Overview:
I went to Nice. It was nice.
I have a Callie. Michelle is safely parted and back in the US. Miss you already, Michelle!
I have invitations to return to Strasbourg or Nice anytime.
I have an invitation to Sweden and to Bordeaux.
So far I have taken Callie to the following places:
-Eiffel Tower
-Arc de Triomphe
-Angelina (for hot chocolate)
-Aquarium
-Musée de l'Orangerie
-Science Museum
-Louvre
-Chateau de Versailles
-Montparnasse
-Nice
-IES center
-SHOPPING
-Notre Dame
-Up and down the Seine river
-Centre Georges Pompidou
-probably much more that I am forgetting at the moment.
We're doing well, and I'm dreading the moment that Callie leaves. Tomorrow, we'll going to Notre Dame for a mass, then we'll climb the Towers and eat with one of my French friends.
Now that I have actual friends who are actually French, I'm having tons of fun. Because with them, it's not always tourism... I mean, tourism is nice sometimes; it's great to climb the Eiffel Tower and take funny pictures in front of artistic masterpieces and so on, but it's also fun to just LIVE in France.
OH, and starting in the first week of January, every year, in France there is the Soldes. What is that? It's when EVERYTHING is on sale. Now, I don't particularly like shopping. However, eventually one finds that two suitcases of clothes is not sufficient for an entire year's stay in a foreign country. In such a case, shopping is occasionally necessary. And during Soldes, one can save a particularly large amount of money. This is all important.
In an unrelated note, I recently received an email about a paid internship called Breakthrough Teaching, in which college students teach younger students who are high-potential students but in conditions in which, without proper intervention and support, which might impede their ability to attend college.
So far, the pros greatly outweigh the cons, but I'd love to throw my list out there in order to garner your thoughts and advice.
Pros:
-Teaching experience in which I am THE teacher, they're MY lessons and it's MY class.
-Looks great on a resume
-It's the age I want to work with
-I want experience working with high potential youth
-Money (a minimum of $1000 for the 8-9 weeks total)
-I'll get a test of a true 'teacher's schedule'
-Housing is taken care of (homestay, perhaps)
-Possibility to teach in another part of the country (if I am not assigned in Minneapolis or St Paul) and find out if it's a place I'd like to consider working upon graduation
-If it's in the Twin Cities, I can take a night course to fulfill my English core requirements for UST
-It's in the US. I speak English. Hurrah.
Cons:
-Can't go on my family vacation in the summer... though I may be able to go for just one weekend.
-If it's not in St Paul/Minneapolis, I will have to take an English course online.
-I MAY be away for about 8-9 weeks after having been gone from the US for 10 months.
-I will be extremely busy
Ah yes. Well, let me know what you think. Classes start on the 1st, I'll let you know what's up with them at a later date!
Be good.
Miss you already too ma belle!!! Wish I was still living with you in France... but alas, I have to start classes today instead. Wish me luck!
RépondreSupprimerThe program sounds really neat from just the overview you wrote here. I've never heard of it before... which makes me slightly uneasy. Have you had the chance to read reviews or comments by peole who have done the program before?? That can be really helpful in making a decision. I would be sad to have you away for 8-9 weeks, but I'm probably gonna be up at camp most of the summer anyway. Money is good. Experience is great. Please try to still graduate on time so that we can be in France together again! For a year this time!