Introductions.

SO. Where to begin? Well first let me start by saying that I am making this blog to document my journey to France and I decided that it would be a good idea to document the whole journey - beginning from when I first conceived this genius idea of moving to a foreign country for a year.

For FAQ, click below.
Frequently Asked Questions:

Why France? Why now? And WHY an entire year???
A) France. France because 1. I love France. I went after high school and absolutely loved it. 2. I just finished taking two years of French at college and as much as I would love to go to a Spanish-speaking country, I would rather go perfect my French before I forget it 2 weeks after graduation.
B) Does it have to be now? Yes. I transferred as a junior and never got the chance to study abroad in a cool country unlike most of my collegiate peers. Once I graduate, I will be in this blissfully awkward limbo between college and grad school/getting a real job aka reality. It is quite possibly the last time in my life that I can be this spontaneous and leave for a foreign country without having to worry too much about the consequences. In the famous words of Pete (Paul Rudd) from one of my favorite films Knocked Up: "Isn't it weird though, when you have a kid and all your dreams and hopes go right out the window? ...Say before you're married with children you want to live in India for a year. You can do it." YOU WANT TO GO TO INDIA? GO TO INDIA! SERIOUSLY. Well alright then, I will.
C) A WHOLE YEAR?? Yes. Fin.

But what will you do there???
I will be working as an au pair! My roommate Mallory will be in Lyon teaching English through the French embassy and my friend Léa will be doing the same in Orleans. Since I missed the deadline to apply to that program but still really wanted to go abroad, Léa suggested becoming an au pair and gave me the link to a handy website for finding families. I half-hazardly registered under a free profile, too cheap to pay for something fancy, and waited with little hope that something would actually pull through. Yet less than a week later, an amazing little family contacted me saying they were interested in my profile!! and a good thing they were. Enter Bon family (yes, that is French for "good") - an adorable French couple and their 14 month old daughter living in the south of France in a tiny town in between Marseille and St. Tropez. Mediterranean Ocean views, anyone?
Fast-foward to 15 e-mails and a web-cam interview later and if everything goes as planned I'll be set to leave in September!

:]