Hey there, I'm Josh 👋France is easier when someone's been there before you.
I landed in Lille in 2016 with comic-book French and too much luggage. Ten years and nine languages later, I share the shortcuts I had to learn the hard way.
Where are you right now?
Pick the one that sounds like you. Everything on this site is free to read, except two books that took me ten years to write.
I'm moving to France
Visa, préfecture, apartment, bank, first payslip. The first year without the costly mistakes.
Fit-in in FranceI'm here, but my French isn't
You understand more than you can say. A method to stop freezing and start speaking.
FrenchMeshI'm deciding whether to study here
A master's in France took me from ₹12,000 to €3,600 a month. What it gave me, and what it cost.
My storyTwo books. Ten years of shortcuts.
Short enough to finish on the flight. Specific enough to save you months.
Languages can get you closer to your dreams.
Learning new things saved my self-image. On the TEDx stage I told the story of how each language opened a door I didn't know was there.
Watch the talk →Real numbers, real paperwork.
Back in the seats I sat in, ten years later.
A student at EDHEC Lille messaged me and asked if I'd come and talk. About twenty people came on a weekend. We talked about where to compete as a foreigner, which language strategy works, and the mistakes that cost me a year.
One honest email when the rules change.
- New préfecture, visa and nationality rules, explained plainly
- New videos before anyone else
- No spam. Unsubscribe in one click.
Written by me, not a marketing team.