Holidays Already?!

If I were to tell you in the US that I had two weeks of paid vacation after only two weeks of work, you wouldn't believe me.  But if I were to tell you I had two weeks of paid holiday after working two weeks in France, then it would make perfect sense!  Everyone in France gets five weeks of vacation, or eight weeks plus Summer if you work in a school.  This may be shocking to some Americans, but if you understand the French culture, it does not come to much surprise.  In France, along with other European countries, they value leisure time, with more holidays and shorter work weeks, and in a sense, choose to "buy" this free time by sacrificing pay - contrary to American society, where money holds a higher value of importance.  Personally, I value having the time to spend with friends and family and to travel, more than prioritizing money. So, I am going to embrace and appreciate this French mentality while I am here.

I began my holidays with a trip back to Angers, which cured any homesickness I might have had at that time.  Le Mans is great, but could never take the place that Angers holds in my heart. A town, an experience, where I truly fell in love with France.  I got to see some familiar faces, making my trip back "home" even more special.

A few days later, a train took me to Paris, where I got to visit my French family, feeling at home once again.  After a couple days, we flew to Warsaw, Poland, where we stayed for five days in the heart of the former Jewish district.

One of the magical qualities of traveling is that it not only allows you to discover a foreign culture, but often also allows you to travel back in time.  If you are like me, then you probably do not remember everything you learned in your History class from that dry History textbook or that one monotone professor. Learning about events that felt so far away and so irrelevant to your daily life that in a few months you forgot those dates you memorized and the minor details of major events. But with traveling, you become closer to those events...  It's like jumping into a History textbook and learning first-hand : standing in the very spot the event took place, seeing the destruction or creation as it has been for hundreds of years, and truly feeling the emotions rooted in that piece of the past.  This way of learning is a sure way of never forgetting details of past events that shaped our present.  I invite you to jump into my photo History book below and imagine yourself living the History lesson as I did.

                                       ~Highlights and History of Poland ~
                              (Click on photos and videos to view them larger)
                                    My History Book

And So It Begins...

Often associated with her role in the film Sabrina, Audrey Hepburn says, "Paris is always a good idea." I agree and can relate to her reasoning behind the quote, but for me it applies to France as a whole. In the movie, Sabrina (Hepburn) goes to Paris to find herself and returns a confident and inspired woman who longs to go back one day.  Sabrina - The letter from Paris

"I have learned how to live - how to be in the world and of the world, and not just to stand aside and watch."

My last experience in France had this effect on me, so when I decided I wanted to teach abroad, it was obvious where I would go. Because for me, France is always a good idea.

After two years of longing to return, I am happy to be back in this country which I call my second home, doing two of my favorite things: teaching and learning... (and also eating baguettes and croissants, but that is beside the point). I was hired to teach English in three Elementary Schools, but I am also excited to continue learning how to be independent, adapt to another culture, speak French, and simply, as Audrey Hepburn said, how to be in the world.

My learning experience began with finding an apartment within the first week I arrived. This was a challenge because in order to find an apartment, you need to make calls to landlords, but in order to have a phone plan to call, you need a French credit card, which you can only get if you have an address. Silly me for thinking it would be easy. After a week, I moved into a house with a mom and her 17-year-old daughter and another High School student. They are all very welcoming and nice, and it is a great way for me to practice my French.

I want to do as much as I can to integrate myself into the community here, so I have been seeking babysitting and tutoring opportunities and have joined a handball team. (For those of you who are unsure of what handball is, click here: Handball ). It is a great way for me to stay active, meet new people, and speak French. However, I also get a lot of French practice thanks to random people I meet on the street who ask me where certain streets are, or how to get the library, or post office, or train station, or which tram to take, or how much a Camembert costs at Carrefour. At least now I know that I don't scream tourist! I also continually get mistaken as German, but as one individual informed me, my white teeth give me away as an American. Can't wait to tell my dentist that one!

Town center

My first week of work consisted of training, but this week I will start working in my classes. I will be in three different schools and have 3-4 classes at each, with students between 6 and 11 years old. In the meantime, I have had a lot of free time to explore the town and attend the events that seem to happen every weekend. 

Last weekend I visited the secret gardens and courtyards of the old town in Le Mans, which are only available to the public once a year. Most of them were private gardens of either hotels or houses - all very quaint and charming, giving me the impression that I was in a book or film.
















As I am writing this entry, I am sitting at an outside café, sipping on a chocolat chaud, watching people leisurely wander by, holding hands with their loved one, walking their dog, or taking a stroll with their children; not one person in a hurry to get somewhere. And I can sit here in this café and take my time to write, without the worry of being booted from my table. It is almost as if the Earth is spinning slower, allowing moments together to last longer. Oh, how I missed this lifestyle and Sunday afternoons in France.