Rain on a Perfectly Good Carnival
Okay, I don’t want to mislead you, there was no actual rain, it’s a metaphor. You know, one of those things that have a deeper meaning. Except the meaning of this one isn’t all that deep. Or maybe I just liked the title and it has nothing to do with anything, you be the judge. Anyway, here is the just of it:
Today was our last Saturday of the year working for the Jugend Mobil. It seems they are packing it up for winter, since it gets really cold here. Yet another reminder that I still need a warm coat. Though part of me will miss the cursed contraption, the other part of me is with Gary and his sarcastic lament of ‘Shade’ (which means: That’s too bad, but has a slight aura of sarcasm to it.) I mean, I look back at the hours sitting around the colourful truck in the midst of our various games and average of 2 children playing them and I can’t help but get a few tears in my eyes. Of course they could just as well be tears of joy over getting Saturdays back, but who’s counting? Now don’t get me wrong, I know that there was some reason for the work, and it wasn’t all bad. There were good times playing soccer and connecting with kids via sports and games which don’t require an extensive knowledge of the German language. It made it easier, but it also took up every Saturday this month, usually for at least 6 hours. You see Saturdays are a day of rest, of sleeping in and watching cartoons and eating cereal for lunch and sometimes dinner if you felt the urge. Saturdays are a day of reading books and taking long walks, or maybe riding into town and walking around. They aren’t supposed to be days where you wake up at 7 AM (which for us is technically sleeping in anyway) to ride to Berlin and sit to sit in front of a truck all day trying to get kids to play basketball or the marble game.
But they did bring some good memories, like the time Gary ate it on the 4 person snow skis, which was amazing, or the time me and Gary challenged some German teenagers to a game of soccer even though they obviously were taking it easy on us, or the many times it provided us with free food and free cake and coffee (Kafee und Küchen). There was also the drunk guy in Berlin who we call Napoleon because he randomly did a Napoleon Dynamite kick before running around and stealing a piece of our bosses cake. It was also a ticket into a few pretty kickin’ German festivals we would have never known about. So, despite all my complaining, it did actually give us something to do on Saturdays and made us feel a little more important sometimes. So though in a way I’m glad to have a break from it, it is only because I know as soon as the weather turns nice again it’ll start up again and I’ll have cause to celebrate my precious little free time.
Full Circle (Literally)
So when we last left our hero’s they had just finagled a ride to Meckeshiem after missing their first train. They boarded another one at around 8 (an hour after they should have left) this time heading south instead of north. All in all the journey took 8 hours, with only one minor adventure. They were supposed to catch another train in Bad Frisenburg, but the town wasn’t labelled very well and they didn’t get off. Luckily the next stop was only about a mile away and they reached just as the train they were meant to board arrived. Finally they arrived at Meckeshiem where they immediately saw their friends John and Rachel, who, consequently were on the same train as they were. They shouted ‘HEEEEY’ at the top of their lungs and managed to get everyone in a ten foot radius’s attention. Luckily John and Rachel weren’t quite 11 feet away. So their cry had worked and they spent the next 30 minutes making up for lost time. Then they found their lodgings. Then they feasted on Spaghetti and bread and the like. There was much merry making. After dinner, our hero Keith and his friends John and Rachel went for a walk and a little plotting. The next day we went to the ‘Cute’ city of Heidelburg, which has a Schloss (Castle) and we went to visit it. One member of the group, Mattias, decided it would be fun to have a picture that looked as if he was jumping off a cliff, I don’t know why but it was weird. He seems to have a obsession with jumping and climbing things. He might be the missing link between monkeys and humans…who knows. (Sorry Mattias, but I pick on everyone…even my stupid stupid self…no…okay, not really). We also went exploring for other things, and dubbed this year of Intermenno the year of the Unicorn. Good times were had by all. Then I played Guitar all night long. All in all it was good times if not a bit too short, luckily some people are coming up to visit Altes Lager soon. Now on the way back, our noble heroes were on one train the entire time, it only took 5 hours, but they didn’t get back to Berlin until 10. Then they had an hours trip to a city an hours walk from Altes Lager. They should have had a ride, but no one came and they had no phones. So Keith got out his trusty headlamp of power and they set of for the final journey home. Despite the Thieves and evil on the streets our heroes might and tenacity must of scared them away, and they made it home with no problem. Keith arrived home to a full mailbox (Thanks LUC, Jodi, and MHC Lifeworks!) The End…or is it? PS this is called full circle due to several factors, one, we walked both to and from the train station, B.) We often sat in a circle during meetings, 3 Just because. And most importantly because we travelled around the south of Germany one way of our trip, and north the other, thus making a full circle, (pretty much) around all of Deutschland.
