So, 1 year and 8 months ago I started dancing salsa....technically my journey began a bit earlier when Victoria would drag me out to Sapphire with her on Thursdays. At the time I felt SO uncomfortable and dreaded when people would ask me to dance because, well, partner dancing is scary.
One night, after faking my way through some dances with Victoria's salsa friends, I decided that I was going to get good and I was going to come back and prove myself. So, I signed up for Ritmos Latinos rueda casino classes, because I was told that that was the best way to get involved in the salsa community in Tucson. I quickly made friends with my classmates, many of whom were people I saw out at the clubs.
Quickly I felt a change start to occur. What had started as me being proud and attempting to prove that I'm not a failure became a full-blown addiction. Salsa was all I talking about, all I thought about, I looked forward to Thursday nights every single week. By spring I was dancing sometimes 6 days a week (including Ritmos classes and private lessons).
My first year of salsa was filled with a lot of self-criticism. Anytime I had an off night or a bad dance I'd beat myself up and not wanna dance anymore. May of last year I went my first salsa congress in Los Angeles; here I learned how much progress you can make not only by attending workshops but also by using your friends as resources to help you work out kinks in your dancing. This trip was definitely one of the first major turning points in my dancing.
Here I am, nearly a year later, having just spent my weekend attending my second congress. It has proven to be quite a reflective experience for me for many reasons.
Where to start?
1. Well I guess first of all, the fact that I WENT to the congress at all impresses me. I think this weekend has been one of my first indications of how I've changed since I've been here. For those that know me well, I'm quite a dependent person when it comes to going out. I can be a bit socially awkward so I like to have at least a buddy to go out with so I'm not sitting around awkwardly alone waiting for people. Even back home when I go dancing (And I KNOW I'll know everyone at the club), I still like to try and arrange for someone to come with me. With that in mind, HOW did I just go to a salsa congress completely by myself. I'm not gonna lie, I was a bit nervous Saturday morning. Going to a salsa class completely by yourself for the first time is a bit intimidating. However, somehow I managed to make it happen. I even chatted with some classmates (however speaking french while taking a salsa class in english/spanish is more difficult thank you think so most of the conversations were me responding simply with...ah oui....ah je sais...). Now that all is said and done, I freakin did it and I had an AMAZING time. It would have been nice to have someone to discuss the classes with or practice patterns with (which is part of what made LA so awesome), but I had such a great time I don't even mind.
2. Secondly, I was beginning to think my time in France had made me grow out of salsa. Sure, I've gone dancing a few times and sure, I've had GREAT nights going out dancing but it wasn't the same as home. In Tucson, salsa was always a priority. I would make plans AROUND salsa; didn't even consider making plans with anyone on a Thursday night. Here, however, salsa has taken a backseat. It just wasn't the same. I have 2 salsa buddies, and a few friends who were interested in salsa who joined me, but it still wasn't enough. The last few weeks particularly, I've just not felt as connected and I've had straight up bad dance nights. After this weekend, I feel a burst of salsa energy. All of the sudden I just want to DANCE. I am just so content with life and so in heaven. If my legs weren't dead I'd go out dancing again tonight.
3. Finally, I DON'T SUCK AT DANCING. In LA I had such a hard time with the classes, hell I've always had a hard time with classes. Here, I pretty much was at par with the rest of the class as far as picking up the shines and patterns. When did this happen?!?! Last night I went dancing at night and I danced SO much and got such a positive response from the guys I danced with. I was on SUCH a high.
When I get home I'm gonna take all the classes I can and really make an effort to make enough progress so that, by the time my two year mark comes around I can proudly tell people I've been dancing for two years.
This was definitely one of my best weekends in France. I am a salsaera. Salsa is a crucial part of my life and it will always be. BAILA!
Showing posts with label Salsa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Salsa. Show all posts
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
I suck at blogging
I have completely neglected my blog over the last month and a half. Gah.
Life has been a rollercoaster (as per usual). I usually am one to document every moment in detail of every trip and event. However, as of late, I've taken a different approach. I feel somewhat like John Mayer in the song 3x5. I'm just seeing everything and absorbing it.
Well let's see, some bullet points...maybe ill fill in the rest at another time
Work is just annoying. The kids are having major senioritis and they are getting worse at English. I seriously just can't be bothered to care any longer. Also my key doesn't seem to work to my classroom anymore and I went to the office and the lady basically told me to not worry about it. Uh I need to worry about it because I can't get into my room....
