More than Mustard

It is hard for me to believe that July 8th marked that I had been back in the States for two months.  So much has happened and changed in these past months that quite often my time in France feels as though it were much, much longer ago.

Since May I’ve travelled throughout the US visiting many friends and family, which has been a real treat.  Of course it has been lovely being back in Massachusetts and I made sure to eat clam chowder, go to Fenway, and drink lots of Dunkin’ all within a week of being home.  Next, I was off to Maryland for McDaniel’s Commencement weekend and to visit friends.  While the drive may be 8 hours to get down there it’s completely worth it to see such fabulous people.  I then travelled to Texas and New Mexico for the 4^th and was so excited to see new parts of this country!  (Spending the Fourth of July with a certain Army officer was also pretty cool but that’s a different story!)  I travelled back down to Maryland once more, with a stop in Philadelphia, which was a much needed and relaxing visit with dear friends.  In July alone I was in 5 different states so while I may no longer be in Europe, it’s quite evident that I will always be on the move. (And I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way!)

Professionally, I accepted a World Language high school teaching position July 10^th  and could not be more thrilled.  After such a positive experience in France I feel confident that teaching will continue to be a challenging, fun, and fulfilling job.  I am beyond excited to share my passion for languages, different cultures, and travel with my future students.  As someone who has always enjoyed the academic world I am so pleased to continue working on the other side of the desk.

It’s quite surreal to think that just a few months ago I was feeling overwhelmed by the impending “unknown” waiting for me back in the States:  Where would I live?  Would I find a job?  What did I truly want to do?  Would transitioning back to the US be painful?  Little did I know what was in store!  I had a head start on dealing with reverse culture shock as I had already experienced it after returning from my semester in Paris.  That coupled with having such wonderful family and friends to come home to made transitioning back to the U.S. a lot easier than I anticipated.  I feel so blessed to have been offered a job so quickly and it is a major bonus that it’s in a field I’m passionate about.  As for my living situation I can say whole heartedly I am very happy to have Massachusetts be my home base once again.  After five years away I am excited to be in the Bay State for more than just a few weeks/months at a time! (But obviously I’ll be a frequent visitor of Logan and T.F. Green airports as I can’t stay in once place for too long!)

The best way for me to describe where I am right now is simply ‘content’.  My experience in France has given me so much, both personally and professionally, and I am eternally grateful for my time in Dijon.  When I return to France it will be a homecoming in its own right as there is no question that a big part of my heart will forever be there.

I look forward to this next chapter of my life and cannot wait to see what's next!  Thank you to all who read this throughout my journey- your love and support did not go unnoticed.

One final thought:
"Why not go out on a limb?  That's where all the fruit is."  -Mark Twain

Word of the Post: l'avenir -- the future