Last post before I hop across the channel

Today is Monday 27th September. I am leaving on Wednesday 29th September. Early in the morning. Therefore I am beginning to feel slightly panicked about things that I need to do. (And obviously blogging about it is going to help tackle my to-do list...).

I haven't started packing yet. Which wasn't really a massive concern to me until everyone started asking if I had packed. I have, however, made a list! So I may tackle the actual gathering of all my worldly possessions today. Ordinarily, I don't travel THAT light. But I am going to have to try to this time. At least I'm travelling by car, so I can take more than I would be able to lugg around the train. I seem to have bought a 'back-up' product for many of the things that I use on a daily basis (like face cleanser etc). Probably a waste of packing space. I have to remind myself that I'm not moving to a third world country, and I will be able to buy things in France! Although I have been told before that things like that can be quite expensive in France.

One of things on my list of items to pack is teaching material. Christ knows what it is that I'm actually going to take though. I know that we're recommended to take magazines etc, but I don't know that my weekly copies of Heat magazine will be of much interest (or appropriate) for my students! I am glad that my first 1 or 2 weeks are just spent obsserving classes and I don't actually have to teach straight away. I think this is a good idea. Hopefully I'll be able to get a feel of the students' level of English and how they're used to being taught.

I re-read my last post and thought that I should probably mention that I do now have somewhere to live! I will be renting an apartment which seems to be converted from my landlady's rather large garage. A bit bizarre really. In a very french way. There are 2 apartments and I believe I am having the larger of the 2. My 'responsable' (the teacher who I have had contact with) and her husband sorted this all out for me. They suggested it, as it is where last year's assistant stayed for the year, and they phoned and everything to arrange it for me. In fact, they have been massively helpful, of which I am very grateful.

My parents and I will be driving to my their house from Calais on Wednesday morning. Then, as far as I am aware, we'll have lunch then they'll drive me to my apartment to unload the car etc. Then my parents shall leave and I am having dinner at my 'responsable's' house. Apparently the next day her husband is taking me into town to sort out a bank account etc. All in all, massively helpful.


I am quite excited about going now. If you'd told me 6 months ago that I had to move to France in 2 days I would have been terrified. But I actually feel like I'm ready to go now. I am obviously still a bit scared, but I know I'll be fine. And having had such a long summer back at home I definitely am ready to just go and do something, whatever it is! It isn't the teaching part that I'm apprehensive about really, it's the language and the prospect of not being able to express myself successfully. But I know this will come with time and practice.


Well...I suppose that's it for now! I should go and start minimising my wardrobe to take to France. (Although I have been told the dress-code as school is that I can wear what I like, so this should be fairly easy!).
So the next time I blog I will be in France. Ahhhh!

Hannah
xxx

The Beginning Is A Very Good Place To Start

Hello everyone!

I feel like my first post should be a little bit of an explanation, so here we go...

I've set up this blog for several reason.
First and foremost, I think it's the easiest way to let my family and friends know what I'm up to and the not-exciting-enough-for-a-phonecall details of my day-to-day life whilst I'm in France. I don't know how often I will be phoning/skyping/that sort of thing. And I have a tendency to forget the things I have been doing when someone asks. Several birds, one stone.

Secondly, it was suggested by my uni that we do this in order to help out the year below and give them an idea of their coming year. I know that I looked at a couple of year abroad blogs last year and found it kind of helpful, so I want to be of as much help as possible to anyone who was as terrified as myself!

Finally, I think it will be a nice little reminder for myself at the end of the year, to look back at things I've done and see how my year has progressed.


So...
As it stands, I will be leaving for France in about 3 weeks or so. I have chosen to work as an english language assistant through the British Council. I will be working in a Lycee in Lillers (in the region of Lille) and teaching 16-20 year olds. (Specifically, it is the Lycee Anatole France...in case anyone was wondering...)

I also currently have nowhere to live when I get there and don't know the exact date I'll be leaving. But theses are things I am only minimally stressed about at the moment. I have, at least, had reasonable contact with a teacher at my school, which is more than others have apparently had!


Well, I think I'll leave the first post there. There are many other things I could include in a post at the moment, but I'll leave them for a few days time. I plan on keeping this blog updated very regularly. For those of you who know me personally, I'm sure you are already anticipating being sick of reading my musings!


Love Hannah xxx