Well, everyone, I'm sitting in my almost-empty apartment counting down the hours to the train that will take me away from the home and community I've created in Blois, at least for the time being. Dina has been an absolutely incredible source of packing prowess, support, and positive energy and I am so glad she is here with me my last night in Blois.
I am definitely sad to leave Blois, and a few weeks ago when I went to the train station with Harriet I was terrified of the sense of profound loss I would feel leaving this time in Blois--because Blois is not a physical place, but an experience. I can never return to my Blois, where I lived at Les Cottages with Harriet and Amy and made friends with the students of the engineering school, where I killed a possible thousand of cockroaches and where electrical outages were the norm. I will never be an assistante de langue again or work with my kids, because even if I were to return, they would be older and different. I will never be 22 and living for the first time on my own in a foreign country. If (or rather, when) I return, it will be a new experience, a new adventure.
Leaving reminds me of the temporal nature of life, its everchangingness. I know it's cliché, but you really can't return to the same place twice. Or in the words of Disney's Pocahontas (that come to me in the wee hours of the morning): You can't step in the same river twice. Each choice leads you to a new place, a new time, new friends, a new community, new experiences.
I am young and I have so many possibilities ahead of me, so many bends in the river. I am excited about what is coming, and so I must admit that while I mourn the loss of this time in my life, my excitement for the next one outweighs my sadness. So what is ahead? Well, I don't really know, which is what makes me so excited and life so exciting.
The fact that I feel this way is one of those many indicators to me of how I have changed since I first came to France two and a half years ago, nervous, timid, lacking self-confidence, worried about planning out every detail of my life, sure that if I worked hard enough and secured a college diploma, my life would unfold seamlessly into whatever I imagined it to be. I am no longer that girl, but a new, more confident, independent version of that girl, or (let's just keep the clichés rolling) that now-woman.
I may even be a little French (!). At dinner with the Gaubens on Thursday, Dominique shocked me by telling me how French I'd become. She explained that when we first met I struck her as very American, but now I was very obviously French, in my look, my mannerisms, my gestures, my outlook. I took this as a major compliment, but I wonder how my new cultural identity (a French/American mélange) will play out when I return home. We shall see.
I am spending tomorrow in Paris and staying with a friend, so that should be wonderful! My flight is Monday morning from Charles de Gaulle airport, and I will arrive in Minneapolis 10 hours later, around 1 PM CST. I am so looking forward to hugging my mom and dad and seeing my family and friends after eight months of separation. So much joy, the balance to the many goodbyes I've been saying to the wonderful people I've had the great privilege to meet in my time here in France.
For those who are curious, the game plan, if I have one, is to wait for responses to the many job applications I've submitted to institutions around France to be some form of an English teacher. I've already got an interview at one university in the east of France. I am also waiting to hear back about a Masters program in Tours in linguistics. Failing that, I am looking into becoming an au pair to a French family to I can continue to develop my French skills and, of course, stay in France. I will be conducting all this decision-making from Minneapolis where I will hopefully find a job as a nanny for the summer and also have a great time with my fabulous friends.
So, there's the scoop. Au revoir for now. I will attempt to write a post-return update, but I may find myself rather busy when I get back, so no promises. I've thoroughly enjoyed writing this blog and sharing my experiences with you! À la prochaine!
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Erin's Top 10 London
My days in Europe are numbered. I have less than four days left in Blois, and then I'm off to Paris to catch my flight home. I got back from England on Sunday and underwent a little bit of culture shock as I was plunged back into my French-speaking world. I have spent the last few days pretending to pack, fighting off the droves of cockroaches that tried to take over my apartment in my absence, and spending time with my favorite Blésois (people who live in Blois).
England was, in a word, amazing. Staying with Harriet and her family was such a joy. I felt right at home and got to enjoy some much-needed homey downtime--shopping, baking cookies, playing with their dog Bingo, watching movies, chatting over tea, having late-night sleepover chats--before hitting the big city.
I had a total of seven days in London, which I foolishly believed would be more than efficient to hit all the sites. Boy, was I wrong. I could probably have SEEN everything in seven days in London, but EXPERIENCING everything is an entirely different animal. I spent the first two days with my new friends from the hostel I was staying in, a young Portuguese woman named Patricia whom I clicked with immediately and a very sweet Croatian woman who was in London alone to see her favorite actor perform at the Globe. Then Ali joined me on the third day and we proceeded to "shoot it in there," as we would say--in essence, do London right. Harriet joined us to see The Phantom of the Opera on Thursday, and Suzie came on Saturday to hang out at the London Eye (Ferris wheel that provides a killer view of the city) and the London Dungeons (a theme park like experience meant to scare that we hoped would be more historical... alas).
I saw and did so much over the week, so I've decided to condense my activities into my favorite ones in a sort of London's Top 10. Enjoy!
10. Parks
Parks dot London's streets, but the one I saw the most was St. James', the park right outside Buckingham Palace. I ate lunch there my second day in the grass amongst the tulips and watched the ducks float by on the small lake at its center. I also had the highly amusing experience of being interviewed by two 12-year-old Belgian girls on a class trip with their English teacher. Can't escape the francophones!
9. Trafalgar Square
You can't claim to have seen London and NOT see Trafalgar Square--and I think I saw it every day. It is the city's beating heart, not as flashy as Piccadilly Circus (London's equivalent of Times Square) but way more impressive. Big Ben is visible from the steps of the stately National Gallery, London's Louvre. The square itself boasts several monuments, two fountains, and the famous lions who stand guard over London's artistic treasures. Red double-decker buses and black taxi cabs run circles around the grandeur in an almost cliché spectacle of London-ness. Photo Op #1.
8. British Museum
I was skeptical about going to this museum that houses the conquests of British imperialism, having been too many times to the Egyptian exhibit that was in Memphis about 20 times as well as the MIA in Minneapolis that has an impressive collection of ancient art as well, but Ali convinced me it was worth a gander. Just stepping into the entrance hall made it worth the visit: an arching glass ceiling with marble corridors leading off the the greatest treasures of the ancient world, including the Rosetta Stone and the stolen ruins of the Pantheon, not to mention real mummies!
7. Queen's Walk
This walking path along the Thames was my favorite place in London and one that I trod everyday I was there. The path stretches from London Bridge, where I was staying, past the Globe and the Tate Modern (modern art museum) to the London Eye, just across the river from Big Ben and Westminster Abbey. It not only provides killer views of the city but is also is home to live street performers and food stands as well as being a bustling communal hub. On Saturday, we stumbled across a food festival there that Ali and I enthusiastically took advantage of (we met because we were both working in a kitchen together at Concordia, so we like food a lot). We enjoyed two cooking presentations in the Cookery Theatre before wandering from stand to stand soaking in the smells and tastes of London's multicultural heritage.
