An interview with me!

Hi everyone!

If you've ever wanted to know more about how and why I moved to France and my experience there and much more, please head over to ExpatFocus. I was recently interviewed by them after receiving their top blog award! 

I also wanted to take this opportunity to say a BIG thank you to everyone who reads this blog and to all the really nice emails I receive from people who say the blog has helped them. You don't know how happy that makes me! 

Love,

Cora

Cora: I'm famous in France!

Before arriving in France, my brother and I were chilling one night and I was playing around with Siri on my iPhone asking it silly questions. In anticipation of my departure, I had changed my phone language to French so I could immerse myself in it as much as I could before I left. After telling me to leave him alone, "French" Siri pronounced my name with a French accent which included some heavy 'r' action that is notoriously hard for English speakers. Hating the way French sounds, my brother proceeded to mock me for the next two weeks, mimicking Siri.

It was on this particular night that I realised something:

"When I introduce myself do I have to say it the "French way?Omg! I'm not going to be able to say my own name properly because I suck at doing the French 'r'."

When I finally got to France, I was in for one big surprise! Not only did everyone say it Siri's way (while I struggled...) but the name "Cora" is known everywhere across Northern France because it is a big supermarket chain. For the first time in my life everyone knew my name. Back home most conversations go like this:

"Did you say your name was Laura... Cara?" 

"No, Cora."

"Cora? Wow, that's unusual! How do you spell that? K-O-R-A?"

"Nah, with a C."

Despite being teased by students and other people I met for being named after a supermarket, I must admit that it has been pretty cool seeing my name plastered on food, ads and billboards. I've taken a private satisfaction in buying my 'own' brand in yoghurt, cereal and rice. One day, I was out grocery shopping with my friend Sue (who you've seen in previous vlogs here and here) and she was trying to find good coffee. As part of an ongoing joke, I offered her 'my' brand with a flourish and she was like "Haha, no way! Your coffee sucks!" All I could do was laugh and say "sorry about that." Just us being silly!

Have any of you had funny moments with the French language or with your name in France? Let me know in the comments below. I would love to hear them!

A vlog of my life in France!

Hey guys! So, I did something a little different for this post. I thought it might be fun for you to see what I get up to as an assistant in France. I hope that I can do videos more often and show you what I do day to day as well as bring you along on the trips I take too!

If you like the idea of this please comment below and like the video too, so I know I'm doing something you like and want to see! This blog is as much yours as it is mine!

Bisous,

Cora

Pieces of wisdom for future assistants!

I can't believe I'm saying this already but there's only 2 weeks left of my contract here in France! It's crept up out of nowhere.... where has the time gone?! Naturally, being so close to the end, I've spent some time thinking over the journey. Was it how I had imagined? Would I do anything differently if I had the chance? 

So, this post is for you guys. These are things I've learnt that I hope will help you when you come in October and start this amazing journey! So, here goes!

You will feel comfortable, free, foreign, confused and a million other things all at the same time. 

Especially in the beginning, you feel like you're on a giant emotional roller coaster, not knowing from one day to the next how you feel about being here. There were days I felt completely comfortable and others where I felt so foreign, and it would take something little to trigger both feelings. Don't worry because there are many more highs than lows, and the lows are what remind you that you're doing something out of your comfort zone.

The program is all about luck. 

It starts with where your placed and then if you’re offered housing. Then it’s what your ‘responsable’ is like. Then it's your colleagues, school and students. It’s the other assistants around you. It’s who’s looking at your papers at CAF, MGEN or OFII. Everything is up to chance, so be prepared to not always be in control.

Stop trying to fit in with the teachers at your school. 

The people you work with won’t necessarily care about you. Before I came I thought the teachers I worked with would be more welcoming and take more of an interest. For me, this only happened with a few. For a long time I tried really hard to talk to them and be friendly, but it got to the point where I realised I should just stop caring so much. I accepted that I was an outsider and would never be one of them. Be prepared to feel alone and ignored when you’re at work, but don't let it get to you.

