School Daze, Crazy Daze

Instead of following around just one teacher I get to work with about six, which is awesome considering I get exposure to different age groups, teachers and students. It's a lot to take in though and today was definitely a ringer.

The teacher I had four out of my five classes today was home sick and I didn't know what to do. There are no substitute teachers here-- the school manages everyone's schedule so that if one teacher is gone another takes his/her place (which means he/she loses a planning period). But for the first double lesson there were no other teachers available, just the principle. So he came to the class, saw me there, and after talking I told him I would take care of it. This is the first class of the semester for these students and the teacher left no material or notes.

Big breath.

So I started talking about the first thing that came to mind, purposefully ignorning the fact the head of the school was sitting in the back of the room. We talked about downloading music and movies from the Internet and whether YouTube was "fair" to actors and producers, we talked about the upcoming Karneval, "race" issues in Cologne (such as the high number of Turkish immigrants and how students relate that to Turkey being let into the EU), issues in the school students would like to change (after principle left 30 minutes later), high school sports, football clubs, American schools, drinking laws and teenagers.....lots and lots of things.

The principle came up to my CT later and said he was very impressed with how I got the students talking, which made me smile the rest of the day. Even after I had the Class From Hell.

The Class From Hell is a 10th grade English class. I was really on my own this time and conversation was becoming a non-option quickly. Kids were throwing fruit at each other, listening to weird German techno, screaming, dancing on desks (to aformentioned music) and all kinds of other bad behavior. I could tell they were just testing me, so all I did was sit there. Not talking, just sitting there. Smiling. I can handle these kids and stuff like this isn't going to scare me away. Dance all you want, just don't hit someone in the eye with an apple. Have you heard of the Ying Yang Twins? Yes. Do you like Rap music? No. You want to know my first name? Karen. That's a jew name, right?

I'm sorry. What did you say?

Karen. It's Jewish, right?

So skipping over that remark I'm going to focus on behavior instead of words. I won't mention the cussing to the teacher, nor the Jew remark (because in all honesty the kid that said it was the sole person actually talking to me). Definitely an interesting class and the rest of the day passed in the same manner-- me just talking with students while sitting there watching them be teenagers.

Enough of school though. Went shopping for a Karneval costume an hour ago and you wouldn't believe how seriously people take their outfits. It really is like Halloween but...weirder. More "funny" outfits than scary. Cowboys seem to be popular this year, along with pirates and witches. I think I am going to buy a wig-- just don't know what color yet.

Went out with Karo yesterday and ate at Chang Buffet, which wasn't that bad considering it's Chinese food in Germany. Diane and I are getting along really well now and even though we can't talk much we laugh a lot (mainly at stupid things I do). Shopping with her tonight for costumes was good bonding time. She suggested that I wear a feather-covered bra while I told her to buy a skimpy nurse's uniform. We're still laughing at the image of a man trying on a 70's Go-Go outfit (made for a girl, mind you).

Mormons, 3.5% Milk, and Good Deeds

Here everything closes down on Sunday. Only restaurants and cafes are open, and even then most close relatively early.

After spending most of the day in doing various things (watching episodes of Friends on YouTube, sending emails, etc) I ventured out around 4pm just to run some errands. It was here I realized how dead everything was. Regardless I had to go to the bank and on my way I was stopped by two Mormons who were from California and Utah, respectively. Cutting them off from the usual speech I told them I had heard it many times and focused on how they were, and did they like Cologne. They invited me to play Volleyball with a large group of them on Tuesday nights, not far from where I ran into them. Even though it would be nice to meet people and just relax I don't think I could handle it if I was constantly bombarded with their message. As much as I am all for religious tolerance I think I would attack someone with a volleyball. I might go. Maybe.

But probably not.