6. West End
The West End is London's theatre district and probably one of the best neighborhoods of the city. As most theatre districts, it is vibrant and pulsing with creative energy, and just walking down the street gives you that feeling of anticipation deep in your insides that you get right before the curtain goes up. This is where Ali, Harriet, and I saw The Phantom of the Opera, and it is also home to Piccadilly Circus, great shopping and markets, Chinatown, and a hopping gay bar/club scene that Ali and I couldn't resist (our bartender was shirtless and no man gave us a second glance).
5. Markets
London is full of food, clothing, and knick-knack markets. Some are better than others, but I had the great pleasure of getting a 5-pound lunch from the Borough Market, the bustling and colorful food market next to the hostel, and finally getting a grown-up leather wallet at a market near Piccadilly where Ali found some really cool brass stamps. We also saw the more elaborate, permanent set-up of Covent Market and the less-impressive but youthful clothing market at Camden.
4. Tower of London
Originally Ali and I were going to reject the 20-pound price tag (approx. $40) of England's most infamous fortress, but in the end we decided you only live once. So, off we went to the Tower, once a royal residence and fortress, then a prison for nobles and political prisoners, and now home to the crown jewels. We hopped on a guided tour led by an enthusiastic yeoman (the guards of the Tower, all retired military personnel with excellent senses of humor and funny outfits). We didn't have enough time to see everything we wanted to see because we had to get over to the West End for Phantom, but we did manage to oggle the crown jewels, check out the torture equipment, and appreciate the Tower's haunting past (the Tower's most famous prisoners are Queens Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard and Lady JaneGrey, all tragically beheaded on mostly-false charges of treachery against the king).
3. Westminster Abbey
I also balked at the price of Westminster Abbey--a healthy 18 pounds--, but since I paid so much to get in, I was sure to reap all the benefits I could from my time in this magnificent church where the kings and queens of England have been baptized, married, crowned, and buried since the 12th century. I got an audio guide and listened in on a guided tour and didn't end up seeing the light of day again for over three hours. No pictures are allowed, but that only allowed me to soak it all in more. Highlights included the graves of Darwin and Newton, the tombs of Queens Elizabeth I and Mary I (also known as Bloody Mary), the detailed description of the crowning and royal wedding by the guide who had witnessed both, and Poet's Corner where I was surrounded by the spirits of the greatest creative minds the world has ever known: Chaucer, Shakespeare, Austen, Wordsworth, Handel--too many to list!
2. Hampton Court Palace
While this medieval palace which was home to Henry VIII was not quite as exciting for me as going to Versailles, it as still one of the coolest places we visited. I've long been interested by the lives of Henry VIII and his six wives as well as Elizabethan England and the medieval court, so being in such a historically-rich place was quite exhilarating. Once again, we didn't have enough time to really soak it all in as we had tickets for a performance at the Globe, but we did manage to see Henry VIII's apartments and a special exhibition on the Royal Bedchamber (highly amusing) as well as the court kitchens, still in operation today by experimental food historians (aka my new dream job), that used to cater to Henry's ridiculously large court of 1200 hungry people. Ali and I were in total awe. We also took a stroll around the gardens and completed the maze, and we even got to chat up King Henry VIII himself, on an afternoon stroll with one of his courtiers. Our conversation topics: hunting (Henry was concerned we might be poaching his deer and threatened a trip to the Tower) and alligators (strange creature of the New World native to Ali's home state of Florida).
1. Shakespeare's Globe Theatre
Destroyed several times, most notably in the Great Fire of 1666, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre was completely rebuilt and restored according to historical records and building methods in 1999 by an American actor. It is the theatre for which Shakespeare wrote a majority of his plays and where he often acted. It is an impressive open-air, circular building with seats in the round going up three stories and a large central "yard" where the poor used to enjoy the entertainment standing up. It's from this yard that I, poor twenty-something that I am, enjoyed two performances of Shakespeare's genius for 5 pounds a pop. The first performance I saw was an African interpretation of Shakespeare's poem "Venus and Adonis," a sensual piece about a lovestruck Venus and the immature (read: idiotic) Adonis who is more interested in hunting than getting it on with the Goddess of Love. He is then tragically killed in the hunt, much to the dismay of Venus. The poem was performed in seven languages, English and six African dialects, and included some fabulous singing, dancing, and humor that transcended all linguistic barriers. Then I saw a more traditional production of The Tempest, a comedy about a wronged duke stranded on a tropical island and his quest to gain back his dukely right by stranding his betrayers and the King of Naples on his island. It was hilarious and brilliantly acted and included several historically-accurate theatre traditions of the Elizabethan Age. Both plays were between 2.5 and 3 hours, but I was so entranced that I didn't even notice that I'd been standing that long. English major paradise!
My dear friend Dina is here visiting me from her internship in eastern France, and it's time for us to start our day. On the agenda: lunch, shopping for souvenirs and owl earrings (I need some in my life, thanks to eight months with owl-loving Harriet and Amy), and dinner with Mr. Gauben and Dominique.
Cheers!
England was, in a word, amazing. Staying with Harriet and her family was such a joy. I felt right at home and got to enjoy some much-needed homey downtime--shopping, baking cookies, playing with their dog Bingo, watching movies, chatting over tea, having late-night sleepover chats--before hitting the big city.
 |
| Me with Harriet's family. We're having a Chinese! |
 |
| Suzie, Ali, and me on the top of the London Eye |
Parks dot London's streets, but the one I saw the most was St. James', the park right outside Buckingham Palace. I ate lunch there my second day in the grass amongst the tulips and watched the ducks float by on the small lake at its center. I also had the highly amusing experience of being interviewed by two 12-year-old Belgian girls on a class trip with their English teacher. Can't escape the francophones!
 |
| St. James Park. The London Eye is on the left. |
9. Trafalgar Square
You can't claim to have seen London and NOT see Trafalgar Square--and I think I saw it every day. It is the city's beating heart, not as flashy as Piccadilly Circus (London's equivalent of Times Square) but way more impressive. Big Ben is visible from the steps of the stately National Gallery, London's Louvre. The square itself boasts several monuments, two fountains, and the famous lions who stand guard over London's artistic treasures. Red double-decker buses and black taxi cabs run circles around the grandeur in an almost cliché spectacle of London-ness. Photo Op #1.
 |
| Trafalgar Square. Big Ben is just visible to the left of the pillar. |
I was skeptical about going to this museum that houses the conquests of British imperialism, having been too many times to the Egyptian exhibit that was in Memphis about 20 times as well as the MIA in Minneapolis that has an impressive collection of ancient art as well, but Ali convinced me it was worth a gander. Just stepping into the entrance hall made it worth the visit: an arching glass ceiling with marble corridors leading off the the greatest treasures of the ancient world, including the Rosetta Stone and the stolen ruins of the Pantheon, not to mention real mummies!