Paperwork will be just as annoying and frustrating as you’ve heard. 

You WILL have problems and delays. Before leaving home, have a general idea of what different french bodies might ask from you and start to compile them. Make several photocopies of all your documents, bring envelopes with you and passport sized photos of yourself. Have as much of your paperwork organised before you come, so you only have to do the things you could only do in France. Follow instructions to the tee. Give them the correct papers they want, as promptly as you can. Keep every letter you've ever been sent. That's the best you can do. It's always one step at a time with French bureaucracy. 

You won't always be doing or going somewhere extraordinary.

Just because you’re in France doesn’t mean you have to be going away somewhere or doing something amazing all the time. You’re living and working here. Life goes on like usual. Don’t feel guilty for being at home watching TV instead of travelling every weekend or something. Don't imagine that life here will be wildly different to back home. It's of course different, but it's still day to day life, even in France. 

But... do take full advantage of being here.

Travel as much as you can, try and make some friends. Don't be too scared to get out there.

France will mean more to you than you thought it would.

As much as France makes it hard for you sometimes, you'll love it anyway. You'll learn how to live here and things that you found frustrating in the beginning start to become normal. And there will be some things you know you'll miss when you return home. It's gotten to a point for me when even if I'm enjoying myself somewhere else, I can’t wait to return 'home'.

Enjoy and appreciate every second.

All I can say to all those who are about to embark on this journey is to appreciate every second because it will go quicker than you ever thought possible. 

Let it snow!

The weather in northern France this week can be described in one word: crazy! The weather last week had tricked us all into a false sense of security. We had a few sunny days, temperatures in the double digits... spring was finally on its way in. But, the weather Gods had other things in store for us. Instead of spring, we got a snowstorm! Oh, the good ol' North.

One of the advantages of having such an insane amount of snow fall is that it completely shuts down everything. No one can drive, buses and trains don't run, basically getting anywhere is impossible and dangerous. This meant that I experienced not just one or two snow days, but THREE. No work at all this week for me! Quelle chance!

Putting our free time to good use, this Australian and a friend from Trinidad and Tobago made a snow woman. Both of us were obviously rookies: two girls from island nations who never see snow, which led to some very serious conversations. How many segments should her body be made of? Was her bottom too fat? Is her head round enough? Does she have more of a shoulder on the right than the left? I know... solving world peace right here guys. 

This is what we ended up with: a snow woman that was made of objects we found in my friend's apartment. A green wig (because who doesn't have that just lying around?), yellow sunglasses with the union jack printed on them, a red peg used as a mouth, a gold paper crown that came from who knows where and a scarf. Plus a random bucket to make her look stylish (because the wig just wasn't quite enough). I think she turned out pretty good, what do you think? 

Important question now, are you all ready? Is a snowman made out of two or three round segments? Answer in the comments below and help us break the impasse!

P.S: you know you want to say 2!

You haven't lived in France long enough until...

As an Australian abroad in France, I've decided to put together a list of milestones that served as my initiation into French life. I hope that some of you will read along and nod the whole way through in agreement and the other half will laugh! Without further ado:


You haven't lived in France long enough until:

