Good news X 2!

Our appointment in NYC at the French consulate went great. Matt was overly prepared for that meeting: double copies of everything, the right documents, and extra documents for proof of anything and everything (in case they asked). We were nervous that something would go wrong... a document missing, an error, or just plain nonsense from their typical disorganization. Instead, after an 1.5 hour wait from Matt's scheduled meeting, he was in and out in 15 minutes. He'll have to go back in a few weeks to pick up his visa. We're so glad that it's done.

He'll fly out September 10th and 8 weeks later, I'll visit him at the conclusion of my first trimester. I have about 10 days or so between trimesters. It'll be short, but oh so sweet. I'll only have to wait another 3 weeks until Christmas vacation, so 10 days is do-able.

Here's what's super duper wonderful: Since I'm the coordinator for a program called School Year Abroad, I'm eligible to receive a travel grant to one of their world-wide schools. Naturally, I want to visit the French school in Rennes. Several of my students have studied there over the years and a few of Matt's colleagues got the French bug through this program, so it's really effective!  Anyway, I got the grant!  They will reimburse my travel and hotel up to $1000 which means I'm going to fly to Paris, visit with Matthew, take the train to Rennes, spend 2.5 days there, then go back to Paris and finish out my vacation time. Yay!  All I have to do after the trip is write a 2-3 page account of my observations (like a diary?)

Yes, it is possible for Matthew to come with me to Rennes, but they over-schedule visitors: all day at school in classrooms, meetings with teachers, program directors, host families, and dinners with various people. We'll see what Matt wants to do then. He could always explore the city on his own!