One of the first phrases I remember learning to say in French was the sign of the cross: Au nom du Père et du Fils et du Saint-Esprit.

It was long before I declared a minor in French at the University of Kentucky. In elementary school, at Queen of Peace, a woman came weekly to teach us English and poetry. She taught the class the English language, but we began and ended it with prayer in French. A few years later, as I  sat in Badin High School’s gym scheduling my classes, I had no clue that my decision to check “French” instead of “Spanish” would shape everything I do and am today.

Bonjour! My name is Isabelle, I’m 23 years old, live in Deauville, France, and teach English at the local elementary school. Deauville is a small town on the northern coast of Normandy, along the English Channel. When I accepted this job, I knew absolutely nobody here. Leaving my family at the airport gate to walk alone into complete uncertainty required an amount of faith I never needed before.

They say, “Let go, let God,” and that’s exactly what I had to do. I was so scared in the month before my departure. My heart felt heavy, which I thought was a bad sign, but now I think it was just the culmination of graduation from university and saying goodbye to my family—my sister and my new nephew. When I asked God to put me on the right path, all signs pointed to France.

I trusted He would lead me to exactly where I needed to be, and I love it here! I never thought I’d enjoy working with kids as much as I do, but they bring so much joy to my days. I love watching their minds work as they try to figure out how to explain something to me. I get to be a source of comfort, trust, and stability for my students. And sometimes, when a kid needs a hug, they have no clue that I needed one, too, because I was missing my parents.

I also love the community—I know the people in town who work at the bakeries and shops. I have a place here. This doesn’t mean my days aren’t full of effort and challenges. Every day, I face a culture that knows me as an outsider. As much as I’d love to say I’m fluent, I still have more to learn and bilingualism is something I work toward every day. When I speak with someone in a store and hesitate too long because I want to use correct grammar, I can see it on their face—there’s a moment where they don’t know where I’m from or anything about me, but they know I’m “other.”

God blessed me with a friend who shares my dreams. Although we live on opposite ends of France, she has the same travel bug I do. We’re lucky enough to meet up in different cities across Europe, and in our travels, we’ve seen incredible churches! The cathedrals and basilicas are so ornate. I’ve made a habit of sitting and praying in every church I visit—so, I’ve prayed in magnificent places. While a prayer in St. Peter’s Basilica is the same as a prayer sitting in my car, I love seeing how such grandeur was built as a symbol of the people’s love of God. Last Christmas Eve, we attended the vigil at Notre Dame in Paris. Despite my years of speaking French, I could only follow the Mass because of my faith, not because I understood all that was spoken.

This summer, Normandy is honoring American soldiers for the 82nd anniversary of D-Day in World War II (WWII), as they do every year. I’m lucky enough to be included in welcoming WWII Veterans at the airport in Deauville and taking students to Omaha Beach and the American cemetery for a memorial service. It offers me the chance to tie my two communities together. I’m happy to be here in France, and I also really miss the place that built me. The U.S. will always be home, but I have more to learn here before I bring it back. Cincinnati, I miss you. God bless!

Isabelle Helton is a parishioner of Queen of Peace parish in Hamilton, Ohio, presently teaching the English language to elementary students in Deauville, France.