The End of the Assistantship & Reflection

Last weekend saw the end to my job as an assistant in France. I couldn't believe it. I'd moved away since the start of September, began my job in October and had seen Bloxwich for a maximum of 3 weeks in a year. Now it was time to go home...for a little bit.

The end week was a chaotic one for me in France. After Lyon, I slept in Douai for one night before staying at my tutee's house and then at Caroline's before returning for three nights in Douai. It's safe to say I've slept in a variety of different beds this year!! It was the perfect week to say goodbye to my loved ones - for a little bit.

I couldn't believe it Tuesday evening that I had my very own little leaving-do (shared with the lovely man who does all of the IT at work!). It was a brilliant evening of HUNDREDS of photos, lots of lovely food and bubbly! It was extremely emotional as well. The head teacher wrote a fantastic speech about me and my work, about leaving and how all the staff will miss me. As today is Wednesday, I can't believe I'm not at work with them all again. It's very strange.

I was extremely grateful for working with one of the best teams, to be loved and saw as another teacher! I couldn't believe the amount of cards, presents and love I received. The primary school had also made 4+ books for me, full of poems and drawings about me. It was extremely hard leaving my classes, who cried so much bless them. I've never felt more love than this final week! I was honestly (and still am) shocked at how much of a big deal I was to these people and my classes. It's truly a family. MERCI BEAUCOUP A CARO ET A BIACHE!

Before the holidays, my other school had hosted a dinner for me too, which truly showed their appreciation too. As one of my teachers, Emilie, couldn't make it, we decided to do another meal together Thursday in my last week. After a fantastic time in a lovely crêperie in Douai, I felt we really got to know one another more than ever and had some lovely chats. Merci beaucoup Emilie!
Two other teachers at Vitry also brought me some perfume to show their gratitude, it was a huge surprise!

Drinking cider from a Bretagne tea cup - it's tradition!

My final meal at Douai was also crepes, no complaints here! It was strange after such an emotional Friday to walk home for the last time, to walk through Douai, that I'd done every day for 8 months and think wow this is the last time.

The emotional walk home

Isabelle had also brought me her own gift. She told me it would "me fait rire" and as I opened the paper, I really did laugh. This beautiful tea tray would appear to anyone else as a typically French tea tray with madeleines pictured on to it - a very French cake (if cakes can be very French). To me, this is the biggest Proust reference you could give me. It was very well appreciated it. Look out Nottingham in September - tea is going to be delivered in style.

 And so now, since Saturday night thanks to an extremely patient Matthew (he's waited 8 months he deserves a medal), I'm home. It's been a busy few days of seeing family, reorganising the bedroom and sorting out my life again. What is life going to be like after France anyway!?!?!?

LIFE NOW

As for May, I'm staying in the UK. Next week I'm visiting Oxford to see Julia (the excitement is killing me!), the week after I'm visiting a teaching friend and then I'm off for a weekend down South with Emily, Matt and his family. The week after that I'm in Liverpool and then I'm back off to France. So really where is the time going?! My job is officially over in France and I won't be staying the whole summer - despite how much university thinks I should. It's not feasible when considering university costs, as well as not seeing my family. After June, I'll have spent 9 months in France and for me, this is my year abroad. I think for one language, it's hard to spend the full 12 months without seeing your family.

I've not been pressured, which I'm grateful for. I'm pushing myself to apply for Masters degrees in French literature, writing proposals, getting back into grammar, reading the 9509392030 books I have now to read. I also have my tutee hopefully coming to visit too. Although I won't be teaching in France - I really do have enough to keep me occupied. After all, it's about time I started making up for lost time with a lot of important people! A little job may crop up for July/August...or a holiday. I pray for the latter (of course!)

only some of the books I've read/got to read!

Reflection

I'm not the girl I used to be. HELLO CLICHÉ. I really do think spending time travelling and living in another country, immersed in another language, in different families and friendship groups is going to change you as a person. It's impossible for it not to. I'm far more of an adult than I ever have been. I first found moving to university hard, yet, now, travelling round foreign countries doesn't phase me. I had anxiety in first year about leaving my room - now I can't stay still!!! 

Living and breathing the French language and culture has allowed me to look at my own lifestyle at home from a distance. There are always going to be things I prefer in BOTH lifestyles and I think that's when you know you're truly becoming a mixture of both cultures/countries. I've been asked if I feel more French, often I do a little. I agree with a lot of their habits, their education, their morals. But I'll never stop being British, being the girl who speaks French "almost perfectly, but has that little bit of an English twang" as my colleagues tell me. 

I'm always going to have the same wild and dynamic personality, but this year has taught me to let it loose even more! I've made friends with a variety of people that have made a huge impact on the way I see my future, my abilities and myself as a person. I'm grateful to find friends that were the same in the morning, as they were at night, that would always be there for me. France will always be home and I'll be forever grateful for the most amazing year of my life.

SO WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE BLOG?

I will still keep you updated in June with my travels, but after that I've decided to tune into the blog every now and again to discuss Frenchy things and the life of a Bloxwich kid in her final year.  If anyone has any questions at all about the assistantship, France, Lille or travelling, I'm an open book!


A huge thank you to the hundreds of people who've took time to read my blogs and enjoy them as much as I have writing them. It's been an absolute pleasure, here's to more writing!

À bientôt, I hope!

JR xxxxxxx