1. You know that nothing, absolutely nothing, is accomplished on a Sunday.
2. You've seen your life flash before your eyes when crossing the road because the cars here just don't stop for humans on zebra crossings.
3. You've sent every single piece of paper you own to some French organisation.
4. Every single answer you get just depends on the person you ask.
5. You've experienced the mayhem that is 'SOLDES'.
6. You've been affected by at least 5 strikes in the past 3 months.
7. You've come to expect that nothing here will ever make sense.
8. You've wondered how the women here stay so thin when there are boulangeries/patisseries on every corner.
9. You know that SNOW= city shutdown. Do not pass GO. Do not collect $200.
10. You've found yourself singing along to the annoying SNCF train station jingle.
11. You start to eat all your fruit with a knife instead of biting into it.
12. You know that refrigerated milk here is akin to the 'mystery lost sock' that always goes missing when doing laundry. You'll just never find it.
13. You've finally used the word 'putain'.
14. You've adopted an all-black wardrobe.
15. It's taken you 15 minutes to 'faire la bise' when arriving somewhere.
16. You've experienced the joys of two-hour lunches.
17. You've realised that things will be open at times they should be closed and closed when they should be open.
18. You've tried to decipher the mess that is the French computer keyboard. Fullstops will forever be the bane of my (french) existence.
19. You've adopted lightning fast ninja reflexes when dodging dog poo on footpaths.
20. You've laughed hysterically at this video:

What were your French 'milestones?' Let me know in the comments below!

Christmas in Paris 2012!

In order to get us out of the January post-holiday funk, let's rewind to Christmas in Paris 2012!

This year was the first time I'd been away from family for Christmas, so when my best friend was going to be in Europe over the holidays, I was excited to have someone from home to celebrate with! I joined her in Paris and we spent a few days doing what people wish they could do in Paris but just don't have the time to.

We walked and got lost. We explored the Jewish quarter, walking the windy cobblestoned alleys, while I imagined that I had somehow been magically transported to the 1900's- because Paris just seemed so cool back then. We didn't eat here, but the food smelled delicious and was obviously popular because it was littered with people grabbing a quick bite. My favourite street here was definitely rue de Rosiers. That night we checked out the Louvre as it was getting dark. I'd only ever seen it during the day and had missed out on the illumination of the pyramids. It was so pretty! Sometimes, I think Paris is a lovelier city at night.


Then 'twas the day of Christmas and not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. No, but really. The day was quite relaxed, culminating in an extravaganza of a Christmas dinner that took hours and hours. I ate the Christmas specialties of snails and frogs legs (which were both delicious and tasted something between chicken and fish), succulent duck and a delicious creme brûlée to finish!

The next day we decided to explore the Latin quarter, starting with the Shakespeare & Co. bookstore which is truly a book lover's sanctuary. Walls lined from floor to ceiling with books of every genre imaginable. The best thing about this place is that you don't feel any rush to leave. There are bean bags under staircases and upstairs there's a reading room filled with books. You can choose a book off the shelf and just sit and read for as long as you want. I stayed an hour, reading "The Diary of a Young Girl." It was then, when a little piece of paper came floating out with the words "we are so lucky". It was the perfect quote because there was nothing else I felt at that moment. Being there and reading what I was reading. I was more than lucky. 

Strasbourg: The Christmas Capital

Two weekends ago, I took a trip to beautiful Strasbourg! It lies on the border of France and Germany, in the Alsace region of France. In its long history, Strasbourg has exchanged French and German hands many times, which explains why you kind of feel like you're in Germany but speaking French. The mixture of the two can be seen in everything from the food to the architecture. 

Despite the beauty of the city, Strasbourg is most well known for being the Christmas capital. Every December, the city transforms into a Christmas wonderland filled with markets, food, lights and toys. The markets are set up in different sections of the city centre, mostly in the main squares and streets, which makes it easy to see everything. Strasbourg's puzzle of cobbled laneways are beautiful, but not in a way where you'll get lost. Ditch the map- you really don't need it.

Strasbourg is also home to one of the most amazing cathedrals I've ever seen. It is just so... I don't really have the words to describe it, because using words like 'big' and 'beautiful' just don't cut it. It's a must see, and you can't spend any amount of time in Strasbourg without eventually stumbling upon it. It's a cornerstone of the city.

The must-not-miss street for me was Rue Mercière. You look up and see the street lined with timber-framed houses and the gold lights purposefully hung leading the eye down the street, to the Cathedral. It's the perfect backdrop, in all its majesty. Other favourites were Rue des Serruriers, Rue du Bain-aux-Plantes, Place du Marché aux Cochons, Place Benjamin Zix and Place Saint Thomas.

