First day of school...

School finally started on Monday! My first class is on Development of social work theory and perspectives and the second one is on Analysis of qualitative research data. There are both in French, which I know sounds weird but it is still an adjustment for me. My Monday class is my PhD class and there are only 4 students, since they only accepted 4 this year (I feel quite privileged and keep thinking that they may have made a mistake ;)). So we are four women. One is originally from Lebanon and has been here for 12 years. The two others are white originally from Quebec. All of them have stable jobs. When the professor introduced her class I felt so out of place because I did not know what the hell she was talking about! Quickly I was overwhelmed by a tremendous feeling of feeling lost as well as a great sense of loss. I felt like running away to go back to Seattle! Everything appeared so new at all levels and I felt like I could not do it all on my own! It felt like it was too much at once: being in a new city, starting a PhD, not having a support system and being unable to articulate myself correctly in French. Talking to Leslie last night, my one friend in Montreal, helped tremendously and reminded me that what I am experiencing is normal and expected. Thank goodness today was definitely a better day than yesterday. I feel much stronger and ready to take on the challenge to finish my thesis in 3 years, even if my fellow PhD students who are in their 3rd or 4th year think it's a fantasy!!