 |
| Impressive entrance to the British Museum. |
This walking path along the Thames was my favorite place in London and one that I trod everyday I was there. The path stretches from London Bridge, where I was staying, past the Globe and the Tate Modern (modern art museum) to the London Eye, just across the river from Big Ben and Westminster Abbey. It not only provides killer views of the city but is also is home to live street performers and food stands as well as being a bustling communal hub. On Saturday, we stumbled across a food festival there that Ali and I enthusiastically took advantage of (we met because we were both working in a kitchen together at Concordia, so we like food a lot). We enjoyed two cooking presentations in the Cookery Theatre before wandering from stand to stand soaking in the smells and tastes of London's multicultural heritage.
 |
| Baking demo at the Food Festival |
The West End is London's theatre district and probably one of the best neighborhoods of the city. As most theatre districts, it is vibrant and pulsing with creative energy, and just walking down the street gives you that feeling of anticipation deep in your insides that you get right before the curtain goes up. This is where Ali, Harriet, and I saw The Phantom of the Opera, and it is also home to Piccadilly Circus, great shopping and markets, Chinatown, and a hopping gay bar/club scene that Ali and I couldn't resist (our bartender was shirtless and no man gave us a second glance).
 |
| Piccadilly Circus |
London is full of food, clothing, and knick-knack markets. Some are better than others, but I had the great pleasure of getting a 5-pound lunch from the Borough Market, the bustling and colorful food market next to the hostel, and finally getting a grown-up leather wallet at a market near Piccadilly where Ali found some really cool brass stamps. We also saw the more elaborate, permanent set-up of Covent Market and the less-impressive but youthful clothing market at Camden.
 |
| Indian dish for 5 pounds at Borough Market. YUM. |
Originally Ali and I were going to reject the 20-pound price tag (approx. $40) of England's most infamous fortress, but in the end we decided you only live once. So, off we went to the Tower, once a royal residence and fortress, then a prison for nobles and political prisoners, and now home to the crown jewels. We hopped on a guided tour led by an enthusiastic yeoman (the guards of the Tower, all retired military personnel with excellent senses of humor and funny outfits). We didn't have enough time to see everything we wanted to see because we had to get over to the West End for Phantom, but we did manage to oggle the crown jewels, check out the torture equipment, and appreciate the Tower's haunting past (the Tower's most famous prisoners are Queens Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard and Lady JaneGrey, all tragically beheaded on mostly-false charges of treachery against the king).
 |
| Our yeoman guide. Such a coolio. |
I also balked at the price of Westminster Abbey--a healthy 18 pounds--, but since I paid so much to get in, I was sure to reap all the benefits I could from my time in this magnificent church where the kings and queens of England have been baptized, married, crowned, and buried since the 12th century. I got an audio guide and listened in on a guided tour and didn't end up seeing the light of day again for over three hours. No pictures are allowed, but that only allowed me to soak it all in more. Highlights included the graves of Darwin and Newton, the tombs of Queens Elizabeth I and Mary I (also known as Bloody Mary), the detailed description of the crowning and royal wedding by the guide who had witnessed both, and Poet's Corner where I was surrounded by the spirits of the greatest creative minds the world has ever known: Chaucer, Shakespeare, Austen, Wordsworth, Handel--too many to list!
 |
| Westminster Abbey |
While this medieval palace which was home to Henry VIII was not quite as exciting for me as going to Versailles, it as still one of the coolest places we visited. I've long been interested by the lives of Henry VIII and his six wives as well as Elizabethan England and the medieval court, so being in such a historically-rich place was quite exhilarating. Once again, we didn't have enough time to really soak it all in as we had tickets for a performance at the Globe, but we did manage to see Henry VIII's apartments and a special exhibition on the Royal Bedchamber (highly amusing) as well as the court kitchens, still in operation today by experimental food historians (aka my new dream job), that used to cater to Henry's ridiculously large court of 1200 hungry people. Ali and I were in total awe. We also took a stroll around the gardens and completed the maze, and we even got to chat up King Henry VIII himself, on an afternoon stroll with one of his courtiers. Our conversation topics: hunting (Henry was concerned we might be poaching his deer and threatened a trip to the Tower) and alligators (strange creature of the New World native to Ali's home state of Florida).
 |
| Hampton Court Palace |
Destroyed several times, most notably in the Great Fire of 1666, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre was completely rebuilt and restored according to historical records and building methods in 1999 by an American actor. It is the theatre for which Shakespeare wrote a majority of his plays and where he often acted. It is an impressive open-air, circular building with seats in the round going up three stories and a large central "yard" where the poor used to enjoy the entertainment standing up. It's from this yard that I, poor twenty-something that I am, enjoyed two performances of Shakespeare's genius for 5 pounds a pop. The first performance I saw was an African interpretation of Shakespeare's poem "Venus and Adonis," a sensual piece about a lovestruck Venus and the immature (read: idiotic) Adonis who is more interested in hunting than getting it on with the Goddess of Love. He is then tragically killed in the hunt, much to the dismay of Venus. The poem was performed in seven languages, English and six African dialects, and included some fabulous singing, dancing, and humor that transcended all linguistic barriers. Then I saw a more traditional production of The Tempest, a comedy about a wronged duke stranded on a tropical island and his quest to gain back his dukely right by stranding his betrayers and the King of Naples on his island. It was hilarious and brilliantly acted and included several historically-accurate theatre traditions of the Elizabethan Age. Both plays were between 2.5 and 3 hours, but I was so entranced that I didn't even notice that I'd been standing that long. English major paradise!
 |
| Interior of Shakespeare's Globe |
 |
| Ali and me snapping photos in front of Big Ben. We were mostly successful... |
My dear friend Dina is here visiting me from her internship in eastern France, and it's time for us to start our day. On the agenda: lunch, shopping for souvenirs and owl earrings (I need some in my life, thanks to eight months with owl-loving Harriet and Amy), and dinner with Mr. Gauben and Dominique.
Cheers!
Thursday, April 25, 2013
The French Catch-Up: Visits, Job Searching, Goodbyes, and FOOD
Greetings from England!
Sorry once again for the horrendous lack of posts. I haven't written anything in the past month, which I'm rather embarrassed about. So, I will attempt to make up for it with a nice, healthy update on my life abroad.
Here are the highlights:
1. Hannah's Visit
My good friend and once-roommate Hannah came to visit me about a month ago. Her visit consisted of a lot of girl time punctuated with delicious culinary adventures and coffee runs (for Hannah). I met her in Paris where we wandered the streets seeking out delicious nibbles, such as the spicy, bulging falafels from the Rue des Rosiers and the cafe gourmand (coffee/tea plus some kind of dessert--cheesecake for Hannah, pecan pie for a South-homesick me) we found in the Latin Quarter. We also went walking up and down the Rue Mouffetard, my favorite street from when I lived in Paris over two years ago.
