“My name is Olivia Fritsch, and I am currently a first-year student in the Master’s program for Teaching French as a Foreign Language at the University of Artois in France. This year, I decided to take on an exciting challenge by coming to Lithuania for an internship, teaching French at various schools, particularly at VDU University in Kaunas. While this is my first experience teaching in person, I’ve already been teaching online for about a year.

Interestingly, I discovered teaching by chance, without the initial intention of becoming a teacher. However, my year of online teaching completely surprised me in ways I hadn’t expected. I met people from all over the world and helped them reach their goals. That feeling of being able to make a difference in someone’s life was unlike anything I’d experienced before. It felt so natural to continue down this path, realizing that my work was not only valuable to individuals but also beneficial to society as a whole.

This was also the first time I found myself doing a job without constantly watching the clock or dreading waking up in the morning. Now, I plan to finish my Master’s degree and eventually create my own online teaching platform, expanding beyond just French.

To be honest, at 18, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life, even though I performed well in school. I left school and took on various odd jobs without a clear direction. Now, I’m on my way to becoming a teacher. It’s not easy, but I’ve learned that we should never give up on seeking what we’re meant to do. I also believe that this internship experience will be incredibly enriching on a personal level and will allow me to build a solid pedagogical foundation. Moreover, I am very excited to discover the Lithuanian people, who unfortunately we don’t have many opportunities to know in France.”