Bon Voyage

T minus 38 hours and counting.  Yes you read correctly, I will be leaving the good ole US of A again for an 8 month assistant teaching position in France.  This time on the opposite coast.  I've been accepted by the TAPIF (Teaching Assistant Program in France) operated by the French Embassy in Washington, D.C. to assistant teach in two middle schools in Lille, France.  My contract is set out for 7 months (October to April), but I will be staying an extra month.  So instead of attending classes to learn I'll be on the other side of the desk teaching.  Well assistant teaching.  Unfortunately I don't know too much about my assignment at this point to fill you all in with more details.  I have been in contact with both of my schools and have received emails from just a couple of teachers in both schools welcoming me and telling me how excited everyone is to meet me.  (I don't know whether to be relieved or overwhelmed.)

                         

I'll depart Wednesday morning from Louisville International Airport (with entourage en toe), fly to Brussels in Belgium and then travel via train to Lille where I will transfer to a metro and arrive at my temporary housing.  I've rented a room at a local residence hall, which will provide me a private room and bathroom on a floor with other temporary workers and travelers in my age range.  I wish the US had a similar type temporary housing option for young travelers or people looking for work in cities across the country.  Unfortunately this type of housing doesn't allow me to have guests of the opposite sex stay in my room while they are visiting, and for those guests who are of the same sex have to pay 15 euro/night.  (so far my boy friend Chad, my mother, and my father will be visiting and this just ain't gonna fly.)  So... I will be in search for a more permanent apartment come mid to end of October.  Both my main contacts from my schools have offered to help me locate housing, and I'm praying they stick to their word.

If you have made it this far in my very first blog of many to come, then I hope I have you hooked to stick around for the next 8 months with me.  It will be a whirlwind of a journey and if it's anything like the last time I was in France/Europe it'll be an experience that I'll never forget.  At this time you can just go ahead and click that "subscribe by email" button to stay up to date on my newest postings, stories and photos.

Of course I couldn't end this first blog without extending a huge thank you to my parents, thanks mom and dad!  My grandparents, thanks grandparents!  and of course my loving and encouraging boyfriend Chad, thanks Chad!!  It's cause of all of your love and support that I have come upon such an amazing journey and that I know with your strength and guidance I will succeed in this newest endeavor in life.  Well, next time you hear from my should be after an 8 flight around the world and I'll be settled into life on another continent, TTFN!