Here is a compilation of tips, stories and insights about my own TAPIF experience. They date from 2015-2018 so you should take them with a grain of salt… There may be details that have changed since I was an assistant !
Check out my TAPIF Timeline for a complete overview of when I submitted what and to whom!
Preparing to TAPIF !
So you think you can TAPIF?
With TAPIF applications in the US due in the next few days, I am sure many hopefuls will be curiously Google searching tips and advice,…
The Waiting Game: making it through the long summer before TAPIF
April 1st, 2015: I woke up in the morning to a text from my friend Giulia: Attention aux poissons sur ton dos! I arrived at…
Trip to the Embassy!
Last week, I completed another step in my journey towards France: The Visa Appointment. I’m very lucky because I live so close to my regional…
My Suitcase Can Only Weigh HOW MANY Pounds?! And other packing concerns.
I’ve gotten a few questions recently about packing for TAPIF. Figuring out what to bring for seven months, in a strange country, for a professional…
To TAPIF or not to TAPIF, that is the Question
Since returning home, I’ve felt more and more like I’ve been living a double life. In my first weeks back home, I was so surprised…
Ladies and Gentlemen, An Announcement!
That’s right everyone. I have an announcement! An important announcement!! An announcement worthy of a fanfare opening! Look, I’ve even provided one for you. I’ll…
the vicious TAPIF cycle
Recently I found a notebook that I bought in Chambéry and used throughout my year as an assistant. Tucked among the pages, I found a…
Every. Vote. Matters. – How to vote from abroad
In the past 24 hours, I inadvertently sent myself down a 9/11 rabbit hole, beginning with this extremely well done Politico feature about the reporters, advisors…
Académie d’Aix-Marseille: Anne in Marseille
I wrote this guest post for Alexandra’s excellent series on different TAPIF assistants’ experience in the various regions of France. With 2017-18 applications coming up,…
Living in France – Chambéry and Marseille
Life in Limbo
My first days in Chambéry, though thrilling, included probably the most anxiety-filled moments I have ever lived. Why? you ask. How could you possibly be stressed…
The Great Marseille Apartment Hunt of 2016
The wily explorer arrived to the Marseillais jungle with an accommodation booked for one week, and one goal: to finally capture a rare wild apartment.…
The chicken.
One of my French teachers once observed the difference between French and English: English has a million words which all have the same definition. French has…
Home is where the Turkey is
There are plenty of things to be thankful for when you live in a foreign country: being in a lovely city filled with friends and…
Is France the Most Romantic Country in the World??
France has a fair amount of stereotypes: the country of cheese, snails and romance. The latter in particular seems to be an idea constantly perpetuated…
I Heart Chambery: anniversary edition!
I had the idea to fill this National Geographic questionnaire out from fellow TAPIF blogger Hardly Snarky, who wrote about her city of Aix-en Provence. I…
Winter. Or, how many times can I write the word snow in one post*?
Living in between three giant mountains has its perks…namely the stunning views and the easy access to hundreds of hikes and walks. And, one would…
small talk
“March 26 – The bus driver chatted me up for 10 minutes about his BLUEGRASS BAND after taking the wrong route.” The bus I rode…
#journéeinoubliable
Prologue May 2, 14:35 A lot of work went into this very moment. Months of planning, whispering, stressing….
Même pas peur
Full disclosure*: I started writing this post over a week ago. I have been reading and talking and muddling through these pretty complicated issues and though…
J’écoute: songs for remembering
I love music. Not in the fanatic, must-have-something-playing-at-all-times way, but I am a strong appreciator of nearly all musical genres. Although my musical tastes are not…
Thanks / No Thanks
Well, all of a sudden I’ve been in France for a full month! Boy has it flown by or what?! Little by little I’ve been…
18 mars – questions for france
Why don’t pencils have erasers attached? Is the obsession with writing only in pen the secret work of the White-out lobby? Why do grown adults use scooters as…
8 mars – 20 steps to perfect crêpes
Crêpes are known as French pancakes, but they’re really so much more than that. They can be eaten with sweet jams, nutella, or syrups or…
4 mars – Things that I do in France that I don’t do at home
Eat yogurt When you first come to France, you expect the grocery store aisles of cheese and wine, but you don’t expect an equally long…
So, do you like living here?