In Blois, Hannah visited a couple of my classes, much to the thorough excitement of my students who took advantage of Hannah's lack of French skills to practice their English ones. She also attended my choir concert at a nursing home with my choir. We went shopping and Hannah talked me into buying a fabulous purse and a very useful suitcase (currently in use here in England) and then went out for a really nice meal at a fancy restaurant. We got the 30-euro "Discovery Menu" that allowed us to choose four mouth-watering, carefully-plated courses of whatever we wanted on the menu. I've been dreaming of going all-out for a meal in France for awhile, so this was quite the treat! Both os us waddled out of the restaurant with food babies and a serious appreciation for French culinary skill.
Hannah was also here on Easter, so we arranged a pot luck Easter dinner with the Brits and our new Belgian friends that included a lot of pasta and a rum-soaked chocolate Easter cake. Lest you think all we did was eat, we did visit a castle (Chenonceau) and take a fine tour of Blois, despite the rain. An excellent visit!
2. Tony's Visit
My old friend Tony from my days in the CHS Marching Band is currently studying abroad in Germany and decided to swing over to France for a long-weekend with me. I also met him in Paris, and we took a less-culinary and more-touristy approach to Paris. We rendez-vous-ed at Notre Dame Cathedral, power-walked to the Louvre via Pont Neuf, spent a fabulous 2.5 hours running around the Louvre seeing all the major works (for free!! yay being young in Europe!), then shot over to the Eiffel Tower, snapped some photos, then headed back to the Latin Quarter for a luxurious dinner at Pizza Roma, one my old haunts from my month in Paris (nothing has changed), and finally to the train station to catch the last train to Blois.
We spent that sunny Sunday walking all over Blois. Tony set out to castles by himself on Monday and Tuesday, and we had two nice meals out, one with Nancy and the primary school teachers the Brits and I have met with once a month for English conversation since October--so fun! We also hit up some of the shops in Blois where Tony secured very blue, very European shorts, and I got Tony hooked on Downton Abbey, the French language, and life in France in general. Such a wonderful visit!
3. Final Days as a Language Assistant
After Tony left, I only had two days left as a language assistant. My kids at Ecole Buhler surprised me with a stack of carefully-crafted drawings and notes thanking me for teaching them English. I also helped out in the special education classroom making REAL American chocolate chip cookies. Lots of special memories made!
At Ecole Foch, I also received many notes and drawings from my students. I now know what it is to be a movie star as my CM2 students swarmed me demanding my autograph on notebooks, pencil cases, bits of paper, and even a couple of arms ("I'm never washing this arm again!") The teachers also teamed up and got me a huge French cookbook, full of beautiful images, tips, and classically French recipes. I was so surprised I nearly cried. I was so lucky to work with such a lovely group of colleagues who took the time to get to know me! Also, was really feeling the love for my students, whom, though they drove me nuts most of the time, have inspired me to pursue a career in teaching.
Thursday was my last practice with my choir--an unexpected and sad ending to a wonderful experience with a great group of women. That night the Brits and I attended an epic-fail free dance (dressed to the nines only to stand in the corner playing highschooler or university student). Then Suzie, my British bffl, showed up that Friday to have a nice meal out (best one so far in France) and a proper sleepover. I also went out Saturday night with my new friend Tahar who treated me to a 4-hour sit-sip-and-chat French-style on an outside patio (weather finally wonderful).
4. Week without the Brits
Harriet and Amy headed down to Nice and Monaco for the week, and I stayed behind frantically completing my online course and filling out an obscene number of job applications for jobs in France for next year (with the help of Francois's flawless CV-editing and Tahar's diligent help editing my cover letters) and jobs as a nanny this summer in Minneapolis. I also had a number of social engagements, including:
Monday: Cafe sit with Caroline, a current English teacher who gave me tons of advice for becoming a teacher in France myself. It turns out she was also the French language assistant at Macalester College in St. Paul for the past two years and we have friends in common. We followed up our 6-hour chat with a trip to the cinema to see a French romantic comedy.
Tuesday: Lunch with Ariane, one of my favorite teachers from Ecole Foch. We dined outside on the patio with her boyfriend, then drive to the Chateau de Chaumont, a little-known jewel of the Loire Valley, and toured the castle and gardens and pushed around her 6-month-old son in his stroller.
Wednesday: Lunch with Josee, one of my favorite teachers from Ecole Buhler, and her friend. We had delicious Indian food and macarons in the garden and chatted for three hours, then went for a walk along the Loire in the blazing sun. Then dinner with our new Belgian friends, Jessica and Veerle, on the patio of a nice restaurant in Blois.
Friday: Lunch with Charly and Edwige. Edwige proved her culinary mastery as usual with a lovely lunch of roast chicken, ratatouille, potatoes, goat's cheese, wine, and cherry clafoutis cake. We chatted about life in the garden, read the paper, did research on various plants and the history of Blois before I had to return home to have dinner with Francois.
5. Last Days with Harriet and Amy in Blois and Harriet's Birthday
The Brits got back late Friday night. Suzie showed up Monday morning. We all ordered pizza and watched Bring It On (made fun of American high school experiences) and The Bachelorette (made fun of Americans in general) in honor of Harriet's birthday, then ended up chatting with Felipe, Cristian, and John, international students at the engineering school. A fun evening. We got up late and had a nice lunch outside complete with luscious chocolate cake and creme brulee for Harriet's birthday, then Suzie headed home and the Brits and I shared our last evening all together, which consisted of a lot of frantic packing and reminiscing. Had a nice cuppa with Amy at 1 AM, our last one together for awhile.
Amy walked Harriet, all of Harriet's luggage, and I to the station at 6:30 AM on Wednesday. We said goodbye to Amy, then caught the 6:57 AM to Paris. After I received the third-degree from the British border control (suspicious American that I am), Harriet and I got on the Chunnel (never actually called the Chunnel by Brits, rather the "Channel Tunnel") and shot under the Channel to England. After 6 hours of train travel, Harriet's mum picked us up at the station and took us to their lovely home where I now sit writing this blog post.
Harriet's family is absolutely amazing, very welcoming and helpful. Harriet has three siblings, ages 19, 16, and 10, so the only child in me is quite enjoying watching the sibling relationships unfold. British food-wise, so far, I have had squash (British drink syrup that you add water to), cheddar, butter, and cucumber sandwiches, crumpets and lemon curd, coleslaw with British cheddar in it, real English butter, and lots of TEA! Proper fish and chips are promised for tomorrow's dinner and we're having a Saturday luncheon of Chinese food and birthday cake at Harriet's grandparents' (I'm the first American her grandparents have ever met). Harriet and I spent today shopping at a real British mall. I embarrassed her terribly by snapping photos of all the shops I've heard her and Amy talk about for the past eight months. We both spent a healthy 20 pounds each on new clothes. No luck finding a real grown-up "purse" (they mean wallet) for me, but I know I will find one eventually! Tonight's festivities should involve a movie lounging in Harriet's huge bed, I think. Harriet's nearly done emptying all her suitcases, so it's time for me to sign off and be social again.