You can't leave the Strasbourg christmas markets without trying some of the regions specialties. Try the mulled wine (french: vin chaud), choucroute (a dish of sauerkraut and sausages) and bredle (little Alsacian biscuits). Eating at the markets is half the fun of going, so definitely go on a empty stomach because you'll come out of the Christmas market haze with a belly as big as Santa Claus'.

I had a great couple of days in Strasbourg and really recommend it to anyone who wants to see a really great Christmas market. Are there any other christmas markets you have visited that we should all see? Let me know in the comments below!

Merry Christmas everyone!

It's TAPIF application season!

I know a lot of you are preparing your applications for TAPIF right now and I just wanted to write a quick post to answer a few questions I've been getting and just to let you all know how it was for me this exact time last year!

First, please look at these posts if you haven't already seen them. I wrote these quite a few months ago, but I think a lot of you will find them super useful when it comes to your applications, or just to ease some of your concerns or fears.

1. How do I choose my academie/region for TAPIF?
2. Advice for those applying to TAPIF

And now a few quick words from me!

All I can really add is that you should just be yourself and write honestly why you think you would make a good assistant. I know this might sound stupid and obvious, but I know that there are quite a few of you who think you don't have a chance because you don't have lots of experience and don't have a high level of French. I really believe there's so much more to it and you have more to offer than you think!

Yes, experience is important, but what is also important is that your passion and enthusiasm for teaching and France come through. Remember that half of your time is spent teaching or preparing lessons (you do more hours at home, outside of the 12 hours at the school) so being able to show that teaching is something you take at least a bit seriously is crucial. If not that, at least be really interested in different cultures, and be happy (and prepared) to share yours.

It's important, at least in my experience and where I teach, to understand and not take for granted that you (as the assistant) will probably be the only person they will meet who speaks fluent English. I feel like we're in a position, especially in smaller, poorer towns to really get them to see the world as bigger than just their town and hopefully inspire them to want to go out and see it, even if they think there's no hope.

I hope that the posts above and this little spiel has helped you all at least a little bit!

Bonne chance tout le monde!

The time I went to McDonald's in Paris

After a long 24 hour flight from Australia to Paris and having been awake for 36 hours straight, all I wanted was a shower and sleep. As it was only 3pm Paris time, I had a shower, settled in and chanted the words "I can't believe I'm in Paris!" over and over until I got hungry. So, what other solution was there but to go to the most culinarily refined restaurant one could find in France... where else but McDonald's?

In my sleepy state, I wandered into a McDonald's that was a few minutes walk from my hostel and looked at the menu. Moving from the Big Mac, to BEER (what?!), I finally saw what I wanted...

... And then my delirious mind started freaking out:

How do I say "McChicken?" Do I say it in my English accent or do I say it in a French accent and feel like a total idiot when it's an English word and I can say it perfectly fine with my English accent? DILEMMA! 

I eventually decided that I should say it the "French way" and failed horribly because I had no idea how to say it in the French accent. After giving me a quick strange look, the cashier was nice enough not to laugh in my face and continued to take my order as if nothing had happened.

Not only had I failed to order properly, but as I went to leave, I encountered a 'pseudo step.' You know those steps that are so tiny you don't really see them, but they're big enough so if you don't see them you'll trip. Guess what I did?

I tripped and fell flat on my face in the middle of McDonald's. I got up as quickly as I could, looked around to see if anyone had seen me and got out of there as quickly as humanly possible.

What a great first introduction to France!

Have any of you had a similar experience? Let me know in the comments below!

Greetings from Cambrai!

I've finally made it to France! After months and months of countdowns and paperwork, I'm here!

