--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What I gained by being in France was…" description: "\"What I gained by being in France was learning to be better satisfied with my own country.\" — Samuel Johnson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da1/samuel-johnson-50_country_what-i-gained-by-being-in-france-was-lea_1079410.png" --- # What I gained by being in France was learning to be better… ![“What I gained by being in France was learning to be better satisfied with my own country.” quote by Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da1/samuel-johnson-50_country_what-i-gained-by-being-in-france-was-lea_1079410.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da1/samuel-johnson-50_country_what-i-gained-by-being-in-france-was-lea_1079410.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da1/samuel-johnson-50_country_what-i-gained-by-being-in-france-was-lea_1079410.png) > “What I gained by being in France was learning to be better satisfied with my own country.” [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recognizing that living abroad can highlight appreciation for one's own homeland. **In simple terms:** Living abroad makes you value home more. Key Takeaway Cherish your country’s virtues. Themes nationalism perspective appreciation Mood reflective nostalgic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - travel - expatriate life - immigration - national pride Key Concepts cultural identity comparative experience Questions to Reflect On - How does foreign experience reshape your view of home? - What aspects of your country do you now value more? A Different Perspective May overlook domestic issues while idealizing home. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/france/) [Patriotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotism/) ## Related quotes > [Satisfied is a word I use only in reference to my country, and I'll never be satisfied for my country. For this reasons I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/satisfied-is-a-word-i-use-only-in-reference-to-my-country-and-i-ll/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [I don't want it all the time, but when I get it, I better be satisfied. So give it to me right, or don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-fiona/i-don-t-want-it-all-the-time-but-when-i-get-it-i-better-be-satisfied/) [Melanie Fiona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-fiona/) > [I always want to become better. If never being satisfied is a problem, then I have it. At least it's a good problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zlatan-ibrahimovic/i-always-want-to-become-better-if-never-being-satisfied-is-a-problem/) [Zlatan Ibrahimovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zlatan-ibrahimovic/) > [It is better to be satisfied with what you have than with what you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/it-is-better-to-be-satisfied-with-what-you-have-than-with-what-you-are/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [“...the more I see the better satisfied I am that I am an American; free born and free bred, where I acknowledge no man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-more-i-see-the-better-satisfied-i-am-that-i-am-an-american-free/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [There's always a way you can get better. You can never be satisfied. You can never say, 'That's good enough'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kron-gracie/there-s-always-a-way-you-can-get-better-you-can-never-be-satisfied/) [Kron Gracie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kron-gracie/) > [The mind is never satisfied with the objects immediately before it, but is always breaking away from the present moment, and losing itself in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-mind-is-never-satisfied-with-the-objects-immediately-before-it/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Let me rejoice in the light which Thou hast imparted; let me serve Thee with active zeal, humbled confidence, and wait with patient expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/let-me-rejoice-in-the-light-which-thou-hast-imparted-let-me-serve/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Sir, if you wish to have a just notion of the magnitude of this city, you must not be satisfied with seeing its great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/sir-if-you-wish-to-have-a-just-notion-of-the-magnitude-of-this-city/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [In France they spend six months training policemen, then they give them a gun and put them on the streets, and I don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mathieu-kassovitz/in-france-they-spend-six-months-training-policemen-then-they-give/) [Mathieu Kassovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mathieu-kassovitz/) > [I have often heard that the novel is dead. But I see novels produced, I don't know how many a week, in France. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathalie-sarraute/i-have-often-heard-that-the-novel-is-dead-but-i-see-novels-produced-i/) [Nathalie Sarraute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathalie-sarraute/) > [The talk shows in the States want celebrities, not authors. In France, it is different; writers are called upon to comment on everything. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/the-talk-shows-in-the-states-want-celebrities-not-authors-in-france/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [“nor ground control was something of a step back for them. Furthermore, having reached France,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-holland/nor-ground-control-was-something-of-a-step-back-for-them-furthermore/) [James Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-holland/) > [I did not know that the planning for biological and chemical warfare was so widespread in England, and even in France before France fell.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/i-did-not-know-that-the-planning-for-biological-and-chemical-warfare/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) > [Vive les peuples, Vive la Republique! Vive la France!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marine-le-pen/vive-les-peuples-vive-la-republique-vive-la-france/) [Marine Le Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marine-le-pen/) ## More by Samuel Johnson > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Pound St. Paul's Church into atoms, and consider any single atom; it is to be sure, good for nothing; but put all these atoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/pound-st-paul-s-church-into-atoms-and-consider-any-single-atom-it-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [You can never be wise unless you love reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/you-can-never-be-wise-unless-you-love-reading/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [If our aim is to praise, we should forget to criticize; if our aim is to criticize, we should remember to praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-our-aim-is-to-praise-we-should-forget-to-criticize-if-our-aim-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [All theory is against free will; all experience is for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/all-theory-is-against-free-will-all-experience-is-for-it/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Had I learned to fiddle, I should have done nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/had-i-learned-to-fiddle-i-should-have-done-nothing-else/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [It is as foolish to make experiments upon the constancy of a friend, as upon the chastity of a wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-as-foolish-to-make-experiments-upon-the-constancy-of-a-friend/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Resolve not to be poor: whatever you have, spend less. 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But a thing is then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-cherubim-were-never-intended-as-an-object-of-worship-because-they/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Nobody has the right to put another under such a difficulty that he must either hurt the person by telling the truth or hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/nobody-has-the-right-to-put-another-under-such-a-difficulty-that-he/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [That kind of life is most happy which affords us most opportunities of gaining our own self-esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/that-kind-of-life-is-most-happy-which-affords-us-most-opportunities/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The time will come to every human being when it must be known how well he can bear to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-time-will-come-to-every-human-being-when-it-must-be-known-how/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Explore all 1,998 Samuel Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## More Country quotes > [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [There's no reason someone who has fought for their country should be homeless of jobless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/there-s-no-reason-someone-who-has-fought-for-their-country-should-be/) [Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. 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The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > ['Lovecraft Country' is reclaiming all these pulp genres for people of color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-green/lovecraft-country-is-reclaiming-all-these-pulp-genres-for-people-of/) [Misha Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-green/) > [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/) [Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/) [Browse all 29,881 Country quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What I gained by being in France was learning to be better satisfied with my own country.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel Johnson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/what-i-gained-by-being-in-france-was-learning-to-be-better-satisfied/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Country" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/what-i-gained-by-being-in-france-was-learning-to-be-better-satisfied/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da1/samuel-johnson-50_country_what-i-gained-by-being-in-france-was-lea_1079410.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da1/samuel-johnson-50_country_what-i-gained-by-being-in-france-was-lea_1079410.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da1/samuel-johnson-50_country_what-i-gained-by-being-in-france-was-lea_1079410.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What I gained by being in France was learning to be better satisfied with my own country.” — Samuel Johnson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Samuel Johnson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What I gained by being in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/what-i-gained-by-being-in-france-was-learning-to-be-better-satisfied/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/what-i-gained-by-being-in-france-was-learning-to-be-better-satisfied/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```