I'm off to London on Sunday and will be joined by my friend Ali on Tuesday evening. Harriet is meeting us in London to see The Phantom of the Opera on Thursday, and Suzie is coming in on Saturday for the London Eye and the London Dungeons experience. Otherwise, I've got my guide book and LOTS of ideas of things to do and places to see. Top: Shakespeare's Globe Theater, various British history museums, literary walk though Bloomsbury, lots of parks, and a beer in a British pub. So. Excited. Catch you all up when I get back for my final week in France (!), unless for some ungodly reason I am bored in London and have enough time to post something this next week.
Cheers!
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Updates, or Here's a really boring title because it's Tuesday afternoon and I'm tired
Time is really picking up speed. My friend Hannah's visit is upon me already, which means that my time in France is quickly coming to an end (at least for now). I am headed to Paris tomorrow to pick her up, and we'll be spending a luxurious day wandering the streets of the older neighborhoods of Paris, sitting in cafés and munching on delicious pastries and Parisian street food (and as she keeps reminding me, drinking coffee!). Her visit will also include (if all goes as planned) a trip to Chenonceau, a nearby castle, the light show at the Blois castle, a few evenings out, shopping, and lots of Erin-Hannah fun.
Thursday, my choir is having a concert at the retirement home, so Hannah will also be attending that. We're singing several wonderful songs, mostly in French, but also in English, Spanish, and Breton. Here are some links for your listening pleasure:
Mon Amant de Saint-Jean (My Lover from Saint-Jean)
C'est de l'eau (It's All Water)
L'embellie (The Sun Breaking Through the Clouds)
Kookaburra
A la claire fonatine créole (At the Clear Créole Fountain)
I only have two and a half weeks of teaching left. I've been doing pets with the younger kids and action verbs with the older kids. Everyone seems to be getting antsy as the weather turns more and more springy, so I've been having discipline issues again. Today, however, I've had two successful classes, so perhaps there's hope. I'm now trying to decide what I want my last lesson with these kids to be.
Two weeks ago, I went to the nearby engineering school to find out if there were any job openings for English assistants and ended up bumping into Marie, an Australian English professor whose been in France for over 30 years. She welcomed me into her classroom, and I've been a visitor twice now. She's really nice and is helping me with my French job search. I have a couple of leads for a job in France, but nothing solid yet. I shift back and forth between enthusiastic hope and a strong desire to give up and go home. We'll see what happens.
This past weekend Blois celebrated Carnaval. I'm not exactly sure what we were celebrating as it's too late for Mardi Gras, but it was cool nonetheless. This year's theme was something about the living dead, so that was rather creepy, but otherwise it was good fun. I watched the parade which consisted of many be-costumed adults and children and had confetti thrown in my face by several little kids. Then I had to get back to my room to talk with my parents, but I definitely heard "Thriller" being played really loudly over the speakers, so I'm hoping there was a major "Thriller" dance party in the middle of the street.
Harriet, Amy, and I are shuffling to check all those things we haven't seen/done yet off our lists. This mainly involves castle visits. Later this month, I'm hoping we'll rent some bikes, grab Suzie, and go for a Loire River tour by bike, seeing castles along the way.
Harriet and I have booked our Chunnel tickets for London (fun fact: the Brits don't call the Chunnel the Chunnel), and I've reserved a bed at an awesome hostel in the heart of London and purchased a London guide book. Getting excited!
Mainly, I'm just shocked by how fast the time has gone. Can this year really almost be over? More to come.
Thursday, my choir is having a concert at the retirement home, so Hannah will also be attending that. We're singing several wonderful songs, mostly in French, but also in English, Spanish, and Breton. Here are some links for your listening pleasure:
Mon Amant de Saint-Jean (My Lover from Saint-Jean)
C'est de l'eau (It's All Water)
L'embellie (The Sun Breaking Through the Clouds)
Kookaburra
A la claire fonatine créole (At the Clear Créole Fountain)
I only have two and a half weeks of teaching left. I've been doing pets with the younger kids and action verbs with the older kids. Everyone seems to be getting antsy as the weather turns more and more springy, so I've been having discipline issues again. Today, however, I've had two successful classes, so perhaps there's hope. I'm now trying to decide what I want my last lesson with these kids to be.
Two weeks ago, I went to the nearby engineering school to find out if there were any job openings for English assistants and ended up bumping into Marie, an Australian English professor whose been in France for over 30 years. She welcomed me into her classroom, and I've been a visitor twice now. She's really nice and is helping me with my French job search. I have a couple of leads for a job in France, but nothing solid yet. I shift back and forth between enthusiastic hope and a strong desire to give up and go home. We'll see what happens.
This past weekend Blois celebrated Carnaval. I'm not exactly sure what we were celebrating as it's too late for Mardi Gras, but it was cool nonetheless. This year's theme was something about the living dead, so that was rather creepy, but otherwise it was good fun. I watched the parade which consisted of many be-costumed adults and children and had confetti thrown in my face by several little kids. Then I had to get back to my room to talk with my parents, but I definitely heard "Thriller" being played really loudly over the speakers, so I'm hoping there was a major "Thriller" dance party in the middle of the street.
Harriet, Amy, and I are shuffling to check all those things we haven't seen/done yet off our lists. This mainly involves castle visits. Later this month, I'm hoping we'll rent some bikes, grab Suzie, and go for a Loire River tour by bike, seeing castles along the way.
Harriet and I have booked our Chunnel tickets for London (fun fact: the Brits don't call the Chunnel the Chunnel), and I've reserved a bed at an awesome hostel in the heart of London and purchased a London guide book. Getting excited!
Mainly, I'm just shocked by how fast the time has gone. Can this year really almost be over? More to come.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Germany and All Things Lush
I've been back from Germany for nearly two weeks now. Adel and I had an extremely successful adventure. I would say that we had more of a social adventure than a touristy adventure, which I rather loved. Staying in host families was absolutely wonderful, albeit overwhelmingly German at times.
In Köln, we stayed with Hans and Dorothea, Adel's brother's host family from nearly 12 years ago. English-speaking Dorothea was in the hospital for surgery, so we mainly interacted with Hans, who spoke minimal English. Adel, of course, is fluent in German, but I, having no German skills whatsoever, ended up having broken conversations with Hans through hand gestures, nods, and smiles. All and all not a bad way to communicate. Hans took us out to a German pub for dinner and I got to try schnitzel, a classic German dish of breaded, fried pork, and a lot of regional German beer. We also were invited to a lovely German brunch with family friends, where we were served a smorgasbord of breads, cheeses, meats, jams, honey, fruits, and vegetables, all with a side of butter, Germany's favorite condiment. Touristy sites included the Köln cathedral and the NS Nazi prison museum. I also got to see a German hospital in action when we rode bikes over to visit Dorothea.
