My Progress

Salut! Sorry that it's been so long since I posted - I've been busy! What has happened since I last wrote?...

Well, I'm slowly getting better at everything as each day passes: driving, finding my way around, understanding the language, understanding my tasks, getting used to the way of life...

And I have to get used to military time!

With driving, I'm more afraid of getting lost, etc, than not being able to drive a standard properly, but I am still far from perfect with the driving!!! I can say, however, that I'm thankful for mistakes because they teach me what to look for next time. For example: I stopped at a stoplight and put the car in first, or so I thought; it took me two and a half light cycles with people passing me for me to figure out that I was in third instead of first! Oh la la! I felt like an idiot after that, but now I know that that's something I need to be especially careful of and something to look for if I have the same problem again! With the traffic, there are a ton of round-abouts and, particularly in the smaller towns, the streets have no rhyme or reason to how they are organized, and so it's hard to learn how to get around. But, I'm getting by, even if it means arriving somewhere a little late because I got momentarily lost.

I don't know how to track my language progression except for basic explanations. For the most part, I can understand almost everything that is said with a combination of current knowledge and context clues, but there are still many times when I simply don't understand. I'm still pretty bad at speaking because of a combination of lack of vocabulary and stage-fright/thought translation lag, but I'm hoping that all of my "absorbing" with oral comprehension will soon translate to better speaking!

My French classes start on October 1st, and I'll be in the same class as Claire (we are the two American au pairs of Gex!); I'm ready for them to start because I hope they'll help me with my grammar so that I'll feel more confident in speaking. I'm also using Duolingo to brush up on basic vocabulary (and as I advance in the program, learn more difficult vocabulary), and I have a little phrasebook that I skim through. Soon, I'll also start using Livemocha and see how helpful it is, because I got an all-access key for really cheap. I get motivated for language work by Benny the Irish Polyglot, who stresses immersion, among other things.

I'd say the most stressful thing is learning how to take care of two small children, as I've never done so before. Erine is in the stage of testing me to see if I'll respond to bad behavior like the parents do. Oscar is still warming up to me, but it's coming along. My patience is definitely being tested, particularly when I don't know the vocabulary to tell them to do or not to do something or to explain an answer to their questions.

I'm sorry I haven't posted any scenery pictures, but it has still been so foggy that I can hardly see the Alps in the distance. But here are some pics of my current room vs. future room!

My current little space

The insulation being worked on in my future room

The walls on opp side being finished

The main view from the door

(I don't know what's up with the spacing, btw. I worked on it for ages and it wouldn't work right.)

I'm going to learn how to make a Croque Monsieur (typical French dish- like a toasted ham sandwich, basically) tomorrow, so I should have a lovely food post for you on Friday!

Final Pre-France Update

Well, I'm not really sure what to update on. I haven't quite finished packing yet... but if you know me, that comes as no surprise. It's the phenomenon of moving, in which you have no idea how much stuff you have and how much you need to do until you get down to it; and I'm a perpetual procrastinator, so that really doesn't help matters. :)

Once I get packed and am on the road to the airport, it will all be downhill from there. It's just stressful particularly because I've never moved to another country before. Traveling is one thing, but moving... gah. Especially because shipping costs are extraordinary and not worth it unless it's mandatory, so I can't forget anything!

I've also got all my stuff spread out across my floor right now, and as I'm about to go to bed as I'm typing this, that's a problem considering I need my air mattress to go somewhere... It's really bad when your procrastination makes you lose sleep.

Well, I would really appreciate it if you all keep me in your prayers as I travel and get adjusted in a new world. I'm sure I'll get used to everything, but thinking about it is slightly terrifying. I also really hope I don't have to sit next to a smelly person on my nine-hour flight. Really.

My blog posts will probably be in and out for the next week as I get used to a new schedule, so bear with me!

See you on the other side!

Status Update

I only have a week left before I leave! Eek! I have all the documents that I need to leave: my passport with my visa inside, a form to turn in once in France for my residency, an International Driving Permit, and a plane ticket! (But I still need to get my plane tickets for Christmas!) I was really worried that I wouldn't have my passport and contract in enough time to get my visa, but my passport came three days before my appointment and my contract came the day before my appointment, so it worked out perfectly! And my visa arrived much sooner than I thought it would, as it only took about a week and a half to arrive!

This week, I have to go buy a few clothing items that I need and pack my suitcases to figure out exactly how much I can fit. Since I'll be living there and will need a lot of stuff, I'm planning on paying the $60 to have a second checked bag, so I'll have two checked bags, one carry-on small suitcase, and a shoulder bag. I hope I can fit everything I need, because shipping costs way too much to even consider!

This will be me:

There will be a girl from California (Claire) who will also be an au pair in Gex, and her French family is friends with mine! My French family is waiting on hers to let me know her contact information, because we will be on the same flight from London to Geneva and I would like to know how to spot her:) It will be such a relief simply knowing that I'm not the only "lost" American in my tiny town!

For my first week there, I already have a driving lesson scheduled on Tuesday afternoon to practice driving the stick-shift that I'll have. On Tuesday and Wednesday, their temporary nanny will be teaching me about the kids' schedule, etc, and then I'll have the kids to look after all on my own on Thursday and Friday! *cue nervous hyperventilating* They start school on September 4th; however, I don't know if Oscar will be starting right away and/or how many days a week he will be going since he doesn't turn three until October.

Also during the first few weeks, I'll have to go to the school I'll be attending to take a placement test (and the day towards the end of September that I start will be determined by which class I'm placed in). There is an au pair club (LINK) that meets in Nyon, Switzerland starting on September 13th (they meet every other Thursday and have a Christian worship every Monday), and I will drive there sometime beforehand to make sure I don't get lost.

Things I'm nervous about:

• Making a good first impression.
• Picking up on conversational French relatively quickly (whatever that means).
• Communicating with two kids that don't speak any English.
• Driving a stick-shift in an unfamiliar area.
• Getting lost and not being able to find my way since I'll probably get so flustered that I'll forget my French! Haha!
• Knowing how to say something but being too nervous to get it out.
• Tex-Mex withdrawal. :):):)
• Homesickness (including missing family and friends).
• My kitty forgetting me since I'll be gone for so long.

My baby Kira, AKA Kiki

I'll need your prayers!

I'll let you know next Sunday how my packing turned out and how much I'm freaking out! :)