Let's start at the very beginning...

Written on September 30th

Hey Blog Readers (I hope you are real and not imaginary…comment and let me know you're out there),

This blog is to record my time teaching English in France from October 2010 to April 2011.  You lucky people are going to be witness to my experiences, adventures, mistakes, classroom fun and my feelings and thoughts as I explore a new culture, a new language and a new land.

Well, that's enough of the boring stuff…

Now for some details: 

I got to France on Tuesday morning. My trip here was crazy, mostly because I met two other assistants also en route: on my flight, a girl also doing the program in another town in Northern France and on the train from Paris to Rouen (roo-on), an assistant from Panama on the train. We had a fun time communicating because he only spoke a little English, some accented French and Spanish. At that point I was so tired I only spoke a little English, and hardly any French. 

Anyway, I was picked up at the train station by an American pastor and his wife and son. They fed me dinner and took me to their church where I struggled not to succumb to jet lag during a prayer service. It was a very good service, but I just couldn't keep my eyes open…any of you who know about my nodding, this was the worst ever. Despite my pinching any part of my body available, I almost fell off the chair during prayer.

 But I met so many people, received many petite bisous (kisses on both cheeks) and most importantly met the couple who is currently renting the apartment where I am staying. They are super nice. They are giving me all the furniture in the apartment whether I decide to rent it or not and the wife took me to find my job, a supermarket, let me use her internet and gave me a cell phone! Tomorrow she's going with me to see another apartment. God has really blessed my whole trip so far.

Other highlights of my first few days:

I discovered I was pronouncing both Rouen and Elbeuf incorrectly (Roo-on and L-buff)

I slept in till 1 in the afternoon my first day. My apartment is on the first floor so it has metal shutters on all the windows for privacy and safety. They shut out ALL the light, which is making it hard for my jet-lagged body to adjust.

I bought my first baguette.

After my first French bath, I realized I didn't have a towel and dried off with a washcloth and two hand towels (Mom, should have bought that camping towel! But thanks for the sunny hand towel-it was very useful!)

I figured out the bus system and attended a French bible study in Rouen. I understood more than I expected too, but also accidentally told a girl that I was staying in France for 7 years, not 7 months.

I got French dust on my Toms!

I learned how to light my gas stove…yeah I'm nervous about that one…I actually have to light a match and hold it in the gas.