Bureaucracy, Chartres and “Sinking In”

I believe I made a comment in one of my previous “installments” mentioning something to the effect that I hadn’t yet begun to “sink in” to what I’m doing here yet. Well, I think I can safely say that I’ve begun. For better or for worse!

Just in the last couple of weeks so many dynamics have changed at home, at work, and in my heart. It’s good. Also, some crazy events and some very FRENCH experiences.

First: BUREAUCRACY. French bureaucracy. Experiences with such are almost never pleasant, short, or effective, and recent events have proven to be no exception. The word makes me shudder even on State-side of the ocean--but it’s way worse here.

So, I’m supposed to fly out of Paris on December 17th. In 3 days. My temporary work visa has not yet been validated and while leaving the country should be no problem, getting back in could be an issue without the validation “stamp” that I supposedly get....eventually.

When I moved here, I had to send in my immigration papers as soon as imaginably possible after acquiring a legitimate resident address. Then, since I hadn’t heard anything back after two months, I showed up (after being so advised by my employer) at the immigration office across town to find out what was going on. I was instructed to just fill out the papers again and this time with my e-mail address. “For quicker”.

Nothing. I got an e-mail from Washington DC instructing me to go to my local “préfecture” to get a simple “visa de retour” to come back without worries. Supposedly a simple process, and the necessary paperwork was efficiently listed for me.

I did my homework and found out that in Paris there are two “préfectures”--one for the Police and then the regular one. The “préfecture de police” was where I supposedly needed to go. So, I did. And stood in line twice only to have the lady tell me, rudely, twice that there was nothing they could do and that they didn’t issue “visas”. The room she works in is called the “salle de visa”: visa room. Go figure.

So, tried the regular “préfecture”, and explained my situation and was promptly and kindly directed back to the “préfecture de police”. When I described my previous and disagreeable encounters there, they called the woman herself where I once more was told that she knew not of my situation or what to do. Go back, said she, to the immigration office and get instructed on EXACTLY what you must do.

I went back to the Office Français d’Immigration et d’Intégration. I waited en queue, of course, like a good French immigrant. Then, when I approached the counter to “get instructed” I was not sure how to feel about the fact that the guy at the welcome desk recognized me from my previous visit. Everything in me said, “not good when immigration recognizes you”. But anyway, he was cute (though married....) and I got helped. And by helped I mean “got instructed” that I would be OK coming back into France even without this mystical and so very unattainable validations stamp because I’m from the United States. “Ils acceptent cela, c’est pas grave...” (They’ll accept that....) ??!!

I then got an e-mail a few days later from the Rectorat of the school district instructing us imposing immigrants to NOT go to the préfecture because they can’t do anything....

So, hopefully I’ll be able to get back into France after I go home for the Holidays. We’ll see. That could be a whole ‘nother blog entry just waiting to happen....

ANyway. I decided that day to book it out to Chartres anyway. If I played my cards right I could have a few hours out there and be back in time for dinner.

As soon as I had left Paris proper on the train south, it began to dump snow. It was beautiful! I was giggling like a little girl, sitting on the train and watching people’s reactions to the weather at every train stop. I thought nothing of it until, due to the snow--somehow--and 5 kilometers before arriving in the town of Chartres (RAIL CREW THIS IS FOR YOU!!!)....wait for it....a TREE fell on the railroad tracks and the train stopped indefinitely.

I had to laugh. Having spent the amount of time that I have on railroad tracks and faced as many railroad issues as my last 4 summers have afforded, I had to LAUGH. I also just sat there and listened to the updates on the work at watched the flakes flurry until I realized that a group was forming to actually walk to the town of Chartres. I had worn a skirt, and hadn’t planned on hiking in my boots. However, as soon as I saw the smorgasbord of French people that were going to brave the snow, I was NOT going to let them be more hard core than me. I’ll admit that it’s slightly egotistical if not a little judgmental, but I think it would have wounded my Northwest American heart. At first I kept sliding around the ice in my ill-equipped footwear and I momentarily considered hitchhiking. But, I decided not to since A) all the male members of my family would kill me and B) the French do not know how to drive in the snow. Seriously, Subaru would do well to open a dealership or two in the suburbs here....

