Emily goes to France

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Hello all!

In lieu of using the traditional impersonal mass email to chronicle my sejour in France, I have been pulled into the 21st Century and the world of blogging. I almost feel like I should be either twirling a lock of hair and smacking mango-licious bubble gum or dressed as Dr. Spock to say, "check out my blog," but I am assured that blogging does not lump me into either category.

A Few Important Details

Where is Emily and why is she blogging?

I understand that most of you are not abreast of the details. Even those of you who aren't currently asking yourselves, "Where is Emily and why is she blogging?" probably don't know much about what I'm doing in France. I myself did not have a firm grasp of the finer points of this program until I got here. France, and this program in particular, seem laissez-faire about letting me in on the details.

I am doing a year-long program through the French school system as an assistant English teacher in public two high schools. Both are also professional schools, so many of my students are future mechanics and hair dressers. I work six hours a week in each school, with a total of six different teachers. My first school is at the end of the bus line, the second is a short train ride away from town. Check later for more on work life.

I live in a town called Angoulême, in the Poitou-Charentes region. The closest notable towns are Poitiers, as in Diane de Poitiers, and Bordeaux, as in the wine. Southwest of Paris, we are in the low hills springing from the Pyrenees, not far from Spain, quite close to the Atlantic coast, and no terrible distance from the Mediterranean coast. Not a bad place to live, by any standards. I'll have some photos of the town and more information about where I live soon. I don't seem to be on speaking terms with my camera at the moment, and cannot get pictures to load.

Many other assistants are also stationed in Angoulême. I believe there are a grand total of about eighteen of us, spread across different schools, primary, middle, and high, and from a variety of countries. I am here with Mexican, Spanish, Swiss, Columbian, Irish, Scottish, British, and other American assistants. Hanging out together reminds me of scenes from the movie L'Auberge Espagnol.

That's About it for the Moment

That about covers the basic points. I will blog more later, with more specifics about where I live, what I'm doing, etc. Hopefully I will make up with my camera and be able to add pictures. I'm not entirely sure how to invite people to view the blog, but if you're reading this, then I have figured it out. Bear with me and my incurable difficulties with technology.

Hope all is well with everyone. Please email me, [e-mail], or I think you can message me from the blog. My reason for blogging is to keep in touch, and it does me no good if I don't hear back from anyone.

Be good.
Emily

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