I'm currently staying in a little town called Cambrai. My contact person found me a temporary house here that I can live in while I wait for housing to become available in Lille. At first I wasn't too keen on the idea but being here means I'll be tons closer to the schools I'll be teaching at in Caudry. To be honest I've grown fond of the trees and country-ish surrounds of Cambrai in the little time I've been here. 

My first impressions are that everyone is so nice! Everyone I've met has been so helpful, especially my contact person who has gone out of her way to help me and find me somewhere to live. I couldn't have wished for a better welcoming! 

Apart from the people, speaking and hearing French has been both good and bad! I've discovered that my comprehension is better than I thought it was, but my speaking is terrible. You think that you're level back home is pretty good, but when you get here... it's a whole different story! I've got to build up that confidence!

I've spent the last few days in Cambrai just walking and taking everything in. I think I still haven't come around to the fact that I'm actually going to be living here for the next 7 months and it's not a quick holiday. I find myself getting excited about actually putting down roots and putting a life together! I'm sure my tune will change once French bureaucracy starts to ruin my life but for now I am very very optimistic!

Until next time,

Cora

It's visa time: A quick visit to the French consulate in Sydney!

In order to get my visa to live and work in France, I had to fly to Sydney from Melbourne. My first port of call was my visa appointment at the French consulate. On my way to the appointment, I took a little detour (I really just got lost) and I happened across the Homecoming parade for the Australian Olympians who had just come back from London. It was pretty cool to see them up close, considering I had been glued to the TV for 2 weeks.

The visa appointment went really smoothly, the only problem being that I could not figure out how to use their weird fingerprint gadget. I tried several different ways of placing my fingers until I finally figured it out. Who knew you had to do that weird Spock hand salute to make the gadget work?!

Once that was out of the way, I was able to just relax in the Sydney sunshine. I walked to an area known as "The Rocks" which is the oldest part of Sydney. I also visited Circular Quay where I was able to see the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. It was nice, though I think it's most beautiful at night, on New Year's Eve, when fireworks are shooting off it.

iPhone camera + sun + shadows = One-eyed me in front of the Sydney Opera House

Apart from sightseeing I was able to just relax in my hotel room and watch random TV shows which included a really interesting Titanic documentary. Yes, I'm a nerd! All in all it was a great trip, though it was nice to get back to Melbourne. I am so lucky to call Melbourne home...well at least for the next 3 weeks anyway!

Booked my flight to France!

I booked my flight to France! I leave Melbourne on the 18th September and will be in Paris 24 hours later! This flight must have the record for the longest flight in the world, because it is so so long. Luckily for me, I won't have to do it again for awhile!

This means that I leave in just over a month! I can't believe how quickly the time has gone. Sometimes, it feels like just yesterday when it was December and I spent all my time on the assistants in france forums waiting to know if I was accepted. Counting the months... then the days.

Knowing the exact date I'm leaving has made it a little more real. I know that this whole experience is going to be amazing, but I also know how much is about to change. I move from being really happy to sentimental. I'm finishing work soon and slowly but surely crossing off things on my to-do list. There are lots of goodbyes and endings, but I know that there are so many new beginnings to come. Like my Grandma once told me: "when one door closes, another window opens..."

I leave for Sydney on Sunday for my visa appointment so I'll be updating again very soon! Au revoir!

Teaching placement in Caudry!

I received an email on Friday night telling me that I've been placed at two colleges in Caudry! I'm so happy to finally find out where I'll be teaching for the next 7 months!

By train, Caudry is around an hour and half away from Lille.

As Caudry is quite far away from Lille, I'm trying to figure out where I want to live and whether or not commuting from Lille is even possible. It might be bearable if I only have to teach 2-3 days a week, but if I don't get a good schedule then it might be really difficult to commute. Hmm..

I've been looking at staying at nearby towns, the closest one being Cambrai which is around 20 minutes away. That prospect is not too appealing right now and even Douai and Valenciennes (which are more appealing because others assistants are there too) are about an hour away. Unfortunately, Caudry is really in the middle of nowhere!