I hiked, and it was beautiful. We walked along the Eure river and by some beautiful homes--including one that looked like a castle and I caught my breath as I watched a goose take flight from the water at one point. I hadn’t realized how much I missed wildlife until I had that brief moment. I was so glad I’d gotten off the train. That 5 km jaunt is one I’ll never forget.





I finally got to Chartres about an hour and a quarter later than I’d planned. I finally saw the church that I’d wanted to see for over 10 years. I first learned about this famous cathedral in my “première année” of French studies. I’ve wanted to see it ever since. It’s famous for having two architecturally different types of towers, and it’s remarkable. It’s also known for it’s stained glass windows, which I had a few moments to appreciate before nightfall. It really was beautiful.





Since I had gotten there too late to explore the local museum, I walked around the town (which felt like Narnia) and then popped into one of the cafe/tea houses to try and jot down some of the day. My train was supposed to leave at 6:40pm, but due to weather I didn’t leave till after 7pm and eventually returned a very tired girl after stopping to purchase dinner on the way home at a very bad Chinese restaurant. Note to self: probably the worst Chinese food I’ve ever eaten.

I had to work the next day and the weather was still bad. Nevertheless, I got on the train out to Rosny sous bois in the banlieue and then found out the buses weren’t running in the town. I had to walk 45 minutes again in the snow to school. Once again, it was beautiful and I was happy to do so, as you can probably see:



At home things have changed so much. A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of accompanying Madame to the train station and back with her heavy suitcase. I have been amazed since at what a difference such a gesture has made in her demeanor.

She calls me “la petite” and gets worried if I’m out late (past 8pm) because I’m usually home fairly early, and so I’ve learned to call. She loves to hear about my adventures and both she and Nicolas like to laugh at my crazy escapades...such as walking to Chartres from the train.

In France, they celebrate their name saint days. Saint Nicolas day was last week and Madame made a wonderful meal for all of us. And I do mean wonderful. I’m really blessed to begin to see this more generous side of her. I also love to hear her stories about how she got to Paris and how she packed her bad one time and headed to the airport to see where she could go with a week off and no passport. This last weekend I had a friend in town and my heart was warmed with the reception Madame gave her in “our” home...I think I’ve somehow broken through with this woman. Last night the three of us, Nicolas, Madame and myself when to the Champs-Elysées to experience the Christmas market going on there. She hung onto my arm the entire time, and I have to say it feels good to be in the granddaughter role again. :)

I leave in a couple of days and I am very excited. I’m also very excited that I probably won’t be dreading coming back either. I’m still pretty sure I’ll never be a city girl (Madame referred to me today as her little field mouse, which made me laugh!), but I am beginning to sink in and enjoy my 9 month foray into this very, very big city. Already I know there will be things I’ll miss immediately upon leaving, like *ahem* the FOOD, and even the language. Which is also starting to click....I think I might be “sinking in”. I’m glad. It certainly hasn’t looked like I would have imagined, but then, nothing ever does. Bonne nuit et à bientôt. :)

Nuances and Approaching the French

I’m getting a little more comfortable. (Insert smile here) This is a relief. Though, I still have a long way to go and I’ll never be a true Parisian. Nevertheless, there are some nuances to my short term “life” here in Paris that I’m beginning to pick up on, if not rely on a bit. For instance....

The floor at my house creaks. I think I mentioned it before. I love it. It feels old and quintessentially Parisian, but also LOUD. I’m learning which way each of the door knobs turn--for they’re all different. I’m learning when to put my wash in a how long it takes to dry and how to take advantage of the natural light in my bedroom during the day and suffer the cold for it too. I'm learning how to make the shower head work to my advantage finally, since the hot water is never reliable or steady. But I'm figuring it out.

I frequent the same bakery every day and the lady knows me. She knows I’m used to the snow and that I teach English. One day, I went in exceptionally early and she was so excited to see me, because she had some customers that spoke only English and they were all struggling. I helped out and now we’re friends.