The ever-efficient German trains took us to Bielefeld, where my friend Rhea met us. She gave us a tour of her city, and I got to go into a coffee shop for the first time in six months (!). We had an excellent night-in making pasta, watching The Devil Wears Prada, and chatting. The next day we checked out the Barnhaus museum where we saw a fully restored German barn house from the 17th century, a functioning mill, and cute bunnies. Unfortunately it was cold and snowy, but we warmed up over a traditional German lunch where I had another go at schnitzel (this time with mushroom sauce) and tried Adel's beverage of choice apfel schorle (fizzy apple juice). We then enjoyed "caffe" (German tea time) at a fancy bakery where we sampled three kinds of German cake--so lush. We spent the evening at a nearby hot bath and spa center relaxing and people-watching. I loved being reunited with Rhea and felt right at home in Bielefeld.
We spent one night in Frankfurt with my old friend Tony who is studying abroad this semester in Mannheim. There wasn't much to see in industrial Frankfurt, so we opted to go shopping in the huge mall and have a nice dinner out at a restaurant called Helium (the name says it all). It was so good to catch up with Tony, and I'm looking forward to his France visit in about three weeks!
Our last stop in Germany was Adel's host family's house in Batten, a little village of 155 people. Martin and Margot have three daughters: Maya (14), Myriam (11), and Minerva (5). Margot was an au pair in London for six years, so she is fluent in English and has been teaching it to her daughters since they were born, so Adel didn't have to play translator quite as much. I was immediately swept up into family life, doing everything from shoveling snow (we got between 6 and 8 inches) to playing Yahtzee around the table after caffe. Margot and I really hit it off--we're both English teachers, flute-players, and major chatters. My last night with them found us in the basement, playing flute duets for Adel (I haven't played in four years--poor Adel) and chatting about life, especially living abroad. Margot sent me back to France laden with four jars of homemade jam as a parting gift. Quite a special weekend that I will treasure for always.
I left Adel and hopped a gloriously French SNCF fast train to Strasbourg, where I met up with Suzie. We wandered around Strasbourg and both decided we should move there immediately, then went back to our hotel where we made pasta, drank Orangina, and savored chocolate mousse while watching French television. Our favorites included Top Chef: France and Sex and the City (in French). We spent the next day wandering around again and hitting up the Museum of Strasbourg and the European Union Park. We finished our evening with a lush (Suzie's favorite word--I've picked it up) dinner at the Chinese restaurant recommended to us by the guy at the Apple Store. It was, well, lush.
We went back to Blois via Paris on Wednesday, and Suzie spent the night. I relaxed Thursday and Friday, doing homework and being lazy, until Harriet came back Friday night.
Since then, I've been up to my usual school routine. We've been learning food vocabulary and the phrases "Do you like...," "Yes, I like...," and "No, I don't like...." Still liking it, but they can be real pains at times. But then they say hi to me on the playground all big grins and I forget they were obnoxious in class.
I am spending a lot of time with my friend Dina, who's from Colombia. She is fluent in English and French, so we just talk in whatever language we feel like. Quite fun. She invited me out with her group of Colombian friends last Friday, so I spent an evening absorbing Spanish. I've decided it's my next language. We went out for sushi, which I actually liked, much to my surprise, and then got beers at Le Singe vert (The Green Monkey), a Latin bar that holds latin dances on the weekends.
I spent Saturday night in Romorantin with Suzie. Romo, as we call it, is a small town about 45 minutes south of Blois. Suzie and I went out to dinner for crêpes, both savory and dessert (lush) and then had a proper sleepover. Romo is adorable and full of parks and boulangeries (bakeries), and I got to hear birds chirping and smell some farm-fresh air and eat humungous homemade burgers with Suzie for lunch while watching Gavin and Stacy (British TV show--check it out). Lovely. Lush.
Thanks to a pep talk over dinner from François, my French neighbor, I have decided to try to stay in France next year, so I'm on the job hunt. François diligently helped me perfect my CV (resumé) in French and I'm hitting the streets of Blois tomorrow in search of a position as an English language assistant at any school that will take me. I'm starting with the engineering university where basically all my friends go and working out from there.
Other than that, I'm working on my online course to get my TEFL certification and gearing up for my last two months in Blois. Important things on the agenda: my friend Hannah's visit over Easter weekend, Tony's the following weekend, a trip to England to visit Harriet and Suzie and get my fill of London awesomeness, and then home on May 13th. Exactly two months left. They're going to fly by, and I'm in for quite a ride.
In Köln, we stayed with Hans and Dorothea, Adel's brother's host family from nearly 12 years ago. English-speaking Dorothea was in the hospital for surgery, so we mainly interacted with Hans, who spoke minimal English. Adel, of course, is fluent in German, but I, having no German skills whatsoever, ended up having broken conversations with Hans through hand gestures, nods, and smiles. All and all not a bad way to communicate. Hans took us out to a German pub for dinner and I got to try schnitzel, a classic German dish of breaded, fried pork, and a lot of regional German beer. We also were invited to a lovely German brunch with family friends, where we were served a smorgasbord of breads, cheeses, meats, jams, honey, fruits, and vegetables, all with a side of butter, Germany's favorite condiment. Touristy sites included the Köln cathedral and the NS Nazi prison museum. I also got to see a German hospital in action when we rode bikes over to visit Dorothea.
The ever-efficient German trains took us to Bielefeld, where my friend Rhea met us. She gave us a tour of her city, and I got to go into a coffee shop for the first time in six months (!). We had an excellent night-in making pasta, watching The Devil Wears Prada, and chatting. The next day we checked out the Barnhaus museum where we saw a fully restored German barn house from the 17th century, a functioning mill, and cute bunnies. Unfortunately it was cold and snowy, but we warmed up over a traditional German lunch where I had another go at schnitzel (this time with mushroom sauce) and tried Adel's beverage of choice apfel schorle (fizzy apple juice). We then enjoyed "caffe" (German tea time) at a fancy bakery where we sampled three kinds of German cake--so lush. We spent the evening at a nearby hot bath and spa center relaxing and people-watching. I loved being reunited with Rhea and felt right at home in Bielefeld.
We spent one night in Frankfurt with my old friend Tony who is studying abroad this semester in Mannheim. There wasn't much to see in industrial Frankfurt, so we opted to go shopping in the huge mall and have a nice dinner out at a restaurant called Helium (the name says it all). It was so good to catch up with Tony, and I'm looking forward to his France visit in about three weeks!
