it's not about the money (but it doesn't hurt)

I've started working a little since the new year, giving private lessons to a manager at AREVA. It currently amounts only to 3 hours a week, plus a few hours for planning. There is room to grow and to add more students once this person feels more confident in speaking French in small groups. I leave each session energized, feeling like the old Ellen, and confident that teaching is what I am supposed to be doing. I leave thinking "I can't believe someone is paying me to do this!" I *could* (--not would. Time is valuable and I need the moolah) do this for free. I LOVE LOVE LOVE talking about French grammar, helping her with pronunciation, discussing why one might choose this word over that word. I love French! I'm thoroughly enjoying creating our lessons, it's forcing me to go back and study what I worked on in college. (And to mes amis francophones, you know I could use the practice.) I know that to most of you, that sounds crazy. Like someone telling me that they love doing math exercises or working in the medical field. Yuck.

Another opportunity, although small, presented itself last night. A French acquaintance here in Lynchburg is creating an "app" for the iPhone. With the help of friends, she put together some favorite French recipes and is compiling a sort of digital on-the-go cookbook, and needed help translating. She's hired four people to do this (as far as I can tell). I've got 55 recipes to translate. Now THAT is a cool little job! I get to think about food and French at the same time, while drinking tea in my jammies. Oh la la la la la la laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...

I feel lucky to have these connections to these cool "freelancy" type projects! Who knew?