diet update

Haven't done one in a while, but I just passed the 6 month mark on November 18, and I have lost 41 pounds! I'm down to what I weighed for junior and senior year of college, but I'm bigger (flabbier) than I was then. My exercising pretty much disappeared when it started getting dark earlier. If its dark when I leave for work and its dark again when I get home, I have absolutely no desire to go outside and work out. Maybe if we had streetlamps and sidewalks. I just miss the college/assistantship schedule where I had time during the DAY to work out.

The YMCA just opened its temporary gym facilities, and if I knew I was staying in Sanford I would join. Its $30 a month plus $50 to join, and that gives you access to all their gyms in the region-Raleigh, Cary, Durham and here.

For now I'm just going into hibernation mode. My mom keeps our house cold in the winter and hot in the summer, and I'm not allowed to touch the thermostat because I make the electric bill too high, so when I get home from work I put on thick socks and sweats and curl up on my bed to watch dvds and play on the internet.

I went to see New Moon today with Marley, a girl that I nannied for 3 summers who is now a freshman in high school (scary!). The movie was AMAZING. I want to go see it again, really soon. Like tomorrow afternoon. Can't wait for it to come out on DVD.

That's about it for now, still hanging around waiting for my arrêté...

My book came yesterday!

I made up my mind!

I decided on a book last night: I got a new guidebook! Europe on a Shoestring (Lonely Planet)--its the 6th edition, and bn.com says that it came out this month.

I decided to get it because I have a Western Europe one, and an Eastern Europe one, but both are really out of date, and this way I can consolidate into one book/doorstop to take with me. Plus I think my coworkers will like to see that I bought something useful. :)

I'm HOPING to get a Kindle before I leave. I've told my parents that's what I want for Christmas, and that if they didn't want to spend $260 on my Christmas present that I would be willing to pay up to $100 for it, plus I would buy my own cover (hot pink, of course!!). Having a Kindle would be amazing because I love to read, and books take up SOOOOOO much space and weight. Plus the new Kindle has international wireless, so that I can use it in France to buy books! There is a $2 surcharge on international purchases, probably to offset the costs of using the other country's 3g service (and to make a little more profit for Amazon.com, but I am totally ok with that. Because $12 for a new book is a lot cheaper than what I have paid for the paper versions in France!

Yay Kindle!

In other news, I still haven't gotten my arrêté, but I have been told that I will have a place to live when I arrive. They just don't know where yet. But everyone has apologized for all the problems I have experienced and they hope my stay in Chauny is pleasant :). So the points they lose for efficiency, they make up for in manners.

Today I am off to watch NC State (BOOOO! GO HEELS!) play football (BOOOO! for any team!). I hate football. But my dad got tickets from an insurance company's corporate box, so I'm sort of OK with it. As long as I don't have to watch the football I am ok. And I refuse to wear red (State's colors). I was going to wear Carolina blue (my team is UNC), but I thought that might be a bit much. Wish me luck and hope I don't die of boredom!

What to do...

Not really sure why this didn't come up before, but I wrote this post to go along with my picture, which really helps explain the picture!

My coworkers gave me a $25 gift card to Barnes and Noble as a going away gift (they went ahead and gave it to me since no one knows when I will be leaving). It was so nice of them! We had a meeting, and the transportation director bought lunch for everyone-the Shriners were having a BBQ sale so we each got a plate-and the director spoke a little bit about me then gave me the card. :) Good Friday afternoon!

My question is, what should I buy?? I can always get another language workbook, but I want to know if any of you can suggest a good book (or books!) to get. I'm currently reading the Kathy Reichs series, but I am getting them all from the library, and I have a thing about buyig a few books from a series and not owning all of them, so those are out. What should I get??

Thanks for the help!!

I just want to be there!

I emailed my school last week, and on Friday (or was it Thursday) got a reply from the "coordinatrice en Anglais" saying that they were waiting for me to arrive and were very happy that I was coming. So WHEW, they do know I exist. She also confirmed that I have a room at the other school, and when I asked if I should contact them, she said that I could. So I'm going to email them tonight... and my leading argument will be "The Rectorat AND the other school said you have a place for me." So they pretty much have to give it to me. :) I'd rather not be homeless when I arrive.

Still waiting on my arrêté de nomination. I made a visa appointment on Friday, October 30, in hopes that I would have my papers by then. I've already filled out the visa application and the OFII form, have all my other documents (except for my flight plans-not buying the ticket until I know when I can go to the consulate).

All I have to do now is pack!! (Easier said than done though...)

I think that I overdid it on socks and underwear last year. I was nice to only do laundry once a month, but They took up a LOT of space! So I think a two week supply will do. Who am I kidding, I'm going to bring just as much as last year. I can't help it!

I'm definitely bringing less spring-type apparel. I don't need much, and I can just buy stuff there when it starts getting warmer.

It's so close, yet soooooooo incredibly far away! I wish I was an EU citizen, so I could just hop on a plane and be there already!

New information

This morning I got another email from the director of the assistants (the one who emailed me yesterday, offering the second post). She said she knew I was offered the post in Chauny, and that she still needed my contact info (address, date and place of birth). So I wrote her back with the info and apologized for not including it in my email yesterday.

Here's the question. If she "knew" I had the post in Chauny, why would she offer up another post in another town? So strange...

So in conclusion, I think that my position is still the Chauny one, and that hopefully my paperwork has been sent to the Department of Labor!

I got renewed...

AGAIN!

Every few weeks since I have been back I have checked through my spam in hopes of finding a magical letter from France saying how much they want me back. I search for "Amiens", "anglais", "assistant", and "assistante". All summer I have gotten nothing.

Until tonight.

Tonight I discovered a spam message from someone at the Rectorat saying that my name had come up for a spot in Chateau Thierry, and that they needed further information from me to process the renewal. Thankfully this email had only been sent Monday morning, otherwise I would have felt really bad for "ignoring" it for so long (even if I didn't know it existed). I quickly wrote the lady back and said that I was sorry but I had been offered a position that I accepted last Tuesday. We'll see if this lady writes me back...

Seriously though, WTF? I hear nothing for 5 months and then get two offers for renewal in less than one week???!!!

France is a crazy place.