Our last stop in Germany was Adel's host family's house in Batten, a little village of 155 people. Martin and Margot have three daughters: Maya (14), Myriam (11), and Minerva (5). Margot was an au pair in London for six years, so she is fluent in English and has been teaching it to her daughters since they were born, so Adel didn't have to play translator quite as much. I was immediately swept up into family life, doing everything from shoveling snow (we got between 6 and 8 inches) to playing Yahtzee around the table after caffe. Margot and I really hit it off--we're both English teachers, flute-players, and major chatters. My last night with them found us in the basement, playing flute duets for Adel (I haven't played in four years--poor Adel) and chatting about life, especially living abroad. Margot sent me back to France laden with four jars of homemade jam as a parting gift. Quite a special weekend that I will treasure for always.
I left Adel and hopped a gloriously French SNCF fast train to Strasbourg, where I met up with Suzie. We wandered around Strasbourg and both decided we should move there immediately, then went back to our hotel where we made pasta, drank Orangina, and savored chocolate mousse while watching French television. Our favorites included Top Chef: France and Sex and the City (in French). We spent the next day wandering around again and hitting up the Museum of Strasbourg and the European Union Park. We finished our evening with a lush (Suzie's favorite word--I've picked it up) dinner at the Chinese restaurant recommended to us by the guy at the Apple Store. It was, well, lush.
We went back to Blois via Paris on Wednesday, and Suzie spent the night. I relaxed Thursday and Friday, doing homework and being lazy, until Harriet came back Friday night.
Since then, I've been up to my usual school routine. We've been learning food vocabulary and the phrases "Do you like...," "Yes, I like...," and "No, I don't like...." Still liking it, but they can be real pains at times. But then they say hi to me on the playground all big grins and I forget they were obnoxious in class.
I am spending a lot of time with my friend Dina, who's from Colombia. She is fluent in English and French, so we just talk in whatever language we feel like. Quite fun. She invited me out with her group of Colombian friends last Friday, so I spent an evening absorbing Spanish. I've decided it's my next language. We went out for sushi, which I actually liked, much to my surprise, and then got beers at Le Singe vert (The Green Monkey), a Latin bar that holds latin dances on the weekends.
I spent Saturday night in Romorantin with Suzie. Romo, as we call it, is a small town about 45 minutes south of Blois. Suzie and I went out to dinner for crêpes, both savory and dessert (lush) and then had a proper sleepover. Romo is adorable and full of parks and boulangeries (bakeries), and I got to hear birds chirping and smell some farm-fresh air and eat humungous homemade burgers with Suzie for lunch while watching Gavin and Stacy (British TV show--check it out). Lovely. Lush.
Thanks to a pep talk over dinner from François, my French neighbor, I have decided to try to stay in France next year, so I'm on the job hunt. François diligently helped me perfect my CV (resumé) in French and I'm hitting the streets of Blois tomorrow in search of a position as an English language assistant at any school that will take me. I'm starting with the engineering university where basically all my friends go and working out from there.
Other than that, I'm working on my online course to get my TEFL certification and gearing up for my last two months in Blois. Important things on the agenda: my friend Hannah's visit over Easter weekend, Tony's the following weekend, a trip to England to visit Harriet and Suzie and get my fill of London awesomeness, and then home on May 13th. Exactly two months left. They're going to fly by, and I'm in for quite a ride.
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Germany, Here I Come!
Well, it looks like February is going to be the lost month for my blog. The month is already half gone (where did the time go?), and now I'm off to Germany for the next ten days.
School continues to go well. I've been doing classroom objects for the past two weeks, and I've been making valentines with my kids (according to precise directions in English with key vocab). They were freaked out by the valentine-concept and, as V-Day is only between lovers and not between friends or classmates here in France, I got a lot of concern for WHO to give this to sent my way. I think more than one valentine made in English class was made into a proclamation of love to quite a few nin-year-old boys and girls.
Valentine's Day was a non-event here in France. There were barely any hearts and chocolates in the windows at all. My friend Adel arrived this past Tuesday, and we spent our V-Day with Harriet watching a romantic comedy and eating lots of pistachio ice cream. An excellent evening, for sure!
Now, Adel and I are off to Germany. We start today in Paris, then catch a plane to Düsseldorf tomorrow. We're staying with Adel's brother's old host family in Cologne (Köln), then visiting my friend Rhea whom I met two years ago in Rennes in her hometown of Bielefeld, then shooting south to Frankfurt to meet up with my old marching band buddy Tony, and finally ending our trip in a little village called Batten with Adel's old host family from high school. I am both excited and nervous for the adventure. I think I'm going to have a lot of German thrown my way! But I expect I'm in for a treat.
To get back home, I'm taking a train to Strasbourg, a very German French city and seat of the European Union, and exploring with my friend Suzie. And then back to home-sweet-Blois for the final six weeks of my teaching contract. What a whirlwind!
Well, time to catch the train. Let the adventure begin!
School continues to go well. I've been doing classroom objects for the past two weeks, and I've been making valentines with my kids (according to precise directions in English with key vocab). They were freaked out by the valentine-concept and, as V-Day is only between lovers and not between friends or classmates here in France, I got a lot of concern for WHO to give this to sent my way. I think more than one valentine made in English class was made into a proclamation of love to quite a few nin-year-old boys and girls.
Valentine's Day was a non-event here in France. There were barely any hearts and chocolates in the windows at all. My friend Adel arrived this past Tuesday, and we spent our V-Day with Harriet watching a romantic comedy and eating lots of pistachio ice cream. An excellent evening, for sure!
Now, Adel and I are off to Germany. We start today in Paris, then catch a plane to Düsseldorf tomorrow. We're staying with Adel's brother's old host family in Cologne (Köln), then visiting my friend Rhea whom I met two years ago in Rennes in her hometown of Bielefeld, then shooting south to Frankfurt to meet up with my old marching band buddy Tony, and finally ending our trip in a little village called Batten with Adel's old host family from high school. I am both excited and nervous for the adventure. I think I'm going to have a lot of German thrown my way! But I expect I'm in for a treat.
To get back home, I'm taking a train to Strasbourg, a very German French city and seat of the European Union, and exploring with my friend Suzie. And then back to home-sweet-Blois for the final six weeks of my teaching contract. What a whirlwind!
Well, time to catch the train. Let the adventure begin!
Monday, January 28, 2013
Mid-Life-Abroad Ennui
I am now over halfway done with my time here in France. I have been here just over four months, and I have a little over three months left. The beginning of 2013 has been rather tough, I think for the following three reasons: first off, I have been out of money for this entire month. I spent more than planned on my Christmas adventures, and after I paid my rent for the month and realized that the CAF (French housing help for people below the poverty line--yes, that's me) was not going to come through for at least another month (I came home to a nice letter requesting more documents that I've already sent them...yay French bureaucracy), I was left with barely enough to cover my groceries. And then my cell phone plan ran out. And the French sale season started and I couldn't help myself (what have you done to me, Harriet and Amy??). So, I have been penniless for the last two weeks, and that makes everything a little hard. Pay day should be any day now, and then I will be able to breathe again... and buy food.
