Somebody share my joy?
 

Would some kind Fodorite who understands OCD travel-junkies congratulate me and share my joy? I just purchased a round-trip to Paris for a 6 week stay in May/June for what I think to be a super price. I am home alone today, so no one to share my news. Can I get a pat on the back? Since none of my family is getting to go with me on this trip, they probably won't care even when I tell them upon their arrival later tonight! LOL

I share your joy! What is the price? I felt pretty good last month when I got tickets for June 16 for $560.

Excellent crepes. I hope you got the great price through Delta. And that you make your connection.

By the way Prozac is approved for the treatment of OCD. :-D

You have to share the price first...

Tres, tres excellent.

Six weeks! Wow!

Best wishes,

Rex

oh geez, the three of us posted at the same time..

congratulations! but what kind of a deal did you get, and how? we are considering a trip to Paris in May and would appreciate any airfare bargain hunting tips you may acre to share. Thanks.

And did you decide where you're going for the 6 weeks? Not that I'm being selfish, but I hope it's someplace I haven't been so I can read a wondrous trip report.

Not to mention having you posting occasionally from France. Surely with 6 weeks you can make a little Fodor's time. :-)

Check the Air France website.

Ok, here's the lowdown. I am flying Delta from New Orleans to ATL, then AirFrance on to Paris, CDG. I priced it throught AF with a price quote of $1207. Remember, when you get above 30 days return, the price goes up a good bit. Checked out one of these multiple search jobs, QIXO, got the same flight for $640. That's all taxes and charges included. My feet have not touched the ground since.

Congratulations! I love Air France. I think they perfume the air.

Indy, I am going to do my study abroad program in Tours at Centre Linguistique pour Etrangers. Even though at my age, I don't relish staying with strangers, I have opted to do a homestay with a family so that I will be forced to speak French 24/7. Leaving at the end of April cuts my 15 year old son out of going with me, and he is none too happy about it. But for the first time since I've had kids, I am doing something totally for me. I told him there would be a next time. If I can arrange it, maybe he can join me for a week at the end of my stay.

porcupine, the first time I went to Paris (in 2000), totally green, my return flight ended up being on AF, partnered thru Delta. I was addicted! I read all the complaints on here about AF, but I love them! On my last AF flight, a gentleman was seated next to us who absolutely REEKED. My stomach was turning in about 2 minutes of him sitting down. I got up, went to a flight attendant, told her there was absolutely no way that my son and I could endure the funk for 10 hours. She said, "Madame, I understand completely. Geeve me one moment." After a couple of minutes, she came over to us and said, "I am terribly sorry Madame, but I am going to have to ask you and your companion to change seats." She lead us to the other side of the plane, second row, and seated us with an empty seat between us! Best damn flight I've ever had - LOL! I will never forget her; I can see her face right now. Beautiful - typical French beauty, full of grace.

Congratulations on both the price and going somewhere on a project like that on your own...it seems in some ways we get less adventurous as we get older, so well done for pursuing something...I'm sure it will be wonderful.

As someone who doesn't have children I admire parents who do still try to proiritize things for themselves and I'm sure it's very difficult. Congratualtions again!

Thats great crepes....
Go ahead girl, must be interesting tobe by yourself for 6 weks...Just think,the only person you have to worry is just YOU...Enjoy ....

Have a wonderful time..Are you planning to be a teacher?
Ciao, salut and a bientot...
kismet

I've been teaching French to elementary age children at a Catholic elementary school for 5 years. I am not certified so it was very unofficial - "enrichment" it was called so that I could get around the certification. That was my first time to use my French in 20 years. It was a catalyst. I fell back in love with the language, and after 25 years, have gone back to school to finish my degree so that I can teach high school French. I taught high school English last semester for a teacher on a leave of absence, and that sealed it for me. I was in heaven. Decided that the very thing I said I'd never do was actually my true calling after all - teaching.

But I'll be honest with you. I am more in love with the culture and the life of France than I will ever be with the language itself. It is just a means to an end. So I am going to do this study abroad, as a friend so aptly put it, because I am searching for an old flame! How romantic!

crepes, I'm thrilled you got the airfare! You were waffling a bit and I'll admit I was afraid the airfare would come and go.

