Chief among the drawbacks of life in Nimes, McIsaac-Kierklo says, is that she can't often get good produce to cook with — she notes limp celery for sale at the local grocery story. And, she says, the wonders of French cuisine haven't really won her over.

"People go, 'Oh my god, the French food is so fabulous.' Yeah, if you want to eat brie, pâté, pastries and French bread all day long," she tells CNN. "But who eats like that?"

Also: the couple has struggled to make friends, McIsaac-Kierklo has not yet mastered the language (or learned much of it), and the bureaucracies behind the healthcare system and banking system, and getting a long-stay visa, have been nightmarish. 

…who the fuck are these people? How do you not like French food? How are they NOT finding excellent produce? It’s fucking EVERYWHERE in France, and miles better on average than what we get in the states. And not bothering to even learn French, and then being annoyed that it’s hard to make friends is just.. what…?