A Requimesque Piece to Celebrate/Honour/and Otherwise Remember My First Two Months
ODER (OR)
If You Wanna Be Famous
Just move to another country and work with children. Not only will they shower you with pieces of paper with or without hearts drawn in magic marker. Not only will they ask you every day to sit next to them on the bus, knowing already that you have to sit in the back with the big kids. Not only will one or two of the mislead young ladies develop odd fascinations with you. Not only will they come by and ring your doorbell. No, more than that, every time they see you they will smile and say something, give you a high five, shake your hand, whatever. And sure, sometimes it’s annoying, sometimes it gets old (the doorbell thing is a good example, as is it an example of them bad part of being famous), but sometimes, when you’ve lost your hope in humanity and some kid comes up all excited to shake your hand, it just makes your day (again, never the doorbell ringing, because my doorbell sounds worse than an alarm clock, which you know I hold to be among the worst sounds in existence.) Now I have my favourites, I know they all say you shouldn’t have them, but everyone always does anyway (and besides, I don’t treat them much different). One of them is this kid Lukas who has really white blonde hair. I think he’s a slow learner, and has a lot of energy, but it’s hard not to smile when he gets all excited and says: ‘My hat is red!’ even though we happen to be talking about furniture. He also likes to shout my name every time he sees me, even if it’s quite often. I also have my not so favourites. Like the kid who cursed me in Russian before flicking me off (kids love their soccer here, and I’d tried to make him sit out for the small act of punching this kid twice). Or maybe the kids who pushed me into another classroom while class was still going on (thankfully it was one of the English teachers, so I could explain what happened). But the point is there are so many solid kids around, that aren’t mean to me, but who just treat me normally, which a lot of times is appreciated as it is sometimes seemingly rare. As I am teaching English I feel that I am living vicariously in London through the eyes of Terry, Emma, Lisa and Sam who are feature in the book we use. Who cares if maybe they aren’t really actual children at a school in London, and MAYBE they are really called Terry Emma Lisa or Sam, but boy do they ever have some adventures at that school of theirs. Like, remember the time when Emma forgot her lunch money so her and Sam had to share sausage and chips? Oh that was quite an adventure indeed! Or when Emma got all boy mad over Jake Howard? Man, her and Lisa didn’t talk for a week.
It’s not just the kids that make you feel good though. I have Frau Förster, who was my host mother, and who pretty much a mother to us now. In fact that is a little nickname me and Gary have for her, she is quite protective and makes sure we always know what is going on. At one boy, just before our excursion to Meckesheim, she even referred to us as ‘Her Boys’. We also have Frau Hampil, who teaches us German, she is very encouraging, and since she only knows German, is a good person to practice German with. The are also the Unrau’s, who consistently have us over for a rousing game of Siedler von Catan (Settler to you USAnians or Canadians) I always lose, but I talk the most trash…so it’s a trade off. There is Ina who knows a little English and always corrects our German, and Johan who taught us Sheep vs. Wolves. I’ve been here two months now and have made a few connections; I feel a little more at home, a little more consistent and a little less like a tourist. I still have lots to learn, mostly German. But all in all it’s been a crazy, hectic, unsettling, but refreshing, amazing two months. And that’s How Lovely my Dwelling Place is. (Sorry that’s an MHC Choral Joke, we sung part of Bram’s Requiem, but now I don’t feel smarter than anyone after explaining it.)
