What to Know Before You Go: TAPIF Edition

In the most bizarre year yet, I am finding a bright spot: I will be returning to France for another year with TAPIF! I am overjoyed to be coming back to Lyon. It’s not often in life that we get second chances to do things better than the first time around- I feel like my first year in Lyon was a test year, and now I’m ready to come back and be better than before.

And because this is my second year as a language assistant, I thought I’d share some lessons that I learned or things that I wish I had known going into the program last fall. Obviously the TAPIF experience varies from person to person, but these are things I wish someone had told me before I set foot in France.

*Also, seeing as it’s September and the program is scheduled to start in October, it’s very likely that you have already done a lot of these things. But since a lot of people have not yet received their arrêtés, I thought I would include everything.

Before Your Arrival

-Email your prof referent as soon as possible!

Last year, I waited until around August to email my prof ref, which I totally should have done as soon as I got her email. It’s good to introduce yourself and start feeling out what your year will look like. I was deep in the hunt for housing (see the next point) and wanted to know where I should be looking for apartments. I also wanted to know if I could start preparing any lesson plans over the summer. My prof ref was able to help me on both of those points, and she even told me about the school’s dorm AND did all the arranging with the administration on my behalf. And the sooner you get in contact with them, the more information they can give you about your school and your city.

-It’s okay not to have housing secured before you arrive in France.

Housing security is one of the most stressful things in the world, made even worse by the language and cultural barriers of being an American in France. For weeks before I got housing in Lyon, I had panicked dreams and was on edge all the time because I was so worried about never finding a place to live. I was very lucky to get a room at the school, but I saw how much my friends stressed and struggled while looking for housing.

You will eventually find housing. You need to be diligent, but you will find a place with time. The most popular websites for finding a room (from what I’ve seen) are Appartager, LeBonCoin, and SeLoger.

If your school offers you housing on-campus, TAKE IT. I lived in a dorm on campus, and even though I didn’t have all the luxuries and liberties of a real apartment, the benefits of living on campus really outweighed the costs: my housing was secure and I didn’t have to go through the stress of getting an apartment; I had easy access to the school if I ever needed to print something or get a form filled out; I was always on time to class and had no commute; the restauration offered really cheap meals; I never had to deal with a landlord and all my maintenance problems were fixed quickly; and I only paid 70€ a month for my room. Having all that extra pocket money to spend on things like travel was way better than having to pay hundreds more in rent for an apartment.

-Register as an American abroad to get your ballots emailed to you.

You can sign up online to have all your ballots emailed to you so that you can scan them and email them back- so helpful when the post can be tricky and expensive! You can even tell them how long you’ll be abroad so that they can send you ballots during that time period (mine are set up to be emailed to me for the duration of 2020). The process was super easy and simple.

*And while you’re at it, register for the Department of State’s STEP program. Although I signed up thinking I would never need it, we were hit by a global pandemic this year, and it was helpful to get emails from the Embassy in the US with updates about what to do as an American. (They also send you emails for every planned major manifestation, which can really spam your inbox.)

-Be smart about packing.

You can buy things like towels and extra socks in France- no need to weigh down your suitcases with stuff like that. Plus, if you’re like me, you’re likely to see how the French in your city dress and pick up a few pieces to blend in a little.

You can check out my post on packing here.

-Join a lot of groups on Facebook.

Erasmus groups for your city are a great way to meet new people and also see housing posts. I would also recommend joining “English speakers in ___” or “English teachers in ___” groups as well, as well as Expat groups.

-Do a little research about what teaching classes is like before Oct. 1.

If you’re like me and had never had your own classroom before, it can be really helpful to browse some teaching websites to familiarize yourself with how to run a class. And they have plenty of helpful tools for creating lesson plans and idea for activities.

And, if you have a really stellar activity, be a good assistant and share it with your friends. Work smarter, not harder.

-Call your credit card company and tell them that you will be abroad.

You will need to tell your credit card company that you are going to be out of the country so that they don’t block your card from working as soon as you step foot in France. You should also find out if your bank has foreign fees. (You can check out more about money in the sections below.)