I think you've made a great choice in lodging and city. As you know Tours is supposed to have the purest French accent. By living with a family you'll be able to practice much more. I rarely get to use my French in Paris and it's the last place I'd want to take an intensive French course.

Make time for the gemmail museum in Tours. Pictures just do not do it justice. They have to be seen in person.

Indy, with five weeks, I should have time to do plenty in and around Tours, I'm sure. If the money is there, I hope to do some weekend trips to other places as well.

And yes, you are right about the airfare. I almost fooled around and lost the crop! I found some fares around the $550 range but I just did not want to take a domestic airline if I could get AF for not much more. I must be living right to get that flight. When I checked it about an hour after I booked, it didn't show up on the bargain sites, just on AirFrance's site. Whew!

BTW, I did Dresden this weekend.

Crepes-how wonderful. Good for you! Enjoy every minute of your stay. We expect to visit Tours the end of May-perhaps we can meet for a cafe or vin.

auntie - in other words, one day soon we will have to post with the subject line "Fodors GTG in Tours"? LOL I'd love it! Wait until I have a couple of weeks under my belt so I'll know the lay of the land!

Congratulations, Crepes! What you're doing will not only make you a better teacher but, believe it or not, a better parent, too.

How many people spend their lives choosing to postpone their dreams, to put aside their needs, only to end up resenting the very people whose dreams and needs they valued more than their own?

Six weeks in France! On your own. Having an adventure. That decision took courage. You've earned more than congratulations from this Fodorite, you've got my admiration, too.

I wish you a joyous, perplexing, challenging, exhilerating experience that will feed your mind and spirit for the rest of your life.

Merci beaucoup Croque Madame! It took courage and a wonderful husband, children and parents who are sacrificing as well for me to fulfill my dreams. And all of them are more than happy to sacrifice. It crushed my parents when I did not finish my education all those many years ago. They are so thrilled that they offered to borrow the money to finance this venture. But I wouldn't dream of letting them pay. In a way, this is a gift from me to them. They will tell this story to people for years to come, and with such pride too!

And as your name implies, you must love croque madames as much as I do. I think of them at least once a week! And I plan on eating my fair share. I know a little local joint near Odéon in Paris that makes the best. The owner is the rudest person I ever encounter in Paris - I think he resents tourists in a locals joint. But I don't care - I just keep coming back. When he sees that his ignoring me doesn't budge me, he finally seats me at the one or two remaining empty tables. Sometimes I get lucky and he has taken a day off. Then there's a young guy in charge and he's always nice. C'est la vie!

Thanks again for your kind words. Everyone's kind words, in fact.

Hi , crepes! Congratulations from me too!
You deserve a huge pat on the back!
((F))

"How many people spend their lives choosing to postpone their dreams, to put aside their needs, only to end up resenting the very people whose dreams and needs they valued more than their own?"

Does this really happen to people? Speaking for myself only, until my kids left home, they were "it." I would never have left them during their teenage years to to "my thing," unless we had talked it over and decided it was the best thing for us to do as a family. And knowing them as I do, I am confident they would have said "Hurrah, Mom! Go for it!"

Now, they take me places and include me in their lives.

We give our kids 18 or 20 years of our lives, during which time they broaden our horizens and give us so much joy! In return, they care for us for the rest of our lives and make really torturous decisions when we need to be cared for. It's about "family," and if we've had our priorities straight, the decision to be loyal and to care for us with love isn't difficult.

I'm sorry, but this "What about me?" stuff where our kids are concerned wears thin with me. I have no regrets about putting my kids first.

If your child doesn't applaud youd decision to take six weeks out of his/her growing up years to do your thing, think about it. What's up with that? What's missing? What is he/she telling you?

what is QIXO. i am trying to get some cheap tickets also, will this work for me?

Good morning, crepes -

And C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S ! ! !

Your feet may never touch the ground again the same way. I envy your future French students. With your love of the French life and culture, I envision you becoming that gutsy teacher who actually takes her classes to France. My very best wishes for your trip and your teaching future.