M to the Eckisheim
Word. So this is the story, all about how, my (travel plans) got flipped and turned (literally…almost) upside down. Don’t thank me, thank Big Willy Style, only back when he was little Willy/Fresh Prince. Or the early 90s. So this past weekend we had an Intermenno Conference in Meckisheim, it was amazingly fun. The problem came in getting there. We had went earlier in the week to buy tickets, and the tickets began the journey at 6:55. That wasn’t quite early enough for Gary and I, so we decided that a pleasant hike to the train station was in order. We got up at 5AM, thinking we would just sleep on the train when the time came, and left at 5:55, an hour before our train left the station. We figured the hike would only take about 40 minutes or so, it was only 4 K’s. Well around halfway their the sun was getting brighter, which let me to believe it was getting close to 7, and made me a bit nervous, but seeing as neither Gary or I have a watch, I was giving it the benefit of the doubt. The doubt was right in the case though, because a few minutes before the station we glanced upon a clock that told us it was 6:55, which set us in a frantic scramble the rest of the way. This lead Gary to exclaim: ‘Why did I wear sandals?!’ We made it to the station in time to complain avidly about not leaving 5 minutes earlier. I was under the impression that the game was lost, and didn’t fancy the idea of walking all the way back home to ask for advice. So I went to the ticket counter and in German acquired a new ticket to Meckesheim for 129 €, which was a little less than the 140 combined Euro’s Gary and I had. Phew. Relief set in, we were going on vacation. The interesting part was that our original tickets were heading north and first and then to the M city, but our new ones headed first towards Bayern and then to M stadt. That’s right, I just used a German word. And the first tickets made the trip in 5 hours, while the second took a meagre 8 hours. It was a long ride. Unfortunately dear readers I am so tired that I am making spelling mistakes all over the place, which means its time to call it a night. More explaining that and the most awesome trip ever in the history of German (with more of my usual levity) next time, same me place same me channel. Rad…which means either Radical, or in German, a Bike. Cool huh.
A Day for Gifts (Einen Tagen für Geschenke)
So, I was going to start this with: I have in my pocket several pieces of paper…but it’s been a few days and so that line won’t work because the paper is not in my pocket anymore. Anyway the point is that last Thursday I was teaching a lesson on Furniture, well stuff you’d find in a room, it’s hard to explain. I handed out this worksheet with an empty room and pictures of stuff on it, and they would cut out the pictures and glue them and all, nice fun, not to stressful. So they did that, and then one of them said they had a gift for me and gave me a piece of paper, which I wasn’t about to keep. Then, as 2nd graders do, they all proceeded to run the joke into the ground. So I kept all of them, just so the kids wouldn’t think they weren’t funny, or maybe I really am nice after all and didn’t want to hurt their feelings. But then one of them drew a little heart on one of the pieces of paper, and I decided that that one was worthy of really keeping. The other pieces I slipped into the trash after the kids left. Later that day…in the first class a kid gave me a drawing of a bunch of hearts. I felt pretty loved, which is good because the kids aren’t always good at paying attention, which sometimes for me translates to ‘You’re boring’ in my head. But the real gift came later when I went to check the church after work (sometimes there is free food their, so I usually stop in). There were Russian ladies cooking these awesome things that were pretty much deep fried hamburgers. Okay so that makes me sound like some nasty grease loving USAnian, but sometimes I enjoy a fried taste sensation. Then I was talking to the people at the church in German and it just started clicking, mind you it was simple German, but still, after feeling like an idiot for so long, it was a nice gift for once to feel at least somewhat intelligent for a few hours.
Something Strange
So today was very dark and cloudy. The morning was pretty warm but it got progressively cooler. In the fourth period I was with the third graders and we went over clothes and stuff. I had a hard time remembering to call pants trousers or jeans (the kids are learning British English) but I think most people would, because who really wants to say trousers when you can say pants. I was again reminded of how odd it is that pants and shorts are plural objects. That wasn’t the really strange thing though. No, the really strange thing was that I sat down at the back, near some rowdy kids. It was my hope that my presence would calm them down, but I guess I forgot that most of the kids past the 2nd grade don’t grant me the same respect as they would a teacher. I like to think it’s because I can’t reign down on them in German and put them in their place, but it also had something to do with the fact that they were young girls. In some odd quest for attention, one of them had cut off a rather sizable piece of their hair, which was weird enough. Then after a few minutes of me wondering if I should attempt to explain in my limited German that you shouldn’t cut your hair (I tried once in 2nd grade and got in big trouble) when she did something even more odd. She borrowed someone’s glue stick and proceeded to glue the piece of hair on her chin like a beard. That’s about when the teacher noticed and yelled at her, and I moved to a more well behaved part of the class. Also today I was struck with a bit of reminiscence of last year with my people at the LUC. It was good times, and I guess my memories were stirred by looking at pictures of last year on my computer, which I finally got a proper adapter for. It wasn’t a sad time, and I didn’t feel homesick, I just remembered how weird it was at first, and how normal it became, and a few of the fun times we had. It just served to make me excited about fun times here, some of which will come at the Intermenno Retreats, and some of which come from teaching, and some from playing Siedler von Catan with Jake, Dorothy and Gary (the pastor, the pastor’s wife, and my fellow Trainee) I haven’t won yet, but then again, I never really do. But I think I am finally learning that the enjoyment is in the playing of the game and not necessarily winning, though it is fun to try. I guess I am going to survive here, as long as I look forward to the right things, like the moment when German finally makes more sense. Or when everyone comes to visit good old A. L. Good times will be had, I can feel it.