I’ve figured out the Metro pretty darn well. There are many lines and areas of Paris that I’ve still yet to step foot in, but I now know which part of the train to get on when I’m running late so that I don’t have to walk as far and which platform my train out to the banlieues leaves from and the times that they leave each hour....so much easier now. I have the RER-train-announcer-lady's speech memorized too. And not for trying. Votre attention, s'il vous plait. Ce train desservie tous les gares jusqu'à Villier sur Marne... "Your attention please, this train serves all the stations through Villier sur Marne..."

I get stopped and asked for directions often. I feel complimented because that means that I look like I know where I’m at and where I’m going. Most of the time I can help to, which is amazing considering I’m generally so bad with directions!

I’m learning where to buy my groceries and when. In the morning and evening is when the bread is baked in Paris...by law, and there’s a open air market by my house every Friday with delicious rosted pomme de terres. Also, I am ecstatic to have found a specialty whole bean coffee vendor around the corner from me!! Good coffee beans are not as prolific in Paris as one would think, and I’m fast becoming friends with “Ludo”--he knows me already too.

Everyday I look at Sacré Cœur to see what the weather’s going to be like that day. My favorite is when the sky is blue, no matter how cold, because it makes the church stand out in stark contrast--elle est si blanche et belle.

It’s still weird to me sometimes that, if it’s the right time of day, I only have to walk down a couple flights of stairs to buy bread. Or cheese--that’s a different shop--or go to the bank or get a cup of coffee. It’s all compacted and within walking distance. AND I haven’t driven a car in over two months!

I smile sometimes watching people in the streets or in cafes, because sometimes it all reminds me of the opening scene in Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” where the whole town opens their windows and runs through the streets declaring “Bonjour!” And then the baker sells the same bread every day, and the same woman orders eggs from the same gentleman every day as well....There so much of that that is accurate!

But, anyway, I’m thrilled to be finding a groove in my neighborhood, in my job, and in my home. I am so glad to be discovering these new nuances that maybe I’ve always taken for granted in the States.

I’m also learning how to approach these French too; those renowned rude Parisians. This is huge. I’ve learned that it is cultural to always verbally greet someone who shares some sort of quotidian commonality. Usually it goes no farther than “bonjour” or “bonsoir” depending on the time of day, but I must always greet the people at school or in the apartment complex, regardless of whether or not I’ve been introduced to them. However, if none of that quotidian common ground is shared, this is not otherwise done in passing. However, upon entering a shop or cafe, a “bonjour” is necessary as well, even if it’s not directed at anyone in particular--it’s still noticed.

If you need help or have a question--which is considerably more than utterly and entirely inevitable in this city--all that is required, is a little politesse: “I’m sorry to bother you, Monsieur (Madame)...” Then you wait for them to say that you’re not bothering them at all...or you talk over them while they’re saying that to do your business and acquire the services or information desired. If the conversation prolongs, you interject at some appropriate point, “I’m sorry, I don’t speak French very well....je m’excuse...” And then they take the time to tell you at least that it’s not a problem or they’ll even disagree and compliment your language skills, all the while bending over backwards IF and quite usually only IF you follow this code and dance this social dance. Sometimes this ends up in a conversation about where I’m from too, Oregon and Alaska and then Sarah Palin...which is *sigh* unpleasant. Sometimes I just say I’m from the West Coast, that encompasses both Oregon and Alaska, right?!

Now that I’ve figured it out, I kind of like it. The magic words are “Excusez-moi de vous déranger....”, a humble attitude and a smile. I’m a student of this culture and this city, the Parisians know this--and as long as they know that I know this too, they will go to great lengths to help.

I’ve found that this motivates me, too, to pass this on to others. If I’m in my neighborhood and see a couple or a group huddled over a map, and brabbling in English, I’m happy to help (and speak English for a few moments too!). The other day I was waylaid by a Portuguese family looking for a particular restaurant in Montmartre. I didn’t know where it was, but I was able to ask. I love that.

Paris is at once easy to access and incredibly confusing. One may have options galore, but to actually fully access them, there is some protocol involved. Honestly, I cannot begrudge the French for requiring a bit of manners to access their goodwill. Perhaps the world could use a few more manners anyway.

