Cheryl Angelroth

Views and Opinions

	Positives	Suggestions for improvement
Language improvement	Determination is key. No matter what setting you are in (native roommate or other Americans) you must be determined to find opportunities to speak the target language. Maybe you will be lazy with Americans and other Anglophones but you can still get involved elsewhere to tune up your language.	Help future assistants find native roommates on www.coloc.fr and encourage assistants living in the same area to introduce one another to locals, other foreigners and activities.
Cultural understanding	Working in a school helps because the professors and students teach you a lot. Scoring private lessons or making friends with French families and students helps too by allowing you to experience French family, and college life.	Again, the roommate is key. It is not only less expensive but less lonely and will help you fit into the new culture that you are trying to understand.
Teaching experience	It is very flexible and there are many web resources available.	Each assistant needs to know what s/he is about. S/he must be sure of his/her goals as an assistant. Realize that you are there to make the kids ENJOY their English classes. Teachers are not always a resource, however, so know how you will handle your classroom.
Meeting people	Networking through the other assistants at your school is an excellent way but can limit you to meeting foreigners. Also, many large cities have city guides. In Lyon, the Petit Paumé is a free city guide that includes businesses and organizations that you can join. Ask questions of the students you teach and of the profs that you work with and ask old assistants! I have got many guides to Lyon that I will happily loan.	Find a local roommate or roommates. Join a gym, take a class, go to a community center, church or bar and talk to people. Ask people in your neighborhood what to do. Again, more info from past assistants would help new ones.
Application process	It is clear.	Being told that we’d get our first choices was not so nice when we didn’t (although I preferred Lyon) and not making it clear that the Academie included every po-dunk town within 50k of town was a disappointment as well.
On-site support	Ask stagieres (student teachers) and anyone willing for help if needed. The other assistants were helpful too. Swapping lessons and combining ideas was a nice tactic.	The profs were often too busy to help and there did not seem to be a coordinated central resource to turn to.
Housing	School lodgings were fantastic and cheap but the location was not ideal.	Lodgings in town were nearly impossible to find in October because of students coming back and much paperwork was required. (Tax forms, proof of income…) I’d suggest letting students know exactly what they will need for obtaining an apartment.
Support from UWM		The organization, particularly of loan deferments was lacking and the response of some UWM personnel was kind but not helpful. There needs to be a clear system and someone to stand behind it.
Other	It is a fabulous experience. You can meet tons of great people, improve your French loads, eat new and terrific food until you explode and dance at some of the best clubs.	Sometimes it really sucks and you wonder why you went. It’s humbling and my biggest suggestion would be to have your confidence ready, because you will need it, but get ready for it to be squashed at times too.