Jetzt du bist alleine
On Monday, a few teachers were not a school, and to compensate there were extra English lessons. For me this meant that for the first time I would be completely alone in the classroom. I was kind of like the substitute teacher, except my German isn’t all that great yet, so the kids could take more advantage than usual. Unfortunately for them I was raised in American schools, which have considerably less tolerance for noise than the school I teach at does. Or perhaps that was unfortunate for me. Who knows. I feel like it went pretty well. I taught one fourth grade class (Vierte Classe) and one fifth grade (Funfte Classe). The fourth grade class was really fun because we listened to this song called ‘The Hobby Song’ and I made them stand up and do some motions for it, which I hope helps them remember hobbies. The fifth grade class was pretty loud and had a lot of questions, partly because the work they had to do didn’t make a lot of sense, even to me. I had hoped they would understand because maybe their text book explained it, but I was wrong. So, with a touch of improvisation, I just had them make up some sentences and read them out loud. The teachers all seemed a bit nervous for me, but I tried to assure them that things went smoothly. I like the teachers I work with, though I am still too nervous to have conversations with them, I hope that that will come with time. They are all very nice and seem to be interested in how I am doing and how things are going. So it is nice to have them helping me, even if sometimes they speak a little too fast for me to understand everything. The first grade teacher later asked me where I was in the Dritte Stunde, (third period) and I explained how I was by myself in the classroom with the 4th grade. She understood, but I had missed out on my usual Sport Stunde with the 1st graders. That’s right, three times a week I go with the first grade and play games during their PE time. I’m not sure if that is a normal thing or if it is because I mentioned how I helped teach PE last year to 1st and 2nd grade, but either way it’s fun to have a little reminder of the great kids I got to teach last year. All in all my first experience by myself in the classroom was okay, but I’m not sure if I’d be cut out to do it full time, but maybe everyone is nervous at first.
Something Like a Sunday Afternoon
Those of you that know me well should, by now, be aware that Sunday is my favourite day of the week. I don’t know why really, I guess because it’s a day I can really relax because church gives me a reason to wake up somewhat early, and the lack of work gives a good reason to be lazy or sleep. This past Sunday was no exception, and it was a beautiful day and I decided to not be lazy and go on a leisurely bike ride. I took the famous Skater Bahn of Tetlow Fläming; trust me, it’s very famous here, I’ve been told about it about a million times. I went a little ways towards Nidergörsdorf proper, which is something like 7 Km away from where I live. Then I went down this really big hill, a sign said it was 90% grade, or I’m a liar. Take your pick. Then I just turned around and on the way up saw a rollerblader who used a stick as a break. That was funny. Mostly because he had on this spandex wind suit. Then this lady asked me if this was the way to Altes Lager, which it was. Of course she asked in German, and therefore could’ve asked if this was the way NOT to Altes Lager, but I don’t think so. I said ja, it was, because it was. She bladed past me and then stopped and checked her map. ‘Was suchen Sie?’ I asked, just to clear things up. She said ‚Ich suche Neues Lager, ich spreche falsch.’ Then she left and I wondered if she had said she told me wrong or that I told her wrong, I’m pretty sure it was her mistake though, because she seemed pretty lost. Anyway, after that I headed back, and upon reaching my humble abode, I saw the children that caused me such grief a few episodes back. That’s right, think of these as episodes. Anyway, as I drove past they told me in German how they had rung Gary’s doorbell, and that he was upset about it. And he might of sprayed them with water, but that is just hearsay. Anyway, not wanting to deal with them on a Sunday of all days, I rode past and decided that maybe I would ride for a bit longer. About a minute later I ran into a homeless guy who a wanders around these parts. Now, I’m not heartless, but this fellow we have dealt with before, and he has a tendency to linger on forever and ask over and over for ‘Funf Euro’, which since we don’t know his proper name, is what we call him. He is a part of the community here and all so don’t think I’m making fun. But last time I saw him he touched my face, which was okay and all, but I’m not a huge fan of people touching me, and people touching my face is a bit much unless I’m ready for it. Or I know the person pretty well. Anyway, the point is I really just wanted to go home and sit and read a bit, so I turned around and decided that I could get passed the kids quicker than my pal Funf Euro. Upon arrival, the kids, as expected, decided it would be fun to try to run over me with their bikes. So mounted my trusty bike and took off. Seeing as I am faster than them I got a little ahead, but they were persistent and eventually I slowed down. They caught up and kept trying to run into me. So I took off really fast and one followed, then I made to turn really quick and stopped. Now the kid following me was closer than I thought, and didn’t have time to stop, so he ended up hitting me and wrecking his bike, which was kind of funny once I realized he wasn’t hurt. Especially because it was an accident. He thought it was pretty funny too, and there may have been a few seconds where we actually bonded a little, though I can’t be sure because right after that he made to ram my bike again. So I headed home and to the safety of my room a some good fiction, to enjoy the rest of a wonderful Sunday.
