Sherlock-Style Hiatus

Hello.

After the riveting post about making Brioche from scratch, I practically disappeared from the blogosphere here at Two Beans Or Not Two Beans.

I just wanted to let you all know that I am not dead.

I am not dead and I will make an entrance sporting a fake drawn-on mustache and mimicking a cheesy French accent.

#FrenchBeanLives

To be honest, life has been rather unstable for me since the year began. I won't bore you with all of the details, but I will explain the few key points.

After much deliberation caused by several months of unemployment, I, with the help and advice of close friends and family, decided to apply for a Masters program in France. This meant needing to amass a deluge of paperwork, photocopies and translated legal documents as per French university requirements.

That's when things started to go awry: my laptop started malfunctioning in which it refused to open any of my files or let me use Microsoft programs, including Paint and Word. Moreover, the wi-fi connection went down in my building and the then current landlord was unable to do anything about it. Seeing as how the university applications (not to mention posting blogs) relied heavily on the use of Internet, I found myself scrambling all over Le Mans to leech off the wi-fi in local cafés, dragging the nearly-moribund laptop.

This meant that blogging took a backseat to my real life priorities.

Despite all odds, I was indeed accepted to my choice university. It was such a wave of relief to have gotten my acceptance letter in the mail back in June. However, this meant that I had to move once again...for the fourth time in six years.

I said good-bye to Le Mans and, after completing the visa and student paperwork, welcomed Angers into my life.

The famous Angevin castle 

Being accepted by l'Université d'Angers means that a certain aspect of my life has come full circle.

Back in 2008, while relishing the profound interest I have for the French language, I had contemplated in using my Alma Mater's study abroad program to do a summer semester of intensive French lessons in Angers. Except my university canceled the study abroad program for that very year. Dejected, I lamented not having been able to do my university coursework in France and in a city as lovely as Angers.

Now, several years on, I find myself in the odd situation of starting my Masters program there.

I'm absolutely petrified at the prospect of studying in France, yet for the first time in several months, I am hopeful that things are going to turn out just fine.

At least, things will turn out fine provided that I stay on top of the paperwork and photocopies...

Barb the French Bean