I am US citizen currently living in Paris, France and employed by a company that's building services based on OS products that they financially sponsor.
Obviously every company and situation are going to be vastly different. If you can speak any French, it's going to help. I can't! Here's a few things to consider:
Interacting with humanoids isn't particularly important to me. With the exception of sex. Which can be purchased on the streets but I'm afraid of STDs so paranoia rules. Perhaps you have greater social needs.
If you can't speak the language, what are you going to do with your time? Work! Do you like working seven days a week? I do.
It takes three days to see anything worth visiting in Paris. After the initial three days, Paris is another boring city with Gargoyles hanging from old buildings. So what. There's lots of websites that explore Gargoyles with great detail. Are you going to stand in line for three hours waiting to see something that was painted 8,000 years ago? I won't.
The job market seems to be healthy. I'm not interested in working for anyone else but have recieved several offers. I work as a contractor. Consider the following issues with care:
I am paid in US dollars.
Don't bother working above the table, you'll probably want to return to the US within six months so why go through the extra hassle. I don't care what anyone says or thinks, this is my experience and I know.
I am paid at the beginning of the month for the work that I will do in the coming four weeks. Many tech firms are 30 days away from bankruptcy.
You're in a foriegn country and if they go under, you'll point your arse at the larger Statue of Liberty and start swimmin. Your contract must state that under all circumstance they are obligated to pay for _all_ your travel expenses to and from the US. And for Christ's sake, get an extra trip back home tossed in. I did, although I haven't used it and probably won't. I am even cheap when it's their money.
The company _must_ be responsible for assisting you in finding an apartment and if need be the rental contract must be in the companies name. Use of imagination will tell you why. Additionaly, they must be responsible for utilities including internet connection.
As a contractor, you're responsible for delivering a product. Nobody can tell you what hours to work. Just deliver. After becoming comfortable with your responsibilities, a trip to Amsterdam will be in order. Don't ask for permisson, just do it. You're not looking for work, it's an experience that you're after.
OK, I have been in the country for a couple weeks, I haven't eaten anything in 36 hours and I'm ready to break down. I go to a restuarant and recognize one word on the menu. It's a favorite dish, my eyes swell, I'm grateful for my fortune. I order "sausage." Within 15 minutes the waiter delivers a dish that's odor reminds me of a backed up sewer. The adrenalin rush keeps me from snapping, I hide my frustration and out of desperation take one bite. It's pig's guts and balls, "annuette" (sic).
I better comment on the French people. I think they're very fine people. They're polite and genuine if you are. Anyone that learns to tolerate and appreciate me, is a damned fine people. All the points in this letter are my first hand experience. The French have accomodated me to the letter. I have been asked to extend my contract and probably will. Although, I've informed them that I'd prefer to live in the US. I am loyal to my employer and will work myself to death because they're good to me.
One last reality check. I left a dog in the US. Everyone loved this dog, 100ish pound black lab. I taught him to sit on top the kitchen table when people were eating and to jump up on everyone. Everything a dog shouldn't do he did and he was loved for it. I left him in a house with nine people who he lived with. They loved him and treated him better than I did. I suspect, I was his first master. He happily did what was expected and stopped being a runner within four weeks of being with me. Punishment for running away was a plate of human food. The day I left for Paris, he stopped eating, four months later he died. My point, you'll pay the price and in return you should be compensated. Good Luck!
Well, here's my story.
For two years, we've been developing a LGPL, GPL and GFDL product. I've been participating for about one year.
Recently a start-up posted to our mailing list and stated, we're interested in paying the core developer team to work full-time on product X.
OK, this is our product, we developed it and it's OS.
I moved to a foreign country and was then confronted with non-competition and non-disclosure agreements in the contract. I have refused to sign.
Unfortunately, I'm still here only because I'm the only person who's willing to do the specific job that I contribute to the project. If someone else was interested or willing, I'm sure I'd be singing the Star Spangled Banner right now.
These companies think they've got great ideas. Well, I think an idea is a hill of turds and when you start legally protecting the hill of turds you enter into a realm of abturdity.
If ideas are so valuable, I'll take a snapshot of my bathroom wall and put it up for bid. I haven't met anyone that's got more or less ideas than I do . How much work are you willing to invest and in the case of an OS project, can you beat the competition out of the gate and to the finish line? That's the real challange.
I've been contracted for my expertise, not so this company can enlighten me with their ideas. They haven't thought of anything unique, especially as the concept "unique" applies to this specific products usefulness.
Of course I've hired a lawyer and requested legal representation from the OS community. The OS community in fact responded favorably by providing probono (sic) legal advice. One advised, sign, the other said, don't. Don't take this to mean to much because I'm not including information that lends to a properly built perspective but the OS advice was sign.
In my case, signing the contract could mean that I'm one of the only people in the world who can't Freely use an OS product that I've participated in building.