True Life: I’m A Carnie
The good news is I spent pretty much the whole day in Berlin. The bad news is that I was technically working. We got to sleep in this morning until 7AM, I know, awesome right? Then we headed out in a big blue van with 5 Russian ladies, 1 German driver, A Canadian, and me, a Statesman (United States mind you). That’s right; I’m changing it from American to Statesman, because Canada is part of America, as is Mexico. Plus I’m just feeling honery, forget it if I spelled that wrong. We got to Berlin via the Autohbahn, which has speed limits in most places; well it at least did on the part we rode on. Then we spent the whole day working with the Jugend Mobile. I was sitting there today, thinking, because we couldn’t play soccer like usual (the street was too close). And I realized that my job, as far as the Jugend Mobile is concerned, is a lot like a carnival worker. I go around to different places and try to get people to play the same games. We also have a Unicycle and stilts, which I try to use every time, but I still need to learn. But really we go around to festivals and get in for free and work by playing games. So I’m pretty much a Carnie, a government Carnie, but nonetheless (That’s right, the Jugend Mobile is a government sponsored thing). Last week we were in Dennwitz where there was a big cultural festival with Umpapa Bands and people in traditional garb, it was all really cool. It’s not a bad job really, though it can get boring. Though today during the most boring part this drunk guy came around and did a Napoleon Dynamite kick, which was hilarious. We also got free food, in the form of really hot soup, bochwurst, and free cake. One of our coworkers, Johan, who lives in the same Apartment building is us, was teaching me and Gary a game called Sheep and Wolves, with a checkerboard, (it’s a cool game) when the drunk guy came around and asked: ‘Can I eat that cake’ referring to Johan’s cake, but without really listening to the answer, he said: ‘Good’ and took it and ate it. That was pretty funny to, then we came home and fixed a nice dinner, and that was pretty much my day.
Stick Shifts and Safety Belts
This past Friday me and old (young, teenage, etc.) Gary had ourselves a little adventure to Lukenwalde. That’s a town about 30 minutes away from us, or like 35 kilometers, I don’t know. We went to this ‘mall’ there, which is something like a grocery store with CD’s and everything, so maybe something familiar to Super WalMart or something, though a lot better because it isn’t taking over Germany or anything. The trick was that I drove, 100. I mean 100 Km/hour. The better trick was that it was that the only car was a stick shift; in fact all cars here are stick shifts. The car is a lot like Edgar from the days of the LUC dynasty, except the heat works. There’s no power steering, so it’s rough. I haven’t really driven too far in a stick shift, or ever, in a stick shift, so it was an interesting. OK so that day Gary was sick I drove to school, but other than that. I’m learning pretty quickly, I didn’t stall out on the road except once, and I only missed my proper gear like once. I stalled out trying turn around, but that was because I wasn’t in reverse, I was in 4th. Opps. I stalled out at a stop light because I was in 4th not first; I forgot I was in 5th. This is sounding like a math problem, so somebody tell me the solution. Afterwards we celebrated in Jüterbog by having a Big Döner and a good conversation. Things are going pretty well, and I think I’m finally learning to drive a stick shift. And maybe I’m realizing why a lot of people wonder: ‘How the heck do you drive an Automatic?’