I am trying to finish the last month and a half of my stay in France (WHERE THE HELL HAS TIME GONE?!?!!) strong. I feel like I've put on weight, I think it's honestly like 5 lbs; but when I look in the mirror I feel more. Also the fact that I am constantly ill is driving me insane. I've been eating a lot more fruit and veg which has at least helped on the health front...dunno about the rest.
I've been letting my salsa go, which makes me sad. I'm going to a congress in three weeks and hopefully it's good times even though I'm going all alone.
The weather has improved SO much. It was 73 yesterday, and I took a nice head-clearing walk to the beach. I laid on the beach for an hour and it was AMAZING. I plan to spend as many days as possible there before I leave.
I'll try and update more in the next few weeks so that i don't have to just sum up everything in bullet points!!!
Life has been a rollercoaster (as per usual). I usually am one to document every moment in detail of every trip and event. However, as of late, I've taken a different approach. I feel somewhat like John Mayer in the song 3x5. I'm just seeing everything and absorbing it.
Well let's see, some bullet points...maybe ill fill in the rest at another time
- Paris!
- Christmas Eve on the Eiffel Tower
- Christmas Day wandering Paris with Pawn and Cody followed by duck and pasta for dinner.
- Day after Christmas in Disneyland Paris
- London!
- Mini Beatles Pilgrimage to Liverpool with Pawn and Matt
- Clubbin' in Liverpool
- 5 hour Megabus ride back to London at 6am.
- Spending a wonderful day exploring London with our pal Scotty
- Ringing in the New Year with amazing people at the London Eye
- Staying up until 8am to ring in the New Year across the world up until Los Angeles
- New Years Day hungover (duh) wandering London and ending up at the Tate Modern (in the top top 5 favorite museums in the world for sure)
- Back to Marseille with Pawn for a week where we hung out with my Marseille crew and visited the beautiful city of Cassis
- Visiting Lea, one of the French Exchange students from high school, in Angers
- Spending the weekend with her family in Le Mans
- Ice Skating for the first time!
- Lyon with Michele, Sophia, and Lola
- Delicious "French" meal (I got a cheeseburger and everyone else got duck)
- Waking up to it snowing just a bit
- Riding bikes around the city all day.
- Toulouse with Chris, Stephanie, Sarah, Michele, Paul, Rosanna, and Frang
- Clubbing at a gay club until 4am. Left deciding we needed three things: 1. More Booze, 2. Food, 3. a cab home since our hotel was a bit on the outskirts of the city
- When we realized we were in France our priorities slowly dwindled. First we scratched off booze and decided we just wanted food and a cab....then when there was legitimately no food in sight we decided to go straight home.
- Took legitimately an hour of standing in the freezing cold to flag a cab from the main square of town...even after having called the cab company
- Woke up to REAL SNOW!!!!!!!!!!! EVERYWHERE!
- Tram closed due to snow; had to walk about 30 minutes to the metro station to get into down...with all of our luggage.
- Snowball fight in the city center
- Meeting Victoria in Paris!!!
- Salsa dancing in Paris and definitely being two of the best dancers in the club
- Thanksgiving store filled with American goods
- Week in Marseille with Victoria!
- Sick the entire time (for about the 5th time since I've been in France)
- Discovered that my neighbor could be more obnoxious than she already was and 1. Got a new boyfriend....who is apparently living with her now, and 2. got a subwoofer which she insists on blasting rap music against my wall pretty much all day. I have dubbed her room the nightclub.
- London-Cyprus-London with Victoria.
- Meeting up with Swag again in London for a quick layover
- Cyprus being one of the most gorgeous places ever.
- Staying in a 4 star hotel on the freakin beach.
- Massages
- Amazing buffet breakfast
- Seeing the most attractive boy ever just hanging out on the beach; whom we dubbed Apollo.
- Back to London; spending the night in Greenwich with Victoria's friend Steve.
Work is just annoying. The kids are having major senioritis and they are getting worse at English. I seriously just can't be bothered to care any longer. Also my key doesn't seem to work to my classroom anymore and I went to the office and the lady basically told me to not worry about it. Uh I need to worry about it because I can't get into my room....
