3 weeks left…is that possible? May 1, 2009

As of today, there are exactly 3 weeks until I arrive back in the states.  As I look back on my time, there are a few people, or guardian angels, that I want to share.  These are people that have made my trip more memorable and I need to write them down before I forget (thanks mom for those forgetful genes!)  So, here are some of my favorite people from this trip:

1) Man on 1st German train- As Nichole and I stepped onto our first train to travel from Frankfurt to Salzbach-Rosenberg, we realized that we had no way of contacting Paula and Wolfgang, no idea what they looked like, no money, and no idea where the hell our new apartment was.  Great way to start a trip, huh!  Needless to say, after 15 hours of traveling (part of it in a foreign country where we understood nothing), we were a little scared and had no idea what we were going to do once we got off the train.  Luckily, we met a guardian angel!  An older gentleman, who traveled that train daily for his job, sensed our distress.  He talked us through the train route, let us use his cell phone to call Paula, and helped us recognize our stop and get our luggage off the train!  He was our guardian angel and German welcomer!!!!

2) Elenor/Eloise (not sure)- Regensburg Couch Surfer- So, our trip back from Barcelona was a littel crazy.  First of all, our tickets got mixed up and we had to change our tickets for the way home, which added an extra stop in London Heathrow Airport.  After a tram to Barcelona Airport, our plane to London was delayed..we thought, surely we will miss our flight to Munich…But, lucky for us, our flight from London to Munich was also delayed.  Unfortuanately, that meant we might miss our train from Munich to Sulzbach.  After 2 flights, we reached Munich and learned there was 1 train that went to Regensburg (about 1/2 way home) then had a 4 hour layover (from 2am-6am) before our train home.  Not wanting to miss school, we got our ticket and got on the train- despite the fact that we were unsure if the train station would be open for us to wait inside. (This is the appropriate time to remind you that it was February and FREEZING out!)  As the train was leaving, a girl our age came into our car and asked to share our Baveria ticket.  We were like, whatever, sure.  So, we talked and she, hearing our predicament, mentioned that she was a couch surfer.  Basically, she offers up her couch for travelers to sleep on for free.  We were unsure about it, but once the train stopped in Regensburg and we realized the station was closed for the night and we would be on the snowy streets without her, we took her up on her offer.  She gave up her bed for 4 hours so that 2 strangers had a warm bed.  Yet another angel God sent our way!

3) Sabina- our wonderful housekeeper at school.  Sabina is a German woman who is employed by our school to clean the classrooms.  She speaks very good English and because we are there so late, we often have to ask to borrow our keys.  As the year has gone on, we have had many conversations with Sabina.  She is so fun to talk to and not afraid to say anything!  She talks about chocolate going to her hips and good places to travel, beer gardens to check out, and stressful days at work.  Whenever I need to know something about Germany or “girl stuff,”  I go to Sabina.  She is my little German connection and the ultimate Big Sister!  Plus, she always reminds me to think of the people who do the jobs that no one thanks them for…say thanks to those people, appreciate them, they deserve it!!!

No more math… April 24, 2009

So, today was my last day of teaching math.  It was the last class I took over for Paula and the first one I give back, so it’s a stepping stone towards home!  IN class today, we had a test on measurement (they did not do as well as hoped, but did go up about 40-50% from their pretests).  After our test, we had extra time, so we made paper airplanes, took them outside, flew them, and measured how far each flew.  It was such a great way to end my math time!  Before sending them back to class, I gathered them in and told them that I would not be teaching their class anymore.  One of my favorite students (I know I”m not suppossed to have favorites) started to cry!  You’ll never guess who it was….it was the very same student who had weeks before thrown a chair because I was the “meanest teacher in the world.”  Needless to say, I almost started crying (Ryan- stop making fun of me) because it feels like maybe I really did make a difference to him!  Anyway, that’s my ‘feel good” story for the week….hope it inspires you all!!!!