Concerning School Buses and Such Matters As Are Important
I already want to connect words like school bus together, and I’ve only been here a month. But anyway, lately I’ve been hitchin’ a most legal ride with the school bus to school. For those of you who may doubt it, riding a school bus has the potential to make you feel most popular, especially if you teach elementary school kids. Most days, well, okay everyday so far I am overwhelmed by requests for me to sit with this child or that one. They then proceed to ask me various questions auf Deutsch. Some of them I can understand, some of them I can’t and some of them I can even give a proper answer. For awhile I felt my learning was coming along quite quickly, but lately it seems to of slowed down or reversed and it worries me something might fierce (sorry for the colloquial, I guess being so far from the southern states makes one develop a bit of a longing, or I’m just a whimsical person in general, who rightly knows?). The bus is often crowded, and is not a school bus, per say, but rather a city bus converted for that purpose. As such, it requires a fee of its passengers; my monthly fee comes to about € 40. Aber my bossman takes care of that bill. Just thought I’d throw in a random German word for you. To prove I know at least one. The teachers at school are afraid that I don’t like them because I am always reading. It’s mostly that I don’t feel confident about how to properly address them, and sure they might not care and will, most likely, forgive the new English teacher who is trying his hardest to learn their language. It is still a hurdle I must jump over. I have tried stepping and it has worked with the two English teachers, but they know English. I also talk to the 1st grade teacher, but she rarely graces our fair teachers’ lounge. Tomorrow I will attempt to bypass my fears and spout out a stream of quite grammatically incorrect German, and hope that someone somewhere can understand it. I am also attempting to cut back on my readings in English, though they are so entertaining, I fear it is best to settle a bit more in the cold waters of the German language until I find them refreshing. Plus I really need to learn and should put my studious efforts away from learning of things like new Harry Potter spells or the history of Middle Earth, and into learning German. Today I helped with the church’s Kinderstunde, well it’s called KLUB and is usually pretty fun. Today we played soccer. I was also supposed to try and make the kids open a forbidden plate, but I couldn’t do it. It may have been my poor knowledge of German, or the fact that the kids were pretty sure something was up. We also ate junk food, but any free food for me makes for a good dinner. Or snack or whatever. Today I also got to help with the 1st grade PE hour. That was fun, we played a game I learned last year as a Gym Teacher called line tag, but, and my apologies to the creator of the game, I changed the name to Schlange in das Wald. Snake in the woods. I don’t know why, it just seemed easier that way, and a bit easier to explain. And kids love animals, even disgusting snakes. No, snakes are okay. It was fun, but today I feel Germanically stupid. I mean by that, that today I had a hard time understanding German, though at one point during KLUB I was sure everyone was speaking English, or at least that I could understand some without thinking hard. But then that faded and it became hard again.
A Day in the Life
So admittedly it has been a long time coming for this one eh. Perhaps I was letting it sink in that I was, indeed, in a slump. Honestly though, right after I wrote that I began to feel better, also the next day the kids came round again and we have since gotten everyone we know to yell at them for us. And the guy that was here last year correctly named them, making me assume that perhaps they gave him a bit of a ring sometimes too. I apologize if my English has gotten more European, but the only books I have read lately were in British English, as is the language course used by the school I teach at. I guess I felt better getting all that emotion off my chest. My time here so far has been great, though at points lonely and boring, but that really isn’t different from my life anywhere else. So thank you, dear readers, for encouragement and steadfast approval of my thoughts when I much doubted I should share them. You have all been quite singular and capital. (I love Sherlock Holmes stories now)
Anyway random monologues aside (and I’m too lazy for proper punctuatory practices) I have reason to slightly rejoice. Yes, my work schedule is almost entirely unveiled for me. Now there is just enough mystery to keep me with a vague mysterious feeling, but not so much as is uncomfortable. The mystery lies in the looming Adult English classes I will end up teaching at some point, or rather, supervising. More mystery can be found in weekends, as some we work for the Jugend Mobile. But here goes my current rough draft. Mondays are the most boring, though usually not in a singularly bad way. I teach until around 1, got home via school bus (I’ll elaborate on that a bit gleichly) Tuesdays I teach until 12 and then have German lessons until 2. Wednesdays, I teach until 12, Germanize my vocabulary until 2 and then have Kinderstunde with the church for awhile, it’s fun so and sometimes lasts longer than others (though the name implies an hour length). Every other Thursday is a second Kinderstunde at the Geminde Nidergörsdorf. The name in English would be Kids Hour, which is misleading because last week it lasted what must have been at least 2 hours. But it was fun too if not a little tiring. I played tennis with this one kid with volleyball net, which was crazy because he slammed the ball quite heartily and almost smoked my face. Then I played volleyball with a girl from 3rd grade in school. I also work at school on Thursdays. Fridays I just have school and it’s nice because it’s time to relax a bit. Some Saturdays we get to work with the Jugend Mobile which means, basically, that we play soccer for about 4 hours with various children, usually involving a festival of some sort. Some Saturdays we also work with a church and help kids learn English religious words (like cross, baptismal, whathaveyou) and play games with them. Soon I might also start giving guitar lessons as part of my job. I’m looking forward to that really, should be fun. Basically, wherever we go we are used as experts on the English language, who are trying to learn German. That is basically how we are introduced to everyone.