I am trying to finish the last month and a half of my stay in France (WHERE THE HELL HAS TIME GONE?!?!!) strong. I feel like I've put on weight, I think it's honestly like 5 lbs; but when I look in the mirror I feel more. Also the fact that I am constantly ill is driving me insane. I've been eating a lot more fruit and veg which has at least helped on the health front...dunno about the rest.
I've been letting my salsa go, which makes me sad. I'm going to a congress in three weeks and hopefully it's good times even though I'm going all alone.
The weather has improved SO much. It was 73 yesterday, and I took a nice head-clearing walk to the beach. I laid on the beach for an hour and it was AMAZING. I plan to spend as many days as possible there before I leave.
I'll try and update more in the next few weeks so that i don't have to just sum up everything in bullet points!!!
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Reboot.
So, when I initially was planning my trip to France, I had no intention of coming back to the states until April/May. However, if my lovely friends and readers remember, my first days were, to put it nicely, rough. So, in conjunction and support of my parents, I decided I'd come home for some time over the Christmas break.
Everyone keeps asking me, why only a week? Well, I needed to come home for a bit for a mix of reasons, however I already had plans for Christmas that I was looking forward to.
I didn't tell people I was coming home for awhile because it was a really personal thing and, along with having some obligations to take care of, I also wasn't sure how I needed/wanted to spend my time at home.
I've been in Tucson since Tuesday, and I can now fully understand the extent of "there's no place like home". Instantly my plane landed (after a long and draining 33 hours of travel), and I felt like I was picking up where I left off. Everything in my room is how I left it, my cat, my dog, my family...all the same. I've spent the week catching up with people and spending as much time as possible with my family (and also enjoying delicious Mexican food).
I have been greeted with such warm welcomings that it may be even harder to leave this time than the first. I have such amazingly wonderful people in my life and I only wish I had decided to stay here longer so I could enjoy more time with everyone.
I love my friends and family so much. I could not be more blessed with loving and warm people in my life. I've come to realize half of the reason I love salsa so much is the awesome people. This week, I could care less about if I had bad dance nights or not, I had a blast just dancing with and being in the company of my amazing friends.
Seeing my non-salsa friends and being able to catch up as though I'd only been away for a week is so comforting and takes away so many fears that I had that I'd be forgotten.
I think the feeling of comfort and the fact that I resettled in without a hiccup comes from this weird feeling of separateness of my life in Marseille and life in Tucson. They are so completely separate that it almost feels like I dreamed my life there. I think this half of it will be different and I'll start creating links between the two since people will be visiting me in the coming months.
This trip home has made me sort of refocus. Being away from Marseille helps me put my life there in some sort of perspective. I wish I could lie and tell people I love the city, but as most people have heard, I dislike it greatly. The best thing about it is the awesome people I have met.
So, I need to remember why I wanted to come to France so much and things that I need to work on.
I need to start speaking more French, that is a fact. I think I'm going to force all of my fellow anglophones to speak French when we are together...COME ON GUYS!
I also need to meet more french people, I legitimately have more French friends in Tucson, Arizona, USA than I do in Marseille, France. This is NOT acceptable, it feels like I'd be improving my French more in Tucson at this point.
I will be traveling more in the Spring regardless if I am alone or have people, if you don't like the city you are in and can't move, then get out as much as possible. I already am planning a trip with Torie for Februray and I think I am visiting a friend in Angers the last week of January so I already have stuff to look forward to.
Eat more French food! Everyone keeps asking me what great foods I've been eating, and I respond with pasta and eggs, not ok. I am going to budget in eating some local cuisine more often or at least trying to cook more "french" food.
Here's to part two of une vie française.
Everyone keeps asking me, why only a week? Well, I needed to come home for a bit for a mix of reasons, however I already had plans for Christmas that I was looking forward to.
I didn't tell people I was coming home for awhile because it was a really personal thing and, along with having some obligations to take care of, I also wasn't sure how I needed/wanted to spend my time at home.
I've been in Tucson since Tuesday, and I can now fully understand the extent of "there's no place like home". Instantly my plane landed (after a long and draining 33 hours of travel), and I felt like I was picking up where I left off. Everything in my room is how I left it, my cat, my dog, my family...all the same. I've spent the week catching up with people and spending as much time as possible with my family (and also enjoying delicious Mexican food).
