Here. Finally....

So, I really do plan on updating this blog! Actually, when I look at the date of when I began this electronic journal, I’m amazed at everything that’s happened since then! I’ll do my best, though, to fill in the gaps in a “Reader’s Digest” manner and then vow to not let such a literary silence occur again.... (*insert wink here*)

So, the summer job on the train was intense and hard and I was so absorbed with life up in Alaska, and not necessarily by my own choice, that there was actually minimal mental preparation for this experience upon which I officially embarked just a few days ago. However, in August I did take a whirlwind trip down to San Francisco to appear in person to apply for my French work visa...like I said, it was a whirlwind trip, flying down from Alaska to California one red-eye morning and then flying back into Anchorage late the next day in order to work! It was a crazy trip, but successful, obviously, because I’m here in Paris now! Other paperwork was necessary and even in Alaska I began to experience the legend of the French bureaucracy. More to come on that note, to be sure.

I can see now, though, that one advantage of having been so busy (and not as focused on France too far in advance to my actual arrival) is that I was not able to form undue expectations in my mind about the place and the job, etc. I know that, at least for me, that’s easy to do, and so that has been one advantage of having worked a lot of hours this summer on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises’ Alaskan cruisetour train--not to mention the funds, as the exchange rate between the American dollar and the Euro is not advantageous to myself at the moment.

Back in May, I met a French couple at said job. In fact, it was the first table on my train served to a cruise guest of the entire season that happened to be a couple from Paris. At first, after hearing from one of the rail crew that there were a couple of French people onboard and that I “should go talk to them!” I dismissed the suggestion, assuming that the people were probably French Canadian, which accent is difficult for me to understand. But then, on a whim I decided to talk to them anyway, only to discover that not only were they from the Paris area, they lived in the city that is the seat of the school district in which I was placed upon getting accepted in the program! And then, to boot the woman told me that before her retirement she had been an elementary school teacher!!! Not without a little bit of shock on my face, I’m sure, I explained to her that I was going to be working in the elementary level with my english teaching contract....Serge and Marie Claude Pornay and myself then exchanged contact information. Then, in July the couple took the initiative to contact me, asking me to tell them the latest on my upcoming adventure and to please keep in contact, so I did. Eventually, Marie Claude even got in contact with the school district to find out more about my job, and she has been indispensable in trying to navigate the French public school system, or rather the “Education Nationale”. I have truly become more and more profoundly grateful to these two French people, that are shattering all of my preconceived notions of the French being “stuffy”, etc. But, more on that later.

So then, leaving Alaska was harder than I could’ve even imagined when I first moved there! The saying goes that Alaska gets in your blood and then you fall in love with it. As much as I didn’t understand that adage before, I’d have to entirely agree now! My last year in Alaska was, in short, amazing. I learned so much on so many fronts of my life. I learned about the American school system--with which I had been in NO way acquainted priorly (is that a word??)--as a “substitute” teacher (with a full time job teaching Title 1 Reading at Willow Crest Elementary). I learned that I could move somewhere by myself and be happy, if not successful. I met a ton of new people, some of whom have found some deep places in my heart. I found out that I can indeed stay somewhere for a year and not be too itchy to leave! At one point I counted and had had over a dozen addresses in a period of 3 1/2 years since I graduated college. No wonder I got so relationally exaughsted. In Alaska I definitely learned that roots are a healthy thing. I learned a ton and grew spiritually in ways that I wouldn’t have if I haven’t moved there, and I learned just how much I love the mountains and winter and SNOW. I have no idea what doors will be opened this next year in France, and I’m fully cognizant of the fact that my life could really go anywhere at this point, but for now I do plan to go back to Alaska. It became “home” more than I could’ve imagined when I got on the plane to go back up there last year after my visit to Oregon following the the 2009 Alaska tourism season.

I also learned that I am very much a teacher at heart. I love teaching and I LOVE kids. Even though during my last year of teaching Title 1 I often came home tired and worn out, I never grew weary of children. So, if everything turns out the way it is in my head right now (does that ever happen?!), I think I’d like to go back to school for teaching when I get home to the states. We’ll see how things actually end up, though.... But, all of this said: I’m very excited to be working with elementary school children here in France, and feel much more prepared to do so after my last year of experience that Alaska surprisingly afforded me.

Leaving Alaska was interesting. The “international” section of the Anchorage airport is TINY. And I was fortunate enough to be able to fly on one of Condor Airlines’ last “over the pole” flights to Europe, direct from ANC, so my flight time was minimized. There was a bit of an issue trying to check my two pieces of luggage, because, naturally, the European airlines’ website was unclear on baggage policies but thanks to a very kind Alaskan in line behind me, my luggage got checked all the way to Paris without any fees! This man’s kindness saved me $150--but that’s a long story!

Upon landing in Paris, thankfully Karissa had arrived without any issues and was waiting there with the Pornay’s! She had driven down the AlCan Highway in a record 49 hours to get on a plane to meet me, and thankfully--even despite snow on the way down to Portland from Alaska--everything went off without a hitch. Serge and Marie Claude put us up for three nights in their own home, and have been absolutely WONDERFUL!!!! They’ve helped Karissa and I get our “Pass Navigos” for public transportation, and have been shuttling me around trying to find a place to live, spending hours with me looking at ads online for furnished rooms to rent, and educating me on which areas are best to live and, most importantly, safe. Honestly, I can’t imagine trying to figure this all out without them, they are and have been, to put it literally but mildly, a godsend. It’s also been really awesome to have Karissa here to process all of this with. Seriously, I feel so taken care of and blessed.

I had my first day of orientation and work on Friday. The best way I can describe it is that my adventure with French bureaucracy continues. The meeting was a great overview of the Education Nationale, and the principles it stands for and how the grade levels work, etc. The paperwork needed for opening a bank account in France in order to get paid was different according to whomever was speaking, however, and then there had been a major lack of communication from my particular “conseilleur pédegogique” (teacher mentor) about when I was actually to meet up with her and begin work....I met one of the other assistants assigned to my city, and we both swiftly concluded that much of this program is fairly unorganized. Maybe French government employees get paid by the hour? I’m learning that much of the initiative may be up to me, to understand what’s going on and how to navigate the system. The information either will not necessarily be voluntarily provided me, or it will be to some degree nebulous and/or altogether unclear. I think I’m going to enjoy the job though. I keep seeing French children in the streets and I love overhearing their conversations. I’m excited to meet my future students. :)

Right now, Karissa and I are staying at a Hostel in Paris, and waiting to hear back from a French/Italian woman who is renting out a room not far from the center of Paris or where I’ll be teaching. It would be a fairly ideal situation from what I was able to see, and so I’m crossing my fingers that it will work out! I’ll find out this evening. Yesterday I got a French cell phone. It feels kind of weird, but also probably safer. Meanwhile, in just a bit, Serge and Marie Claude will once more be coming to pick us up to give us a tour of the city of Paris. I’m excited to see the city from the perspective of the French. And I must add that not only are these people helpful and utterly hospitable, they are also so much fun!

I’ve been surprised and encouraged about how much of the language I can actually understand. I can even follow the news a bit on TV, which is good because they talk so fast! Once I’m settled, though, I want to refer back to some old grammar or vocabulary text books or something to get more focused on my amelioration of my skills in the language. I want to take advantage of my time here, learning the language, about the culture, seeing the land, and traveling beyond just France too.

Well, though there is SO MUCH to say, I did promise a “Reader’s Digest” version of events. And, believe it or not, that really was a condensed account! So, for now, I’d better stop there and maybe go take a nap or something. This 10 hour difference in jet lag is killing me! A bientôt!