Currently writing this after a “fete chez nous”… there are 3 people passed out on the sofa… I imagine this will be a regular occurrence throughout the year. 

It’s been a mental first week. Arrived on Sunday, along with 2 other assistants. Before one of them had even managed to arrive at her hotel my collocs were already phoning her to whisk her off back to ours, where another American assistant and an Irish couchsurfer were waiting, we then went out for some drinks and a meal and to be honest since the moment of stepping off that plane there hasn’t been much alone time… which I love. We’ve been to the beach almost every day, we’ve had some sort of “soirée” or drinks or meal every night and it all still feels very much like a holiday rather than having actually dawned on me that this is my life for 7 months. There are constant jokes going round between us about us living in the ugliest place ever and “quelle dommage” that is. I knew before I got here that the scenery would be breathtaking but you don’t quite realise HOW amazing it is and how it can make such a difference to a day to wake up to the sun shining on an expanse of sea until you get to experience it.

Before I came here I thought this week would be the most stressful thing ever. It probably helps that I already had my accommodation sorted before I got here… (so far not the dumbest decision I have ever made, good.) but really this has been such a chilled out week and has been a really nice way to slowly get to know each other and get to grips with the town before it all gets serious at the schools. Maybe I’m speaking too soon because actually, I haven’t really done anything administratively that I should have. Note to self, get on the whole bank thing and maybe actually introduce yourself to 2 of your schools…. oops.) Instead I’ve visited 4 different beaches, one of which was a 4 hour round trip with 3 of us assistants being driven by a random man we met the night before and drunkenly suggested he drive us to Calvi… and for some reason, he accepted… cool.