Reflections...

In the time leading up to this trip, I was feeling somewhat ill-at-ease.  I was having a hard time justifying my reasons for spending the money to go abroad over the summer.  After all, I am not a French major, and I felt like taking a trip just to fulfill one of my academic hobbies was a little self-indulgent in the face of the economic crisis.  Traveling instead of working made me feel a little guilty.  Even though I will actually be graduating from music education on time, which is saving a nice bundle of money, I just didn't feel like my own interest in the French language and culture was a legitimate reason to take the trip.

All of this has changed since I've been here, and I think that this trip has been completely worth it.  There are some great people in the program, and I love my host mom.  I'm excited to have made some new friends here.  On the academic side, I've actually learned a lot in French phonetics that I think could have some interesting crossovers with the way I think about music and flute.  It has also improved my pronunciation and understanding of the French language.  I have also had a chance to explore some of the sights of Provence and use my French in utilitarian and expressive ways.  

I guess my problem with my French student identity was that I felt that music and French are mutually exclusive, that I would have to choose one or the other.  I kind of blame the University for this because it is not easy to schedule courses in both music and French.  I also feel like so much of my world has been musical in the last three years that people don't really know this whole other side of me (that I even forget about sometimes).  In the past few days though, I've realized that French really does just bring me joy, and I want to keep it up and find ways to use my French to connect with people, especially through music.  Over the weekend, I was talking to Jenny, our program director about a job she'd found at a French immersion school in St Louis.  For the first time, it occurred to me that such schools must have music programs, and I could totally teach music to kids in a French immersion setting!  Yesterday, I visited the Conservatoire de Musique in Avignon to talk to the people there, and I may be able to observe some music classes in French in France later this week if I get lucky.  I'm beginning to see a niche opening up to me that I had previously believed didn't exist.

While all of these experiences have assuaged my previous worries, I just received an e-mail that completely solidifies my justification.  I recently sent an e-mail, on Jenny's recommendation, about gaining an endorsement in French on my teaching certificate.  To be endorsed to teach high school French, you need to pass the French content test through ICTS and have 20 hours of coursework.  Before this trip, I had 19 hours of French credit, and I couldn't fit any of the French I wanted to take into my schedule.  By studying abroad, I gained enough credit hours to fulfill the requirement for the endorsement without even knowing it!  Now, I'll just have to pass the French certification test, and I'll be certified to teach music and French.  I really couldn't be happier about my decision to go abroad, and if any of you all are considering studying abroad, I absolutely encourage you to do it!