Nighttime was ending at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport.
It was just before 7 a.m., still pitch-black outside, and flight attendants had served the cabin peach-flavoured yogurt with croissants right before arrival. In the darkness, what looked like streetlights illuminated the stretch of land, while blue and green lights brightened the runway. It really did look like the storied City of Lights, even though the "Paris" airport is actually located around Roissy-en-France.
It was just before 7 a.m., still pitch-black outside, and flight attendants had served the cabin peach-flavoured yogurt with croissants right before arrival. In the darkness, what looked like streetlights illuminated the stretch of land, while blue and green lights brightened the runway. It really did look like the storied City of Lights, even though the "Paris" airport is actually located around Roissy-en-France.
After landing, the crew gave their routine radio welcomes to the cabin. One in English, followed by one in French.
The French announcement started: "Mesdames et Messieurs, Bienvenue à Paris."
It ended with, "Merci. Au revoir."
Most of you know that au revoir means goodbye. Fellow grammar nerds might have noticed something else.
"Au" is a preposition in French that generally means "to." "re," just like in English, means again. And "voir" means "see."
To see again.
This isn't my first time writing about adventures in France — my old, very enthusiastic study abroad blog details a month I spent in the country in 2013.
So when I said au revoir to France in my college years, I also meant that I would be going back later. Later came, because I'm typing this out from France right now, my fingers going faster than my thoughts. Maybe because I'm excited. Probably because I'm shivering from the cold (I still consider 60 degrees cold).
In just 24 hours, a whole lot has already happened, but I'll get to the fun stuff later. This just the intro, let me not get ahead of myself.
What am I doing?(Oh yeah, that's right I'm doing me)
Many people have asked this, so I'll explain more here. Mainly, I have simplified it to say teaching English in France. It's a program I applied to through the French embassy in Washington D.C. I'll basically be a TA for the English teachers in a French middle school and high school. You have to know French to a certain level in order to do it. Anyone interested in applying, here's the link.
As excited as I am, you won't be hearing about work on this blog because I'm in secondary schools and can't go around publishing everyone's business on a whim.
When am I doing it?
Well, I just got here, and my work contract has me here till at least spring.
Where am I doing it?
I'm living in Herblay, a town about 12 miles from Paris. The schools are located in different cities in suburbs northwest of Paris on opposite sides of the Seine.
Why am I doing it?
Why not? I always wanted to live in France for an extended period of time. And I wanted to do it sooner rather than later. I mean, what happens to a dream deferred?
How? (Sway)
With a long stay work visa. Stay tuned for a post about the paperwork and bureaucracy nightmares along the way.
