I hate to sound like one of those highly excitable teenagers, but – Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God – I got my stage (internship) at Guy Savoy!!!! Whew-hoo!!! Yippeee!!! I’m going to be a stagier!!!

I got the phone call in the morning. I heard it ringing and I thought, “That’s odd, nobody calls me except my husband and he’s home, everyone else texts me or emails me… I wonder if it’s… naaaah, couldn’t be…” But then I looked at the number and it was French and my heart started racing.

So, instead of picking it up I let it go to voice mail. Why? Because my french is horrible and the thought of having to converse without preplanning my dialogue brings on panic attacks. I then made some coffee, sat down next to my phone and stared at it.

I liken the experience to playing the lottery. Once you buy the ticket you can dream about what it would be like to actually win. How it would change your life. What plastic surgery, fancy cars or mansions you might buy. But most of all, how you would be able to pursue your passions and please the people closest to you. Up until the day the numbers are drawn, you are a millionaire. So naturally, up until I received that phone call, I was already a cook at Guy Savoy in my mind. I had already imagined what it would be like.

Then the question was, do I pick up the phone and dash my dream to a million pieces or should I just let the phone lie there beeping at me every two minutes to tell me there’s a voicemail?

As I sipped my coffee the thought hit me: what if I really did get the stage? Oh merde, what am I going to do? My french is horrible, I’m female (and yes, that is an issue in France), people are going to yell at me all day long, and I’m going to have to work 14 hour days with only two hours for rest midday. I’m too old for this!

After slurping my last slug of coffee, I reached for the phone and listened to the message. Low and behold, it was my favorite Superior Cuisine chef calling to tell me that they have approved my internship and they liked my letter or motivation. I think he said that he was very excited for me. The message, which I still have saved on my phone, said something like this, (I don’t understand all the inbetween words): “Oui bonjour Amy, je vous… appelez…avec beaucoup plasir…Guy Savoy acceptez vous…bon journée…”

When I got to school my Superior Cuisine Chef gave me a big hug and looked down on me (he’s 6′ 6″ in his chef’s shoes) like a proud and happy papa. I told him that I was scared but excited and he said I’d do just fine. I think most people were really surprised that I got the stage (including myself). I’m really going to miss class with the Superior Cuisine Chef, what an incredible talent and good spirited person.

Two weeks left of school, one written final this Friday and one four hour cooking final on the 22nd. Then I start my stage on June 1st. June 1st!!! Has anyone learned French in just two weeks??? Oh la la la la!!!

The only catch is that now I have to go back into Guy Savoy (after my bizarre first encounter) and get all my paperwork signed. As trivial as this sounds, that means I again have to bypass the receptionists and ask for the chef and then I have to talk with him. When you can’t hold a phone conversation in a foreign language that means everything has to get done by person or email.

Oh well, a small price to pay for such an incroyable opportunity!

P.S
Thanks for keeping your fingers crossed for me 😉

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