DEAR ABBY: I went to college in France. It was my lifelong dream to move here and start my own life in this beautiful country. I succeeded. I married and had a child, but the marriage didn’t work out. My son, who is now 8, has spent his whole life here. He fits in. He is popular. However, as a single working mother in a foreign land, I do not.
I have mastered the French language. I can have an intellectual conversation in French, and I even make jokes in French. I understand it’s a different culture. I have had many different roles as a bilingual assistant in various sectors, such as real estate, digital transformation, architecture and interior design.
I count myself blessed to always be able to find work, but the women here just don’t like me. I am blond and wear makeup, and my presence seems to threaten and anger them no matter where I go. There are always one or two nice colleagues, but there is also a mass vibe of hostility. I can’t leave because I can’t take my son away from his father. Advice? — LEFT OUT IN PARIS
DEAR LEFT OUT: Please allow me to offer my sympathy. What you are experiencing is hurtful. But it happens everywhere, not just in Paris.