My daughter leaves 9/29 to teach english in Toulouse through May/2012. She is fluent in french and will get by fine, but as yet, she has no apt and being the ever-worried dad, I am reaching out to ask advice on a) apt rentals b) good guide books on the city c) to do's or better yet, NOT to do's. d) helpful restaurant finds e) not so obvious places to "must see". Merci beaucoup!
Posted by
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
8293 posts
Well, stop being the "ever worried Dad" to begin with. If your daughter is old enough and clever enough to have snagged a teaching job in France, she will be just fine. I am sure she will find a good guide book (or better yet, a good looking French Guide) on her own and her colleagues will turn her on to decent restaurants, what to see and a place to live. Relax.
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
Abbreviated version of a story I've told before: My daughter hiked herself to Brittany for her junior year of high school. She lived with a family, who she eventually met when she'd made her own way to some berg outside of Rennes. Then she hiked herself back for four years of college in Paris where she made her own arrangements for everwhat she did. My contribution to both trips (besides money) was taking her to the airport. She did fine. My only word of advice for dads is to have her make all reports to her mother who will filter what you are told. Fathers do not need raw information about daughters.
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
10634 posts
Ed's advice is priceless, as usual. One of my sons, and a few of his friends too, did this program teaching in the French public schools for a year. Everyone found furnished apartments within a few days and got plenty of advise from all the other teachers. His female friends did fine. Some stayed a second year.
Posted by
Land of La
9237 posts
Don try looking at the airbnb website for lodging.
Posted by
OP
USA
152 posts
Thanks everyone - I don't want my meaning to be mistaken; my wife and I are totally onboard with our daughter's decision; in fact, she taught in Hungary for 2 semesters 2010/2011 and spent this past summer at an english immersion camp in France. She just "lost" the spot where she was planning to stay, so I said "what the heck" maybe some of the RS frequent travellers would have some suggestions/similar experiences. So, literally, I was trying to help her find an apartment and some restaurants!
I greatly apprecciate your posts! Nice to know others have had great experiences. We think the opportunity and lessons learned doing this have been greatly beneficial.