My Year Teaching in Deauville
Jessica
Hodges: My year teaching in Deauville
My
year teaching in Deauville was enriching for my French capabilities, for my pedagogical
skills, and for my travelers spirit. By nature, I’m not very outgoing or
extroverted but while in Deauville, I pushed myself to travel and meet people
to make the most of my experience abroad. So many people contributed to
my fond memories of my stay in Deauville, the city employees, the students, and
my fellow American colleagues.
Immediately,
we were introduced to fellow city workers as many of them were also a part of
the adult English group that our program hosted. All of them were
incredibly kind and excited to show the Americans the beauty of their town. We
had many exciting opportunities to mingle with the locals at city events,
starting our first weekend with the Deauville Film Festival. Throughout
the year we also attended a meeting with the mayor, the Diner d’Associations,
the school Halloween festival, school field trips, Christmas spectacles, Salon
du Livre, and end of the year celebrations. There was plenty to do
provided by the city. I also found ways to make friends, joining a Zumba
group, visiting another American teacher in a neighboring town, and getting to
know my co-workers. The warmth of the people I met was incredible.
Often, I was invited to their homes for meals, on hiking trips, or even
on day trips to larger cities like Rouen. Having a company car with free
gas was also fantastic for exploring the region. Even within the bounds
of Basse-Normandie I occupied my weekends finding hidden castles and ruins of
bunkers, and visiting war memorials and interesting museums in the university
town of Caen. I was never bored. During my school vacations I would often
take trips to different countries, departing from the Deauville airport.
I flew to Dublin, Edinburgh and London with convenience.
The
city itself is unbelievably picturesque and beautiful, a sleepy beachside town
for most of the year that comes alive in the summer. The cobblestone
streets are safe to walk at all hours and all necessities are absurdly close in
comparison to the US. All within a block from our house was a late night
pizza shop, a laundromat, a bakery, a weekly market, an ATM, and a doctor.
The little town is littered with adorable shops selling gourmet teas,
cases of wine, and delicious chocolate. There are incredible views from
the highest hilltop in the city as well as great walking paths through the
ruins of the Atlantic Wall. It’s also only a short walk to the beach,
which was deserted most months of my stay, making it a great place to picnic
with a cheap bottle of Carrefour wine.
Speaking
to the wonders of the people and the places I visited, I can’t forget the
reason I was there, which was the most fulfilling part of my year in Deauville.
I was lucky enough to work at all three of the local schools, allowing me
to interact with more teachers and students than my colleagues. This
being my first year out of college, it was my first experience in the classroom
outside of student teaching. I learned the benefits of creating a
positive rapport with students and their families. Making a connection
with my students, particularly young students where you have to hug away boo
boos and evade biases from snotty faces, was the most touching part of this
whole experience. I will never forget every funny story, every silly
dance, and lavish compliment I received that year. Teaching them English
and seeing them put together the pieces of a new language was really
fascinating, but actually spending time outside of the classroom with them at
recess and mealtimes and at their school functions and field trips was truly
life changing. They taught me French nursery rhymes and children songs
that I plan to pass onto my children one day. I know that never again
will I have the opportunity to be told daily “tu es plus belle qu’une fleur” by
my sweet group of lunch buddies, but I will hold those memories close to my
heart forever, and know that the next time I visit France I have a little home
to revisit.
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