A Busy Summer

So life in Boston has been incredibly hectic, yet enjoyable, so far. I have been working full time for Catholic Charities of Boston, teaching English to refugees. While the work is unpaid and difficult, I found that it has been a really eye opening experience so far. I have met people from all around the world, all of them with different stories. Also, teaching English may seem like it would be easy peasy...but trust me, it isn't. I have done so much lesson planning in the last few weeks that I am pretty sure I've got the present continuous tense falling out of my ears. Still, I feel very rewarded whenever I work with my students, because I know they are in an incredibly difficult situation, and I am helping it become a little bit easier with each new lesson.

I have some news on the French front, today in Harvard Square, there is a Bastille Day Celebration (a little early, I know). It should be pretty fun. There will be music, food, and dancing. I am pretty excited to see so much French culture around this city. Just last night, I saw the 50th Anniversary Restored version of 'A Bout de Souffle' on the big screen at the Coolidge Corner Theatre. I think there is something to seeing an old film on the big screen. It is a lot more interesting than watching the DVD on your computer!

Tonight, I am going to my first French Conversation meetup in Cambridge. I am freaking out a little bit. I haven't used my French except in passing with my Haitian students, so I feel a bit rusty. I guess that is why I am going, however. I am trying to think of it this way...if I have been able to communicate with French people in France, I should be able to get some sort of point across to these folks. Still...pretty nerve wracking. I will have to let everyone know how it went after tonight!

A Tiny Confession

Ok....So I haven't completely kept up with my 'resolutions' from my last blog. Due to circumstances at home, it has been difficult to find the time to focus on them. I am hoping once things settle down, I will be able to focus more on my French and Spanish studies. I am moving to Boston for the summer on Monday, so I'll be in more of a routine.

All is not lost however! I have started my French book. It is called 'Les Français' by Laurence Wiley and Jean-François Brière. It is actually a text book I nicked from my brother's room. It is written in French and it covers a lot of topics of French culture. There is even a section on 'French Hand Gestures'.

I have hit a bit of a wall with the French visa process. I.e. I have no idea how it works. It is frustrating because there is no explanation on how to complete the forms on the website. I had to email someone I know who is also going to France to clarify. It is maddening. I have finally completed most of the first section, and I am not exactly sure what I have to do next...

Some Non-New Year's Resolutions

So, here in Preston, it has officially reached broiling temperatures. It is probably about 10000000 degrees, and I don't care if you read that in Celsius or Farenheit...its hot. I can't sleep, so I figured now would be a good time to write another post.
All of this blistering summer weather has gotten me thinking about winter, and somewhere along the line, I ended up thinking about New Years. I was thinking about New Year's resolutions. I guess the big cliché is that no one ever keeps them. However, I was wondering if I started making some resolutions for the upcoming academic year, would I be able to stick to them?
Obviously this summer is going to be super busy. I am going to be living with one of my besties, Suz, in Boston, (Massachusetts, not Lincolnshire) and trying to find some kind of job. It is important that I maintain my French over the summer. (And Spanish for that matter!) Therefore, I am setting up 'resolutions' that I plan to do over the FOURTEEN WEEK summer holiday.

Betsy's Summer Resolutions
1. I will listen to at least a half hour of French radio and/or some non-subtitled French program each day(And I actually mean listen...not just turn it on and do something else...)
2. I will try to learn a French word a day (I happen to think www.french-word-a-day.typepad.com is ACE!)
3. If my schedule permits, I will attend a French speaking meetup group in Boston.
4. I will keep in touch with my French friends via email.
5. I will read at least one French book.

So, these are my plans for the summer. Is it crazy that I am setting myself homework, just because I don't have any from actual lecturers? Does it make me nerdy or just insane? I will keep you updated on how my resolutions are holding up, and I am sure I will have a new list for the beginning of the academic year.

In the meantime, if anyone has any suggestions for more resolutions/radio stations/books I could read over summer, that would be particularly helpful. I have to keep my mind going otherwise I will spend every day watching 'How I Met Your Mother' and not doing anything productive!

Hurray!!!!