That said, I feel that I must take leave with the traditional French (as I promised myself that this blog entry would not be as epic as the last): “Merci beaucoup, et bonne soirée. Au revoir!

Two Months

It’s been two months. I got here on September 29th and now it’s been two months that I’ve been in Europe, and a resident of Paris, France.

I’ve hesitated to write about it for a number of reasons. First, so much has happened that it’s overwhelming. I won’t feel like I’ve adequately covered it all, no matter how hard I try. Secondly and succinctly put, this whole thing has been really hard.

I have been overwhelmed at how much my family and friends have been excited for me and behind me in embarking on this experience, to the point where I’m very humbled. It feels as if everyone is so excited for me to be here, that for it to be difficult and for me to feel anything less than enraptured with my geographic circumstances feels ungrateful and downright spoiled of me. This is the furthest thing, obviously, that I want to be, but nonetheless, I’ve found myself in puddles of tears enough to feel that I must be at some degree honest about how hard this whole thing has been! The first few weeks of my time here, I had a lot of friends visiting, traveling with me, and it was wonderful. One of these said individuals challenged me to chronologue how my outlook on this whole 9 month excursion changes over the length of it. I’ve been reflecting much on that challenge--because I promised her I would do it--but have also struggled with how honest I want to be. So, here goes. This is for me, for sure, but also, this is for you Ash. Thank you for the challenge.

I have concluded that one could not find two more opposite places in quote “western society” that Alaska and Paris, France. On many levels. Alaska is vast, wild, sparsely populated and fairly newly touched--just to name a few of it’s characteristics. Paris is geographically miniscule in comparison (or shall we say contrast), highly “civilised”, immeasurably more populated and not at all without an nearly ancient and just as profound sense of heritage. Not that either extreme is at all in its entirety “bad”, but it is anyway worth noting these pronounced extremes in saying that it has been really hard to adjust from living in one extreme to the next. Also, I believe I mentioned in the last update that I found myself so busy this summer that I really didn’t have time to build up expectations or ideas about what France was going to be like. While I found this to be advantageous, I can also say that I was not prepared and had not previously considered this big differences and how they might affect me!

LANGUAGE:
The language has been hard. I’ve realized that while majoring in French--albeit 4 years ago--has been helpful, I have been much better prepared to discuss literature and philosophy in the language that I’m currently immersed in, rather than doing daily life. I could at one point in college communicate very effectively big, universal ideas and truths and discuss the societal ramifications of literature. But, as it’s now 4 years later and completely different subject matter, I’m struggling! In Ernest Hemingway’s The Moveable Feast (which I am currently reading)--a memoir of his time in Paris in the 20’s--he talks about “writing”, and he says that he “learned to not think about anything that I was writing from the time I stopped writing until I started again the next day....” And that way his “subconscious would be working on it and at the same time I would be listening to other people and noticing everything....learning.” As an amateur “writer” I can totally relate to this phenomenon. But I also find myself hoping that my French language skills will undergo the same kind of circumstance. Only time will tell....

HOME:
Another source of stress has been my living situation, though I think things are getting better. First let me explain a little about my roomates. I’m in an apartment in the 9th Arrondissement, just south of Montmartre and Sacré Cœur--which I can actually see from my bedroom balcony. My Metro stop is the Montmartre stop, which is beautiful but also subsequently always BUSY. I live with an older lady and another middle aged gentlemen. Madame Hélène Vautrin is, I believe, in her 70s, a retired secretary divorcee who raised two daughters on her own in Nice, southern France--while she her self comes from the east area of the country. Nicolas, 46, is a friend of the family and Mme Vautrin’s grandson’s godfather. He’s wonderful, and very patient with my French and very obliging to give advice and cultural insight. He’s also learning English, so I’m often amused when he suddenly emits English explicatives. :) The apartment itself feels like a museum, there are so many antiques, and the floor even squeaks as a good museum does.

