Un nouveau chapitre de ma vie...presque

So with all the craziness that was the end of the University year, including exams, concert season (watch out for further posts about how amazing it was), and the beginning of the summer, I barely had enough time to do everything necessary, let alone think about the fact that, in a mere two and a half months, I will be moving to La République Française for seven months.

Yes, it’s the inevitable part of my university course: the Year Abroad. From the end of September this year, I will be living in a French town, working in a French school, eating French food, and (hopefully) speaking the French language. But don’t worry; I will continue to blog in English :-P

I have known that this year would happen from the day I decided I wanted to study French. Being someone who hates change, and will do a lot to avoid it, I still don’t really know why it is I stuck with that choice (personally, I am going to blame my old French teacher. He shouldn’t have been so amazing). However, the fact I have known about it didn’t stop it sneaking up on me and taking me by surprise. Me? Move to France? No, not for ages. Except actually, I’m going quite soon, and (I’ll tell you a secret), it’s terrifying.

OK, OK. I know it’s only France. And OK, it’s not going to be my first time away from home. But it’s still different. It’s still change. It’s still a foreign language. And above all, it’s still away from everyone I know and love.

I’m not trying to sound all depressing and moany (definitely a word) here. There is also a part of me that is very excited. I am going to be working at Collège Henri Brunet, right in the centre of Caen, in Basse-Normandie. I am going to be living in a flat in the Foyer Robert Rème, about 20 minutes away, surrounded by other working young people, with all my bills included in the price, and internet access from day one. I have already made contact with other assistants in the area. I already have a choir (Vocal Ensemble Arpador), and a Wind Band (l’Harmonie SMN) that say they will be happy to have me. And the fact that I already know all of this information is amazing (I am sorry to those of you who don’t know anything yet; I don’t mean to gloat).

It is going to be amazing, I know that. But I’m not going to be naïve and think that there won’t be difficult bits, too. In the meantime, I’m trying to decipher scary dossiers about living arrangements, and remembering something new I have to do each day (mustn’t forget travel insurance. Mustn’t forget travel insurance. Oh and to translate my birth certificate. Travel insurance and birth certificate. Oh and to find my EHIC. EHIC, birth certificate, travel insurance. Oh and…). 

So keep looking out for more details about the highs and lows of my adventure across la Manche. It’ll be an experience I’m sure I won’t forget.