FINALLY HERE!

OH MY.

I have finally arrived and settled somewhat in the beautiful Altkirch, France.
There's so much to say, I'm not sure I will remember it all!

I'm living in a lovely apartment on the school grounds - no internet yet, but its big, with a tv and a garden, with a CORN FIELD behind it! I officially live in the countryside! Apparantly I have to look out for wild boars...

My coordinateur Chantal is the head of English and is so lovely - I went for dinner at her house on my first night and her and her husband Patrick made me such tasty food, and are just generally so welcoming - Chantal took me to the bank today, and Patrick is going to help me set up my internet and get a mobile phone - yay technology!

As far as language goes, I feel like I'm coping ok - people talk nice and slowly to me, and seem to understqnd what I'm saying.
However, I have been doing a lot of smiling, nodding and saying "oui, oui", which has worked a treat in hiding the fact that I don't know what anyone's talking about
I may or may not have agreed to organise a film festival in the town? im unclear on the details but i definitely said yes to something...

I'm totally exhausted so I'm giving up for now, pictures will be arriving soon though, I promise!
Once I get proper internet for myself I will be updating like a fiend, every time anything of any importance whatsoever happens :)

not long now...

Oh god oh god oh god. There is officially no where near enough time left in my life before I MOVE TO FRANCE!!

I keep thinking that I've finished packing, but then remember that i don't have towels/peanut butter/enough thick socks/Welsh memorabilia, so have to add to the several lists I've strewn around the house that say REMEMBER OR DIE!!

It's just that feeling that ANY CIRCUMSTANCE could occur, therefore I could feasibly need a bikini/sleeping bag/monopoly set.
I have to be firm - put that down Alice, France is not a third world country, there will be bread, etc..

Today I called my school's gestionnaire (administrator of some sort), which I was rather afraid of doing - I know that I could say what I need to say, the issue could just be understanding what they were saying to me!
It all turned out ok though, and the kind lady on the phone told me I can get my key for the apartment they're giving me in the lycee at 8am (gulp!) on monday.

I feel so very relieved that I have a place to stay - I'll be sharing an apartment within the lycee grounds somewhere with the German assistant and possibly a Spanish one, which will be great as we'll all be young and in the same situation, and hopefully the common language will force us to speak French all the time. For only 7 euros a night, with plates and a TV apparently included, seems like quite a deal to me.

More updates as the big day gets closer!!

Tester Post...

This is my very first post just to see how everything works...

This will be my blog for the duration of my year abroad in Altkirch (near Strasbourg) in France - I'll be teaching for a year in a high school in a small village - just a week to go before I leave!

Panic/fear are definitely setting in....