I am asked ALL THE TIME why I decided to come to France, if I like it (obviously), and what I like most about living…
Working as a Language Assistant – Lesson ideas and Anecdotes
What to Expect as a Primary English Assistant : 8 Questions and Answers
After my first TAPIF placement in Chambéry, I noticed that much of the TAPIF blogging community focuses on assistants in…
Primary Assistant FAQ
In my time obsessively stalking all TAPIF blogs past, current and future, I’ve noticed the prevalence of secondary assistants across…
Flashcard games!
Here we go, current/future assistants, just in time for the start of your contracts. My favorite, easiest games that require…
Art Lessons to do with your Primary Students
One of my regular duties as an English teaching assistant was teaching weekly arts plastiques lessons for CP and CE1 (1st…
27 mars – clues
Today I had a lot of different slices in my head, but I can’t seem to get any of them…
Starting a Pen Pal Exchange
In my two years of language assistant-ing one of my favorite activities has been establishing pen pal correspondences between my…
Is TAPIF a “real job” ?
For the past few years, April has been a grab bag of various bittersweet emotions… In 2014, I was about…
Je vous présente…
Let me introduce you to my school!! Name: Groupe Scolaire Concorde (The school is actually made up of two schools:…
Observations, Thoughts & Impressions on French schools
I have now spent about 3 weeks at Ecole Concorde, observing, assisting, teaching, etc. Here are a few of my…
All of the Lights: Christmas in “secular” France
The Christmas season arrived swiftly in France. Although the French are as unaware about Thanksgiving as the rest of the…
Today, I was 9 minutes late to class
The #4 bus has somewhat of an unpredictable schedule. Sometimes it leaves early, leaving me stranded on the sidewalk. Sometimes…
keeping it 💯
Today was the 100th Day of School, and we all celebrated being 100 days smarter! Imagine my surprise when my…
two very different lessons
This afternoon, I sat in on a lesson the school counselor was giving to my mom’s class of 3rd graders.…
7 mars – English is hard
English is hard. Well, sometimes it’s easy: no crazy verb conjugations, no gendered nouns to memorize and accord with adjectives,…
Travelling anecdotes – because when else will you have 8 weeks of paid vacation in Europe ?!
10 mars – Top Ten Cities in France, So Far
Yesterday, I enjoyed reading a variety of “list posts” and, as I am lacking in inspiration today, I am following suit. And so, for the 10th of…
Hiking in Marseille’s calanques: part 1
Stretching along the coast from Marseille to Cassis is one of France’s most unique national parks: the Parc National des Calanques. Whether by sea or…
Five Things to Do With Your Free Time Instead of Travelling
A few weeks ago, a fellow TAPIF assistant and blogger, Anne à l’aventure, published a post about reasons NOT to travel, which got me thinking… It…
Vacation: Travels, Halloween, and the Great Assistant Reunification
Yes, you read that right. Vacation!! After working for less than two weeks, we had two weeks off for La Toussaint vacation. In fact, French schools have…
Benvenuti in Italia
As brilliantly put by my good friend Julia: “Useful Italian words known: 0 Italian swearwords known: 6788984765658 Hello Turin!” The pack of Italian friends I…
City of Masks: Unmasked, or Christmas in Venice
Ahhh January 25th. The perfect day to talk about December 25th! The holidays can be a tricky time of year when you’re away from home.…
Marseille: city of contradictions
Another six weeks of school, another two week vacation. And this time we wanted to get the heck out of the snow and mountains, so…
Three Girls Go on Spring Break. What Happens Next Will Surprise You!
In Chambéry, I was blessed to have several groups of friends who I adore and hope to stay in contact with for many more years…
Postcard from London
Once upon a time, many moons ago, I went to London. I had originally planned to go way back in February to see a play…
5️⃣🏘🇮🇹
Today is the first day of NaBloPoMo/NanoPoblano aka National Blog Posting Month! I’m going to (attempt to) make a post each day in the month…
11 mars – hiking aux Goudes
2:40 PM Text message from Mom: Now they are calling for a snow storm on Tuesday!! I may finally get a snow day off from…
13 mars – priorities
One of the best things about teaching in France are the school holidays. For each 6 weeks of school, we have a 2 week vacation–…
When in Provence…
In April, one of my best friends came to visit me in Marseille all the way from Chicago! Laura and I spent a couple of…
Wandering feet Wandering mind
I’m on day 3 of 10 days of traveling during school vacation and I’ve already walked 30+ miles in dirty keds and two pairs of…
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I’m glad you posted this even though it’s about tapif! Think I could get some tips from it for my own trip if i become an auxiliar in Spain 🙂
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