The Final Countdown!

34 days to go and they seem to be slipping past rather quickly. I don't feel in control or as though I have anything organised but when I sit down and actually think about what I've done and what is left to do I think I'm pretty OK. =)

If I was to give advice to anyone preparing for their year abroad I'd suggest the following:

• WRITE A LIST- and check off things as you go. This has recently greatly satisfied the OCD side of my personality and has massively calmed me down as I can see what I've achieved and what I've got left to do. On my list is things like “speak to bank”, “get insurance including winter sports”, “find somewhere to live”, “email responsable and previous assistant” and “decide what to pack”. Each time I manage to complete a task I cross it off and seeing the list begin to dwindle is not only reassuring, but serves to remind me how quickly to leaving the country I’m getting. Yes, it freaks me out a little bit, but more than anything it’s exciting to see how close I am to realising a dream.

• SORT INSURANCE- Always err on the side of caution. I'm paying extra to make sure I'm covered for winter sports as, knowing my luck, I'd be the one person who will fall off a sledge/skis/a mountain and not be covered by insurance, so I'm not taking the risk and will therefore be the one person who is covered to fall off a sledge/skis/a mountain and won't. I’ve looked around and decided to take take out my insurance with YearAbroad as they cater specifically for students going away on their year abroad. It’s also a little cheaper than the other options I looked at and covers me for exactly the same stuff.

• MONEY MONEY MONEY- Spoken to my bank and found out I get charged for transferring money from my English account to my French account. Pants. However, Caxton fx do a "Europe Traveller Card" which I can load up with money from my UK bank FREE OF CHARGE and use it just like a debit card. BRILLIANT! I can separate my money from the UK from my pay in France and therefore have money for bills in one account and money for fun in another. YAY! Secondly, getting my SFE application in early and making sure I met the Erasmus deadlines had also taken a weight off my mind. I’ve already set a reminder on my computer to get my SFE application in early for my final year as well, so I don’t have to worry about it when I get back, panicking that I’ve left it too late.

• BUCKET LISTS- I've written a list of things I'd like to achieve and do whilst away, including travelling and learning new hobbies. One of the things I'm looking forward to the most is the week before I actually arrive in Grenoble. Mum and Steve are going to be driving me down in order to make sure I have all of my home comforts and stuff that I'm going to need without having to pay to ship it over. We're going to spend the week visiting a couple of cities along the way in order to spend some quality time as a family and celebrate Mum's and my birthdays.

• LEARN FROM OTHERS- I've been in contact with both my responsable and the previous assistant who have helped me massively with what to expect and what to prepare for lessons. Most importantly, they've been the best people to give honest advice about phone and internet tariffs, bank accounts, accommodation and things to do in and around where I'm going to be living as well as getting around. My responsable has recommended some university style accommodation pretty much right next to the school, which whilst it’s not the cheapest option, it is ideal for work and saves me having to trawl through websites and look for something that I can’t physically view until I get out to France. With the uni accommodation, I kind of know what to expect and all my bills are included so I don’t have to worry about too much. Of course, if when I get out there and I don’t like the uni digs, I can always look for something else with a friend or find something closer to the centre of town. This is unlikely though, I like the idea of being so close to work!

I think I’m most nervous about my French skills not being good enough. This is completely irrational as I’ve spent a month on my own in France before and had no problems communicating and complaining! I think I’ll be fine at work talking to my colleagues as A) I know they can speak English, and B) I don’t think there’s much I can’t talk about that comes up in normal conversation. I’m most worried about having to set up bank accounts and sort out a phone contract, or anything where my lack of subject specific vocabulary will be evident and prevent me from communicating clearly and state what I want.

I’m not worrying about planning lessons or what to teach/do with the students. Having had experience of doing this –albeit for under 12s doing karate- I’m confident that I can design a lesson suited to their abilities and discipline when necessary. I’m looking forward to being in a real classroom situation as there’s only so much you can get out of a book and lectures on how to teach English. After all, nothing is a better educator that real life experience.

So 34 days to go, 34 days to get stuff together, 34 days to see the nearest and dearest and make them as jealous as possible and then au revoir angleterre and bonjour to pastries, fine wine, good food and smelly cheeses. Life couldn't be any better. =)

Lalalalalalala!!!

Couldn't think of a good post title so I settled for what I'm doing round the living room. LALALALALALALALALALALA! So lucky to have been given a school pretty much in the centre of Grenoble.  Did make deciphering the placement letter a little confusing and has since confused everyone I know:

"I'm moving to Grenoble!"
"I know that but where abouts?"
"Grenoble..."
"I know. Which town?"
"GRENOBLE!"
"Ohhhh."

Did take away a little excitement.

So now I can start planning and organising and generally satisfying the whole OCD bit of my personality. I get to make lists and tick off the things I have done. So far, a lot of things to do, and no ticks. Must get on to that........

I have to be out in Grenoble (EEEEEEEEE!) for 2 days training on the 1st and 2nd of October. Which means, my first Monday teaching will be spent playing English party games and eating jelly and ice cream to celebrate my birthday. (8th October in case you guys wish to send me cards etc.. :p ) It also means that Mum is likely to spend her birthday in France too, which will be pretty cool.