A question I've to ask myself is, do I want to help a company that values an idea when I think ideas are worthless? Not really; however, nobody else is putting up any money, I want to be paid, I love the product and the OS community that's involved.
I could return home and resume my habit of contributing but I'm exposed to people who are more talented than me and I want to learn from them.
This company is willing to invest and do work that I'm not willing or able to do. I actually like these people and this issue aside would enjoy working with them. Especially on a product that I love.
I'd have a big problem signing anything just so I can be interviewed. There's lots of businesses out there who need our skills. I've found several in this country who are willing to hire me and I can't even speak the local language. If I were faced with your dilema, I'd probably decline.
displaced
Slashdot Mirror
I am US citizen currently living in Paris, France and employed by a company that's building services based on OS products that they financially sponsor.
Obviously every company and situation are going to be vastly different. If you can speak any French, it's going to help. I can't! Here's a few things to consider:
The job market seems to be healthy. I'm not interested in working for anyone else but have recieved several offers. I work as a contractor. Consider the following issues with care:
As a contractor, you're responsible for delivering a product. Nobody can tell you what hours to work. Just deliver. After becoming comfortable with your responsibilities, a trip to Amsterdam will be in order. Don't ask for permisson, just do it. You're not looking for work, it's an experience that you're after.
OK, I have been in the country for a couple weeks, I haven't eaten anything in 36 hours and I'm ready to break down. I go to a restuarant and recognize one word on the menu. It's a favorite dish, my eyes swell, I'm grateful for my fortune. I order "sausage." Within 15 minutes the waiter delivers a dish that's odor reminds me of a backed up sewer. The adrenalin rush keeps me from snapping, I hide my frustration and out of desperation take one bite. It's pig's guts and balls, "annuette" (sic).
I better comment on the French people. I think they're very fine people. They're polite and genuine if you are. Anyone that learns to tolerate and appreciate me, is a damned fine people. All the points in this letter are my first hand experience. The French have accomodated me to the letter. I have been asked to extend my contract and probably will. Although, I've informed them that I'd prefer to live in the US. I am loyal to my employer and will work myself to death because they're good to me.
One last reality check. I left a dog in the US. Everyone loved this dog, 100ish pound black lab. I taught him to sit on top the kitchen table when people were eating and to jump up on everyone. Everything a dog shouldn't do he did and he was loved for it. I left him in a house with nine people who he lived with. They loved him and treated him better than I did. I suspect, I was his first master. He happily did what was expected and stopped being a runner within four weeks of being with me. Punishment for running away was a plate of human food. The day I left for Paris, he stopped eating, four months later he died. My point, you'll pay the price and in return you should be compensated. Good Luck!
Well, here's my story. For two years, we've been developing a LGPL, GPL and GFDL product. I've been participating for about one year. Recently a start-up posted to our mailing list and stated, we're interested in paying the core developer team to work full-time on product X. OK, this is our product, we developed it and it's OS. I moved to a foreign country and was then confronted with non-competition and non-disclosure agreements in the contract. I have refused to sign. Unfortunately, I'm still here only because I'm the only person who's willing to do the specific job that I contribute to the project. If someone else was interested or willing, I'm sure I'd be singing the Star Spangled Banner right now. These companies think they've got great ideas. Well, I think an idea is a hill of turds and when you start legally protecting the hill of turds you enter into a realm of abturdity. If ideas are so valuable, I'll take a snapshot of my bathroom wall and put it up for bid. I haven't met anyone that's got more or less ideas than I do . How much work are you willing to invest and in the case of an OS project, can you beat the competition out of the gate and to the finish line? That's the real challange. I've been contracted for my expertise, not so this company can enlighten me with their ideas. They haven't thought of anything unique, especially as the concept "unique" applies to this specific products usefulness. Of course I've hired a lawyer and requested legal representation from the OS community. The OS community in fact responded favorably by providing probono (sic) legal advice. One advised, sign, the other said, don't. Don't take this to mean to much because I'm not including information that lends to a properly built perspective but the OS advice was sign. In my case, signing the contract could mean that I'm one of the only people in the world who can't Freely use an OS product that I've participated in building. A question I've to ask myself is, do I want to help a company that values an idea when I think ideas are worthless? Not really; however, nobody else is putting up any money, I want to be paid, I love the product and the OS community that's involved. I could return home and resume my habit of contributing but I'm exposed to people who are more talented than me and I want to learn from them. This company is willing to invest and do work that I'm not willing or able to do. I actually like these people and this issue aside would enjoy working with them. Especially on a product that I love. I'd have a big problem signing anything just so I can be interviewed. There's lots of businesses out there who need our skills. I've found several in this country who are willing to hire me and I can't even speak the local language. If I were faced with your dilema, I'd probably decline. displaced