What is Teaching in France Really Like? TAPIF Diary #5

March 2020

What a month it has been with the Teaching Assistant Program in France (TAPIF)! While the month started off normally, we quickly realized that we were in for yet another unique experience as Americans in France. From vacationing in Marseille to being quarantined in Troyes due to COVID-19, Jalen and I have had an interesting few weeks. Read on to see what we’ve been up to since the end of last month.

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End of February

Jalen and I took a trip to the south of France to check out the dynamic city of Marseille. We stayed in a cozy Airbnb on the sixth floor of an apartment building.

Here’s what we visited during our stay:

• Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde: Climbed up to the highest natural point in the city to visit this immaculate church

• Plage des Catalans: Saw the Mediterranean Sea for the first time at this small beach

• Musée d’Archéologie Méditerranéenne: Saw lots of classical antiquities from ancient Mediterranean civilizations

• Vieux Port de Marseille: Walked around the bustling Old Port of Marseille

• Musée d’histoire de Marseille: Learned all about Marseille’s vibrant history

• Palais Longchamp: Walked around this beautiful landmark and surrounding gardens

• Musée des Beaux-Arts de Marseille: Enjoyed paintings and sculptures created from the XVI to the XIX century

• Cathédrale de La Major: Explored this unique and emblematic cathedral

• Musée des civilisations de l’Europe et de la Méditerranée: Toured this museum that combines anthropology, archeology, history, art history, and modern art to exhibit Marseille and other European civilizations

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March

Upon returning from our trip, we went to work for two weeks and taught subjects including poetry, technology, American slang, and phrasal verbs to our students. All schools in France were closed due to COVID-19 beginning Monday, March 16th. Since the school closures, restrictions on leaving the house have become increasingly severe. Everyone in France must carry an “Attestation de Déplacement Dérogatoire,” a permission slip of sorts, to leave the house. Here’s what it looks like:

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Jalen and I are doing just fine. We’ve been keeping busy by working on our blog, Instagram, and YouTube channel, reading books, cooking fancy meals, and even learning some German. Though the circumstances aren’t ideal, we are happy to be healthy and covered under France’s universal healthcare system. We don’t know how our situation will progress from here, but we will be sure to keep our readers updated.

If you have any questions or want to know more, make sure you leave us a comment!

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Check out our TAPIF Recap video!

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Check out our other TAPIF Diary entries!

• TAPIF Diary: September, October, & November 2019
• TAPIF Diary: December 2019
• TAPIF Diary: January 2020
• TAPIF Diary: February 2020
• TAPIF Diary: April 2020

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Check out our video to prepare to participate in TAPIF!

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