-Make sure your phone is unlocked so you can put in a new SIM card.

The first time I needed a SIM card, I had lots of problems because my phone wasn’t authorized to get a new SIM card (or something like that). Make sure BEFORE you leave that you can get a new SIM card in your phone, and see what kinds of international plans your phone company offers while you look for a French card.

*Note that getting a French SIM card often requires a RIB and an address, but I think you can get some short-term SIM cards at kiosks in the mall.

-Carry a few copies of important docs onto the plane with you, and have them handy.

One of my absolute favorite parts of France is that it’s always a guessing game when assembling documents for an appointment. I’m kidding about it being my favorite, but I’m sadly not joking when it comes to important documents- I have found that, even if a website lists X, Y, and Z as the documents you’ll need to accomplish something, they might also ask you for A, B, and C. And then they will make you feel like an idiot for not knowing that when you get to your appointment. It’s obviously your fault for being an absolute moron, and not the fault of the organization for having the wrong information on the website.

I didn’t have any problems leaving France, but I did keep a few documents within reach in my backpack for the flight back home, including information on the visa extension, in case anyone asked (they didn’t).

I doubt that I will have problems arriving in France with my new visa, but I am keeping a extra copies in my backpack of my arrêté, the required travel forms in both French and English, and a letter from my school certifying that my presence is required at their établissement. That last one isn’t necessary by any means, but I’m requesting one from the school JUST IN CASE. (This was when Covid regulations were still in place, and the restrictions on who was allowed in the country were very strict.)

Other things you should make copies of: your state ID, the ID page of your passport and your new visa, your arrêté, prescriptions, and your credit cards (in case they get stolen). Once you get to France, make copies of your RIB and any and all documents you receive (you are responsible for keeping all your records together), including the two papers you get from your OFII medical appointment.

I would also have the address of the place you are staying the first night written down somewhere: when I was taking a taxi from the airport to my place in Paris as a student, the taxi driver couldn’t understand my accent when I told him my address, and I had to write it down for him. Save yourself the trouble and do it in advance.

Optional: study up on how the French communicate and read “The Bonjour Effect: The Secret Codes of French Conversation Revealed” by Jean-Benoît Nadeau and Julie Barlow. I read this book after living in France for a year and a half, and I still learned so much useful information on how to interpret French culture.

Once In France

-Get a city transport card or a bike subscription.

You should know how to get around town! I got the city transport card because, even though I lived at the school I worked at, it wasn’t in the center of the city, and I needed public transportation to get places. From what I understand, schools will subsidize your card so that you don’t have to pay full price (and those of us under 26 get a reduced price anyway). I didn’t ask my school to subsidize my card because I lived at the school and didn’t have to use it to commute to work, so I can’t offer advice on the process of getting that done.

If you live close to the city center or love bikes, get a subscription to the local bike rental services. These can be much cheaper than the public transport pass. You can also make an account for the electric scooters so that you can hop on one as soon as you need to.

-Prolong your youth by taking advantage of all France has to offer to those of us under 26.

Get that SCNF Carte Jeune! Get reduced metro tickets! Get free admission into museums! There are so many discounts for young people who are residents of the EU (a tip America really needs to pick up on), so don’t be afraid to ask for youth discounts wherever you go. It can be helpful to have a photo of your visa to show if they ask for proof of EU residency.

The SNCF Carte Jeune is a no-brainer. It’s around 50€, but you’ll automatically get 30% off every train ticket in France, and they offer special deals. Remember that you have to bring it with you on the train because they often check to make sure you have it. I keep mine in my passport holder so that I don’t forget it.

-Befriend your school secretary early on.

My school’s secretaries are my adopted French mothers (although I’m not sure they would see it the same way). They are usually the ones that deal with all your paperwork, so it’s good to know them early on because it’s likely that you’ll cross paths with them often. My secretaries were the ones to get my contract extension forms done and even emailed me to remind me to come sign the paperwork on time! They have even helped me with small stuff like calling the rectorat for me to ask about visa questions or printing out my absentee ballots with I couldn’t get the printers to work.

