Archive - Seeking Tranquillity in France

Mind the tax authorities and treaties, but be mindful of "extra-taxation"

Hard-up governments can be creative in levying fees that others call taxes

Jul 5 •

Duxbury Days and the 4th of July

Three days of surreal small-town amusement to celebrate the nation's birthday

Jul 3 •

June 2025

If leaving the U.S. for another country, plan using official resources, not just social media

When contemplating moving abroad, a person grounded in reality is likely to formulate two types of questions: (1) what are the legal and bureaucratic…

Jun 27

On military parades, past and present

I attended a military parade in East Berlin in 1985; it shaped how I viewed the recent parade in Washington, D.C.

Jun 17 •

Inequality, identity and American emigration in a changing European landscape

Social concerns that American emigrés to Europe inevitably face

Jun 13 •

What happens when your best-laid plans for life abroad suddenly go awry?

Some reflections on a fellow-Substack author's post about the unexpected and the need for backup plans

Jun 6 •

May 2025

Moving to Europe for work

For Americans, employment in a European country requires setting aside previous assumptions about the nature of work, the workplace, and even retirement

May 30

Growing Up Catholic

Recollections of churchly experience pre-Vatican II, and of drifting away after

May 9 •

April 2025

God, human folly and laughter

A bit of JFK's wisdom engraved on a silver tankard inspires some personal reflections

Apr 25 •

The Pervasive Vulnerability of Life in America (updated 20 April 2025)

Approaching tipping points in a system that fails the citizenry

Apr 20 •

What I learned writing a short essay in French

Writing in a second language presents its own unique learning experience

Apr 20 •

Le jour où mon ombre m'a parlé

Prendre conscience à travers les murmures d'une réflexion

Apr 17 •

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