ramblings & updates

The countdown has begun. 3 weeks ‘til leaving Chicago & arriving in NYC. A little less than a month until I leave the greatness of bald eagles, Thanksgiving dinner, the dollar, deep-dish pizza, snacking, driving automatics, PB&J, 50 states, Hollywood & i guess the people I love. I have an idea of what this new place will bring, but only an idea. I mean, I studied abroad in England. AMAZING – yes. Still speaking English – yes. (Although certainly a more beautiful version than what I’m surrounded by here)

I am absolutely freaking out about speaking French. All. The. Time. So I am desperately hoping that M & I will be able to find a lovely apartment in Nimes & will be able to turn to each other to vent in English about adjusting to life in France. And btw, those of you who have hated apartment searching in the US? Do not even start with me. I am looking for an apartment for the FIRST time, in a language I can hardly trust myself to use at a grocery store, with completely different paperwork, a different currency, in a city I’ve never been to. Hooray!

Updates:

            ~ Booked a hostel in downtown Rekjyavik with MK!

            ~ Have a couple interviews set up in CT for while I’m in NYC (so excited)

            ~ Had an amazing weekend with some fav KKGs in Chicago – lots of deep-dish, wrigleyville, air & water show, brunches, friendship, walking & ridiculousness.

            ~ Planning a roadtrip with A & MK for our first break aka end of October! If we can make it happen, it’s going to be epic. Think…Milan-Verona-Venice-Budapest-Auschwitz-Prague-Munich-Zurich-Geneva-Lyon. Be jealous. OR let me know if you have friends in any of these places we could stay with. Particularly Budapest, Munich, Zurich, or Geneva. (anywhere in Switzerland really)

            ~ Also, for the lovely A’s birthday her parents have bought her 2 tickets to the BSpears concert in Montpellier. (thankyouthankyou) WHY Britney is coming to Montpellier is beyond me, pretty sure it’s like the 7^th largest city in France or something. BUT I am SO excited! If you haven’t researched Nîmes at all, it’s about 100,000 & not exactly the home of weekend-going-out-central. I’m fairly certain I’ll be visiting A in Montpellier for some nights of dancing (although I’m not sure how our obvious American dancing will fit in…)!

            ~ My room is about 60% packed up. It’s turning into a guest bedroom as soon as I board that plane on the 14^th.

            ~ I have a to-do list that is literally 36 items long. And there’s more to add to it. And 3 weeks to cross everything off. I strongly believe that I will only survive these 3 weeks thanks to my gym & a yoga mat.

love/bises/xx

inspiration

August already?! This summer is absolutely flying by…pretty soon I’ll be trying to fit 8+ months of a life into a 50lb bag and a carry-on…yikes!

One of my favorite parts of summer has always been the reading – sitting with a book on a beach, and not a book prescribed by a teacher or class! This time to read whatever I liked became more precious after starting college, ditching classic textbooks within my courses of study for a rather random assortment of interests. Books move me – I’m addicted to reading about different perspectives, eras, experiences, places, the list is endless. Reading, I think, is what has inspired me to pursue teaching & travel. I love learning, I can’t get enough of the world. But I know that so many young children do not feel the same way about the world…how much there is to learn & think about. A passion for learning is what I hope most is a part of my future classroom…more than stellar test grades or perfectly behaved children.

This summer’s reading list has been much more focused in the past, geared towards France, the French, and travel. Here are some books that have stood out:

Suite Française by Irène Némirovsky

101 Foods That Could Save Your Life by David Grotto, RD, LDN

Backroad Bistros, Farmhouse Fare: A French Country Cookbook

Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong: Why We Love France But Not the French by Jean-Benoit Nadeau and Julie Barlow

The Best American Travel Writing 2009 by Simon Winchester, edited by Jason Wilson

Several books by Peter Mayle
& of course, countless classic travel guides!

I just started Wanderlust, by Elisabeth Eaves & have already decided to bring it with me to Europe. Which reminds me, I am planning on bringing a few children’s books in English…classic childhood favorites. I’m thinking Dr. Suess, perhaps an alphabet/American history/culture one…suggestions welcome for any others I should think of bringing!

bises xx

bienvenue!

salut mes amies!

Emblem of Nîmes

as change is the theme of my life at the moment, i decided to apply that to my blog life as well & start anew! 


i now have a grand total of 8 weekends left in america before i hop across the pond to begin my post-college life in a dream-come-true-job (at least for a year). as you might have guessed from the french, i'll be moving to nîmes in the south of france to teach english to french primary school kids. my contract is for 7 months, but i have the option of applying for a second year if i fall madly in love with being an expat. i DO have my work contract & visa (!!), but won't be assigned specific schools & hours until i arrive. i can work at up to 3 schools (i think), 12 hours a week. & it gets better - i have a total of 8 weeks of paid vacation. for 7 months. it's almost too good to be true! still making plans for the breaks - but here are a couple travel lists :)


will go:
     ~ Iceland (a 24hr stopover on our way to paris)
     ~ Paris
     ~ Languedoc-Roussillon
     ~ Provence
     ~ Lisbon
     ~ Barcelona
want to go:
     ~ EVERYWHERE!
     (ok for real)
     ~ England, to visit AP!
     ~ Bordeaux
     ~ Morocco
     ~ Budapest
     ~ Stockholm


but honestly, i'd be ok ditching some of the "want" places & exploring france in depth. my home base is the south of france...is this real life!?

how could you not love this??

beautiful chicago

this summer has been perfect in almost every way & i've fallen in love with chicago & friends all over again. 


zebras in lincoln park zoo, cubs games, andersonville, art museums, soccer at soldier field, characters on the "el", runs along the lake, beach days....summertime chi


bises! xx




(p.s. if you want to know more about my time in england, check out my other blog at audreymeetsbritain.blogspot.com)