-Know when TAPIF orientation is, and don’t skip it!

Also, double check to see what kind of documentation you need to bring with you. Last year, in my experience, everyone was freaking out to see if we needed to bring the form they emailed us. But, from what I remember, they didn’t ask for it: if you don’t have to stay overnight close to the orientation location, I am pretty sure you don’t need to bring the form. That’s not legally binding advice, though. That’s just my experience from last year.

You do, however, need to go to orientation. Tell your profs on the first day of school that you have orientations coming up, and then remind them a week and then a day in advance.

-Know that you pay for what you get when it comes to a SIM card.

Most assistants go for Free Mobile, which offers 100Gb of data per month for 20€. I had a lot of issues with them in the past, so this time I went to SFR. I paid 20€ a month for 60Gb of data, and I had a much better experience with them this time around.

Make sure you know what your options are for cancelling your plan when you leave France and what the international charges are like. When you go to another European country, can you still get data and make phone calls?

-You might have to fight for yourself to get what you need.

When I was looking for a SIM card, I went to one phone store to see what kinds of plans they had. The guy working there told me I needed a certain type of residency permit, and I told him that my visa counted as the permit. He didn’t believe me! (Why is the visa good enough for border patrol but not for the guy at the Orange in the mall??) Sadly, stuff like this has happened to me a few times- someone at Government Building A will tell you to go to Government Building B, and then the person at Government Building B will tell you that you have to go to Government Building A. So learn that in the bureaucratic setting, you can’t take “no” for an answer, and you might have to develop a thick skin to get what you need.

Money, Money, Money

-The banking system in France is hard to work with (in my experience).

You will need a RIB in order to get paid by TAPIF, which means you have to set up a bank account (you will need a RIB in order to do a lot of things in France). They will ask you for all kinds of paperwork, and then, if you’re like me, they will let the paperwork sit on their desks for two weeks before opening your account, leaving you stranded without a French bank account. I had to just show up at the bank to ask them about it (because I couldn’t call them because I didn’t have a RIB to get a SIM card!), and it was my first introduction to the joy that is French bureaucracy.

Additionally, you can only do banking at the branch where you set up your account. You have to fill out a bunch of paperwork to switch branches. I don’t think we do that in the US, but I was really surprised to learn this in France.

-File to get your paycheck early!

Because I had so many problems getting my RIB last year, I was unable to file for the 70% of my October salary on time and had to make it two months without getting paid. And it was really hard. I do not recommend it. As soon as you have secured that RIB, go to the secretary at school and ask for help filing to get that 70%.

-French debit cards v. American credit cards

Once you have that sweet, sweet RIB (and have either scanned it to a flash drive or have made multiple copies), you will need to go to the bank and pick up your bankcard (debit card).

I used my American credit card more than I used my French debit card for a few reasons. The first is that I didn’t have the RIB and the card for a long time after my arrival in France. The second is because my credit card company didn’t have international fees, so even though I was being charged in dollars, I wasn’t getting any extra charges on my account. (And I get notifications on my phone when I make a purchase, so I can easily see in dollars how much something cost and know how much I was spending without having to do the math!) Lastly, I get cashback on my purchases. Obvious bonus over the French debit card.

I did, however, use my French debit card for taking out money from the ATMs. There is no withdrawal fee at the ATMs in France, but it is important to know that you do have a limit on how much you can withdraw each month.

-Make a TransferWise account.

One of the downsides of using my credit card to make all my purchases in France is that I had to transfer money from my French account to my American one to pay the bill. International transfers are really expensive (around 50€ in some cases!), so I made a Transferwise account and transfer the money I need each month.

Lots of assistants use TransferWise to transfer money from they French accounts to their American ones. I use it and highly recommend it! It’s easy to use and really cheap compared to the hefty wire transfer fees from my bank (to transfer about 800€, I spend on average around 7€).

However, it is important to know that your bank may count a Transferwise transfer as a withdrawal from an ATM, so they may limit how much you can transfer within a certain time period.

