School of life

Erin Laidlaw struck lucky when she was posted to Alpes-de-Haute-Provence as an English language assistant

As part of my university degree I spent my third year in France to improve my language skills. I decided to apply for the British Council programme to become an English language assistant and was allocated to three primary schools in Manosque, a small town in the heart of Provence. I had never been to this part of France, let alone heard of Manosque, but after a quick internet search I was reassured by the picturesque views and the promise of lovely weather.

Although I struggled to find accommodation, finding French rental sites difficult to understand, thankfully a week before I was due to leave for France I was put in touch with a teacher who had hosted a previous language assistant. After a Skype tour of the house, I eagerly accepted her offer.

So at the end of September 2018, my parents and I set offfor Manosque. On our car journey across the country we stopped in Troyes, Annecy, Aixen-Provence and Forcalquier, all beautiful places that made me excited at the prospect of travelling while in France.

BREATHTAKING VIEWS

When we arrived in Manosque, I typed the address into Google Maps and we began driving up a steep and winding road, becoming stuck in the middle of an olive grove. According to my phone, we had reached our destination! We were soon rescued by my host who guided us along a different road, which seemed to climb endlessly up the hill. It dawned on me that I would have to walk up and down this hill every day to get to and from school.

My worries disappeared however when we reached the house and were greeted with a breathtaking view over Manosque. Church spires and clay tiles nestled among rolling hills and a patchwork of fields and olive groves that stretched towards the mountains, with a backdrop of a pink and orange sunset. Although it was difficult saying goodbye to my parents, I was comforted by the beautiful surroundings and my friendly host family.