I have been greeted with such warm welcomings that it may be even harder to leave this time than the first. I have such amazingly wonderful people in my life and I only wish I had decided to stay here longer so I could enjoy more time with everyone.
I love my friends and family so much. I could not be more blessed with loving and warm people in my life. I've come to realize half of the reason I love salsa so much is the awesome people. This week, I could care less about if I had bad dance nights or not, I had a blast just dancing with and being in the company of my amazing friends.
Seeing my non-salsa friends and being able to catch up as though I'd only been away for a week is so comforting and takes away so many fears that I had that I'd be forgotten.
I think the feeling of comfort and the fact that I resettled in without a hiccup comes from this weird feeling of separateness of my life in Marseille and life in Tucson. They are so completely separate that it almost feels like I dreamed my life there. I think this half of it will be different and I'll start creating links between the two since people will be visiting me in the coming months.
This trip home has made me sort of refocus. Being away from Marseille helps me put my life there in some sort of perspective. I wish I could lie and tell people I love the city, but as most people have heard, I dislike it greatly. The best thing about it is the awesome people I have met.
So, I need to remember why I wanted to come to France so much and things that I need to work on.
I need to start speaking more French, that is a fact. I think I'm going to force all of my fellow anglophones to speak French when we are together...COME ON GUYS!
I also need to meet more french people, I legitimately have more French friends in Tucson, Arizona, USA than I do in Marseille, France. This is NOT acceptable, it feels like I'd be improving my French more in Tucson at this point.
I will be traveling more in the Spring regardless if I am alone or have people, if you don't like the city you are in and can't move, then get out as much as possible. I already am planning a trip with Torie for Februray and I think I am visiting a friend in Angers the last week of January so I already have stuff to look forward to.
Eat more French food! Everyone keeps asking me what great foods I've been eating, and I respond with pasta and eggs, not ok. I am going to budget in eating some local cuisine more often or at least trying to cook more "french" food.
Here's to part two of une vie française.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Honeymoon Phase
This weekend has been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster for me. Ever since my last entry I got a burst of homesickness and I was so depressed and negative.
Friday night we went to see a friend of one assistant's roommate play a show. It was really good actually, he played a lot of covers and some originals. However, all the songs were basically about being ridiculously happy and in love, mixed in with a song about being homesick. THANKS. I left feeling pretty depressed and lonely.
We hung out with some other assistants by the port (Friday tradition). Then when I came home, as I was climbing up my stairs to bed I took fell off the third or fourth step HARD and hurt my right arm, right leg a bit, and I have completely messed up my left knee which has been causing me problems for the last 6 months.
This incident, in general, sucks when you live in a town where you basically have to walk everywhere. Now let's couple that with the fact that I am a salsa dancing addict and this is not good whatsoever.
Saturday I was super depressed because I felt like crap and was in serious pain and all I wanted was my mom to come take care of me. I also received a few letters from home on Saturday. I felt like I was on survivor or big brother and I just won a contest and got to hear from home. I started bawling when I read the letters and I don't even know why because I have been able to text, skype, or call my mom everyday since I've been here so it's not like I've been out of contact!
So Saturday night there was a salsa party that one of my friends invited me to. I was considering texting him and telling him I couldn't go because of my injury but I decided I needed to go. I went over to his place for dinner where I watched him and his friend transform from vampire to pirate. The pirate friend was practically having a breakdown because his costume wasn't scary enough when I tried to explain that in the US your costume doesn't have to be scary, but he didn't get it.
I spoke so much french and was able to, for the second time this week, hold a complete conversation in french. It feels pretty good, and as we left for salsa I was already starting to cheer up.
I didn't dance very much because of my knee. I danced with the group that I came with which, honestly was fine. I had some great dances, and when I wasn't dancing I was watching other good dancers to try and get tips (it helped and it helped me appreciate cuban style salsa a lot more). I had a blast and I am really hoping that my leg heals quickly so I am able to go out by Tuesday or Thursday. It seriously cheered me up so much.
This morning I woke up to realize that daylight savings time had ended. For the first time in my life I have gotten to experience changing my clocks/having my clocks change and let me say I was completely tripped out this morning. I wasn't exactly sure what time it was and how much sleep I really got, but I am excited either way
I talked to another assistant who lives in my flat and we decided to meet up for some coffee and some exploring. It was nice to debrief on our evenings and just relax. After we had our coffee we decided to wander around the port a bit. There's a weekly market there on Sundays and I saw so many things that I want to buy for family back home and I am SO excited about it.
