By Alison Pavoux

This weird feeling!

Probably as all of you I have been going at school since I’m 3 years old. What means I have already attempted 18 back to school in a new grade. The first few years you are glued to your mother and crying until a teacher comes to get you, but finally you get used to it. Every year the same things happen, you have to tell your name, your age, explain why you chose this school and what you did before… (be sure I’m ready to do it)

I’m lucky I always knew what I wanted to do. I was 14 when I asked my mum to subscribe me to a magazine. I remember it was Grazia. I used to get one every month for 2 years but I never read any writing, I ripped advertising out and stuck them on my bedroom wall until it get full. I was 14, so I had to follow grades until I could get in a communication school. I have been 3 years at Sup de pub and I was ready and confident to begin my forth year…but I did not do it.

Instead I decided to leave France and go traveling. (Yeeeaaah!)

Before to leave I had never ever get in a plane and I couldn’t speak English at all. I had that weird feeling you have when you are very excited but also scared about what will happen next. I arrived in Australia last October, and to be honest at first time it was hard and I had some rough days. The language barrier was the hardest thing and I thought “Crap! Why didn’t I listen English lesson at school?” Anyway.

I got out of my comfort zone and I’m glad I did it, I’m having the best year I ever had.

And as everyone says when you begin traveling you can’t stop! No sooner said that done, I booked tickets to go to New Zealand. But back to Australia could not stop traveling. So I decided to organise a huge trip on my way back home. Here we are. I took my 20kg backpack and travelled through Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, China and Japan!

I plan to come back in France on the 1st of September to be at SCA with you the next week.

You asked me how do I make myself ready and how do I feel about my first day at SCA. As weird as it can be I feel exactly the same as when I left school to travel: I’m excited but scared going back to school.

Traveling became my comfort zone and it seems not easy to get out of it, even to go back to something we use to do most of our time.

With all the things I got through I learnt that even if you have some hard time, things get back right and you are fine because you get use to all situations.  

I’m looking forward to integrate SCA in September and I’m sure I will be fine.  

PS: Don’t make of of my French/Aussie accent.