First Week Roundup

Well my first week is through, and I’ve come out of it alive. Better than alive, actually, fantastic. I remember back in the spring when I was debating whether or not to come. I thought, Lord, if you want me to go, you better make it pretty clear. After all, I could have just kept on doing what I know, school. But when I got my acceptance letter, I knew. It’s like God just whooshed right on into my heart and said, “Go.” If you’ve heard that before, you’ll know what I’m talking about. But as much as I loved my last trip to France, I knew this would be different. God said go, and my heart said “Uh, I dunno, maybe.” It was strange, because I knew that I had to go, that I would go, yet part of me doubted. Even during the summer, for all I talked tough about it, I was really uncertain about how this year would turn out. I really believed that God wanted me here, but I didn’t know if I wanted me here. I mean France is great, but a year, and teaching? It was all so random. I didn’t have a place to live. I hadn’t saved up enough money. I knew nothing about my job. Who does that? But for all my uncertainties, God has come through like a champ (as though He wouldn’t!).

Seriously though, let me just list for you all of the blessings of this week alone (and these are only the ones I picked up on!):

• A safe journey, with all of my luggage, finding the train station and everything all right, and God didn’t let me get off on the wrong train stop when I almost did…
• A place to live for close to no money a month!
• Friendly teachers picking me up from the train station and taking us home for dinner
  A wonderful flatmate, who I can’t thank God enough for (we learn a ton from each other, and having her here makes life so much happier, not mention she’s just brilliant)
• Two other lovely assistants to hang out with, one of whom forces us to speak French because she doesn’t speak English
• Friendly people everywhere stopping their cars for us to cross, smiling all the time, being patient with our French, and generally in a good mood contrary to the stereotype
• A beautiful city!
• Classes where I get to teach what I love (philosophy)
• A school that is taking care of all the hard paper work for me (for my bank, payment, carte de sejour, etc) when most schools make you do it yourself
• Good food and wine
• Good heath, and a clear x-ray
• A safe and fun trip to Paris
• Did I mention friends and already having some?

Well, you get the idea. This is definitely where I’m supposed to be. God did a proper job picking it out, I’ll tell you that much. The question is, what else does He have in store for me this year?? There’s always something, isn’t there? I can’t wait!

PS. I swear I’m not just sitting at my computer writing these silly posts all day long. It’s just that so much has happened this week, and I wanted to keep track of it all. Things will simmer down soon and I won’t have as much to report back. Or at least, I think I won’t…