It’s official – I’m teaching in France next year!

I got my contract literally the day I returned home, in what felt like a stroke of poetic justice.

God and bureaucracy willing, I will be working as an English teaching assistant in a secondary school near Belfort (eastern part of France). I’ll be near the Swiss and German borders – after a great experience in Germany, I’m excited to live nearby but explore a different side of the region.

I’m going through the TAPIF program. If you’re interested, check it out! I confess, moving is a big part of my motivation for creating a (travel) blog; I’m looking forward to reflecting on my experiences.

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So that’s the news. If you feel in the mood to read more, here are some roses/thorns:

What I’m excited about

New environment/culture

I’m mostly looking forward to living in Europe again, this time for the school year. I’m curious what it’ll be like to live in France, and am optimistic that it will involve a lot of opportunities to learn and grow.

Language immersion

After using English at work, I hope to live as much as possible en français. Extra bonus if opportunities arise to practice German.

Teaching experience

I enjoy working with youth and love language, but don’t yet have experience combining these elements. I’m excited to give it a try and hopefully be helpful to these students and teachers.

What I’m nervous about

Isolation

This is a factor in any move to an unfamiliar city, but encore plus when uprooted to a new culture. I’m hoping to put myself out there as early as possible to meet new people… this can be hard, but I find it generally helps. I’ll also be down to Skype friends from home. 🙂

Bureaucracy

This is less of a fear, more of an impending reality. I hope to survive the French bureaucratic system by way of organized checklists and triple-photocopying everything.

New job

Again, this uncertainty is applicable to any country. Nothing can guarantee a positive experience, but I intend to research past language assistants’ experiences and tips, as well as reading more about pedagogy.

Anyway, thanks for reading. I hope you have a great day, and if you’re ever in town, feel free to drop me a line.

 

Photo: Basel, Switzerland (fairly close to where I’ll be living next year).