Pourquoi et comment? (Why and how?)

So basically, here I am, all snuggled up in my bed after a long work day, creating my blog for when I jet off to France for seven months at the end of September... and it's only April. It's a very typical Sam thing to do - that is, plan for something that is happening 8 bajillion years before it actually happens. Well, I like to be prepared. PLUS, not only is it the end of April, but that means I will be leaving in practically exactly five months from now! I've never used Blogger before, but so far I am quite liking the layout options and what not.

Sidetracked - anyway, I thought considering this is my first post, I would explain to you how and why this whole taking a year off from school and traveling/living overseas for seven months as a Teacher's Assistant (TA) in an elementary school in France came about.

Back in early November, I received an email from my university (University of Winnipeg) essentially asking if I would be interested in applying to the France Embassy for a job as a TA from October 1st, 2013 - April 30th, 2014. Now why out of approximately 14,000 students would I have qualified to have been sent this specific email? Let me tell you a bit about myself, education wise. I have just completed my second year in the Faculty of Education and I've declared my major as French, and proceeding to go with Psychology as my minor. So, because I am an Education student majoring in French, I was chosen to apply. Makes sense, now doesn't it?

After I had read the email over a few times and clicked on the supporting documents, my mind started flooding with ideas of myself, being 20 years young, on my own, in a classroom filled with young French children, teaching and learning alongside them; I was convinced that THIS was something I NEEDED, not wanted, needed to do. This was a perfect time in my life to do something that would be so far out of my comfort zone. I was determined to land a position.

That same evening I started filling out the application form and emailed my French prof from the U of W and my French prof from Université Sainte-Anne in Nova Scotia (my prof from when I participated in the Explore program back in July 2012), asking them if they would be willing to be my two references for the position. By the next day I had heard back from both of them and all I had left to do was gather the necessary documents that would go along with the application (photocopy of passport, birth certificate, transcripts from school, etc). I remember the night I clicked "Send" from my email account. I pretty much thought to myself, "What have I done?"

Months went by, and the anticipation was killing me. A few weeks ago, I was out with some friends on a Friday night, and when I returned home, I decided to check my email (as I knew the acceptance email would hopefully be coming any time then). I signed on and BAM, there it was; "Congratulations Samantha! You have been selected and assigned to a posting for the Teaching Assistant position in the Orleans-Tours region of France!" !!!!!!!!!!!!! ****Insert happy dance here****

So, there you have it. My story of the why and the how. I may just post a few more times prior to my departure to France! I won't be broadcasting this blog probably until I am about to leave, so you won't actually get to read this until then anyway... but it will be nice for me to look back on this "before the adventure" process, as I have A LOT to do before then.

Hope I didn't ramble too much. This is all still rather new news for me and I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!

Love, love always,
Sam