The stuff of life.

Ok, I will admit that I took this title from another blog...but I think it is appropriate title for this entry. The thought hit me as I was walking down to Lyttelton in order to go to the library to print out my TGV train ticket and photocopy my visa that earthquakes have become the stuff of life for me in Christchurch. I barely flinched as I felt the concrete shift beneath my feet, infact the thought crossed my mind that I finally knew what it felt like to experience an aftershock while walking.

The fact that earthquakes have become the stuff of life was reconfirmed once I got to the library and found the information professionals (no they are not librarians) and library patrons all in a discussion over the aftershock and looking at geonet to see the size of the latest one. So having established that earthquakes for me have become the stuff of life in Christchurch the question for me remains....when will earthquakes stop feeling like the stuff of life.

Also in terms of stuff... my packing has barely started, all it consists of at the moment is of me having put glassons/ farmers/ warehouse bags fill of stuff I have brought into my suitcase. I guess I should get onto actually starting to pack properly...although that would make everything seem more real and since there are still moments were the thought of leaving fills me with terror I might put it off a bit longer....

What I have done and what I have yet to do.

So seeing as I am now counting down the weeks (less than a month!) it might be a good ides to write a list of what I have done and what I have yet to do:


Things I have done

• I have got my visa( recieved in the mail today- valid for 9 months!)
• Got enough medication to last me my trip
• My plane tickets
• Contacted the schools
• Contacted the conseillère pédagogique
• My accomodation
• Started packing
• My TGV tickets for going to Aix

Things I have yet to do:

• Go to the dentist (dreading this with a passion)
• Print out my TGV ticket
• Finish packing
• Sort out which books I am bringing to France
• Change my money into Euros
• Create more lesson plans
• Brush up on my New Zealand facts

The next few weeks are going to be hectic and a bit stressful I think but I feel that I am definatly on my way. Having the visa, plane tickets, train tickets and accomodation sorted out is a weight off my mind.

the visa appointment and a weekend away.

Last Friday I went to Wellington in order to get my visa done at the french embassey,I killed two birds with one stone by also making it into a trip to see my amazing Wellington friends. First observation. The building that the french embassey is in is very fancy on the outside but I was suprised that the office itself consisted only of one room. The visa appointment basically consisted of me handing over the documentation I had brought and then we talked about me becoming a french citizen and she gave me these forms to fill out, I don't know if I will have time to do that before I go to France which will mean I will not be able to get french citizenship as you have to apply for it from your own country.

The rest of the weekend consisted of going to strawberry fare!!!!!!!!! and walking around Wellington. Today I went to the doctor to get my prescription meds. I have been given enough to last me the whole trip aswell as a letter from my doctor for customs....just in case anyone thinks they are illegal lol.

I saw Emma today which was great and she gave me some amazing tips of what to do with the kids:) making me a little bit less nervous about the whole teaching aspect of this experience....I can't believe that in less than a month I will be on a plane to France

Flights, Accomodation and the Visa

I have just payed for my flights to France. For anyone who is interested I leave on the 23rd of September at 6am (which means I will be at the airport at 4am!!!!). Having dealt with the tickets is a huge weight off my mind. I have also got accomodation sorted. I am going to be bording with a women in Digne, I will have a tv in my room, wifi internet and use of the bathroom/ toilet/cooking facilities so that is a load off my mind as I was worried that with a town as small as Digne it migt be a bit harder to find accomodation.

I fly to Wellington next Thursday for my visa appointment which is on the Friday and will spend the weekend there. Yesterday I went to the Alliance Francaise to observe some French classes to see how they teach language it was a good leaning experience in terms of seeing how to teach a language.

With the tickets and visa booked there is really no going back now....in little more than a month I will be on a plane to France!!!!!

Digne and other matters

Knowing that I am to be placed in Digne I thought it only appropriate that I provide a picture of the town I will be living in.



Travel nerves are settling in already as last night I had a dream that my passport expired in three months and that I had to get a new one....I can only imagine what I am going to be like when I actually leave .Today I am going to get a translation of my birth certificate in french certified, as I need it in France. The amount of documents needed is actually quite a lot and I am glad i was warned beforehand and that I have people like my mum who are helping me.

I have been communicating with Hannah (the previous primary assistant in Digne) which has been great as she has given me a lot of great advice on teaching and the town.

I think the fact that I have not got my plane ticket (a task for this weekend) and my visa is kind of freaking me out a bit. I think everything will become a bit more real when that is all sorted out.