Reflections from My First Year in a French Classroom

Lessons Learned, Laughter Shared, and Language Growth

From late 2022 through most of 2023, I found myself in a tough spot. I was graduating from graduate school, working as a research assistant, and had another research role lined up. My transition into the workforce after years as a student seemed to be going well.

Then things changed. I made the tough decision to step away from both research positions, leaving me uncertain for months. Although my studies were in education, my job search initially focused on roles in other fields. After a long and tiring search, I eventually returned to focusing on positions in education.

Eventually, I landed a job, but not in the position I had originally applied for.

The job wasn’t easy for many reasons, one of which was the split shifts. However, it did give me time to focus on language learning and writing this newsletter. After a few months, a director from a French school reached out about an open position.

By the time I successfully completed the interview at the French school and received the offer…