Teaching abroad could launch a new life in the country of your dreams.   Although many Americans and native English speakers worldwide are aware of private school employers in countries like China, Korea, Japan, and Taiwan, the French government is always looking for dedicated teachers to help students learn to speak better English.   But if you're adamant about teaching in another country, with the right guidance, you should be able to find the program of your dreams.  Since I had studied in France, had spoken a substantial amount of French, and had the desire to travel a bit about Europe, I opted for the French government's foreign language assistants program.  Initially, the program is coordinated by the French embassy in the specific country.  Thus any American who wishes to participate would contact the embassy in Washington, 6 or more months prior to the start of the program (in September of each year or visit www.ambafrance-us.org/culture/education/support/assistant/index.html).  The embassy wishes to fill about 1500 positions, but receives about 3-4,000 applicants every year.  So apply early!   Apply to this position as you would with any other job.  Highlight all of your French related or abroad-related experiences on your résumé as this is certainly a plus.  Although teaching experience is highly desired, it is not a must.   Just be sure that you are willing to teach the age group (from small children to adults), with which you'd feel most comfortable.  Last year, there was a shortage of English teachers at the adult level (at teacher's training institutes), so selecting this group may increase your chances of being hired.   Furthermore, if you choose to work at a high school or a training institute, you have a better chance at getting cheap or free housing (more on that later).  You will also need to decide in which region of France you'd like to live.  Most people choose either Paris, the overseas territories or the southern coast in places such as Nice.   These are exciting and beautiful places, but try to avoid these for several reasons:  these are also the most expensive places in which to live, they have the most American tourists, and choosing these places could ruin your chances of being accepted into the program.   You're essentially given three options; I chose the North (near Lille) as a second choice and was placed there.  Although the North may not look as charming as elsewhere in France, the people are the warmest, the culture is unique, and the location is superb—less than 2 hours by train from Paris, London, and Brussels. Later in the summer, about June or early July, you will find out whether or not you have been accepted into the program and you must immediately send in your acceptance letter to the embassy and to your local administration center in France.  You should begin searching for cheap airfare, learning about your region, city, and school.  By then, the most sound advice would be to be patient.  This will have been during the summer while many French education employees are on summer vacation.   Don't expect to hear any responses until late August at the earliest.  Similarly, don't expect to receive your arrêté de nomination (an important piece of paper showing that you've been officially hired), which is needed for your visa, until the end of August.   Once you have received your information, take it, your visa applications, passport, your birth certificate, several passport-sized photos, and three copies of everything to the closest French embassy or consulate (or mail them) in order to get your visa.   Afterwards, I suggest that you go to a notary public (who is also a translator), or a certified translator to get your birth certificate translated into French.   All of these items will be necessary for payroll.  Once these things are done, you'll feel a lot calmer and more excited about living in France.  Although many will advise you to search for housing while in the US, you should wait because your school may have found it for you.   Moreover, you could more easily find a place using classifieds or from a secondary source while in France than from the Web.

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In a moderate sized city, a one bedroom flat shouldn't cost more than 350 euros.   I worked at a teachers' training institute and paid about 140 euros a month for a huge furnished bedroom, private bathroom, shared kitchen, use of an entertainment lounge, computers, gym, etc.   Others in similarly sized towns paid anywhere from 250 to 450 euros depending on what types of accommodations they wanted. 

One great thing about the language assistants program is the ability to network quickly.  All new language assistants have the same questions and problems and are looking to talk to anyone who will listen or offer some comforting advice.   It would behoove you to make connections with the people in your region as you will undoubtedly reencounter them.  Networking is simple with www.AssistantsinFrance.com.  You may even find someone with whom to split the rent. 

Before arriving in France, make sure that you know where you are going.  Book a room in a hostel or 2 star hotel in advance, or if you already have housing, make sure that your quarters will be available upon your arrival.   Make sure that you have at least a working knowledge of French, or coordinate your traveling with another assistant who does.  Many French people, especially outside of Paris speak little English and may find it difficult to understand you, especially because of your American accent.   However, at hotels, some popular restaurants, and certainly at the airports, you should have no problem conversing in English.

Bring bank cards and or a credit card and some cash for the airport/transportation.  Although you could exchange your American currency, using ATM cards is the easiest and cheapest way to get Euros.  In France, ATMs have no fees whatsoever and your VISA or MasterCard will work just about anywhere and give you the exact exchange rate.  Besides, in order to pay for transportation and lodging on your day of arrival, you’ll need access to Euros.

If you don't have housing, look in the local paper's classified section ("les annonces") for small apartments rented to students.   Also, people post apartment vacancies on bulletin boards at the post office and in and around universities.  Ask any of the locals that you have met if they know anyone who's renting an apartment.   You'd be surprised at how helpful the French can be.

After you've settled in France, ask your landlord to give you a renter's statement "attestation du logement," then go to open a bank account.   You will not be paid without a French bank account.  This is not a difficult task and if you need help, ask one of your professors or a fellow assistant who could ease the French communication.  Banks usually require an appointment beforehand but sometimes, there’s time for a walk-in.  If you are under 26 you will benefit from free checking at most banks.  Just bring to the bank your passport and renter's statement and you should be ready. 

Before you begin working, make sure that you've filled out the documents necessary for payroll.  If you have questions, ask your school's director.   It will include your translated birth certificate, bank account identification card, arrêté de nomination, etc.  Last, go to your regional prefecture and apply for your long stay card.   First you'll need a medical examination and the directions will thereafter be mailed to you.  Once you have taken your examination, return your doctor's form to the prefecture along with everything that you took to get your visa.   Within a few weeks, you should have your long stay visa, and can breathe another sigh of relief.

