Je parle français!

It is hard to believe that I have been back from Paris for over two months now. James and I have had many discussion about our "next steps." As I have mentioned before, spending time with James in France felt like being home. So the plan is that the next time I step on French soil, it it is to make France my home for a while. In my free time (insert sarcastic tone here) I have been investigating job opportunities in Paris and this has proved to be an overwhelming task. Here in the states I feel like I have many skills to market myself in a few different career areas but not speaking French greatly limits my options of gaining employment in France (along with all of the bureaucratic paperwork). It has been my intention from early on to learn French. Not only will this be a wonderful thing to share with James but I will be able to communicate with his daughters and friends and not have to be the "American who only speaks English." It will also be important when I want to be exploring France and serving as a tour guide to the many visitors I hope to have when I am living there.

So I took the plunge a few weeks back and signed up for a French class through community education. I had looked into specific French organizations here but classes were $400+ for 10 weeks, hello not realistic! I didn't have great expectations for the community education class knowing that some of them can be great and others not so much. I am happy to report that I attended my first "official" French class this evening!! It was great!!! I was pleasantly surprised by my teacher. She was very organized, had an outline for this evening's class and even gave a significant amount of homework to do before next week. I can honestly say"Je parle français," well at least a little bit! Taking this class makes me feel like there is forward progress and it is one step closer to being with James in France.

I am happy to report that James is one step closer to being in MN too!!! There is officially another countdown in order! James AND his daughters will be traveling to MN in August and spending 2 weeks with me. I can't tell you how much this has elevated my spirits! To have a date on the calendar when I will get to hug him, kiss him, hold his hand, and see that big radiant smile in person is truly priceless right now! While sightseeing in MN is nothing in comparison to the sights of Paris and London that we shared together in February, being able to share my life in MN with them for a short while is going to be wonderful. I am excited for them to meet my family and friends and for my two worlds to be joined as one, even if it is only for a few weeks.
So with no further delay, let's get this countdown started...115 days!!!