Reality is beginning to sink in. I'm moving to France. I've only been dreaming of this for like 15 years and Mum's had me packed for 10. This is really happening. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

AhhhhhhhhhhYeah!!

Its always fun when an email starts with:
"I am pleased to inform you that you have passed the eligibility and quality assessment stage for applications to France and we will now be proposing your application for a post".

Suppose it's official - I'M MOVING TO FRANCE!!

What freaks me out the most is that I'm moving to France in 4 AND A HALF MONTHS!!! That's like, tomorrow, or it feels like it anyway. I've now finished lectures for the year and I'm convinced that with every day that goes past with me not going to a lecture, the more French words leave my head leaving me with the really random ones that I'll never be able to get into a conversation. :/ Maybe I should start preparing myself a bit more by reading books and watching films and researching bank accounts, phone tariffs, ERASMUS grant deadlines and finding somewhere to live. Maybe after my exams are done, and I know where I'm going to be living.

Far too excited, bouncing around like a child on speed at Christmas in a sweet shop with Santa in Disney. =D

No more Christmas in Quebec.

Its never good when an email starts with "I regret to inform you..."

Oh well. The surprising thing is that I'm not that gutted. I took a chance and at least I can say I tried, but my year abroad will now be spent in France somewhere, hopefully Lyon. I can now stop having nightmares about being snowed in by 8ft of snow. Luckily I don't have to do any more assessments and interviews and my application will just be transferred over to France.

On the plus side it's definitely going to be warmer, my family can come over more often and Ben can avoid the 7 hour flight. oh and ERASMUS GRANTS!!! That and I think everyone knows that I'm French at heart. I know I enjoy the food, the people, the culture, so I know I'm going to enjoy my year abroad. And I get to see friends that I made out there in 2010 again. Clearly, everything happens for a reason. :)

I don't regret applying to Canada and not getting it. Sure, it's disappointing but I'm glad I went through that experience, and would encourage anybody to do the same. The interview experience and assessment themselves were massive life lessons. They highlighted to me that I still have a lot to learn and my French needs improving. I need more confidence when talking in formal situations and I don't think I would get the same benefits if I went to Canada. The more I think about it now, the more I realise I hadn't thought the whole process through and did apply kind of very spontaneously. It's something that I'll consider doing again in the future when I'm more confident and have more experience.

VIVE LA FRANCE!

AND I GET TO GET FAT ON PASTRIES!! <3

Life couldn't be any better.
Happy days. Happy, happy days. :)

What's your name and who would you like to meet from history?

It was one of those moments when you go "Eugh! Why did my parents even give me a name I can't remember?!", and then trying to think of someone really impressive and intelligent from history. Not gonna lie, I blanked at my own name, I had no chance of thinking of someone uber cool from history. In the end, I settled on Kings and Queens like Henry VIII as I wanted to know if he was as fat as everyone makes him out to be now. Smooth one Lots.

In a group of 4, we then had 30 mins to prepare a 30 minute lesson plan. Not as easy as it sounds. Even harder when you're competing with 3 others in their final year, one of whom lives in Paris, another has Canadian parents and all three have previous teaching experience from their year abroad. Little fish, big pond much? Anyway, I pretty much settled with what they wanted to do as otherwise, we were never going to have a lesson plan. It was alright. Its never fun when the group preceding you has exactly the same lesson plan, and presents it much better than you. Crap.

Come my individual interview, I was shaking like a leaf and had convinced myself I actually knew NO FRENCH whatsoever. I think they understood me. Either that or they were nodding just to humour the crazy lady that had somehow managed to find her way to the British Council Head Office.

I've made my choice of where I want to go if I'm successful! Beaupré s'il vous plait! Its not far from Québec city and looks pretty online. And it has lots of hospitals and medical centres near by so my Mum will be happy. Not that I intend on visiting, but just in case I do something silly like, I don't know, go skiing and fall over, or wrestle with a bear for some salmon........

In 2 weeks time, I'll know if my application has been successful, and then its onto applying for a work permit, which could take up to 15 weeks to complete.

Fingers crossed.

<3

First post!!!

I've decided that, since I'm going to be exploring a whole new country, that it'd be nice for my friends and family to follow me too. I'm in the middle of the application process now and tonight, I'm going to be looking through a list of places I can potentially live in for a year from September. A week today I'm going to be in London having my interview and assessment day, and to tell the truth, I'm a little bit nervous. I think I've prepared myself pretty well so fingers crossed!!

I don't know what made me decide that Canada would be the ideal place for me to live. After all, I hate the cold and I hate snow. But I'm hoping with the way the country prepares itself and the HUGE amount of warm clothes I'm going to be taking with me, I should be fine. To be honest, this is a once in a life time opportunity, and I'm the first student from MMU to go to Canada as a language assistant!

So jump in, keep your arms and legs inside the carriage at all times, because I ain't gonna go slow!!

<3