My Path to French Citizenship

The short version, because Substack has a word limit.

Like many Aussies before me, I moved to the UK after university and although I intended to visit for just a few months I fell into London’s trap and ended up staying for almost 12 years, picking up friends, stories and a new passport along the way. I had a variety of jobs including model agent, personal assistant to one particularly notorious supermodel, working for a professional football player and organising supper clubs in an empty warehouse in east London.

I’m not into astrology but I found the idea of a Saturn Return rather compelling and sure enough, around my 30th birthday, the big life changes came thick and fast. I found myself back at school, shortly followed by a dramatic breakup and finally made the decision to move back to Australia, closer to friends and family and ready to put down some real roots. I gave notice on my apartment, phoned my Mum to let her know to expect me mid May and signed up to work as a chef for a ski season in the Swiss Alps, one last party before I…