I hit up Starbucks again, even though it was closing within the hour. The girl at the counter now recognizes me and prepared an Earl Grey, which I find hysterical. She says not many people get it, which makes me wonder how old the tea is (I digress). There are only two types of milk here: 1,5% fat, and 3,5%. I nearly choked when I found out. For my skim-milk only body this place is hell and unfortunately I put the 3,5% in my tea, making it chewable.

But when I went up to the counter for more water the girl asked me if I wanted any food. They had a TON of sandwiches individually wrapped and were just going to chuck them out. I said sure and they gave me two bags worth! I have enough food to last me at least a week, but I gave one of the bags (with 11 wrapped sandwiches) to a homeless man that I always walk by. He thanked me, saying he was going to share the rest with his friend down the street (who I see all the time too). He said "I watch for you" but at the look on my face he corrected himself saying "I protect you?" He was trying to say "I'll watch out for you" I'm sure. Either way I'm going to try to get him food every Sunday. I just need to make sure I go back to that Starbucks again. God, what a waste of perfectly good food-- just throwing it away like that.

Anyway, that's my day thus far. It's only 7:15pm here, which means it's 1:15 in Athens. Weird.

Big Sigh of Relief

Things have been going well, but not as well as I hoped. The school is fine and I like it so far, but I came at an awkward time and things are just going to start settling down this upcoming week. I have a very full load (so much so that another teacher commented that I might pass out from running up and down the stairs so much), but I'm thankful for it. A full load of classes means I'll be kept busy instead of sitting in the lounge trying to find my place. But these are all classes I'll be working with in one form or another in the future, but as of right now I'm there observing and getting to know how other teachers function.

Mrs. W has been a big help, but due to this past week's schedule I haven't gotten a chance to really sit down and talk with her. I wrote up my first assignment for a class for Monday too--- a fill-in-the-blank listening exercise that I'll dictate. The 6th grade class is learning vocab about accidents and emergencies, so I made up a short story. Nothing big at all, but I'm happy I'm starting to do anything really.

But back to Starbucks. We had school today for Open House and afterward I went to Starbucks to just read for a while and be around people. It was fine and all, but I couldn't concentrate and went back to my room for a while. Here I was listening to iTunes and lamenting my self-inflicted isolation-- wondering what the hell was wrong with me and the sudden disappearance of my personality. I am outgoing, dammit. I don't care what fucking country I'm in I'm not going to change-- language barrier be dammed!

Easier said than done of course. So I went back to mulling over things and it wasn't until I heard "The Long and Winding Road" by The Beatles that I vowed I wouldn't come back to the hostel until I met someone. And I did. Hell yes.

Met three really nice girls, all with excellent English. One girl invited me to do some shopping with her and I soon realized that she is my alternate life in living form. She's getting a law degree from the University here and wants to work for the UN, especially in one of the tribunals (Rwanda, in particular). She's very ambitious about her career, but we had some interesting conversations about how Americans are usually picked for jobs in the UN (something I hadn't realized but that she was dealing with). Also got some good insight into life in Cologne and how it's somewhat of an anomaly compared to other German cities (more on that later).

I'll defnitely be seeing them again and we're meeting soon at a bar a couple of blocks away, which is owned by a woman from California and is where "all the Americans hang out."

A week ago I arrived. Five days ago I was lonlier than I had ever been in my life. And today none of that matters anymore. Whatever happens after today I know I'll be okay, no matter what.

Wi-Fi Sharing

The good thing abut wi-fi networks is portability, but the latent benefits lie within sharing files, especially music on iTunes. I've been looking though a lot of people's music since I've been here and I've found everything on the planet, I think (even Rascal Flatts, in which I almost vomited on my laptop).

But I just stumbled across the biggest stash of gay porn videos I have ever seen, coming from "Brian's LimeWire."

Now if I ever meet Brian I will either do one of two things: say absolutely nothing and laugh to myself later, or say absolutely nothing and laugh right then and there.

Seriously...does he know this can be seen by everyone? One file's called "Hungry Man" and I woke up my roommate I was laughing so hard.