So On Recent Events and Thus and Such
Tonight we went to Berlin and saw the Mennoheim, it should be known to you Menno folk as an interesting hotel (cheap) in Berlin. It is not downtown, but is near the train station that can take you there. We met some people who work with the church attached to Mennoheim, and talked to one mainly about trying to get young people to become active in the church. One of us will be in charge of that, and the other will go along as sidekick and probably throw in one or two ‘This is so cool’ s (Das ist ganz toll!) There’s a German lesson for you. I’m picking up a bit of German, well enough to teach English using mostly German to explain thing, albeit perhaps in a round about way with my limited vocabulary. It’s gotta be hard before it can be easy.
No missed trains and a nice Döner later I find myself here. I’m pretty tired, as I have been all week, haven’t got to sleep in for a couple weeks now and most of you are aware of my no nap rule. Yesterday I found myself getting a bit bored and perhaps sad, on the border, but then Gary and I started on a bike ride and ended up in Malterhausen, which is not far, but it was a good enough distance to get things off my mind. Things should get easier now as they start to settle down and I get into a routine (finally) but there are still long stretches of time where I’ve just finished a book and have nothing to do but sit and think or attempt to watch German programs on my broken TV (which ends up being a Dubbed Cosby Show or Eine Starke Familie [Step by Step in English, though literally: A Strong Family]). That is when a bike ride comes into play. Of course I realize I should use that time to study German, and I sometimes do, other times it is just hard to be motivated, I’m surrounded by German and it saturates things, and admittedly, sometimes I grow weary of it. But, I just keep repeating the encouragement I’ve received from the people here, that my German is improving and that in a month it will be easier. I really hope they aren’t lying to make me feel better, but I have heard that German’s don’t really do that anyway.
A Day in the Life
So admittedly it has been a long time coming for this one eh. Perhaps I was letting it sink in that I was, indeed, in a slump. Honestly though, right after I wrote that I began to feel better, also the next day the kids came round again and we have since gotten everyone we know to yell at them for us. And the guy that was here last year correctly named them, making me assume that perhaps they gave him a bit of a ring sometimes too. I apologize if my English has gotten more European, but the only books I have read lately were in British English, as is the language course used by the school I teach at. I guess I felt better getting all that emotion off my chest. My time here so far has been great, though at points lonely and boring, but that really isn’t different from my life anywhere else. So thank you, dear readers, for encouragement and steadfast approval of my thoughts when I much doubted I should share them. You have all been quite singular and capital. (I love Sherlock Holmes stories now)
Anyway random monologues aside (and I’m too lazy for proper punctuatory practices) I have reason to slightly rejoice. Yes, my work schedule is almost entirely unveiled for me. Now there is just enough mystery to keep me with a vague mysterious feeling, but not so much as is uncomfortable. The mystery lies in the looming Adult English classes I will end up teaching at some point, or rather, supervising. More mystery can be found in weekends, as some we work for the Jugend Mobile. But here goes my current rough draft. Mondays are the most boring, though usually not in a singularly bad way. I teach until around 1, got home via school bus (I’ll elaborate on that a bit gleichly) Tuesdays I teach until 12 and then have German lessons until 2. Wednesdays, I teach until 12, Germanize my vocabulary until 2 and then have Kinderstunde with the church for awhile, it’s fun so and sometimes lasts longer than others (though the name implies an hour length). Every other Thursday is a second Kinderstunde at the Geminde Nidergörsdorf. The name in English would be Kids Hour, which is misleading because last week it lasted what must have been at least 2 hours. But it was fun too if not a little tiring. I played tennis with this one kid with volleyball net, which was crazy because he slammed the ball quite heartily and almost smoked my face. Then I played volleyball with a girl from 3rd grade in school. I also work at school on Thursdays. Fridays I just have school and it’s nice because it’s time to relax a bit. Some Saturdays we get to work with the Jugend Mobile which means, basically, that we play soccer for about 4 hours with various children, usually involving a festival of some sort. Some Saturdays we also work with a church and help kids learn English religious words (like cross, baptismal, whathaveyou) and play games with them. Soon I might also start giving guitar lessons as part of my job. I’m looking forward to that really, should be fun. Basically, wherever we go we are used as experts on the English language, who are trying to learn German. That is basically how we are introduced to everyone.