*Here is my Transferwise referral link!

-Set up your mobile banking app as soon as you can.

For some godforsaken reason I will never understand, you cannot show up at the bank to verify that your phone is your phone… you have to wait until you get the verification code in the mail in order to verify your phone number. Do this as soon as possible. You will not be able to do Transferwise transactions until you get up a banking app. You will not really be able to do anything with the app until you have verified your phone number.

-If you’re going to treat yourself to something special, let it be your regional food.

Obviously France is known for its food, but I feel like I discover something incredible in every city I visit. You should try as much regional food as you can- it’s such a sense of pride knowing you have had traditional food. I am a big budgeter when it comes to travel, but I will (moderately) splurge on a nice meal if it means I get to sample the regional cuisine.

-Always keep coins and cash on you.

I am ashamed to say that when I lived in Paris, I was always the coworker who owed people money from lunch because I never had enough euros on me to pay for said lunch. In the US, you can pay almost anywhere with card, but many restaurants in France have minimums for using a credit card (and it always just so happens to be just a smidge more than the average entrée price), so it’s important to always have at least 20€ on you when eating at a restaurant. Luckily, there is no withdrawal fee for ATMs in France, so you won’t have to dish out extra euros just to get cash.

Stay Cool During COVID

-You have to prepare for the possibility of a national confinement.

At the time of publication, France’s numbers aren’t getting better. You should prepare yourself for the fact that we might have another country-wide lockdown (I have heard that no one wants to do a complete lockdown again, but I don’t work for the government, so I don’t know!).

The first thing I would do is to make a plan. In March, they did not give us a lot of notice before we went into lockdown. If you live alone, I would HIGHLY recommend seeing if you can move in with a friend or colleague. If you live with roommates, talk about what your expectations will be for each other if you go into lockdown. And you should also make a plan with your family- they might want you to come home, but you have to make that decision for yourself. For example, I checked in with my family every day, and every two weeks, we assessed the situation in France and talked about whether or not I should come home or wait another two weeks. I made it clear that I wanted to stay in France until the end of my contract, and thankfully the lockdown ended before that.

Once you have your plan in place, build a little “emergency supplies kit.” That sounds scary, but keep reading before you panic- this kit should have things to keep you entertained when you can’t leave your house for 23 hours a day. I will be filling mine with art supplies and a few books. I don’t think you will need emergency food supplies because you can go to the grocery store during lockdown. Also, I don’t recommend hoarding anything, but if you put one toilet paper roll from each pack away for emergencies, would that really be that bad?

*You can check out my thoughts on my experiences in national confinement here.

-You don’t have to go far to travel.

Since there is some possibility that traveling from France to other European countries freely and without quarantine may no longer be an option, look into places around you to visit. France has so many hidden gems on top of the obvious must-sees, and certain train routes can be really cheap. Ask your colleagues for cool places to visit in the area.

I use Trainline to buy all my tickets- a lot of people just use the good old SNCF app, but I like Trainline because I can use it for tickets across all of Europe, not just in France.

Flixbus is also a great option for traveling, if you don’t mind being on a bus for a while. Their tickets are generally cheaper than those for the train, and since it’s a privately owned company, they run even when the trains are on strike (which is VERY OFTEN). They also have a great function on their website where you can see all the routes that leave from your city, which makes picking your next destination a breeze! BlaBlaBus is also an option, but I haven’t used it yet.

-Do everything you want as soon as you get the chance to.

When I arrived in France, I told myself that the only thing I had to do before leaving was to see the cliffs of Étretat. I wanted to do it in the spring for my birthday, but then the pandemic hit France, and I didn’t get the chance to go.

If there are things you want to see or do in France, do them as soon as you can. You don’t know if you’re going to be unable to leave your départment at a certain point, so go make your dreams come true and explore!

Please reach out if you have any questions (or tips and advice, if you’re a returning assistant). I have a submission form at the bottom of the home page!

Bon voyage! You’re going to have an excellent year in France.