The au pair visa process is pretty lengthy and involves paperwork going on in both countries. Although I haven't even applied for my visa yet, I've already had to pre-enroll with a French language school, have my pre-enrollment form sent to the au pair agency (which took some emails and phone calls to get done), have my host family fill out and sign a contract, and then both the pre-enrollment form and the contract sent over to a French agency who then verifies and approves all of that.
My work contract got over to me on Wednesday, and what probably amazed me the most is that I could completely understand the entire contract in French (minus a few more technical words that I had to look up just to double check). It's also probably the biggest sign for me that I'm actually doing this and going over there, and I've probably read through it 11 or 12 times by now, just to convince myself that, yes, this is real.
My work contract got over to me on Wednesday, and what probably amazed me the most is that I could completely understand the entire contract in French (minus a few more technical words that I had to look up just to double check). It's also probably the biggest sign for me that I'm actually doing this and going over there, and I've probably read through it 11 or 12 times by now, just to convince myself that, yes, this is real.
Now that those are over here, I'll have to make duplicate copies of all those papers, plus other copies of an application that I've had to fill out, my passport, diploma, a notarized copy of my birth certificate, and more. Those will all go up to the French Consulate in LA with me in a few weeks, and then I'll just have to submit those and cross my fingers.
I also know that once I get over there, I'll have a few weeks to file more paperwork! YAY!!!
I know that some people say that it's better to find a host family independently instead of through an agency, but I really have to say that having an agency has been well worth it to me, just both in terms of finding a family and assisting me through all this paperwork so far, going so far as to wait for hours in an office to make sure that my paperwork got completed, and I haven't even gotten there yet (or maybe I just found a great agency).
I have (theoretically) six weeks from today until I leave, but it still seems so far off, despite the fact that it's been eleven and a half months since I first got back and started looking for ways to get back to Paris. I still need to figure out how to get a year's worth of my life into two suitcases, throw away pretty much everything else that I own, and pack up what I want my parents to save for when I get back. And also drink as much Ballast Point Victory at Sea as I can before I go because I doubt I'll be able to find a keg of that over there. :(
I have (theoretically) six weeks from today until I leave, but it still seems so far off, despite the fact that it's been eleven and a half months since I first got back and started looking for ways to get back to Paris. I still need to figure out how to get a year's worth of my life into two suitcases, throw away pretty much everything else that I own, and pack up what I want my parents to save for when I get back. And also drink as much Ballast Point Victory at Sea as I can before I go because I doubt I'll be able to find a keg of that over there. :(
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