Of Wind(ig) and Bad Moods
Today is one of the windiest days I have so far expericened. It is particularly windy here in Germany, as far as I can reason. Today readers you unfortunately find me in poor spirits. I think it comes from lack of sleep and perhaps a guilty conscious. This weekend there was a huge party here in Altes Lager, one I did not attend. It was quite the event, with spot lights and loud music which played continuously from 10PM Friday until 3PM Saturday. And again from 10PM Saturday until 8PM Sunday. It was loud and obnoxious and put me in quite poor spirits. Then on Sunday evening a few kids from the School I teach at kept ringing the bell to my room, which is obnoxious. My patience was thin as I was feeling sick, tired and cranky. So I went and at first was civil, but they then started to take other peoples mail, and seeing as they don’t know English I stuttered in German telling them not to mess with it. They didn’t listen, they only laughed. Annoyed I left their presence muttering in anger. They then proceeded to ring the bell again, just as a thought a nap might be possible, and they rung it for some time. I went out and they began running over me with their bikes. I took it amicably and final told them I was feeling sick and needed sleep and left them. Sometime later they called again and I was annoyed and went down and yelled in English for them to leave me alone, please, I was feeling sick. And I was feeling sick too. But since I have felt bad for being short with them. Though it really was their fault. I’m too hard on myself I know but the whole thing made me feel bad as a person. I think it is just that all the stress of where I am has finally caught up to me and I am finally feeling homesick and alone here. You really start to miss English when it is so far from available. I know that things will get better, I will feel better, and get sleep soon. But I hate to be alone. Times when I felt like this I could only manage sleep by staying up very late or sleeping on my friend from colleges couch. Those options are really readily available to me here seeing as my college friend is half a world a way, as is his couch, and I have to get up very early, so that staying up late is a bad idea. Plus there is nothing with which to occupy my attention with at so late an hour. Thus here I am found in my present state. Please send me love, it will find ample reception during these next few difficult days. I promise to attempt to return to my usual jovial self soon.
Of Wind(ig) and Bad Moods
Today is one of the windiest days I have so far expericened. It is particularly windy here in Germany, as far as I can reason. Today readers you unfortunately find me in poor spirits. I think it comes from lack of sleep and perhaps a guilty conscious. This weekend there was a huge party here in Altes Lager, one I did not attend. It was quite the event, with spot lights and loud music which played continuously from 10PM Friday until 3PM Saturday. And again from 10PM Saturday until 8PM Sunday. It was loud and obnoxious and put me in quite poor spirits. Then on Sunday evening a few kids from the School I teach at kept ringing the bell to my room, which is obnoxious. My patience was thin as I was feeling sick, tired and cranky. So I went and at first was civil, but they then started to take other peoples mail, and seeing as they don’t know English I stuttered in German telling them not to mess with it. They didn’t listen, they only laughed. Annoyed I left their presence muttering in anger. They then proceeded to ring the bell again, just as a thought a nap might be possible, and they rung it for some time. I went out and they began running over me with their bikes. I took it amicably and final told them I was feeling sick and needed sleep and left them. Sometime later they called again and I was annoyed and went down and yelled in English for them to leave me alone, please, I was feeling sick. And I was feeling sick too. But since I have felt bad for being short with them. Though it really was their fault. I’m too hard on myself I know but the whole thing made me feel bad as a person. I think it is just that all the stress of where I am has finally caught up to me and I am finally feeling homesick and alone here. You really start to miss English when it is so far from available. I know that things will get better, I will feel better, and get sleep soon. But I hate to be alone. Times when I felt like this I could only manage sleep by staying up very late or sleeping on my friend from colleges couch. Those options are really readily available to me here seeing as my college friend is half a world a way, as is his couch, and I have to get up very early, so that staying up late is a bad idea. Plus there is nothing with which to occupy my attention with at so late an hour. Thus here I am found in my present state. Please send me love, it will find ample reception during these next few difficult days. I promise to attempt to return to my usual jovial self soon.