Second reason: I'm bored. I work a total of three hours per day, plus time to walk to school and back, recess, and my three-hour lunch break. I do the same lesson for two weeks in a row. It takes me between one and two hours to create my lesson plan for each two week period. I have way too much time on my hands, which I generally spend doing social things, like hanging out with friends, both physically and virtually, or hermit-like things, like watching TV episodes and reading and killing the occasional cockroach. Going grocery shopping is a huge event in my week because it gives me something important to do. After my life of constant studying at Olaf, I've had the realization that the general ennui that I've been suffering of late has a lot to do with the fact that I have nothing pressing to do (much to my horror). And of course, when you have nothing pressing to do, you just become more lazy and listless. So, time to snap out of that. I'm looking into taking an online class to get an ESL teaching certification, so that will give me something to focus on, and, failing that, I'm going to start assigning myself reading. Oh, and I need to get my butt in gear for this summer and finding a job in the US, so there's that monster task ahead, too. Game on.
Lastly, since I am past the halfway point, I'm starting to think about endings and goodbyes. Saying goodbye is a part of living abroad: you say goodbye to your friends and family, and then you say goodbye to your new friends and extended family in the new place you've discovered. There's a certain amount of risk involved in life abroad, beyond culture shock and the stuff for which my Dad made me pack an army-approved assault flashlight. You have to open yourself to falling in love with the place you're in, with the people you meet, and the joy you find there. You have to build a life with the full knowledge that one day you will have to leave it behind you.
I recently found out that I am not able to apply to be a language assistant through TAPIF for two years in a row, so basically I cannot return next year unless I find another job willing to support a work visa for me (chances are slim). So, there's a strong chance I'll be in the US next year, drowning in a sucky job market and struggling to survive in a society much more hostile to the needs of young adults like myself. My general ennui of late means that returning to my family and friends and a ready supply of Mexican food is really appealing in a lot of ways, but I know that come this June, I'll be missing my life here--my new friends, my little apartment next to the château, my students, train travel--and would willingly trade my burrito for a freshly-baked baguette and a slice of Camembert cheese. And cheap, delicious wine, of course.
Some good news: I think I'm starting to really figure this teaching thing out. I've now had nearly four weeks of successful lessons. We've done body parts, which was a huge hit, and now my unit on feelings is going over just as well. Key to success: activities. I have a song and two different games, plus a worksheet so they have something to bring in their focus after a high-energy activity. I'm connecting well with them and with the teachers, which makes me feel like a real teacher myself.
In the travel realm, Amy, Harriet, Suzie, and I will be heading to Chartres the weekend after next for a little get-away. Chartres Cathedral has been on my list ever since we studied it in Great Con freshman year, so I'm excited to see the stained glass and walk the labyrinth. The town itself is also supposed to be quite nice. Then my friend Adel is coming to visit, and we're going to Germany for some adventures. My friend Hannah will also be visiting around Easter, so we will be hitting up Paris and some castles. And, most exciting, my parents and Auntie Anita will be coming to visit me in May, and it looks like we'll be checking out England and doing a little tour of France before I fly home. A potential trip to Nice and Monaco at the end of April is in the works with Amy and Harriet, but I'll have to see how my funds hold out.
Alright, time for bed. Bonne nuit!
Second reason: I'm bored. I work a total of three hours per day, plus time to walk to school and back, recess, and my three-hour lunch break. I do the same lesson for two weeks in a row. It takes me between one and two hours to create my lesson plan for each two week period. I have way too much time on my hands, which I generally spend doing social things, like hanging out with friends, both physically and virtually, or hermit-like things, like watching TV episodes and reading and killing the occasional cockroach. Going grocery shopping is a huge event in my week because it gives me something important to do. After my life of constant studying at Olaf, I've had the realization that the general ennui that I've been suffering of late has a lot to do with the fact that I have nothing pressing to do (much to my horror). And of course, when you have nothing pressing to do, you just become more lazy and listless. So, time to snap out of that. I'm looking into taking an online class to get an ESL teaching certification, so that will give me something to focus on, and, failing that, I'm going to start assigning myself reading. Oh, and I need to get my butt in gear for this summer and finding a job in the US, so there's that monster task ahead, too. Game on.
Lastly, since I am past the halfway point, I'm starting to think about endings and goodbyes. Saying goodbye is a part of living abroad: you say goodbye to your friends and family, and then you say goodbye to your new friends and extended family in the new place you've discovered. There's a certain amount of risk involved in life abroad, beyond culture shock and the stuff for which my Dad made me pack an army-approved assault flashlight. You have to open yourself to falling in love with the place you're in, with the people you meet, and the joy you find there. You have to build a life with the full knowledge that one day you will have to leave it behind you.
I recently found out that I am not able to apply to be a language assistant through TAPIF for two years in a row, so basically I cannot return next year unless I find another job willing to support a work visa for me (chances are slim). So, there's a strong chance I'll be in the US next year, drowning in a sucky job market and struggling to survive in a society much more hostile to the needs of young adults like myself. My general ennui of late means that returning to my family and friends and a ready supply of Mexican food is really appealing in a lot of ways, but I know that come this June, I'll be missing my life here--my new friends, my little apartment next to the château, my students, train travel--and would willingly trade my burrito for a freshly-baked baguette and a slice of Camembert cheese. And cheap, delicious wine, of course.
Some good news: I think I'm starting to really figure this teaching thing out. I've now had nearly four weeks of successful lessons. We've done body parts, which was a huge hit, and now my unit on feelings is going over just as well. Key to success: activities. I have a song and two different games, plus a worksheet so they have something to bring in their focus after a high-energy activity. I'm connecting well with them and with the teachers, which makes me feel like a real teacher myself.
In the travel realm, Amy, Harriet, Suzie, and I will be heading to Chartres the weekend after next for a little get-away. Chartres Cathedral has been on my list ever since we studied it in Great Con freshman year, so I'm excited to see the stained glass and walk the labyrinth. The town itself is also supposed to be quite nice. Then my friend Adel is coming to visit, and we're going to Germany for some adventures. My friend Hannah will also be visiting around Easter, so we will be hitting up Paris and some castles. And, most exciting, my parents and Auntie Anita will be coming to visit me in May, and it looks like we'll be checking out England and doing a little tour of France before I fly home. A potential trip to Nice and Monaco at the end of April is in the works with Amy and Harriet, but I'll have to see how my funds hold out.
Alright, time for bed. Bonne nuit!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)