We stumbled upon Cathédrale Sainte-Marie-Majeure de Marseille. A byzantine cathedral tucked away into the 2eme arrondissemnt just off the port. The cathedral honestly wasn't anything that special, however that being said it was still one of the most gorgeous things I've seen in Marseille and it reminded me why I wanted to come to France. I am not catholic at all, however, being in the church I had a truly spiritual moment. I just felt completely at peace, it was so quiet and pleasant, it's crazy to think we were less than 10 minutes from the bustling city center and yet so far removed. I definitely plan on going back there when I'm feeling down.
Friday night we went to see a friend of one assistant's roommate play a show. It was really good actually, he played a lot of covers and some originals. However, all the songs were basically about being ridiculously happy and in love, mixed in with a song about being homesick. THANKS. I left feeling pretty depressed and lonely.
We hung out with some other assistants by the port (Friday tradition). Then when I came home, as I was climbing up my stairs to bed I took fell off the third or fourth step HARD and hurt my right arm, right leg a bit, and I have completely messed up my left knee which has been causing me problems for the last 6 months.
This incident, in general, sucks when you live in a town where you basically have to walk everywhere. Now let's couple that with the fact that I am a salsa dancing addict and this is not good whatsoever.
Saturday I was super depressed because I felt like crap and was in serious pain and all I wanted was my mom to come take care of me. I also received a few letters from home on Saturday. I felt like I was on survivor or big brother and I just won a contest and got to hear from home. I started bawling when I read the letters and I don't even know why because I have been able to text, skype, or call my mom everyday since I've been here so it's not like I've been out of contact!
So Saturday night there was a salsa party that one of my friends invited me to. I was considering texting him and telling him I couldn't go because of my injury but I decided I needed to go. I went over to his place for dinner where I watched him and his friend transform from vampire to pirate. The pirate friend was practically having a breakdown because his costume wasn't scary enough when I tried to explain that in the US your costume doesn't have to be scary, but he didn't get it.
I spoke so much french and was able to, for the second time this week, hold a complete conversation in french. It feels pretty good, and as we left for salsa I was already starting to cheer up.
I didn't dance very much because of my knee. I danced with the group that I came with which, honestly was fine. I had some great dances, and when I wasn't dancing I was watching other good dancers to try and get tips (it helped and it helped me appreciate cuban style salsa a lot more). I had a blast and I am really hoping that my leg heals quickly so I am able to go out by Tuesday or Thursday. It seriously cheered me up so much.
This morning I woke up to realize that daylight savings time had ended. For the first time in my life I have gotten to experience changing my clocks/having my clocks change and let me say I was completely tripped out this morning. I wasn't exactly sure what time it was and how much sleep I really got, but I am excited either way
I talked to another assistant who lives in my flat and we decided to meet up for some coffee and some exploring. It was nice to debrief on our evenings and just relax. After we had our coffee we decided to wander around the port a bit. There's a weekly market there on Sundays and I saw so many things that I want to buy for family back home and I am SO excited about it.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Every week gets a bit easier
So I'm doing better. This week was a lot better than previous weeks. I realized I have to get out of the house early or I get super bummed out quick. Refreshing facebook for hours at a time when everyone back home is asleep and everyone in France is busy is NOT productive.
I've been to Ikea 3 times this week...and I can't say that I am against that.
I need to sleep more, I am not a morning person and I need to start going to bed at a reasonable enough hour that I'm not so groggy. Teaching and being mentally out of it is NOT a good combination.
I had a TERRIBLE class on Wednesday. The kids just STARED at me and didn't understand anything I said nor did they want to. I started with working on the document their teacher gave them....which they did not respond to so I was like OOOK how about...we do halloween?....*me going on my halloween lesson schpeel*...silence...stereotypes? music? movies? speak to me in french and i will translate...SOMETHING! UGH. Horrible.
My favorite class is the 21-24 year old boys. They were the most responsive and excited to be there. Granted all they do is sit there and make flirtatious comments to me....BUT at least they speak english and are attentive to me so I don't feel like I'm just wasting time. The door broke while we were in class and we got locked in and they freaked out. It was hilarious and chaotic.
Today was cool because I got to watch this arabic band play for an English class. It was really amazing and I'm glad I was there for it!
