Monday, April 25, 2011

...et il commence!

So, now that I'm am officially a part of the TAPIF program, this means that I am officially about to deal with the "pain-in-the-assness" that is French bureaucracy!  Today I mailed in the CERFA, which is the form that needs to be filled out so that I can a.) get my work contract and b.) get my visa.  I've already heard horror stories from many about how annoying the paperwork process is, so I have psyched myself to be prepared  for the absolute worst and the utmost annoyance.  But who knows, maybe I'll get lucky and the process will go smoother than expected (but again thats a BIG maybe!).  My only wish is that I get my contract ASAP so that I can quickly move onto another more annoying part of the process!



As excited as I've been about this journey I am about to embark upon, I can't help but feel a sense of fear.  I've only ever been on a plane without my family once but I have never dome anything close to this program before.  Whether I liked it or not, I've always been a sorta home-body, my life so far as always revolved around the same 25 mile radius, so moving to another country with a different language and being expected to hustle like everyone else for a euro...wow, it all seems soo real, almost too real.  I think it just my nerves getting the best of me, especially since my family doesn't yet know, so I'm am worried about their reactions.  I can't wait to get my work contract so that I can start looking for a proper place, not that it's stopping me now, but there are so many options and I can't agree to any of them without knowing where I'm going to be.
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8 comments:

  1. AnonymousApril 26, 2011 at 10:09 PM

    Hey! I just wanted to ask, were we supposed to sign on the line above? Because I thought we were supposed to sign below. I may be wrong but I just wanted to point that out just in case. :)

    Best,
    Alex
    Académie de Grenoble
    2011-2012

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ugomma N.April 27, 2011 at 11:12 AM

    Salut Alex! I signed on the line because I assumed we were supposed to do so, since normally signatures are made on top of some kind of line. But the instructions were confusing and made it seem like you needed to sign below the line. Oh well, at the end of the day, all that matters is the signature, which you put.

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  3. PapillonApril 27, 2011 at 8:44 PM

    Hi! I found your blog through the facebook page for assistants ... I'm going to be an assistant in Versailles!! :)

    My experience with the signature thing is that according to US standards, we always sign on some sort of a line - but the French don't. I opened a bank account there last year and signed on the line instead of under it and I got weird looks. So this time I signed in the open space, but I don't think it's a big deal either way.

    Congrats on getting the assistantship - I look forward to reading your blog and being able to keep up with someone else going through the same stuff! Best of luck!

    Shelley

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  4. Ugomma N.April 27, 2011 at 10:37 PM

    Thanks Shelley!

    Good to hear we'll both be in the same area! Hopefully we'll get to meet up sometime!

    And as for the signatures, while I'm in France I'll switch things up and remember not to sign directly on a line. That's really interesting because I assumed the whole WORLD always "signs on the dotted line"!

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  5. Courtney | La Fille AméricaineMay 1, 2011 at 6:32 PM

    Salut Ugomma!

    I was an assistant in Versailles from 2009-2010 and am moving back to Paris in 2 weeks for another year or so. If you have ANY questions at all about the program please do not hesitate to ask! Congratulations on embarking on such an exciting adventure.

    Bisous,

    Courtney

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  6. Ugomma N.May 2, 2011 at 1:27 AM

    Thanks for stopping by Courtney! I'll be sure to read some of your past posts on your blog to see how your experience was. I'll be sure to ask you any questions that arise.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Courtney | La Fille AméricaineMay 2, 2011 at 8:40 PM

    If you want to write a one sentence blurb about your blog for my links page I would love to add it to your blog link! You can send it to me at courtney@filleamericaine.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. OneikaMay 3, 2011 at 10:08 PM

    So so so excited for you! We'll definitely have to meet up as I will be making frequent trips to Paris once I move to London. :-)

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