What a day… March 26, 2009

So I had a kid throw a chair today!  Yeah, got mad at me cause I “never let him go first and always make him go last”  Yup…a chair!  Aren’t you all jealous now???  🙂

Chodovar “Your Beer Wellness Land” March 15, 2009

Friday (3/13/09)

http://www.chodovar.cz/id101en-hlavni-strana.htm

One of the teachers at the school, Judy (Sarah’s mentor) plans a trip to Chodovar Restaurant every year.  We joined the bus trip and all the teachers and faculty and had a wonderful time! 

a little back story of this cave restaurant: The family brewery in Chodová Planá was built on ancient cellars cut in granite massif (CAVE). The origins of the cellars are connected with the foundation of a little local castle. That time is also linked with a tale about Albi the dog, which found a well with a plentiful spring of water in the neighbourhood of the castle. Albi the dog has been considered a good spirit of the local brewery cellars for centuries. Thus the dog’s picture was also decorating the emblem of the local malting guild for a long time. Based on an old brewery tradition, the end of the working day in the cellars was always accompanied by a traditional ritual. When leaving, the youngest apprentice was supposed to prepare a jug of beer and pour it into Albi’s bowl. This should have ensured the dog’s favour so as to bring good luck and protect the old ale brewers’ work – the famous Czech lager—that’s the back back story.

This was a unique experience for many reasons! 1) we just hopped over the border to Czech for dinner (yes that’s right, we went to another country just for dinner!!!!) 2) the restaurant is in an 800 year old cave that was once used as the brewery cellar.  Let me tell you, this was an amazing experience!  The atmosphere was spectacular!  You walk into the front door, only to go over a bridge which is over a underground stream, and through a tunnel into a small cave opening which serves as the waiting area.  Then, you walk through another tunnel to a second cave opening which serves as the dining area!  We had traditional Czech foods…I had tomato and mozeralla (not the cheap stuff, but good, sliced mozerella!!!)  as an appetizer and  a sirlion steak in a cream pepper sauce for my main meal.  We also sampled the local brew, because it’s a cultural experience!  I had a dark beer and it was truly the only dark beer I’ve ever had that I enjoyed!  

The nearby hotel offers beer baths and beer shampoo!  It is suppossed to keep your skin healthy and happy.  My first thought was “Do you leave the bath feeling drunk?  DOes your skin soak up some of that beer?”  OVerally, great trip and hopefully we’ll get to do it again before long!

1st Parent Call March 5, 2009

So today, I had my first phone call to parents all by myself!  Let me tell you the story:

One of our students has been becoming more and more definant and disrespectful with the new quarter.  Because of this, the regular education teacher, my mentor, and myself had a meeting with his parents to discuss possible consequences for this behavior.  We decided that a good consequence would be to make up the work he was refusing to do after school.  The meeting was 2 days ago.  No other teachers have carried through with the “stay after school consequence” despite his continued poor attitude and behavior.  Well, today I reached my limit.  We were playing a math money game called “Purchase” and he refused to stop spinning the spinner.  After a few times of asking him to stop, I mentioned that this kind of behavior is what would make him have to stay after school.  Guess what he did….Got a guess?   (a 4th grader keep in mind) 

He got up, grabbed his coat, and walked out of the classroom.  That’s right, he just walked out.  So, I had to yell at him to stop, talk to him in the hallway, and call his parents to tell them he had been disrespectful and needed to stay after school.  YIKES!  Thankfully, the parents were receptive to the punishment, listened to my side of the story, and told me I had made the right decision.  He served his time after school today and I think we are back on speaking terms. 

Part of me feels like I have won a battle…he tested me and I survived (the name of my game right now)  The other part of me feels bad because I know he is a good kid and he has so much going on in his home life.  But, he can’t just walk out of class.  Imagine if he’s walking out as a 4th grader what he might do in high school.  I can only hope that each day from here on out gets a little better!!

TGIF!!! (I survived week 2) January 16, 2009

Oh my gosh…thank God it’s Friday is all I can say!  This week, I felt totally thrown into the teacher role!  Every time Paula and I thought we had things figured out, we learned that another one of our students was PCSing (going back to the states) in February or March and we might have to change reading and math groups or schedules yet again (this is the 3rd time in one week we’ve changed groups); or an unexpected meeting and sick assistant would leave 11 kids in the classroom with me…SCARY!!!  But I SURVIVED!!!!  YES!  Yet, even with that mentality, I can’t help but think about the kids….how hard it must be to leave a school you know and switch to a completely new lifestyle with only 2-3 months left of school.  Is that really doing them the best good, is it helping them reach their highest potential?  I guess maybe I just don’t understand the military lifestyle yet?

Also, to inform everyone, NO I still don’t have an ID….I’ve gone 2x this week and something has gone wrong every time, so I still can’t buy things at the Commissary and no post office box for you to send me fun packages and letters from home!  I told Paula I’m leaving school early on Tuesday, so maybe I can share my address with you all then!!!!  (SAY A PRAYER or Two!)