As wonderful and (over)mothering as Mme Vautrin may be, she does not claim those she houses on her taxes. Therefore, she did not want to let me use her address for any of my purposes. This is a problem because:

In order to be paid I must have a bank account.
In order to open a bank account I must (French law?) have a “justificatif de domicile” (declaration from my landlord, saying that I live with them) signed AND an adjoined bill from the same address.
In order to get my visa validated AND be covered by French national health insurance (la Securité Sociale) I have to send in my address AND have yet another “justificatif de domicile”.
And lastly, in order to even eat and pay rent I have to be paid. The american dollar that I earned all summer only goes so far...

Eventually, after some tears (she caught me stressed out and in tears at one point) and telling her that I didn’t want her to get into trouble, but I need an address (??!!), she relented and signed the papers.

THEN, I went to open my bank account. Which was a challenge in and of itself given that I had to muddle through legalese in a foreign language. However, It went fairly smoothly until I didn’t get my papers and especially my PIN for my French debit card because my name wasn’t on the mailbox at the apartment. I went in to inquire about this and they told me they’d send the PIN again but there was a possibility of my account shutting down....

Long story short and a dreaded conversation with the “Madame”, my name is on the mailbox. For now. And I have a bank account and a fully functional debit card and now I can eat and pay the rent. And they even call me “Madame Emerson” when I go in the bank. :)

I’ve never before experienced uncertainty about a roof over my head. It’s an interesting sensation. There was a period of time where I wondered if I could stay, and if I would be able to find another place, even. It was incredibly stressful finding a room in the first place, and the idea of having to stay indefinitely in a hostel again and of calling random numbers over and over again to find a home was overwhelming. So, I’m glad the address thing is momentarily ironed out.

Nevertheless, I’m learning more about dear Mme Vautrin. She is highly fiscally conscious. I have made of few “faux pas” in the home regarding the matter. For instance, there is no light in my room. The light switch is broken and the electrician is supposed to come. Sometime. It’s been this way for about two weeks now and she was gone for a week. She’s back now and has made no effort to remedy situation, as far as I can tell. I made do with a clip on light bulb I found in the already cluttered-with-who-knows-what-and-where-it came-from bedroom that I inhabit and promptly got in trouble for using it because it was (drumroll please) 200 watts and too expensive. I also should not have, apparently, roasted a chicken in the oven . I’m not supposed to use the oven either: it’s too expensive.

Suffice it to say, all of this has had me fearing the woman a bit and afraid of doing something wrong! But, as Nicolas says--who was appalled at hearing my stories--one does what one wants when she’s gone. This last week he made a wonderful quiche in the oven and I enjoyed my well lit bedroom.

I think I’m making some breakthroughs with her, though. She came back from her trip to see her daughter with a ton of questions for me about my life and country, because she’d apparently been discussing her “americane” with her family. I also accompanied her to and from the train station with her suitcase, and while it seemed an obvious thing to me--not to mention a pleasure--it seems to have broken some kind of wall down with her. She’s beginning to ask favors of me and take interest in my life. :)

As I live in a big city now, I’m trying really hard to get used to all the noise. But it’s hard, because I hate it. I can nearly follow the neighbor’s conversations through the thin walls, there’s work going on in/on the buildings across the street and rennovation happening in the “square” down the street. There is also a lady that lives in the same building that bursts out in random and very bad operatic notes. I haven’t yet pinpointed the origin of these poorly skilled emissions, but I’m choosing to approach the phenomenon as “quirky” and “endearing” and “funny”, instead of annoying. Hopefully this lasts.

WORK:
My job has been a real highlight in many ways, though it also presents its own set of unsureties and ambiguities. The children are from ages 7-10 roughly and CUTE as all get out! I’ve never been such a celebrity before, whenever I walk through the school hallways they all shout “Bonjour, Traci!” and I hear them trying to speak English to each other. I love it. Also, the teachers have been very warm toward me, which, I hear is unusual. Many other assistants have horror stories about their teaching situation, but I have to say I’m happy with mine. :)
On a broader scale, however, I’m less and less impressed with the Education Nationale itself. In a word: UNORGANIZED. The teachers know it, too. They hate it, but nobody can change it, so it would seem. Much more on the Education Nationale later. Also, I already have stories about how French education itself is conducted on a day to day basis. Very different, but that’ll come later.... My job is very ambiguous and not very well lined out. They gave us some papers stating what each grade level should know at the end of the year and then a whole bunch of “games”. We have “trainings” too, in which we play these said games. Fantastic. Really, though the kids are adorable and the teachers are nice, I have NO IDEA what I'm doing.

