Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Eat Well. Travel Often.

Bonjour mes amis!
So here it goes. My first blog. I'm hoping to use this blog as a way to share with you about my  musings, adventures, and of course, all the food I get to enjoy while I will be living in FRANCE for the next 7 months! 

So pour yourself a glass of wine and let me start by telling you how this journey all came about:
Ever since I was little, I have been enamored with travel and other cultures. After my freshman year at Auburn, I got to study abroad to Italy, France, England, and Scotland. Let me just say, my fervor for travel only increased. I was addicted. Then I got the fabulous opportunity to study abroad in Paris for a month the following July. I knew from then on that I must get back to France. Not only was I in love with the culture, but the food, the lifestyle, the language, the history - everything. When my French professor suggested I apply to be an English Teaching Assistant in France, I thought, why not. I am young, unattached, and when else in my life would I be so free. With my professors, family, and friends' wonderful support, I applied both to the French program as well as the Fulbright program this past October. For the next 7 months, I took part in a long waiting game, just waiting to hear anything from the French. Finally, one day in late May on my way to work, I got the email. I was accepted to the program! I was so happy I started crying! It was such a huge wave of relief! My dream became a reality. Not only was I going to be a French Teaching Assistant, I was also a Fulbright Scholar for Auburn! My life was surreal.
The school - Lycee Hyacinthe Friant
 I got placed in Poligny France to be an English Teaching Assistant at the high school - Lycee Hyacinthe Fraint, which is an internationally renowned hotel and catering school!
God is definitely smiling down on me and man oh man did He teach me a thing about being patient.
Honestly, what could be more perfect?!  I will get to help teach English at a culinary focused school and even get to take some classes there myself! I am so lucky and get to live on campus in a private apartment with my own kitchen and bathroom, whew such a relief!

 The town of Poligny is absolutely gorgeous, honestly like right out of a movie. It's a rural village surrounded by vineyards and mountains in the Franche-Comte region (which produces over 200,000 rounds of my favorite cheese a year and known for their Jura Mountain wines). Even have a house of Comte cheese to visit - yes I will be going there. ps, y'all should try Comte cheese - it's divine.
Poligny is very close to Geneva and Lyon - about 1 hour and 30 minutes away from each. Lyon is the gourmet food capital of France, let's just say I'm going to be on a whole other level of foodie heaven. 

Main church in Poligny

Poligny, France. Can't wait to stroll around here!



Click here to see an awesome 360 tour of Poligny, worth it!

Back to the teaching part of my program... I will be an assistant to English teachers at the school. I will be sharing things about American culture, holidays, food, restaurants, basically anything about America. My students will be 14 to 23 year olds - keep in mind that I will be turning 23 the end of September and I look young for my age haha I sure do hope they like me! I work 12 hours a week and have 5 weeks of paid vacation! Pretty cool huh? Let's just say I plan to do a LOT of traveling around Europe! Please give me any suggestions of places to visit - I'd love that!

So in about a month, I will be saying au revoir not only to my family and all my wonderful friends, but also to American food, lifestyle, and culture.  I am nervous but thrilled beyond words. I know that this journey I am about to embark upon will be a wonderfully life changing opportunity.

I promise all my posts won't be this long, probably will be mostly pictures of food and European discoveries!

Til' next time :)