I want to add my congratulations as well. WOW! How tremendously exciting!
I remember a French Teacher I had back in the middle-ages (we wrote on hand hornbooks...), she made class more interesting and exciting because she talked about the trip she took to France every summer. Since I flunked French 1 and had to repeat it ... ahem... I got to hear about 3 of her summers. She turned me into a Francophile, and finally got my brain to think en francaise..

Felicitations!
Good for you to say "this is what I want to do" -- and do it.

I've been sitting in on French classes at the college where I teach. I was "good" for 2 years -- then pppppfffffttt -- various parts of life intervened. And they won't "un-intervene" until next winter term -- when I will be so out of sequence... but THEN I will say "It's MY time" :D

You go girl!!!! I wish that I could stay in Paris that long. Life here is just getting a little too complicated! I need a reality escape soon! Enjoy my favorite city!

Congratulations, CGG -- go for the dream! What a great experience you have ahead.

And since Fodorites love literary tie-ins, you might want to read a book called "Without Reservations: Travels of an Independent Woman" by Alice Steinbach. She is an American reporter who goes to Europe for, I think, a year -- lives in England, Paris, and Italy. It's listed on Amazon, who cleverly provide that "related books" link -- it seems that independent mature women living in Europe are fast becoming their own genre -- LOL! Maybe I should contemplate that, too; more fun than what I'm doing at work right now...

I think it's healthy for kids to realize their parents are real people with interests other than their (the kids) own. I think it's good for kids to feel secure but no need for them to think the world revolves around them. And we're talking about a near-adult at 15 years...and mom is not abandoning him, just taking an educational break. AND she said she'd try to share it with him when school was out. Sounds like a grounded mom to me...

Congratulations, crepes! I am inspired by your quest and wish you much joy in France and in fulfilling your dream. Maureen

Travelnut - glad somebody set Mary Fran straight! Who would post a nasty reply like that when the subject title was "Somebody share my JOY"! Just another example of why there are more horses asses than horses!

I agree with SB_Travlr on the recommendation of "Without Reservations" and with TallyhoTravels for other obvious reasons. I would like to add another recommendation for a book--"Almost French" by Sarah Turnbull. Not only is it a good read, it will help you understand the cultural differences. Have a great time! Boots

Wow!! How lucky you are to have not only the people you have around you to support you, but the drive and desire to make your life even better than it already is/was. I hope your dreams come true and you have FUN every minute of your adventure. I went back to school after 20 years and I'm now a therapist working with adolescent substance abusers and loving it. We're planning our dream trip this summer to London and Edinburgh. We'll look forward to a wonderful trip report! Have a great time!

J!

Also, don't pay attention to those narly people on line who are so plugged up with self-righteousness they can neither appreciate nor celebrate with people who follow their dreams!

So happy for you! I went for a month to study French in Paris when our children were 14 and 16. They survived just fine and could always call their father at work if there were any problems during the day. Two years later our son went with me on the same trip, plus a month in Greece. Our daughter was invited along but she has never been that interested in European travel. Have a great time. We have gone on Air France twice and it does add to the "je ne sais quoi" = something like I don't know what"!

Thanks for responding Daph. Nice to hear from a mother who has actually done the same thing. My children are unhappy that they can't go with me, because like me, they love to travel. But they are THRILLED that I am doing this. They constantly tell me how proud they are of me for going back to school. My 15 year old ocassionally has to help me with my schoolwork. I thank my lucky stars that he is a math and science whiz to help his strictly liberal arts mom! My other son is 10, and I overheard him telling a lady that his mother is getting her degree to "save the French program at our school" - LOL! Kind of like a superhero I guess!

And they will be well looked after. Grandmother will stay during the week so that they have clean clothes everyday and something to eat besides McDonalds. Dad could handle it just fine, but it will sure be nicer with Grandma at the helm! They didn't even have to beg her!

I'm a senior who is delighted to hear that you are doing something for you...while you can do it...and not putting it off.....have a wonderful time and please tell us all about it..

I share your Joy!! and I hope more joy comes your way.

I'm sure you are going to have a fantastic time. I studied for 6 months in Tours as part of my degree and I absolutely loved it. It's a very pleasant town to live in.
I'm sure things have changed since I was there (94-95) but if you have any specific questions I'd be happy to help.