HEALTH:
I have been sick for almost 5 days now. My system crashed and I’ve not been sleeping well either. Things are getting “better”, but I’m definitely looking forward to feeling 100% again. I’ve lost some weight due to walking a lot and healthier eating habits, but I know some of it’s stress too. I came to France in not a very good emotional state. And now that friends are gone and I've gotten a little bit more of a daily routine here, it's catching up to me and I need to deal with it. I’ve spent most of my hours at home these last few days and have found ample time to reflect on this. I’ve come to some good realizations. There will be some elaboration on this fact to come, but I feel as I should leave it at that for now.

ITALY:
I GOT TO GO TO ITALY!!! 3 weeks into “teaching”, the Education Nationale went on a two week vacation and I got to go back to Naples and see my “family” there. It had been 5 years since my stay there over the summer of 2005 and it was actually kind of emotional and certainly precious to be reunited with some really amazing people there. I told my girls there, and it’s so true, that even though it had been so long since I’d been back, I had never forgotten. Naples is a special place.
On that note, I did see other parts of Italy, and overall just fell in love all over again with the country and the language. I also got to re-experience all of this with some dear, awesome friends from Alaska, Rachel and Kristie. Even though I’ve been to Italy several times before and experienced much of it before, this trip and time with them will remain entirely unforgettable. It was rough when they left. :(

I’m still missing Alaska, and very much looking forward to Christmas. It’s been a year since I’ve been home to Oregon and I’ll be hopping on a plane for Canby in a little less than 3 weeks. My sister’s getting married! And really, it's been too long since I've been home.

So, that's some of my last two months. Like I said, it's been hard more than it's been anything else, and that's just my honesty that I've finally decided to give. Some of it's my circumstances and some of it's just me. I'm here, alone, not knowing what I'm doing and trying to figure a lot of crap out. It's good though. As I mentioned before, I'm reading Hemingway at the moment. One of my favorite lines of his at the moment describes the trees of Paris during winter so aptly:

"The trees were sculpture without their leaves when you were reconciled to them..."

I love this because it reminds me of a poem I wrote, once, for somebody else and with them in mind. This quote though, and where I'm at in life has caused me to turn this mirror a bit more on myself. So here it is, and here's me looking forward to Spring--on a couple of different levels:

L'hiver d'un arbre

Once leaving her usual more drapèd state
A silent, barren, and shivering tree
In stretching to invite a new frigid weight
Offers a raw and naked form of beauty.

The snow adorning all original lines,
O winter's blanchèd form of weeping
Paints anew an obscure but divined design
Ne'er perceived till the dawn of summer's sleeping.

Humbled may she be, stripped to naught
Undergoing a brief annual time to remind
A catharsis solidifying what a year may've wraught
A flight back to loveliness found only inside.

But her foliage is come back, and so supplements
A diff'rent season's rendering of natural grace.
The joy of spring's budding is only ever lent
Warm vibrance by foil of a colder place.

So, the winters of life disparage not then
For out of them speak untold colors within.
T. Emerson

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!

France?

So, in case you haven't figured out, this blog is dedicated to my upcoming year in France. I guess I figured it was the best way to keep everyone who cared to know abreast of what was/is going on with the situation, as well as a written verbal outlet and sounding board for my related experiences and thoughts.

I found out about 10 days ago of my acceptance and so by now I've had a little bit of time to adjust. Right now, I think I need to take advantage of the sounding board aspect of this web based thing....

My B.A. degree is in French Language & Literature. I loved what I chose to study, but I also spent most of the time doing it with a constant feeling of inferiority to those around me. I had begun studying the language at a fairly young age and had a decent knack for it--as well as a growing passion, but the great majority of the students around me had spent at least some length of time overseas, immersed in the language. Not having had that experience is a an notable disadvantage in the study of any language and I felt it particularly my senior year....Reader's digest conclusion: I did OK in college, but I've wanted to go overseas and do this thing for about 5-6 years--ever since the day it was first introduced in one of my grammar classes. And even though I have a piece of paper certifying my university work as "completed", I've still always felt that I've only had 1/2 a degree.

