Can't believe my seven months are up! Well, it will amount to a total of exactly 10 months abroad once I finally return to the States on June 20, but seven months as a teaching assistant in Digne-les-Bains. My relationship with Digne has been somewhat complicated, and I definitely underwent a sort of culture shock that came with living in such a small city, and in so much nature. Neither thing is something I am used to, although the nature part is pretty great, I'll admit (though I do miss the particular beauty of a concrete jungle).
I haven't kept up this blog nearly as much as I would have liked, but the lack of wifi is to blame. Honestly, that was quite literally the hardest part of living in France this time around. It's not just watching American shows or pissing away my time on Facebook or websites with pictures of baby animals cuddling, it's so much more than that. Living without wifi basically disconnected me even further from my friends and family, made lesson-planning (and, even more importantly, travel-planning!) a nightmare, and often made me feel socially and technologically isolated--not just geographically so.
When all is said and done, though, this year was great. I did a great thing for myself, and was lucky enough to live in a beautiful, unique place. D-les-B is a gem, and a tiny little corner of the world with a setting and style of life that only a very privileged few will ever experience. I feel honored to be among those folks.
It's a rainy Sunday afternoon in Aix-en-Provence, and as I kill time in a café before heading home to "my tiny mountain village"--"home" for only the next 4 days (!)--I figured I might as well pay homage to the part of France I got to know this year.
This is Digne-les-Bains, France. Population: approx. 16,000 (to be taken with a grain of salt, since that includes the surrounding villages as well). Main attractions: thermal baths, natural landscape & outdoor activities including hiking and mountain biking in summer, skiing in winter.
This is where I live, and where I work. It's the Lycée Alexandra David Neel (a lycée is a high school). I also work at Lycée Pierre Gilles de Gennes, 6 kilometers away (a slightly sweaty 45 minute walk, in other words), and at a middle school, Collège Gassendi. Due to the lack of population, the schools in Digne are boarding schools, so the students live at school. So do the language assistants, aka me.
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| The internat, aka the dorms. I am on the top floor; my room is on the side facing the mountains. |
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| The school part, with the classrooms and whatnot. |
Aside from Washington, DC, I have decided that Digne is my favorite city in the world to run in. I will miss my runs along the river. When the breeze blows, I can smell lavender.
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| That speck in the sky is a paraglider. That's a thing in Digne. |
The views on my walk to school ain't half bad, either.
These are my friends, at least the ones I forced to come to experience Digne for themselves. We did my favorite hike, the route of the 3 chapels, and were rewarded with great views of the city, and sore
fesses. I will miss this hike.
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| A ride on the swing at the 2nd chapel is a Dignois right of passage. What you can't see is the cliff that drops off just to the left, making it actually a somewhat terrifying experience. Haven't lost anyone yet! :) |
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| Told you I lived in the Alpes. |
Saturday is a good time to be in Digne, if only for the people-watching and fresh, fig-stuffed goat's cheeses that a trip to the market will reward you with. This may be the only time the place shows signs of life, even though I often feel as if I'm just elbowing slow-moving geriatrics.
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| bio=organic, in French |
Sunset in Digne isn't so bad either.
This is where I live, and where I work. It's the Lycée Alexandra David Neel (a lycée is a high school). I also work at Lycée Pierre Gilles de Gennes, 6 kilometers away (a slightly sweaty 45 minute walk, in other words), and at a middle school, Collège Gassendi. Due to the lack of population, the schools in Digne are boarding schools, so the students live at school. So do the language assistants, aka me.
These are my friends, at least the ones I forced to come to experience Digne for themselves. We did my favorite hike, the route of the 3 chapels, and were rewarded with great views of the city, and sore fesses. I will miss this hike.
Sunset in Digne isn't so bad either.
