One thing that makes the experience of short-term teaching in France complicated is the simple fact that it's short-term. And the French are not. As an American, I'm accustomed to a sense of easy, immediate friendship. When I look back at my college years, sometimes I ache for the simplicity. How easy it was, the …
Tag: Teaching
how to swallow a frog
Speaking Italian is like trying to swallow a frog. Not in a bad way. It's just new. A formidable challenge for my English, French-ified brain. The unfamiliar rolled r's and smooth vowels might leap from my mouth at any moment. The nasal 'u' I've spent so long perfecting in French, the guttural 'r' I'm proud of– …
the goldfish bowl
Just when I felt pretty comfortable with my role teaching English classes to French primary school children, life (or rather, the French Ministry of Education) handed me something new: a job at a maternelle in les banlieues of Cannes. My new students range from barely three to six years old. The oldest are wonderfully curious, asking questions that inspire …
going somewhere soon
Hi, I'm Jessica. I will be going somewhere soon. That sentence lacks a certain...well, it lacks a lot. My plan was to have my teaching contract in hand two months ago. I'd have a flight, a place to stay, and an idea of what my life will be like over the next year. As it …
war & peace & confetti
My shoes were full of confetti. My purse was full of confetti. My bra was full of confetti. My heart was simply full. It was April, my second-to-last week teaching primary school English classes. Early that morning, I had sat waiting for my ride to school, dressed professionally but staring blearily at my hot lemon …
kids’ stuff/next steps
I have five more weeks of teaching left, and it feels...manageable. Like successful organization might be possible. I really enjoyed teaching this week; the time away made me feel like myself again, energy and optimism available in large quantities. It was a week where things got done. We talked about pets, we talked about objects …
the real world: an honest account of teaching abroad, 5 months in
After a much-needed vacation, I feel refreshed enough to write a little bit more about my job. It is, after all, the reason I'm currently living in France. Teaching here is one of the most stressful experiences I've ever had. I haven't written too much about my job here with the TAPIF program, mostly because when …
Continue reading the real world: an honest account of teaching abroad, 5 months in