So, I have just finished my final exam for the year. It is definitely a relief to have them over with! Currently, I am feeling a mixture of euphoria, sadness, and excitement. But mostly I am exhausted. Completely and utterly worn out. One of the great things about exams is that they are over and done with in about 3 hours max. However, the time I spend worrying about the exams outweighs the time of the actual exam itself. Last night I was up until about 5 stressing over the voix passive. If I didn't have a meeting with the international office at 2, I would be well on my way to putting my pajamas back on and passing out for a few hours.

Anyway, I am super-psyched for tonight. I am going out for a nice meal and cocktails with my French girlies. It will be a nice way to let off some of the steam that has built up over the last few months.

I don't think it has hit me yet, I think once all of these things for the year abroad get into motion, and I recieve my final marks, I will start to feel like I am actually going to live in France for a year. I am feeling a bit nervous, but that is it.

I just want to say, finishing this exam signifies a major accomplishment to me. These two years have been incredibly bumpy for me. I definitely feel as though I have grown into the person I want to be. Last year if anything went wrong I wouldn't be able to function and get things done. This year, I have completed all of my assessments and exams (mostly on time!), and regardless of how I did, I am proud that I can say that I have completed everything. It is a big deal.

Un autre examen

Today I had my French oral exam...at half 8 in the morning. I don't do mornings. French doesn't start kicking in in brain until about 10....Hopefully this will change when I get there!

Anyway, just a quick update before I fall asleep against my keyboard. I didn't sleep last night because of nerves. However, I am glad to have done it, and I just have to keep pushing forward. One more exam to go!

Also, in other news, I am looking for a job in Boston for the summer. Preferably one where I can utilise my French skills and not completely forget them over the four months I have off.

Insurance Nervousness

So this week has been dedicated to getting ready for our year abroad, before we all go home for the summer. We had a 5 hour briefing on Wednesday, with all different types of speakers, from dissertation preparations, to health and safety abroad. A lot of the things did not apply to me, since I am not European citizen. I often found myself doodling over the notes that did apply to me!

The one thing that made me very anxious was sorting out this insurance business today. Luckily I met with my course leader and she cleared up a few of the questions I had. When I moved to England, I was lucky enough to be able to register with the NHS, because I am a full-time student. This meant that I did not have to read a lot of medical jargon before coming here. Unfortunately this is not the case when going to France for a year. Apparently, when I get to France, I have to sign up to the 'Securité Sociale', which will cover the majority of fees, and then buy the top up insurance from ISEP. It is all very confusing and scary. I know me whittering on about insurance policies isn't the most entertaining of topics, but it is definitely essential!

Hopefully I will be able to wade through this paperwork and find myself in France. Not only do I have to finish this mountain of paperwork, but I will soon myself navigating through the red tape of the embassies and attempting to get a visa.

*sigh* Sometimes I am jealous of those Europeans!

A Year in France or a Globe-Trotting Adventure?

I have just been watching some of the video essays that students who participate in the ISEP Program (International Student Exchange Programs) have made in previous years. While I find it all very compelling, some of the essays have given me the impression that a lot of the students spend more of their time travelling than going to uni.

This is something I am a bit confused about. I know for a fact that I want to take advantage of the opportunity to travel around, but I also have this desire to stay in France and pick up the language. It is a bit of a conundrum. I am sure I will be able to do both, I just thought it was amazing that these students found the time and the money to go to several different countries when the academic year is actually quite short. That being said, I was really impressed with the essays, I thought they were really interesting.

One of the great things about Amiens, is that it is very near Paris, which in turn, means that it will be easy to travel. Amiens is in the North of France, almost right between Paris and Lille. I, as many other francophiles I know, love Paris. I am sure that I will be spending a lot of time there. A new experience for me will be travelling up through Nord-Pas-de-Calais, and seeing Lille, along with getting the chance to see Belgium. This of course, will only feed my love, and slight obsession with 'les bandes-dessinées', otherwise known as French comic books. Tin Tin and other famous titles have originated from Belgium and the northern part of France.

Speaking of Bandes-Dessinées, and totally off topic, Luc Besson, legendary director of 'Nikita' and other films from the 'Cinéma du Look' genre, has recently put out a new film in France. I saw the trailer for it in Paris, and it looks absolutely fantastic. The film is called 'Les aventures extraordinaires d'Adèle Blanc-Sec' and is based on the famous French bandes-dessinée of the same name. I desperately hope I can see it on the big screen, but if not, I will probably buy it at the start of next year.