So that is the first part of my journey. As far as the name of my blog is concerned, "Wind, Sand, and Stars" is the English version of Antoine de Saint Exupéry's award winning novel original called "Terre des Hommes" or literally, "Men's Earth". Not many Americans know this, but Saint-Exupéry was a pilot as well as he was a writer, and the mysterious death that surrounds him is due (many people think) to his wanderlust. The novel is about his adventures in the plane, which include landing in a Syrian desert, getting lost in England, and missing his native France. As I've always been a fan of Saint Exupéry, I thought the title was almost too perfect for my adventures abroad! And as far as my username is concerned, "la vagabonde charmante" is a phrase that my Parisian host mother used to describe me more than once. "Charmante", meaning "charming" was her adjective of choice every time she introduced me to her numerous bourgeois Parisian friends, all of whom then quickly became as enamored with me as I was of them. And "vagabonde" means what it looks like "vagabond", since Madame remarked quickly that I loved traveling - even if it meant a three hour train ride to anywhere. So, "charming vagabond" just seemed to fit me.
Pending quite a lot of things that could go enormously wrong, the plan at this point is to teach in France for 7 months, return to the states for some kind of internship, and then fly to England for graduate school at Roehampton University in London, where I will attain my master's degree in Global Dance Cultures, Policies, and Administration. As with anything in Europe, it requires another year long visa, a guarantee of funding, housing, and this time (hopefully!) some kind of a job while I'm over there. But as far as that's concerned, it's been placed on the backburner. Right now, and understandably so, my focus is France. Now if you don't know me at all, I will tell you one thing about this trip that will probably explain the rest of my blog posts: returning to France will be like a homecoming for me. If that sounds cheesy, imagine this: study a language and a culture for seven years without setting foot in a place where you can use your knowledge. Now imagine that you've also never been to a big city. Now say you go to Paris. EXPLOSION OF FEELINGS is what it was! Even though it was only for four months, I traveled a lot around France and made up my mind: once I graduate from Lawrence, I am going back, no matter the cost. And while I know this experience will be worlds away from the last France I experienced, it will also be a fantastic adventure.
I just returned from Chicago, Illinois, where I applied in person at the French Consulate for my "visa de long séjour des assistants de langue" or "long-stay visa for language assistants". It went flawlessly and I couldn't have asked for a better 24 hours in the windy city! (Well, outside of the buses to and from my current tiny town in Wisconsin, but I mean my expectation of American transportation is a total 0, so the fact that that expectation was met did not surprise me.) If one thing's for sure, it invigorated my love for big cities. I love their energy, noise, people, and opportunities. Okay, so I may have done some stupid things, like gotten on the wrong bus and off at a stop far from where my destination was, (which I admit I often do... Buses and I do NOT get along as a general rule) but I miss being surrounded by lots of young cosmopolitan people who share many of my hopes and desires. Appleton's great and all, but I am definitely a city girl at heart. In other news, things are moving along! I found an apartment and two great roommates in Nantes, and I plan to buy my plane ticket within the week, and am planning on firming up plans for my stay in Paris the two weeks before I go to Nantes (because... duh?). Regardless, I am 40 days away from the commencement of my next big adventure, and I cannot wait for it to start! I may have a lot left to do, but things are coming together, and I couldn't be more excited.
"What can one know of a girl who passes, smiling to herself, filled with adorable inventions and with fables? Out of the thoughts, the voice, the silences of a lover, she can form an empire, and all happiness with it." ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Wind, Sand, and Stars (1939)