The positive is that I'll be able to experience another side to France. From what I've seen and read, Caudry is a village set in quite a rural area. I'm sure this will do wonders for my French if I do end up living around Caudry or Cambrai.

Knowing my placement is just one more step towards arriving in France in September! Now, to wait for my arrêté de nomination!

Advice for those applying for TAPIF

To those of you thinking of applying to TAPIF, here are a few tips I think will help!

1. Start the application as early as possible! 

Try not to leave the application to the last minute because there are so many little things you need to include that may take you awhile to put together. For example: I had approached a professor for a reference but they were unable to do it because they were out of the country, so I had to get someone else instead. Having the leeway to get a different person and allow them enough time to write the reference was a life saver! 

Another thing to keep in mind is that the application is usually due in December/January (depending on where you're from) and at least in Australia this falls after university has finished for the year. The application is also due around the holiday period (Christmas/NewYear) which means a lot of people go away and things are closed which may make the application process more lengthy.

2. Write a great personal statement

Set yourself apart by making it clear that you're there to teach, as well as live in France. I'm sure quite a few people focus too much on living in France and how much they love the culture, the language and the people, but fail to give the teaching aspect of the program enough attention. Be different and address both; make it clear that you love France but that you also want to teach/see yourself doing teaching in the future and illustrate any relevant experience!

3. Get really used to waiting!

This is a lesson I have just learned myself and it was hard, but I think I finally have! Once you apply, you're going to have to wait until April (May/June for Australians) and it's going to really suck! But, don't worry! Everyone is waiting with you and nothing has gone wrong with your application... everything is how it should be!

I waited here a lot and this fed my daydreams of being accepted into the program and living in France until the real thing came along!

4. GO FOR IT!

It seems daunting putting your application together and knowing so many other people are applying, not to mention potentially having to move to France away from your family and friends, but not applying for it is worse than applying for it and not getting it. Put yourself out there and do it. Thinking you can't do it or you won't get it, is rejecting yourself before the program has even had a chance to reject you!

Good luck everyone!

The easiest way to use the Paris metro!

A few weeks before I was due to fly to Paris in 2010, I was excitedly looking at apps in the App Store hoping that I could find anything that would help me while I was abroad. Eventually, I came across an app that didn't look too flashy nor did it have any reviews, but it looked like it would be handy and it was FREE, so I downloaded it.

Little did I know that this app would become the number #1 thing that would make my time in Paris (and Europe) much, much easier!

The app I downloaded is called 'metrO' and provides public transport journey planners for cities (400 to be exact!) all across the world. How it works is once you've downloaded the cities you're travelling in, you choose the metro station you're starting at and then your desired destination. You can then choose the day and time you wish to travel.  It will then give you a route, telling you what line to take and what stops to get off at, as well as an estimation of how long it's going to take. 

Look below for an example:

Journey starting at Barbès-Rochechouart métro station and ending at Trocadéro metro station.

A major plus for this app was that I never had to carry around a map and figure out Paris' extensive metro network. It also meant that no one could tell I was a tourist and I was really able to blend in with the other Parisian commuters!

Another major plus was that even if I didn't know what stop to get off at to arrive at a certain destination, the app has a snazzy 'places of interest' tool. It meant that I could just write 'Eiffel Tower' or 'Galeries Lafayette' or 'airport' and it would show me how to get there. Amazing! Not only did I use this app in Paris but I also used it extensively in Munich and it never let me down. I didn't get lost once!

Now, this app is something I wouldn't go traveling without. Get this app, all you travelers out there. You won't be sorry!

Find more information at http://metro.nanika.net/

How do I choose my Académie/Region for TAPIF?

I know a lot of you out there are thinking about applying for TAPIF or are currently putting together your application and are wondering "What académies/regions should I pick?"

