Hello, all! I'm writing this while in the midst of trying to create this site and make it ~pretty~, but I wanted to get this first post out of my brain and on to...screen...?...before too much time had passed, so you may be reading this quite some time after the fact. Three days ago, I found out that I was officially accepted to TAPIF for the académie of Strasbourg, France. I cried a lot, smiled a lot, focused for the rest of the day the opposite of a lot, and it was all around an insanely exciting day. And, the adventure begins!
First, here's some background on how my life has led me to this particular chapter: My love for France, its culture, and language began from a young age. What little girl doesn't have a spot for Paris in her heart? The fashion, Eiffel Tower, romantic language, and glamour of it all called to me since I can remember. Once I hit high school, I knew without a single doubt that I was going to take French--and I never once looked back! Even as I slaved over verb conjugations and attempting to understand why nouns were masculine or feminine, I fell hard for a culture for which I already had quite a soft spot.
College arrived in all of its confusing and turbulent glory, and, long story short, I ended up at university studying Global Studies. Part of the requirement for the major was two years of a foreign language, so I hopped right back into French. This was when I first heard about TAPIF from a professor (who ended up writing one of my recommendations for TAPIF!), and I remember sitting in class thinking to myself, "Wow, this is what dreams are made of." So, the dream took root and I let it sit on one of my many brain burners for awhile. About a year later, I decided to squeeze in a French major to round out all of the credit hours I needed for graduation.
By the time senior year rolled around, I started seriously researching TAPIF--general reviews, the requirements for eligibility, what exactly was entailed, blah blah blah. It was perfect. This was what I wanted to do after graduating, and I didn't really even want to consider anything else. I talked with professors and advisors who all assured me I was a good fit and that they felt my chances for being accepted were very good. This only added fuel to the fire, as you can imagine. The application process runs from October-January of the preceding year, so I was applying in fall 2015 for the 2016-2017 session. My recommendations were submitted, passport photo snapped, essay written, degree obtained (oh, yeah, I was graduating too while trying to write the end all be all essay of my life!), and académies selected (Clermont-Ferrand, Montpellier, and Bordeaux). Now....waiting til April to find out my results (cue a plethora of nightmares of mean emails telling me I wasn't accepted or that I went to France and they didn't speak French anymore)!
I found out I was put on the wait list for TAPIF 2016-2017 in April and was CRUSHED. I knew it was a possibility to not be accepted or to be put on the wait list, but it was still horrid having to go through it. More waiting was in my future, as wait listed applicants have until July 8th to hear back whether or not a position was declined by someone else, and thus offered to whomever was next on the list. I resumed my constant internet digging for information or any clues as to how this process usually went, and was able to email the director in D.C. to find out my position on the wait list. I was in the 100-200 range, and was assured that it was very likely I would be offered a position. But, WHEN?! I knew I couldn't do anything to change the situation, so just tried to put it out of my mind while I anxiously awaited an offer.
Needless to say, receiving the email that I was accepted and finding out that I was going to Strasbourg completely reduced me to a puddle of tears and disbelief. It's really really happening, I'm going to France! I don't even care that I have to wait (again....ha! Luckily, I have read soooo many blogs about how this is just how France will be, so I better get used to it) for my arrêté de nomination--assignment to the exact city and schools where I will be teaching--because the wait to find out whether or not I'm going at all is finally over. I feel so lucky to have been placed in Strasbourg, because it's the smallest académie and I won't be far from the bigger cities no matter where I end up. It's close to Switzerland, Germany, and Benelux, there are mountains, rivers, forests, museums, and so many historical sights. I've only read positive things about the area from other TAPIF-ers and on travel blogs, so I could not have asked for better. Let's be real, though, is there any place in France that *wouldn't* be magical??
So, that's my tale of how I ended up sitting on my couch at 2 am, desperately reading every blog I can get my eyeballs on about TAPIF in Strasbourg and what the heck to pack and how to buy an international plane ticket and so on, general panic/excitement/cluelessness, you get the idea. I want this blog to be a place to write down my thoughts to share with those back home who are curious about TAPIF or who want to keep up with my travels beyond what I'll be posting on social media. I'll probably still be long-winded as heck and post way too many photos of French food and selfies in front of Bavarian architecture, but hey, you only go to France for the first time once. I can't wait to share my experiences on this already-life-changing journey. Allons-y!