A springtime of Change in the French Countryside

I haven't ever truly thought of my little village of Candé as distinctly beautiful or quaint but rather a town in the middle of nowhere with a greater population of cows and sheep to the people. Thinking about it now, It may have been due to the cold and record breaking rainy weather during winter that clouded the Loire Valley and most of France but Candé and the surrounding villages were rather dreary under the clouds during this time. 

At last as the weather has taken a turn during the month of April and start of springtime, my eyes have been opened to the beauty and simplicity of this village lost in the Loire Valley countryside. Often, the mornings I’ve cherished the most are when I walk past the farmers market on Mondays with the rising sun and the birds chirping as I walk to work less than a ten minute trip from my host family's house. 

Changing Host Families: 

I had known all along as I began my year in France that I would have a total of three host families throughout the year and had been with my second host family since the beginning of October just until the middle of March. There are many challenges that occur with having more than one host family throughout the year but also many more rewarding aspects as well.  I had been with my second host family for many months and incredibly enjoyed the time I was able to live with them and will be forever grateful for all that they have done to help and support me during my time in France. My host mom specifically, who I look forward to having a relationship with even in years to come is someone who has made my year in France all the more special. 

It had been planned in advance that a week after winter break in the middle of March, I would change host families to live with my final family in Candé. As for the winter break, it was an utter adventure!  And the traveler in me soaked up every minute of it, seeing the countries of Portugal, Germany, Luxembourg and spending time in the Alsacien cities of Strasbourg and Colmar in France. However when the time came to move host families and after a wonderful evening spent with the two, it was rather harder than I would have thought it would be. Thinking back about the first two weeks with my 3rd and current host family, it was wonderful to get to know a new family, new host sisters and parents but I rather struggled at times. I honestly hadn’t realized how long I had been with my second host family and how truly adjusted and normal life felt with them but moving families definitely exposed how comfortable I had become living in a certain area, to certain rules and family dynamics all the way down to the comfortability of my bedroom. And so I will admit, the first week of changing to life with my third host family was incredibly enjoyable! (all three of my host sisters had their birthdays and so I arrived being able to celebrate with them all) but It was rather hard at times to adjust to a new house, new dynamics with specific rules that the family follows and getting to know new people again. During this period of change, specifically the first few days, I remember feeling incredibly homesick for my family in the U.S as changing living situations brought me to think about how much I desired the normality of living somewhere comfortable and how easy and normal life was with my family in the U.S.

However, with everything adjustment truly takes time. This is something that I have learned a great deal about during my time in France this year as I’ve experienced quite a bit of changes, with adjusting my perspectives and adapting to new methods. I’ve never been someone to take change easily but I’ve realized that in the beginning it is difficult to cope and adapt to new ways; speaking French with people or living with new families but as time quickly passes it's rewarding to see the benefits of doing something new, progressing a language and learning to live with another family than my own. 

Now being almost two months with my current host family I no longer think about how different things can be but instead feel the normality of sleeping in my bed, spending time with my host siblings and parents and enjoying the beauty of sweet little Candé during the spring. And so I have realized that having more than one host family throughout the year, yes, poses its challenges, but can also make it so you develop more relationships and connections through various families, experience new living situations and see how traditions occur from family to family.

The final Stretch: 

As much as winter break was an adventure, so was the spring break! I spent the first five days venturing off on my own as my friend was sadly sick but nevertheless had an enjoyable time visiting the cities of Lyon, Anney in France and Lausanne, Montreux and Geneva in Switzerland.  Most memorably I went hiking in the Alps near Montreux which had some of the most beautiful views I had ever seen and was such a moment to breathe in not only the crisp mountain air but the excitement of utter adventure.

I met up with a friend in Italy and over the course of a week we explored the cities of Naples and Rome packed with tourists but so rich in history and it was amazing to be able to see the Colosseum, city of Pompeii and so many other areas! One thing that has made these vacations across Europe extra interesting has been staying in Hostels and most specifically the people you meet. In our hostel in Naples, my friend and I connected well with our roommates and even with the other times I’ve stayed in Hostels it's so exciting to get to meet others from different countries and share your love of travel together! The last portion of the two weeks that I was away was spent in the city of Rimini right on the Adriatic sea visiting my family's exchange student who lived with us last year and was easily one of my favorite moments during the voyage getting to connect, meet her friends and catch up!

Quite honestly I love traveling and feel so blessed to have been able to explore countless cities in the eight countries that I’ve seen so far since moving to France but was ready and excited to come back to teaching, life in Candé and be able to sleep in a quiet room (without the noise that comes when spending the night in Hostels) To my suprise, I came back to Candé covered in springtime beauty and spent the remaining days of break with my host family soaking in the sun, bike riding through the countryside and visiting the sea less than a two hour drive away. 

With a little more than two months remaining of my time in this beautiful country, the countdown has begun and the final stretch has commenced…

Merci d’avoir lu et à la prochaine fois !