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Rotterdam, Netherlands: Highlights of the History and Modern Architecture
Rotterdam is a major port city in the Netherlands.Β I knew close to nothing about this city prior to visiting during my Vacances de Toussaint in 2016.Β I enjoyed the city so much, I revisited just three months later!Β I decided to visit Rotterdam because it was right in between Antwerp and Amsterdam!Β As it turns out, this city is extremely young with impressive modern architecture! Rotterdam was bombed during World War II and nearly the entire city was destroyed. Β There is an incredibly moving statue beside the Maritime Museum, by Ossip Zadkine, named “The Destroyed City.” Β He said that when he arrived to Rotterdam after the war and saw…
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Discover Ghent: Belgium’s Most Underrated Medieval City
For my first vacation of my teaching term, Vacances de Toussaint, I booked a ten-day trip through Belgium and the Netherlands. My first stop – Ghent (or, in French, Gand)! While in Dublin the weekend before this, a fellow traveler I crossed paths with told me that this was his favorite city in Belgium and highly recommended that I check it out. According to Google, most travelers spend about a day or two in this city. I didn’t intend on staying more than two days, but the only open hostel that weekend had a three night minimum (benefits of booking a trip 24 hours in advance). So three days it…
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Life in France – November Update
Well hello there! Β I took an unintentional 3 week break from my blog. Aside from all the political mess, I also accidentally broke my laptop and have had limited access to computers! In my apartment, the WiFi is stronger closer to the window. Two weekends ago I set up my computer on the floor by the window to lesson plan, because sometimes if I am sitting on my bed the internet will cut out randomly. I was cooking a late lunch, so I figured I could work while boiling the water. Another instance of me failing at adulthood… Β I forgot that I had water in the pot already and…
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A Weekend in Dublin: Guinness, Castles, and Irish Charm
This post contains some affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Dublin is the capital of Ireland, located on the Eastern Coast of the country.Β This city boasts many amazing attractions! I spent a solo weekend in Dublin in the fall of 2016.Β These are my highlights of this charming city! Pro Tip: Grab a rain coat or compact umbrella for your visit to Ireland – you never know if you will get stuck in a rainstorm! I started my weekend in Dublin by going on a Free Walking Tour, exploring the south side of the city. This worked out especially well for me…
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Beginning Work at my School in Wattrelos
I am currently about three weeks into working at my school in Wattrelos, France. Β I can almost say Wattrelos with confidence now (seriously so difficult haha)! Β After movingΒ into my apartment and gettingΒ settled, I scheduled a visit to the school with my Prof rΓ©fΓ©rent. Β This way, I got to meet my contact in person finally, see the school grounds, meet the other professors I’d be working with, and see what the commute would be like. Getting to my school from Lille was completely new to me.Β All I knew was that there was a bus somewhere in Roubaix…Β When I got off the metro to find the bus, I asked the…
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Finding a Residence in Lille
I wrote in my last post how my friend very graciously allowed me to stay with him in his Paris apartment for ten (yes ten!) whole days before I moved to a residence in Lille. Β Honestly, I’m shocked he is still speaking to me! Β I’m not sure if I could even live with myself after sharing a bedroom like that! Β Anyways, I gave myself a 24-hour period upon arrival to not stress outΒ about the fact that I still didn’t know where I was going to live. Β Immediately following that 24-hour period, I entered near-meltdown-mode! Shakka patiently helped me draft a 2-3 sentence message that I could send to potential leasors.…
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Paris is always a good idea.
“That Paris exists and anyone could choose to live anywhere else in the world will always be a mystery to me.” I may not have given myself very much spare time off of work in the US, to prepare for my big move (spoiler alert: I packed the day before my flight) BUT I made sure that I flew into France early enough to give myself some time in my favorite city before moving to Lille. Β I still had no idea where I was going to live in Lille when I arrived in France. Β However, arriving early really played to my benefit! During my timeΒ studying abroad in Paris between 2012-2013,…
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Long-Stay Visa
I’m in the process of getting my second Long-Stay Visa for France… this time for work rather than study. π I feel so official!! I wanted to write a little bit about how much of a mess I am. For some reason, since the moment I received the email that I was accepted into the TAPIF program, I have had a hard time fullyΒ comprehending that this is REALLY happening. First, I received a long informative email from the coordinator of the program. I saw the email, got excited about it, and then proceeded to forget to actually read it. After nearly a month, I realized that in big bold letters…
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I’m headed to Wattrelos!
This week I received my school assignment!! I will be an Assistante de Langue for CitΓ© scolaire Emile Zola inΒ Wattrelos, France! The school is located much closer to the city of Lille than I was expecting, as the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region isΒ relatively large. I’m so stoked! An English teacher from my school emailed me providing some basicΒ information. It sounds like the English team is very enthusiastic, which will be great to be a part of! CitΓ© scolaire Γmile Zola is both a junior school and a high school, which also has a vocational teaching section. I suppose this means I only have to commute to one location! Yay me! This is…
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Say yes to adventure.
My ultimate dream has become reality. Or at least temporarily!Β I have been blessed with the opportunity to move to France for roughly 8 months on a work Visa! I was accepted to the Teacher Assistant Program in France (TAPIF) through the French Embassy in the US. I’ll be a teacher’s assistant teaching English somewhere in the AcadΓ©mie de Lille. Β I initiallyΒ applied to TAPIF after I graduated from James Madison University (double-degree!)Β in December 2014 – for the opportunity to teach the following Fall of 2015.Β The program applications are due each year by January 15th prior to the October 1st start date. You don’t know if you are accepted…
