The Teaching Assistants Program in France (TAPIF) applications recently went live again and got me to thinking — and reminiscing — about my time in France.
In case you don’t know, TAPIF is a 7-month program that allows people aged 20-30 to live and work in France. I did the program for the 2010-2011 school year and it was one of the best years of my life!
The program only requires that you work 12 hours a week for about 790 euros (~$1010 USD) a month. This meant I had a lot of flexibility in my schedule to enjoy life in France, make friends, and travel extensively as well. But even though I wasn’t in the classroom all the time, I enjoyed the middle schools I worked in and the teachers were awesome and so kind, too.
I kept a blog while I was living in France, so if you’re interested in knowing more about my first-hand experience as it was happening, check out those posts.
Life After France
It’s been a while since I was in France but I definitely miss it, even years later. I miss the baguettes, the walking everywhere, the sound of French, the market places and shops, the fashion, and the vin chaud (mulled wine served around Christmastime). I miss the pace of French life! I miss the emphasis put on enjoying life rather than amassing money or things. I also miss the convenience of my region, Lorraine, to other countries for travel — that I miss a whole lot.
There were so many amazing moments I had that year but the best ones revolved around other people. I made some great friends — some life-long — and my experiences there helped me to grow into myself so much.
And I have been fortunate enough to see some of my friends outside of France since then, too!
Friendships During & After France
- During France: Megan instantly was my “Nancy BFF.” We met at a meet-n-greet I organized and hung out all the time and I was even there to help her celebrate her engagement. After France: I got to be a bridesmaid in her wedding (where I met my boyfriend)!
- During France: I traveled to Austria, Germany, The Netherlands, and Belgium with one of my best friends from college, Shauna, during Christmas break. After France: Last year, I was a bridesmaid in her wedding as well!
- During France: Charlotte, a mutual sorority sister between Shauna and myself, hosted us in Belgium. After France: I saw her earlier this year in Grand Rapids and in Chicago.
- During France: One of my good friends was Claire and a highlight of our friendship was going to Greece for spring break. After France: Besides having Thanksgiving with her one year and going to the same grad school, I also visited her briefly in New York City one summer.
- During France: Gina and Daniel were a part of a group that we called our “Nancy Family” and besides delicious dinners at their place in France, we also went Champagne tasting in Champagne and also road-tripped to Amsterdam. After France: They were guests at Megan’s wedding (we sat at the same table!) and I also visited them in NYC.
And I hope to see some other friends — like Britt (who also kept a blog during our time in France) — in the near-ish future!
What’s amazing is that we’ve all gone through big life changes since living: new jobs, promotions, grad school, new boyfriends or girlfriends, weddings and marriages, babies, houses, relocation, and more. Our lives have taken us down different paths but I think one thing is true for all of us, and that’s that France was a catalyst for other great things in our lives.
The Application
So, are you interested in teaching English in France? Then you should consider doing this government-sponsored program through the French Ministry of Education! You can apply for the program until January 15 and although not all countries are eligible, a good number are — including the United States (I am “Erika from America,” after all).
Each year, they take about 1200-1500 American candidates (the numbers vary widely for other countries). From what I’ve read online, the acceptance rate is about 50% for the US but they heavily favor people with previous teaching experience. You do not need to be a current student to apply, but you need to at least have completed three years of college to be eligible (any major). You also need to be able to speak a fair amount of French; not only do you need to write a 500-word personal statement in French, but you also need a professor to vouch for your level (or to take a language assessment test).
The application fee is $40 and unlike other work-abroad programs out there, you don’t have to pay an additional program fee. More details about the application can be found here.
One thing that’s important to know with this program is that you cannot pick your specific location. You can state regional preferences but nothing is guaranteed. I was placed in the Nancy-Metz region, a place I had never heard of before the program, but I loved it!
So, if you’re thinking about doing this program or even just a little interested in spending a year in France, you should definitely learn more. And if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask me in the comments!
What about you? Have you ever gone abroad for an extended period of time? Would you consider it?
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