Pre-departure entry: 9 days to go!

Hello everyone!

This is the English version of my blog. Si vous voulez accéder à la version en français, cliquez là.

Some of you have read my previous travel blogs, and I’ve developed somewhat of a reputation for being verbose. So I have decided that for this blog, I am going to limit each entry to 1200 words, the number of words the average adult can read in 5 minutes (I’m confident all of you are above average, so consider 5 minutes the absolute maximum). This way you can access my blog regularly, knowing it won’t take more than a nominal amount of time to see what I’ve been up to!

For this first entry, I thought I would provide some basic information about my trip:

What are you going to be doing in France?

I am going to be teaching English in two different elementary schools in the city of Besançon, as part of a language teaching assistant program through the French Ministry of Education. I am one of approximately 400 college graduates who have been assigned to various cities around France (and France’s territories). These language teaching assistants come from all over the world, not just the U.S. I am one of 11 teaching assistants assigned to the city of Besançon: 8 are from the U.S., 1 is from England, 1 is from Scotland, and 1 is from Russia (all are female). Assistants can be assigned to teach in elementary, middle, or high schools. The students I will be teaching will be in the equivalent of first through fifth grade (ages 7-11). My impression is that I will be an assistant, not the only teacher in the room. But we’ll see…

What will your living arrangement be like?

I won’t know until I arrive. I’ve already made reservations at a hostel for the first four nights I am there, and I hope to find an apartment during that time. I’ve spent quite a bit of time doing research online (on one site for finding roommates and five others which are similar to Craig’s List). As of right now, I have 25 apartments to see. I’m sure some of them will be taken in the next 9 days, but hopefully I’ll find other new ones which have just opened up. I would prefer to live with another French woman, because it would be less expensive and a way to meet at least one person my age.

I would also like to live in the downtown area (recommended by the adviser for assistants in my area). But there needs to be a bus stop nearby, because the schools where I am teaching are out in a suburb to the west of downtown, too far to walk. Maybe I’ll get a bike if the weather’s not too cold and I can find one at a good price. I really enjoyed having a bike when I lived in Dijon!

How long are you going to be there? 
My contract is from October 1 through April 31 of next year. I will be arriving 2 weeks early and I absolutely have to be back before May 11, because that’s the day Trey graduates from Vanderbilt.

When are you leaving? 
I’m leaving Saturday, September 17. My flight leaves from Cincinnati at 4pm, with a lay-over in Chicago. If everything goes according to schedule (a big if, if you know my history of air travel), I should arrive at Charles de Gaulle airport at 9am the next morning. My train to Besançon doesn’t leave until 5pm, so I’ll have a day to spend in Paris. Per Brooke Wharton’s advice, I’m going to try and store my luggage at the train station so I am unencumbered to explore the city.

How on Earth do you pronounce “Besançon”?

“Besançon” is a tough name to pronounce with an American accent. This is a phonetic spelling: 

Bez – ON – sON

If you’re still not sure, click here to hear it pronounced. And for the record, the “ç” is always pronounced like an “s” in French.

Where is Besançon? How big is the city?

Besançon is in eastern France near the France-Switzerland border.  It is the seat of the county of Doubs and capital of the region Franche-Comté. The city is situated on a river, the Doubs. There are 117,000 people living in the metropolitan area, and they call themselves “Bisontins” et “Bisontines.” The city is known for its inhabitants' excellent quality of life and has been on the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites since 2008. A few other fun facts: Victor Hugo was born in Besançon and its American sister-city is Charlottesville, VA (go Hoos).

Are you going to have time to travel while you’re there?

Yes! My position only requires that I work a maximum of 12 hours per week (yes, you read that correctly). So I’m hoping to find a second form of employment, probably tutoring or babysitting or working in a café. Besançon is very close to the border with Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, and Italy. I have friends who are currently living in Lyon, Tours, Toulouse, Barcelona, Murcia, Berlin, London, and Vienna. And I have 5 weeks of vacation if you add up all of the school breaks: a week at the end of October, 2 weeks for Christmas, a week in February, and one at the end of March! Brooke (who will be in Vienna) and I are already planning to take a horse-back riding vacation – something I have always wanted to do!

What is the time difference between France and the US?

France is 6 hours ahead of EST. 

And then a couple of more personal questions…

What are you most excited about?

Many things! I am very excited to see my host family from Dijon (which is only an hour from Besançon by train, possibly less time by bus). Also I’m eager to see my friends from Les Disjonctés – the Ultimate Frisbee team I played on when I studied abroad in France two years ago. If I have time, I would like to get back into horseback riding. There are at least 4 stables near the city and if I have time and the funds, it seems like a neat opportunity to try something I love in a whole new context. And of course I might play Ultimate too. It all depends on how my schedule turns out and what the city is like, which I won’t know until I get there.

Which parts of the experience are you most nervous about?

Right now, finding an apartment. I can’t do anything else until I find an apartment. After that: opening a bank account, figuring out the layout of the city, finding a second job, checking out the stables… But finding an apartment is top priority.

And of course I’m nervous for my first day of school. I was not an education major – I really don’t have a lot of formal training in this area. There will be an orientation for all of the language assistants on October 4, and I believe they will be giving us tips and ideas. It’s definitely going to be an adventure!

What are you going to miss the most?

Definitely my friends and family. Since I’ve already lived in France once before, I’m not especially worried about the practical aspects (opening a bank account, going grocery shopping, etc), But I know how tough it can be to stay in touch with people back home because of the time difference, and how hard it is to be separated from the people who you know and love (and who know you!). Of course the Internet, and Skype in particular, make that easier, but I think the ease of communication with people I care about will be what I miss most.

Can I come visit you?

Of course! Take a vacation and come visit! I don’t know yet how big my apartment will be (some of the studios in particular that I’m looking at are quite diminutive), but you are welcome to all the space I have!