'or park just to give you some idea of distances.

Life in [redacted] is just so much more relaxed and happy. It is the little things like when I take my son to school here all the parents stop and chat and laugh and talk about what they did that weekend. In the UK it always felt like everyone was in a rush and/or bad mood. Rushing off to some other activity or moaning how they're running late because they were caught up at work.

Everyone here has a very hard cut point with work. I don't think I've actually heard someone complain about being late because of work. Traffic yes but never work. Everyone takes a solid 2 hour lunch break where we sit out in the sun (the weather is a plus obviously). Chat. Read. Play Pétanque.

The same is true after work. For example just yesterday the weather is warm so after I got back from having my MRI I bumped into my neighbour on his way home from work. He asked how I was doing so I gave him the update all is good and he was like that's great come play with us! And we spent the next hour chatting about MRIs with the kids, explaining how they work and I showed them the MRI of my brain I had on my laptop from last week haha :D

I know that is nothing unique to being in [redacted] and it could just as well happen in the UK but my point here is it never happened in the UK. Whereas that is just my normal evening. Neighbours chat and socialise and we pop round each others for goûter (a small snack) randomly.

I am sure I could have the same anywhere including the UK but given I lived in a similar kind of place (outskirts of a big city) it is just interesting to me how different the people and lifestyle are.

When I visit family back in the UK it feels odd to me. A lot of negativity. A lot of misery. I went last August and chatting with my parents neighbours (whom I have been friends with for a decade) were just so so negative. Moaning constantly, grumpy. I even said to my mother at the time "wtf is up with Zoe?" and she said "oh she's just had enough of all the crap". To be fair this was when Liz Truss just tanked the economy in record time and was then replaced with Sunak.

I realise [redacted] is not all roses and butterflies obviously. They have real problems too and perhaps I just lucked out with my place in [redacted] but my wife is happy and my son is happy (and bilingual which is a huge win and something I am super happy about). We live in a place 2.5x as our place in [redacted] for €300 month less. Have excellent healthcare, great weather, wonderful food, a beautiful park to relax in just 10 minutes away (Tete D'or).

Life is pretty damn good and that is before all the financial benefits we had moving here which are another story.

Edit: forgive any glaring typos. I wrote this very quickly as I am heading out of the door, usually I would proof read something this long as I won't be able to edit it later! If something seems very wrong I will try to correct it with a later reply :)