Little Town, It's a Quiet Village...

Well, I'm here in Passy. It was about an 18 hour journey of trains, planes, and automobiles. The flight on Sunday was a little rough due to the shenanigans of the night before, but thanks to Scandanavian Airline's personal entertainment console, I spent the day like any other hungover Sunday -watching a cheesy romance movie, a rerun of Glee, and playing Tetris. After a stop in Stockholm, I headed to Geneva. Then I took a train to Geneva's central train station, at which point I hopped on the #16 tram to a more obscure train station, where I then boarded a train to Passy! Once I was there, Olivier (my boss), along with 2 other English teachers, picked me up. It was 4PM on Monday by this time.

I waited at the school for a while since the "intendent" (person in charge of housing) wasn't in his office. After an hour or so, I was shown my room - a bed, a desk, a wrdrobe, a sink, and a window. There are a few students on my floor plus two professors.

That night, I went to the next town by car with Raph, another English teacher. He helped me get a SIM card for my phone, and I found an outlet converter. I got some food too. We stopped at his house for a drink. He is married to another English teacher at the school, they have three kids, and they live across from a horse farm. He invited me to stay for dinner, but I was in desperate need to sleep at this point, I declined and he brought me back to the school. On the way back, it was turning from dusk to night and lights from the houses dotted the mountainside - it was a really remarkable sight!

The next day, Miriam (another English teacher), went to the grocery store with me, where I scored some yummy wine for 4€. I drank it with another professor who lives in my dorm. He was telling about the regional cheeses but we segued rapidly into religion and then movies. He seemed very disappointed that I did not like Hitchcock and I recommended that he check out Wes Anderson.

Today I taught two classes, an advanced course of 7 students in which I spoke only English and a lower level, larger class which was more difficult. I played them some music - Can't Take My Eyes Off of You by Lauren Hill. Then I walked around the town for a couple hours and took pictures.

My pictures aren't loading right now, but I'll get on it ASAP and hopefully I can show you the town soon!

Sweet Home Chicago

Well, I'm under the week mark for when I'm leaving the U.S. While reflecting on my time spent in Chicago, as well as on the title of this blog, I realized that the reason I originally came to Chicago was for education - at Loyola University Chicago. And Chicago felt foreign to me at the time. A native of the east coast, I didn't understand why people in the midwest were so friendly. It seemed ingenuine, and sometimes suspicious. Over the last six years, I've learned to adjust and even appreciate the upbeat midwestern attitude. I've especially learned to love the city I live in, so I've decided to do a tribute to the city...

The Top 5 Things I'll Miss About Chicago.

5. American Sports

I'm no sports buff, but I enjoy a hot dog and some beers at Wrigley Field like any true North-sider. I also have a recently-developed appreciation for American football. Large men in lots of padding knocking each other around sounds really stupid, but I don't know what I'll do with my Monday nights without that ridiculous Fox football robot.

4. Nightlife

Chicago really loves to drink. There are probably more bars in Chicago than there are grocery stores. Probably not something to brag about, but it does make for some long, fun-filled nights. From the historic jazz club (and Al Capone's old haunt) The Green Mill to always-intoxiated Wrigleyville to dancing at downtown clubs, Chicago has a diverse and lively nightlife that will fit anyone's personality. I had so many pictures to choose from here, but this won one because I love group dancing. And I have a feeling that's not going to happen in France.

3. Free stuff

Like any city, Chicago is expensive. BUT, Chicago has a ton of free stuff - you don't even have to look that hard. There are tons of festivals, especially in the summer. All the parks there have contributed to earning Chicago the nickname of the "Green City" (even though they don't have recycling pick-up in most wards - that gripe would go on a different list). Millenium Park in particular is a great place to check out free music and dance performances. You can pack a picnic and lounge on the enormous lawn, equipped with speakers seemingly hanging from the sky. Sound cool? It is. If you live in Chicago and haven't done this, shame on you.



2. Restauraunts/Food

Much like the nightlife, Chicago's food options are diverse. There are Chicago favorites like Chicago dogs and deep dish pizza (pictured here), family-owned BYOB places like Andalous Moroccan (one of my personal favorites), and truly world class dining (TRU, Alinea, Custom House, lots of steakhouses...). You can eat Thai, Indian, Ehtiopian, Italian, French, Mexican, Argentinian, Brazilian, Turkish, Lebonese, Vietnamese, and even American food. You probably don't even have to go more than 5 miles to get to any of these.

1. Lake Michigan

Swimming in it, sailing on it, flirting with skin cancer while lying beside it: Anyway you slice it, I love Lake Michigan. Yeah, Chicago is great for all of the reasons I listed above, but then put all that next to over 13 miles of beach front? It doesn't get much better. While writing this, I'm having a hard time figuring out why I decided to leave. It's something most take for granted, but Chicago beaches are public and free. Also, there are no jellyfish or sharks. I love you, Atlantic Ocean, but I'm just sayin'.

Wrapping up summer

Ten days ago, I finished the Chicago Olympic Triathlon in just under 4 hours, and completed a goal that I've been working towards all summer. Finishing the race also serves as signifying the end of summer. Now that the daunting task of completing a 1.5km swim, 40km bike ride, and 10km run is behind me, my mind and body is freed up to think about what's next.

So, what is next?

On September 26, I am flying from Chicago to Geneva and then taking a train to a small town called Saint Gervais-les-Bains, which is right next to an even smaller town called Passy, which will be my home from October to May. I’ll be teaching English at a “lycée professionnel” there. A lycée professionnel is loosely the equivalent of a vocational school in the U.S. Most of the kids I teach won’t be going to a university (I refrain from using the word college because “college” in French means “middle school”). I will teach 12 hours a week, on a schedule yet to be determined. Two hours a day, six days a week? Four hours on three days? I don’t know.

I don’t know exactly what the housing situation is yet, although I do know the school has offered me a private room amongst the other boarding rooms the students stay in. This includes a community kitchen and bathroom(s). I have a suspicion I’ll have a low threshold for living in this environment for long (Sharing a bathroom with teenage girls? I’ll politely decline), so I am already exploring my options to live in a rented room in the area, even if it means a small commute.

I don’t know how I’m going to pack everything I want to bring, and where I’m going to put everything I want to keep but not bring (the storage locker I am renting in Chicago is practically full already).

What I do know is that I’m encouraged to bring teaching materials with me. And I’m really excited about that. I’m really excited to push the kids to learn the English language, and to share some great English literature. I'm planning to select some easy-to-read passages from a variety of English-speaking authors – Maya Angelou, JD Salinger, Kurt Vonnegut, Jamaica Kincade, and Annie Dillard. Yes, I know it's a little ambitious, but setting high expectations for myself and others is nothing new for me. I want them to understand some parts of American history and culture that may get overlooked in texts.

Anyway, all that will come later. For now, my stomach is doing somersaults while I figure out the logistics of moving to another country. Ideas and suggestions are always welcome!