I also went to a tango lesson tonight, that was of course completely in French...and I understood most of what was going on...HOLLA. Some of the guys tried to explain things to me but I had NO idea what they were saying. One guy was super annoying because he was getting mad I was having trouble with following everything. UM ok buddy, this is my third time doing tango, the first two were crappy lessons...and this lesson is in a langauge i don't get...I'm gonna say I did pretty damn well so GET OVER IT.
Afterward I checked out some Puerto Rican salsa. I went with a fellow assistant who also went to tango and he is a ballroom dancer so he was a great lead and I kind of danced with him most, which I don't mind because...like I said he was a good lead so I had good dances. I danced with this REALLY good dancer and had such a hard time following, but it wasn't the worst dance I've ever had. Then I danced with a few beginners, which I didn't mind. I feel pretty good about dancing. Puerto Rican is definitely my style. I am NOT a cuban dancer, rueda is one thing but I need musicality and breaks and style.
All in all I think the culture shock is beginning to wear off, and I'm able to accept the fact that I'm here to stay a bit better. I found an awesome open air market and got great veggies for cheap so THAT was added to my list of "things you dont find in Tucson".
However it was very cold today and I'm not sure I'm goign to handle this winter well at all...
My blog needs more pictures because I know reading and reading is BORING. So I will try and include at least one in every post from here on out (and I updated some old ones with appropriate images)
I leave you today with an image from our mall shopping adventure....
I've been to Ikea 3 times this week...and I can't say that I am against that.
I need to sleep more, I am not a morning person and I need to start going to bed at a reasonable enough hour that I'm not so groggy. Teaching and being mentally out of it is NOT a good combination.
I had a TERRIBLE class on Wednesday. The kids just STARED at me and didn't understand anything I said nor did they want to. I started with working on the document their teacher gave them....which they did not respond to so I was like OOOK how about...we do halloween?....*me going on my halloween lesson schpeel*...silence...stereotypes? music? movies? speak to me in french and i will translate...SOMETHING! UGH. Horrible.
My favorite class is the 21-24 year old boys. They were the most responsive and excited to be there. Granted all they do is sit there and make flirtatious comments to me....BUT at least they speak english and are attentive to me so I don't feel like I'm just wasting time. The door broke while we were in class and we got locked in and they freaked out. It was hilarious and chaotic.
Today was cool because I got to watch this arabic band play for an English class. It was really amazing and I'm glad I was there for it!
I also went to a tango lesson tonight, that was of course completely in French...and I understood most of what was going on...HOLLA. Some of the guys tried to explain things to me but I had NO idea what they were saying. One guy was super annoying because he was getting mad I was having trouble with following everything. UM ok buddy, this is my third time doing tango, the first two were crappy lessons...and this lesson is in a langauge i don't get...I'm gonna say I did pretty damn well so GET OVER IT.
Afterward I checked out some Puerto Rican salsa. I went with a fellow assistant who also went to tango and he is a ballroom dancer so he was a great lead and I kind of danced with him most, which I don't mind because...like I said he was a good lead so I had good dances. I danced with this REALLY good dancer and had such a hard time following, but it wasn't the worst dance I've ever had. Then I danced with a few beginners, which I didn't mind. I feel pretty good about dancing. Puerto Rican is definitely my style. I am NOT a cuban dancer, rueda is one thing but I need musicality and breaks and style.
All in all I think the culture shock is beginning to wear off, and I'm able to accept the fact that I'm here to stay a bit better. I found an awesome open air market and got great veggies for cheap so THAT was added to my list of "things you dont find in Tucson".
However it was very cold today and I'm not sure I'm goign to handle this winter well at all...
My blog needs more pictures because I know reading and reading is BORING. So I will try and include at least one in every post from here on out (and I updated some old ones with appropriate images)
I leave you today with an image from our mall shopping adventure....
Sunday, October 16, 2011
I don't wanna grow up...
My google searches this week consist of:
Saturday, I woke up early to go meet with some other assistants to watch the Rugby match between Wales and France. France won so next week will be more watching at 10 am! Hell yes. Afterward, we went to Ikea. I thought it would help me feel less homesick but it just made me miss my mom and Beth because I usually go with my mom, and I also was reminding of this trip that Beth, my mom, and myself took up there a few years ago.
