So what does a 12-hour work week look like?

As an English teaching assistant, I only work 12 hours a week. What a life, eh? Well, not really. For me, it's been tough to go through la vie quotidienne with so much free time these past months. It could be the perfect schedule for self-motivated types, but as a person who has sought external structures to be motivated by, it's been difficult to find ways to spend my free time in meaningful ways. After spending a whirlwind two years at University with a full schedule that included working after classes and an internship schedule plus living in a dynamic cooperative living situation with eight other people and limited privacy, having free time (and alone time) felt so valuable and precious, like something I had earned. Having a 12-hour work week and a two week paid vacation every month and a half has changed the meaning of free time for me. It's lost some of its value as its no longer a rarity in my daily life, but rather something I have to endure. It sucks. My one regret is not having been more active in the associations here in Oloron, especially the AMAP (French version of a CSA) community. But it's okay. I've learned my lesson and I'll take it back with me to the states should I find myself in the same working situation. However, on a positive note, during my 7 months here I've managed to knock out a handful of books on my reading list, have taken up watercolor painting, improved my French, learned new recipes (especially Colombian recipes from my flatmate), and improved my stamina and endurance bike riding which I'd like to continue back in the states.

So what does a 12-hour work week look like?
I typically work 3 days a week, sometimes 4.

- Monday is my busiest day. I start work at 8am, have a HUGE break from 11am-3pm and finally finish my last class at 5pm.
- Tuesday is more or less the same as Monday, but with different grades and teachers.
- Wednesday I have off because Wednesdays are half-days in the French school system. Students get out at noon.
- Thursday is my easiest day with only 3 hours of work. I start at 8am and finish the day at 3pm.
- Friday I typically don't work but sometimes I'll go in for an hour which is a rarity.

See what I mean? It's a breeze. But I crave a challenge sometimes.

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Originally, I had intended for this blog be an intimate record of my personal experiences and thoughts in France with only my friends and family as an audience. I wanted to avoid having a "TAPIF how-to" blog as it'd make blogging more of a chore than an outlet for me to release my thoughts. I had zero interest in writing about how to open a French bank account step-by-step or dealing with French paperwork.

Recently, it's come to my realization that my blog could be used as a resource for future TAPIF-ers who would be placed in Oloron or the Béarn region. So here is my contribution as a TAPIF resource.