lasting impression

There are not enough words in the english dictionary to describe what a fantastic experience this was.

I was very nervous moving to a foreign country where I wasn't completely fluent in the language and where I didn't have any friends or family. After the initial nerves and making friends with another assistant on my flight, France was everything I had hoped it would be and more.

The very first night there, I managed to lock myself out of my temporary apartment building - in my pajamas! I was looking for my landlord's postbox so I could knock on his door and tell him the internet was down. Thankfully I remembered the passcode after a few tries and managed to get back to my room before anyone saw me and my blue bombers t-shirt.

Teaching was a completely new experience to me and while it's not something I see as a career for myself, it definitely scratched off one of the things on my 'things to try' list.

Plus the travel opportunities are extensive! You can take the OUIbus from Paris to Cologne one-way for less than 20 euros. I had a fantastic Christmas holiday in Germany and the Czech Republic for under 300 euros.

While I miss the travel opportunities and the baguettes, what I miss most of all is the friends I made while there. The assistant that I roomed with initially and met at the airport prior to leaving for France, has become a life-long friend. I couldn't have gotten through the first month without her.