I did, however, get an awesome set of drawers, which is great because I now feel like all my stuff isn't just cluttered in a closet!! ALSO I assembled it...all by myself. I had to buy a 7euro hammer (WTF?!?!) that I will probably never use again.
I'm working on lesson plans right now, hopefully my first week of teaching goes smoothly! Wish me luck!!
On a non-grown up level. I went salsa dancing on Thursday! It was SO different from what I'm used to. It was a cuban salsa night, so I was comfortable (for the most part) with many of the moves because of Rueda but it was weird doing those moves couples style. I danced with some really good dancers and they were terrible, but I was ok with it because I know it's because I'm not used to the style. I also had some REALLY good dances so that helped too. I'm going to try a Puerto Rican night and see how that feels.
- Recipes with xyz ingredients
- How to plan a budget
- How to handwash clothes
- Assembling a set of drawers from Ikea
- Mopping an apartment
- Writing lesson plans
Saturday, I woke up early to go meet with some other assistants to watch the Rugby match between Wales and France. France won so next week will be more watching at 10 am! Hell yes. Afterward, we went to Ikea. I thought it would help me feel less homesick but it just made me miss my mom and Beth because I usually go with my mom, and I also was reminding of this trip that Beth, my mom, and myself took up there a few years ago.
I did, however, get an awesome set of drawers, which is great because I now feel like all my stuff isn't just cluttered in a closet!! ALSO I assembled it...all by myself. I had to buy a 7euro hammer (WTF?!?!) that I will probably never use again.
On a non-grown up level. I went salsa dancing on Thursday! It was SO different from what I'm used to. It was a cuban salsa night, so I was comfortable (for the most part) with many of the moves because of Rueda but it was weird doing those moves couples style. I danced with some really good dancers and they were terrible, but I was ok with it because I know it's because I'm not used to the style. I also had some REALLY good dances so that helped too. I'm going to try a Puerto Rican night and see how that feels.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Updating.
So I received my Arrêté de Nomination (my work contract for France) about a week ago. I found out I'm going to be in the 13th arrondissement of Marseille teaching at the high school level.
I have less than 100 days (97 to be exact) until I depart, and it still hasn't quite hit me. I'm going to Los Angeles on July 11 to get my Visa, I'm not sure if it will hit me then either. It may not be real until I start the goodbye process.
I was actually thinking about it the other day and I had a "what the hell did I get myself into" moment. Seriously, am I crazy? I am the most codependent person I know, and here I am...flying over 5000 miles away from everyone I know and love...all by myself....am I out of my mind?
I've been sick the last three days, and I've had my mommy by my side to pity and pamper me. What am I gonna do if I get sick in France? Who's going to take care of me?
I guess this is growing up. I guess this is taking growing up full force and not looking back.
I know that, whatever comes of this, no matter how homesick I get, this will be a great experience for me, I need this.
A friend of mine told me that it is important to set a travel goal, which I think I already had subconsciously without putting a name to it. My travel goal for the 7 months that I am teaching in France, is to go out salsa dancing in every country/city I visit, and also to visit one important museum in the area. As long as I keep this in mind, it will push me to meet new people, get out of my comfort zone, and to at least accomplish SOMETHING while I am over there.
That's enough rambling for the day! A bientot!
I have less than 100 days (97 to be exact) until I depart, and it still hasn't quite hit me. I'm going to Los Angeles on July 11 to get my Visa, I'm not sure if it will hit me then either. It may not be real until I start the goodbye process.
I was actually thinking about it the other day and I had a "what the hell did I get myself into" moment. Seriously, am I crazy? I am the most codependent person I know, and here I am...flying over 5000 miles away from everyone I know and love...all by myself....am I out of my mind?
I've been sick the last three days, and I've had my mommy by my side to pity and pamper me. What am I gonna do if I get sick in France? Who's going to take care of me?
I guess this is growing up. I guess this is taking growing up full force and not looking back.
I know that, whatever comes of this, no matter how homesick I get, this will be a great experience for me, I need this.
A friend of mine told me that it is important to set a travel goal, which I think I already had subconsciously without putting a name to it. My travel goal for the 7 months that I am teaching in France, is to go out salsa dancing in every country/city I visit, and also to visit one important museum in the area. As long as I keep this in mind, it will push me to meet new people, get out of my comfort zone, and to at least accomplish SOMETHING while I am over there.
That's enough rambling for the day! A bientot!
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