What you need to remember is that you're not guaranteed to be placed in the biggest city in your region or even the region itself. Having said that, you can still improve your chances of getting what you want by choosing wisely and hoping everything falls in place!

For me, choosing my regions was the hardest part of the application, but never fear! Look below for five awesome tips that I'm sure will help you to make a decision!

TAPIF académies

1. Do I want to live in the city or the country?

If you want to improve your chances of being in or around the city choose regions that are smaller in size so that your chances of being far from the city are less likely. Regions like Strasbourg, Lille and Rouen are good bets. If being in the country or being in smaller villages is more your thing choose large regions like Orléans-Tours, Clermont-Ferrand and Poitiers which carry higher chances of being placed in smaller villages away from the big city in the region.

2. Do I want to travel?

If you love to travel like I do, choosing a region that is close to other countries you would like to visit and well-connected in terms of trains, buses and airplanes is important. Big cities within France such as Paris, Lyon, Nice, Marseille and Lille are good hubs from which you can travel abroad. Some regions are close to other countries, making it possible to take little trips on weekends without too much hassle.

For example:

• Lille is only 80-90 minutes away from London, 60 minutes from Paris, Brugge and Brussels.

• Strasbourg is only a little over 2 hours from Paris, 3 hours to Munich, Germany and Bern, Switzerland.

Overall, you should be pretty well connected no matter what region you live in, but if you would like to make the most of your time in France on weekends and not just on holidays, choose regions that are close to other cities you would like to visit!

3. What type of weather do I like?

Some people are summer lovers, others are winter lovers, so depending on your preference this should probably factor into your decision. If cold weather doesn't bother you choose regions in the North. If the sun is where you want to be, choose regions further South that have a mediterranean climate with more milder/warmer temperatures.

4. Money, money money!

As I'm sure you all know the teaching assistant salary is not going to make you Bill Gates, so choosing a region that's not heavy on the wallet will be a major consideration for a lot of you. If you're low on funds stay away from big cities like Paris and those in the South (Marseille, Nice, Montpellier) where living costs are high. Choose smaller, more quaint regions like Caen, Rouen and Rennes where living costs are more affordable. Overseas French territories like Guadeloupe, Réunion, Martinique and Guyane attract higher salaries which is something some of you might like to keep in mind.

5. How good is my French?

If a major priority for you is to improve your French then stay away from big cities where English is more widely spoken. Better language acquisition will happen in smaller cities and villages. By the same token, if your French is a little weak then stick to bigger cities where you will be less challenged and might be able to get away with less French.

I hope this guide helps you to decide where in France you want to live!

Accepted to the Teaching Assistant Program in France (TAPIF)!

Since sending in my application to the French Embassy in December last year, I've been patiently (maybe not...) waiting to hear if I've been accepted to the program. And last night I FINALLY did!

I spent the first part of the week obsessively checking my emails and studying hard for my last exams before I graduate. I was studying late Wednesday night and had resigned myself to the fact that I wasn’t going to get an email until June...

...BUT, at around 2.20am Wednesday night/technically Thursday morning I check my email as I drift off to sleep and see that there’s an email in my inbox. Thinking nothing of it I open it and see it’s from a strange email address and read the little preview underneath:

“Dear Assistant, You have been selected by the French Embassy in Australia and the CIEP in France…”

My heart started racing a million miles an hour as I hadn’t expected to get the email at all! I was expecting to get it from 9-5 Melbourne time so it took me totally off guard!

I’ve been accepted to the Académie de Lille at the secondaire level which means I’ll probably be teaching students of high school age.  To know what exact part of the region and school I'll be teaching in, I now have to wait for the arrete de nomination, which can arrive anywhere between June and September. Hopefully it arrives sooner rather than later so I can arrive in France on time for the October 1st start date!

I'm so excited right now and I'm glad that I finally know I’ve been accepted and can now start to make plans! Finally my life isn’t all up in the air for the first time in months!

Come join me on my exciting journey to France!