This may seem overwhelming, and trust me, I've heard lots about the horrors of French bureaucracy.  Just remember to have patience.   One thing you'll learn is that many French workers are much more laid back than workers in America.  It says nothing about the quality of work produced, just about the waiting time.   So get used to a slower lifestyle.  This also says a lot about France's attitude about life.  The French working environment is definitely more relaxed.   Co-workers quickly befriend each other and are very close.  They kiss each other in the morning and on the way out of the door in the evening.  In France, work simply seems like a more cordial and a stress-free environment.

Even more interesting is the fact that the French work a lot less than Americans.  The minimum vacation allotment is 6 months per year or 3 times what it is in the States.   Even on an hourly basis, the French work less—35 hours per week is a maximum, lunch breaks are often 1.5 hours, and many shops and restaurants close midday.   The attitude is simply, "Work to live, not live to work."  With such an attitude, you'd expect the French to be complacent about their jobs—not at all.   Any time the government or a business even considers cutting salaries, increasing work, cutting jobs, cutting benefits, etc. there's sure to be a strike.  In fact, my first day of teaching was cut short because of one.  In all, I've witnessed more education system strikes in 6 months in France than I have in my entire life in the US.  That's because the French don't like the government bothering their benefits—and who would?   But in the US, strikes have become more and more a thing of the past. 

You may recall the most recent series of demonstrations regarding the ability of employers to fire young employees at will.   Well, students from high school through college, coupled with young professionals were quick to launch endless protests and blockades that ended successfully by reversing the legislation.   After having witnessed that, I had a renewed belief in protesting and thought that perhaps there was hope for the ever pitiful situation for workers in the United States.

As a language assistant, you'll get a salary, which after taxes would average 750 euros a month.   This may seem meager (and it is), but it is a part-time job.  Remember that you'll be paying 350 or less for rent, perhaps 250 for living expenses and fun (including travel).  Again, I paid 140 for on campus housing (some high school assistants paid as little as 70/month), and no more than 200 for food, travel, and entertainment—pocketing about 400 euros/month.   You will have an opportunity to save at least 150 a month in the increasingly valuable Euro.

Food is not dirt cheap, but you don't have to live in luxury.  Nearly everyone in France grabs a baguette at the local bakery "la boulangerie" or grocery store in the early evening for as cheap as 35 cents.  A decent bottle of wine could be as inexpensive as 2 Euros (the cheap stuff costs as little as 75 cents).  A 2 liter bottle of water is as cheap as 20 cents.  Cheap grocery stores like ATAC, LIDL, Aldi, Auchan, are everywhere and have competitive prices.  As an employee of the government and after you have your long stay card, you have free healthcare.   You are also eligible for government assistance in paying for housing!  Applying for CAF could tremendously lower your monthly expenses if you are indeed eligible. 

Being under 26 in France means access to discounts everywhere.  Just show your student card, international youth card, or teaching assistant card and get discounts at the movies and museums.   You could also get up to 50 percent off rail travel by buying a 12-26 card.  The cost of the card is 49 euros but if you plan to travel more than twice, it pays for itself. 
 

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Whilst in France (or elsewhere for that matter), there's always the possibility of earning some extra money.  There are always people of all ages who would love private English lessons.  France is different from Belgium, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia in that most French don't have a working knowledge of English.   I made nice money with translating services, helping university students with English papers, and writing advertisements in English for businesses.  Many ladies have found jobs babysitting.  Another business idea is cigarette importing.  They are usually quite expensive in France and residents of border towns often go into the neighboring countries to buy them.   If you were smart, you could buy cigarettes in cartons from the US (in cheap locations i.e. the Southeast), put them in your personal baggage, and sell them in France for 3.50 euros.   American cigarettes seem to be the most popular—especially Marlboros.

Many people consider taking classes while teaching.  Higher education at the public level is extremely cheap for French citizens.   Depending on the area of study and degree to be obtained, citizens and foreigners at public universities expect to pay between 130 and 700 euros for an academic year—and some French students even complain about that.   But if going to a university, don't expect the Sorbonne.  While many French public are modern and in good condition, others have unsightly, derelict facilities.   The government is upping investment in education to modernize and repair all schools, so change is afoot.

As aforementioned, students are one of the most mobile groups in France.  During the employment debacle last spring, schools remained blockaded for weeks until the government finally changed the law.   When I was at the University of Strasbourg a few years ago, the students protested on several occasions because of unwanted changes to the academic calendar to cuts in funding to certain programs.   With such vocal students, such cheap tuition, and ever increasing investment into the system, there's no wonder why so many foreigners are seeking to attend French schools.

If you expect to find a high-paying white collar job in France, it may be tougher than you think.  Unemployment is high—if you consider 9.5 percent to be high.  In spite of this figure, there are tons of vacancies in the service industries, particularly for waiters and bartenders.  An expatriate could easily consider one of these jobs, because it would provide the opportunity to work "under the table," thus helping you and your employer bypass taxes.  This sort of job would be an excellent way to meet the locals, improve your French, and carry home cash every day worked. 

Before I decided to leave France early this summer, I was even offered a job in Paris by an American company.  I would have essentially been coordinating a study abroad program, but for personal reasons, decided to move back to the United States on a temporary basis.  I'll always remember the politeness in France such as how familiars say, bonjour every morning and "bon appétit" when they see you eating.   Moreover, I loved the love that the French have for their own culture and history—some sort of pride in their own past that is often misunderstood by Americans.   Most of all and especially true in the North is the curiosity that many French have about foreigners and their delight about the ones who make a sincere attempt to learn the language and adapt to the culture.   I'm sure that you'll discover these wonders and many more upon moving to France, and that the opportunity to live there truly does exist.
 

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