Just in time

Yesterday in Vancouver was a success. I qualified for my French visa! We had quite a scare because we were waiting for two very important documents to arrive from France, that without them I would not be leaving for France on the 30th of August. But thankfully, they arrived Monday afternoon, just in time.

My mum and I spent 13 hours in Vancouver, and flew out the same day we flew in. Until after my appointment, I was a nervous wreck.

I was scared we were going to be late, and my mum can attest to that. I checked the time every five minutes it seemed like.

Also scared that I didn't have the necessary documents and would have to make another trip to Vancouver.

That I would get a cranky old lady, who is a stickler for everything. 

That I would lose something.

That we would get lost as we wandered around town.

And just plain scared that it wouldn't work out.

Now looking back, I don't see why I was so scared. It was easy peasy. First of all, we weren't late, (they actually told us to come back closer to my appointment). But I had reason to be scared of being late. While I was there waiting for my turn, this family of three came in, in a panic. Their appointment was at 10:15, but it was 11. The consulate wouldn't see them because they were late, and they had to make another appointment. I know for a fact that the next available appointment isn't until August 26th.

I met another girl who is going to France to be an au pair as well, and we got talking, she is from southern Alberta as well, in Lethbridge, Katherine Wagner. That name seems oddly familiar... We exchanged emails, so now we can be travel buddies.

For my appointment, I barely even talked to the person, I just handed them my documents and waited as they looked them over. And then she said the words that took a huge weight off my shoulders, "Everything seems to be in order Ma'am", with those words I could breathe again.

Meet the Marellos!

57 days... but who's really counting? Right now, we are just waiting on getting my visa, quite boring, and a lot more paperwork. And in this moment of blogging drought,  I thought I would tell you a little bit about the family.

The Marellos are an Italian family who moved to France and love it. They have two little girls, ages 8 and 10, who play the piano, do gymnastics and judo. The parents speak Italian, French, and thankfully English, that will be very helpful in the transition period. Whereas the girls only speak French and Italian and go to an Italian immersion school, so I will be conversing with them in French, wish me luck! And they don't know any English... All well that's the way to become fluent, right?

Where in the world.

St Germain en Laye (point A) just west of Paris 20 km. Versailles lies South of point A, and holds the closest meeting house. It takes 50 minutes by train but lucky for me, I get Sundays and Saturdays off.

This is the street I will be living on. The house is the first one on the left behind the tree. Everything is practically with in walking distance. Even better news, I've already made friends with another au pair just down the road from this family that arrives around the same day I do.

87 days

People are always asking me what are my plans after high school? Am I playing rugby? Going to school? Then I tell them what I am doing and there are two main reactions. Jealous or "are you crazy?". Usually the parents asking my parents if they are crazy letting me do this.
I understand the parents view on this, I mean letting your daughter go over to France for ten months...

...definitely insane.

Here's the plan. I went through an agency and website called
www.interchange.com and signed up to become an au pair for a family. They found me a host family (more on that later) and I arrive in France August 30th. 87 days.

A new beginning

Our graduation theme this year was "every ending is a new beginning". Even though the graduation was fun, I'm ready to turn the page and start a new chapter in my life and this blog is my aid in writing my story. So follow along as I embark on a new leg of the race.