u/Vegetable_Sock_4026

41 m here potentially having a midlife crisis lol! Okay now that I have your attention, I have a BA in Telecom and a Minor in music from Indiana University. After college, I did internships at recording studios, record labels, and worked as a page at CBS. Was never able to make the jump to a full time gig. I moved around a lot looking for my happiness working whatever jobs I could find. My most long term job was at a TPA for teamster pension, which I worked at for 7 years. Moved to a new state and was told even though I was already working remotely that I couldn’t from the new state. Quit that dead end job, spent the next two years getting a Google Certification in Digital Marketing, worked for a family friend doing content creation, tried to work for myself doing similar work, formed a LLC, dissolved a LLC, and moved to France thinking I would just start fresh.

Realized I was just running away from my problems. I need to figure out what I want to do with my life not where. So I plan to make the most of my year here while I make a plan for my future. This is where you come in to play. Looking for mentorship to try and figure out a path forward. Wondering if I should get a masters program. Thank you to any kind soul that would give me any amount of your time and advice. I think I could benefit a lot from a mentor to give my life some direction. Thanks again!

Asking for help here cause I know you all keep it brutally honest here.

Background: 41yo male with a BA in Telecom and Minor in music. Single. Lost job approx 2.5 years ago. Got a Google cert in Digital Marketing. Tried building a business around digital marketing that never took off. Left America because of Trump/government letting the country go to shit. Plus to feel safer as a member of the LGBTQ community.

Currently: moved to Lyon at the beginning of a heatwave. Enrolled in a 1 year program learning French to get a visa. Culture shock has me second guessing my plan to enroll in a masters after a year and try for citizenship. I know I’ve only been here two weeks but I also need to plan for the future to give myself time to apply to a masters program.

Options:

1. move to another city that doesn’t get as hot as Lyon and actually cools off at night. Thinking Bordeaux or Rennes. Enroll in masters program, pray I can find a job to sponsor me for at least two years to get citizenship.

2. after a year I would move to the UK or more likely Ireland and do my masters program there to remove the language barrier struggles. Looking to get masters in film studies most likely in Galway. Try to break into the film industry there while applying for the 2 year job sealer visa. Or potentially just go get a masters and return to America once Trump is gone and pray for sanity.

3. go to the Netherlands and probably Amsterdam where a lot of people speak English. Go under DAFT and try to reframe a business to support marketing services. I would edit videos, podcasts, and do any other content creation.

I really don’t want to go back to America because more and more rights just keep getting taken away. Capitalism and affordability makes it just as difficult to live there even if I have citizenship. But trying to achieve citizenship over here seems nearly impossible without marriage or decent. I really hate the summer and hot weather too. So I’m definitely not prepared for European summer and don’t want to buy an AC unit without knowing I’m going to be staying here first. Feeling lost and unsure what to do with my life. Please please be kind in your responses. I know I probably made yet another life mistake.

TL;DR moved to France from America and now I feel lost and don’t know what to do with my life. I don’t really feel like I can succeed anywhere. My French isn’t as good as I thought it was. They increased emigration requirements during my visa application and I still came since I had the visa. Do I just make the most of what time I can be in Europe and go back to America? Is it unrealistic to think I could find a path to citizenship through being a masters student? Thanks for any and all help. Sorry I’m not great and clearly conveying my thoughts.

I just moved to Lyon a week ago and I’m struggling. Not just with the heat. I’ve ordered something’s off Amazon to be delivered and I’ve been able to receive a few things but it’s becoming a trend that La Poste is saying they are undeliverable. After a few “delivery attempts” they are now holding my items at their office for pickup. My building has a call box at the gate but I don’t think it works for my apartment for some reason. It goes right to saying I’m unavailable and the little screen in my apartment just doesn’t work? The apartment HOA won’t get me the delivery codes either. I’m sorry for so much complaining. I think I just picked the worst time to arrive with this heat wave. Is there something I’m missing or some specific delivery instructions I can put to have them actually deliver my packages? Thank you so much for any and all help!

Hello. I’ve seen all the recommendations about eSIMs and porting to Google voice advice. However, does anyone have any advice on what to do once you’re already in your destination country? I may have messed up. I moved to France and am having the hardest time getting an eSIM through Orange. I also need some way to preserve my American number. All my research is showing that I should have done the port before I left. Is there no way to do it once I’m here? Sorry if this question is dumb. I just keep finding conflicting information and figured someone with experience could guide me in the right direction.

Bonjour à tous! I am moving to Lyon next week and would like to find a GP that speaks English and is located in the 4th or close by. Merci in advance pour votre recommandations!

Idk if this is a weird question but I’ve seen pictures of Yungblud wearing a black baker boy style hat. I think it looks cool and wonderful if anyone knows what brand it is or maybe where to find a similar one. Thanks in advance!