A hectic week!

(FYI: I wrote this on Thursday 30/09)

Bonjour tout le monde!

I’ve been typing on French keyboards for the past few days and now I’m completely hopeless on my own keyboard! This is a bit ridiculous. Anywho, I arrived safely on the 23^rd in Orléans, as I let you all know the other day. I’ve been busy and not so busy since then, but mostly either without internet, with limited access, or without the patience to type an entire blog entry on a foreign keyboard (which it seems I’ve been getting quite used to, though). My flight was long and uncomfortable (though I think my poor posture can take some of the blame for that), but they made up for it by serving us dinner, a snack, breakfast and a lovely Queen Latifah movie, so I harbor no ill feelings towards American Airlines. ;)

As you know, the transportation workers were on strike when I arrived. Their positions are permanent, and, thus, since the fear of being fired is out the window, they have no qualms about going on strike I don’t know how many times a year (maybe I’m exaggerating, but it can’t be that big of a coincidence that two of the three times I’ve used the TGV in the past three years [also the only three times I’ve ever used the TGV] the workers have been on strike). Strike noted, I didn’t really have any problems getting to Orleans. I hoped on the RER to the Gare du Nord, then took a taxi (craziest ride of my life! A taxi through Paris; try it sometime…you know…if you’re into extreme sports) to the Gare D’Austerlitz, and from there bought my ticket to Orléans and about four hours later I was here! Took another taxi to the house I would be staying in for the weekend (the home of a lovely couple, the parents of a friend of the family’s, who even froze ratatouille and soup for me, since they were gone for the weekend). Friday I had an appointment with my landlord to look at the apartment I was interested in, and on Monday I moved in. I’m all settled now, after a trip to the local “Wal-Mart” or sorts. I also have a phone now, if you want my phone number or my address or both, leave me a message and I’ll email it to you, or send you a Facebook message! J I’d love mail!

So, in the past two days, I’ve opened a bank account, bought a pay-as-you-go phone, tried to purchase internet for my flat (denied…need a bank card, which will be mailed to me in about a week…bummer), bought home supplies, gotten renters insurance, sent my OFII papers (papers that allow me to be in France legally for more than three months), felt a bit like a babbling idiot, and internally cried over the terrible exchange rate from Dollars to Euros (chocolate helped me out with that one…oh, and creating a list of expenditures and a basic budget…I’m learning mom, tom, and dad!)

There are two other Americans living in my apartment building. One is a girl named Sarah, who I’ve been running all of my errands with. She’s really a sweetie! The other is a guy named Patrick (from Michigan!), who was an English assistant last year too, and now he’s also got a position teaching Math at the same school. He’s been helpful in things such as fixing my bed/couch (apparently it’s broken, so It’s going to have to stay as a bed for a while, until my landlord gets back from his vacation, lol), fixing whatever I did to my water heater…whoops…and just in general with answering questions about France and the way things work around here. He, Sarah, and I met up with some of the other assistants the other day for some drinks. It’s really neat to meet people from all over the world who have come to France for the same thing as I have, and who are just as nervous/excited! I’ve also met some Erasmus students.

I just had a meeting with the assistantship program’s regional coordinators, Myriam and Pascal, and they helped to calm my nervous quite a bit and answered lots of questions I had. We have our orientation tomorrow, where we’ll get a ton of information and meet our fellow assistant teachers from all over the world, and then on Monday and Tuesday the primary school teachers (that’s me!) will have two further days of orientation, during which time we’ll meet our contact person (the person who will be helping us on an individual basis with our actual schools). I was told I had one school when I got my assignment in early September, but I was told today I actually have three! They’re all in the same area though, so it should be pretty simple. I’ll be working only 12 hours a week, with PLENTY of vacation time here and there! I’m really excited!! Myriam and Pascal basically laid out my next month for me and it looks really straight-forward and ‘tranquille,’ so it should be a good way to ease into my position.

I’m a big bundle of nervous energy, but it’s just the beginning and I’m excited to learn a TON this year!

I apologize for such a long-winded entry, but there’s been SO much going on this week and expressing it all in this post is quite difficult to do. I’ll post another update after my orientation/first week and all that jazz.

A bientôt!