The "Cheers" Bookshop of Perigueux
Language Exchange Clubs - who knew?
(Written in September, 2024. Includes TIPS on meeting people while traveling)
I have been travelling full time for over 5 years.
I’m a bit of a snob about meeting expats, I admit it.
I’ve had some prejudice against Americans living abroad, who I assume live in an Amercian-ish bubble.
And I may well be an expat someday, so there you have it.
So I don’t go to English language bookstores much because I want to integrate into the culture instead of spending time with Americans.
I wanna speak French, dang it!
HOWEVER, I am in France and decided to go to the English bookstore here in Perigueux (a town of 25,000 in the Dordogne region).
Best thing I have ever done!
Why?
First, there is a language exchange group that meets every week and mostly speaks English.
I have met people from France, Russia, Germany, The Netherlands, South Africa, Croatia and Guatemala. Expats and locals.
Wonderful, interesting, gracious people. Ages from 16 to 80’s. We talk about many topics, varied and stimulating.
I was also invited to a women’s group and joined them a couple of times. (Ladies from France, Scotland, Croatia and the Netherlands).
The lady from Croatia invited me to go with her to a Russian health spa in Siberia in December! She learned about it from a Russian expat friend.
(I didn’t go, although was slightly tempted)
These are not MEETUP groups, so I would not have found it except for asking at the tourist office.
Secondly, the owner (an American expat) has created a coffee shop, bar, bookstore that is like being in a friend's house, Boukie’s Bookstore.
Boukie’s is a relaxing, warm and welcoming for local French people and expats alike.
So there you go, my sterotypes of insulated expats got smashed here.
I think it is common for these types of groups to meet in English language bookstores, and I have seen them in Avignon and Aix En Provence.
Tip #1 if you want to meet locals while traveling: Ask at tourist offices for language exchange meetings and English language bookstores.
And consider going to the tourist office anyway. I always do as a slow traveller. I ask a lot of questions about activites I enjoy and also how they would suggest that I meet locals.
Tip #2: Talk to taxi and Uber drivers what they recommend for local activities and how to meet local people.
Tip #3: Find a local cafe (or bar) that seems friendly and plant yourself there. Keep going back to the same one, chat with the servers/owners and remain open.
Tip #4: MEETUP groups, facebook groups for your city and Airbnb experiences. Find things you like to do for the groups and ask questions in the facebook groups.
I hope this was helpful to anyone going to the Dordogne and/or wanting ideas to meet people while traveling.
Cheers!