I applied last year to this same program and was rejected. :( After a lot of thinking I decided to remain in Alaska after my last summer here to substitute teach and get my feet wet in public education. I had some experience teaching in a private school and a lot of experience tutoring--but honestly, I have learned more than I could have thought going from my homeschooled background to working as "sub" this year in AK. I actually had the fortune to end up as a full-time reading teacher to struggling kids at a Title 1 school in a low income, high needs school in Anchorage. What an amazing school year.

This said, in the last year since I, I'm in awe at how much my "heart" has changed about so many things, but here are a couple:

1. I have fallen in love with Alaska. I never would have thought that I would feel that my home is now in this (literal) corner of the US and that this is the place I want to come back to. My life is hear now, and I'm actually really sad to leave it.

2. I would never have thought that I would love teaching elementary school so much. The job I have been working is tough for so many reasons, but I have loved it. I have been drained from it and tired, but have never become tired of children. Though I had an inkling of it before, it is solidified: I love kids.

AND, as a side note, I am so much better prepared to navigate the public school system in another country having now gained some sort of a grasp of the education system in my own nation. I'm so thankful for that.

I feel like I'm finally going to be able to "complete" my B.A. degree. And I'm so glad that I'm going, but I'm at a complete turn around from the way I felt last year as well. Last year at this juncture, I was totally devastated to learn that I wasn't going to be overseas, but this time I would have been fine if I'd gotten turned down again. A much better place to be emotionally, I think. :)

I'm really going to miss Alaska--I actually look forward to when I can come back. Hopefully the Anchorage School District or somewhere up here will be looking for a French teacher in a couple of years. :) Needless to say, I'm glad I'm going this year and not last year, I'm in a much better position (geographically, personally and professionally) to embark on this adventure, and now I have a "home" to come back to, I hope.

And, like I said (disclaimer), this blog is intended for informational updates for those who care, but also as an outlet for my thoughts on the matter. So there they are!
I've got what seems like many busy months ahead of me before I head across the pond, but here's to the initial process(ing)!

Cheers!

Accepted!

In the afternoon of April 6, 2010 I received the e-mail stating my acceptance into the program that I'd applied for two years in a row. The first time around I did not get in the program--which resulted in my present location in Alaska and lot of wonderful experience and experiences under my belt....
Here's the news-- :-)

Dear Future Teaching Assistant,

Congratulations! We are very pleased to inform you of your acceptance to the Teaching Assistant Program in France for the 2010-2011 academic year, sponsored by the French Ministry of Education.

You have been placed in the Académie de Créteil. You will be assigned to one or more schools in the region, however, please note that your school(s) will not necessarily be located in the city of “Créteil.” The Académie of Créteil covers a large region and has many postings in smaller cities and towns. Do not assume that you will be placed close to Paris. The Académie will make specific city and school assignments this summer and will send you more details regarding your placement at that time. For now, please be patient and keep an open mind! In the meantime, you can find out more information about your Académie at: http://www.ac-creteil.fr/

Your placement in this region is FINAL; we will not grant requests to change academies, nor will we place you on a waiting list for other regions.

Please confirm by e-mail whether you will accept the offered position as a Teaching Assistant in France. If your plans have changed and you are no longer able to participate in this year’s program, we ask that you let us know immediately so that we can offer the post to a candidate on the waiting list. Should you withdraw from this year’s program, we cannot guarantee your future acceptance into the program as deferment is not an option. You must send us an e-mail either confirming your acceptance or withdrawing from the program by the end of the day on Sunday, April 18. If you do not respond by April 18, we will not be able to hold your spot.

If you confirm your acceptance of the offered position, we will send you more information about your next steps after April 18.

We look forward to hearing from you and félicitations!

Carolyn COLLINS
Educational Affairs Program Officer
Teaching Assistant Program in France
Embassy of France
4101 Reservoir Road
Washington, D.C. 20007