June in Deauville- Elizabeth

The end of the year has arrived, and so has the end of my time in France for now. The past year was full of every type of emotion one could imagine, and it wasn’t always easy. The year offered an opportunity for growth and maturation that I would not have had if I stayed in the United States. I learned so much about myself and I was pushed all the way out of my comfort zone. As I look back on my year as a teaching assistant, I realize that my French language skills have made great progress, my self-confidence has improved in leaps and bounds, and I have forged amazing connections with both my American housemates, and also with the students and staff and members of the community here in Deauville.

            With the end of the year winding down I have still found time to travel and experience all that the region has to offer. In the beginning of June, Andrew Coburn, the other Sister Cities Representative and I, traveled to Brussels, Belgium. We sampled all of the delicious treats that Brussels had to offer, and saw some unforgettable sights.

            In the middle of June, Jessi Bohon, the teaching assistant from Tennessee and myself traveled to Paris to welcome an old friend of Jessi’s from college for a visit in both Paris and Deauville. It was great to connect with someone from home, and I know that Jessi enjoyed seeing a friend from college. We stopped by some of the familiar sights to reflect on them again, and made new memories.

            In the end of June now, I was treated to a visit from my aunt and uncle. It was such a great experience to share my new home with my family, let them see where I spent my last year. Together we traveled to Mont Saint Michel, a monastic abbey in Bretagne, and spent the next day at the beach. It was incredibly special and touching to share moments like this with family.

            I will miss my students and the friends that I have made here. I will miss the routine that I have found myself into. I am extremely grateful that I had an opportunity to learn and live abroad, and I will carry these memories with my for the rest of my life

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April 2019 DEauville TA Blog - Elizabeth

April TA Blog

The spring vacation is now upon us. It was well-deserved and highly anticipated. I am writing this in the Rome airport, having just departed Santorini, Greece and awaiting my transfer to Dubrovnik, Croatia. Being so close to international travel destinations and having ample time off to see the world is one of the highlights of this program. This vacation is special, because my boyfriend was able to fly over from Kentucky and share my vacation with me. Being away from home for so long can take a toll on you, so it is important to recharge and reconnect with your loved ones. Andrew also was lucky enough to have his parents fly in for a week. We all met in Paris, and got to show our guests France (and Europe in general) for the first time.  Together we toured the Louvre, and shared a dinner and a lunch together. We also got to show off our French to those who don’t speak a word of it.

            Life at school is progressing well. There are still kids I haven’t gotten a chance to bond with and I think that will always be the case, however, the children that I do have relationships with make the entire experience here a little brighter. I am proud of my students who show their progress in English, as it makes me feel like I am doing the right thing here in France. I have a handful of students who ask me after school every day to play the English games that I create for their classes. Even though this means I play endless games of memory match, bingo, and Pictionary 5 days of the week, I am still happy to see the enthusiasm for what I do.

            Our third and final trimester is approaching at school, and I have been preparing APE’s (after school activities) for the students. This trimester, I am doing a choir which will prepare a song or two for the end of the year show, and an English theatre club, which potentially could also perform at the end of the year show. We’ll see how well that pans out. I am excited to bring two of my favorite activities from grade school to France and put my own twist on them. I can’t wait to see how much more my students can learn and grow and progress. Until next time!

-Elizabeth                   

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          One of many games of memory match with one of my CP students, Clémence.

                               Discovering new corners of Paris on a weekend trip.

Jessi, another TA and I in front of the Moulin Rouge during a weekend in Paris.

Experiencing a Santorini Sunset, feeling lucky to be able to travel so much. 

Making new memories in Paris with my boyfriend, Matt. 

We have already reached and exceeded the halfway point of our time in Deauville. Currently, it is the February holiday, and I chose to stay here in Deauville and use the time off to explore more of the town and areas nearby. Jessi, our roommate from Nashville, and I have had time to soak in the unusually sunny Normandy winter weather, revisit some of our favorite cafes now that the weather will permit outside seating, and venture off to new restaurants and shops that we had overlooked before.

We keep pretty busy with teaching and after school activities during the week, so there’s not much time for anything else, so we prioritize cooking at home and sharing a meal together every single night. When we do have free time, we usually spend our time together, as this experience has made good friends out of all of us. In mid -January, Andrew and I traveled to Paris for a concert of an artist we both enjoy very much, and took full advantage of the winter sales, stocking up for the rest of the cold weather. We also spend a lot of our free time walking down the boardwalk of the Deauville beach, breathe in the sea air, window shopping in Deauville, and spending future paychecks in our heads.

When the weather picks up a little bit more, we anticipate longer days in the sand, with picnics and our music, and continuing the traditions of spending hours at the café, reading, people watching, eating and drinking, and chatting. We can’t wait for the market to return to the Deauville center, where you can find unique clothing items and local foods.

Until next time!

                                    -Elizabeth