But, things are looking up- Wolfgang brought us some Bavarian cheese and German pretzels.  We have decided the German food pyramid includes 4 groups- pretzels, cheese, bratwurst, and beer!  The cheese was of course, delicious.  It was like a cheese spread that had onion and bits of brie cheese mixed into a cheeder spread.  It was SO RICH!!!  Definitely couldn’t eat more than one spoonful and 1/2 pretzel or we’d be sick! 

This weekend we are headed to Prague to check out the Czech scene!!!  (I’m so clever!:) HAHA  It will be our first experience staying in a hostel (the cheapest hotels you can find), so Monday’s post may be interesting…I know you can’t wait.  Also, I added new pictures on the travel page from Nurnberg, so check them out! 

I miss you all!!!    Wish you were here!!!  (P.S. everytime I travel to a new place, I see something that reminds me of one of you reading this!)

1 week down, 19 to Go January 9, 2009

Today, Friday, is the last day of the first week of school!  We made it through one week!!!  I finally feel like I at least know the kids names and my body has adjusted its sleep schedule so I’m no longer falling asleep at 2pm (that’s 5am USA time) in school.  Next week I start teaching reading to some challenging, but entertaining and fun kids.  Everyone say a prayer that it goes well!

Today was also the first day that we went to school and came home from school during daylight!  We usually leave for school at 7am (midnight USA time) and return home anywhere from 5pm-8pm (10am-1pm).  So, we have not seen the sun out until today…Wolfgang tells us the days only get longer from here!  Sarah, Nichole, and I have made a pledge to use all that time on base to plan all our lessons (so we don’t have work at home) and to work out more so we fit in on an Army base!!!  As it stands now, I have no priviledges on base, I have an Installation Pass (like ID card) to get me on base, but I do not have the card that “authorizes” me to things like buying food at the Commissary, going to the gym, or getting a Post Office Box.  Hopefully, I will get that card on Monday so I don’t have to keep relying on Nichole and Sarah to buy my groceries and Paula to sign me into the gym AND so you can all have my address (I know you all want to send me letters and packages) HA HA!!!!!

Here are some military terms I know after only one week (I will probably use them in later posts)….

PX- the furniture/housewares store     Commissary- the grocery store       Food Court- has all the American essentials; Burger King, Subway, Popeyes, Charley’s, Baskin Robins      (The PX, commissary, food court are connected in a building that is like a mall)           PCSing- Permanent Change of Station- means the soldier and family is changing post 

This weekend, we travel to Nurnberg this weekend pictures of our trip and of the base to come-if I’m authorized to take them 😛 !!!

First Days of School January 6, 2009

So, the first two days of school are over.  But, I feel like we haven’t been in the classroom all that much.  Between getting an ID to get on base, a second ID to be able to buy things, and a third ID to get into the school, we’ve spent more time in waiting rooms than in classrooms.  Today we thought we had it all figured out, but alas, my ID is not marked for privileges (like the gym and buying things at the grocery store) so I have to go back on Friday.  I guess it’s only fair since Sarah had a flight delay and Nichole lost her luggage.  Now, the trip can go smoothly for everyone!!  🙂

The base  is definitely like it’s own little world.  All the buildings are sandy colored and I feel slightly out of place since I don’t cover myself in camo.  (haha)  The base has 5 different American restaurants (Burger King, a pizza place, Charleys, Baskin Robins, and a Mexican restaurant)  It also has a furniture store (the PX), a walmart type store (the commissary), doctores, auto sales, travel agency (Outdoor Rec), and anything else you could need to live.  A lot of families stay on base the entire 3 years they are stationed in Germany.  Other families try to travel as much as possible.  It is a different lifestyle, that is for sure.  One that I am glad others have chosen to live, because I never could!

Today was Three Kings’ Day, a holiday in Germany.  It celebrates the three kings that visited Jesus and gave him gifts at his birth.  Young boys dress up as the three kings and go house to house asking for donations for charity.  If the homeowners give a donation, a blessing is written on the doorway in chalk for all to see.  Tonight we tried to go to a festival in Pottenstein, but we arrived too late and it was over.  Apparently, pictures of the festival are on www.msnbc.com (go to “Photos” “This week in Photos” and it is the 2nd picture) so check it out!  We did get to try Glueivine, a hot spiced wine common during the Christmas season; it was delicious!!! 

That’s all for now…hopefully (if I figure them out) pictures soon!!!!!