God. Okay, in other news I bought Everything is Illuminated. I'm taking Lauren's advice and immersing myself into books. There's a pretty big english section in a bookstore near here, but most of it is chock-full of Jane Austin and Charles Dickens. Oh, and a whole section of "Chick Lit." But they had Teacher Man and The Time Traveler's Wife so I think I'm pretty set.

A Little Bit of Something

I can't believe I've only been here for a week, for it feels like months. But I'm slowly and surely finding ways to take up my time.

I'm much better than I was after that last post. Diane (my roommate) and I talk more and are forming a good routine with each other and our living arrangments. I mentioned also the "Asian Dinner Night" and that went well, though only two other people showed up. Very nice boys whom I got to talk with in a slightly haphazard way, but they told me all about Karneval and what to do/not to do as a newcomer to the scene. I am very excited for Karneval now-- it should prove to be very entertaining if not a bit crazy.

I also met another girl that speaks pretty good English (mainy because of an ex-boyfriend from California), but her character is a bit....interesting. She seems very nice but slightly...daring? She plays on an all-girls football (American style) team in Dusseldorf, which is not far from here. She's a fan of rap music and is working as a bartender while studying to be a fast-food restaurant manager.

Yeah...weird, I know. I'm still feeling that one out. But I am meeting people, which is what I needed to do before I went crazy. As I've found out the hostel isn't the best place to meet people that speak English as fluent as I am used to. Most of the people here, according to Claudia-- one of the heads of office, only remember English from grade school and didn't study it further. They are here in town training for jobs and doing apprenticeships, not going to University. Either way, I am going to venture out of the hostel to see if I can't meet other people too. Later today I will go to Starbucks (there are several) and just hang out and read a book.

The school is going well, but it is exhausting. My days so far are from 8am-1pm, but with very long class periods and a couple of breaks. But also the kids I've been working with are around 11-12 years old, so their energy is limitless. Honestly, I didn't think kids could run around that much. I'm starting to catch bits and pieces of their conversations though, which is good. They say "shit" a lot because they think I don't know that word, but I called a student out on it and all was fine.

Oh! Another story: a couple of days ago I was working in the computer lab and a girl tried to take a lighter to a mouse in order to separate it from the computer (it was tied to it with a plastic tab, which she intended to melt). Absolutely hysterical looking back on it. God. But other than that I have no "crazy" stories, though I'm sure I will soon.

Thank You

I take my last sentence back. I just read Lauren's email and died laughing.

First Two Days

I'm at the hostel now and everything is running smoothly. I'm more than a bit lonely at the moment, but I know I'll get over that and start meeting people soon. I knew this first week or so was going to be challenging, but I'll pull through it. My roommate is a very nice German girl who's home is about 2 hours away. She's studying in Cologne for a year and staying at the hostel until she gets she degree/certificate. Like I said, she's nice, but quiet (at the moment, she's studying, so that's understandable). But she speaks only a little English so the conversations we've had have been sparse, but good.

Funnily enough when I first met her she was watching Gilmore Girls (in German, of course), and we just finished watching an epsiode together. They are a season behind, so I tried not to give anything away during our post-episode discussion. I'm fortunate enough to understand soap operas, no matter what language they are in. But regardless, I need to learn to shorten my sentences and talk slower if I'm really going to try and talk people in the hostel. The good news is that tomorrow the hostel is having an "Asia dinner night" that is pretty cheap. I'm definitely going to that because it will help me meet people easier instead of just walking into a room full of German speaking kids.

But I've been keeping myself busying with this and that. Went exploring today around town and met a nice woman from Winsconsin that was sightseeing, who I joined for a bit. I went grocery shopping today and got some food, though I'm afriad to buy things because I'm still getting used to kilos and grams. The weather here is below freezing (around 26-28), but no snow yet (it's supposed to soon!). Walking around isn't that bad, considering I just duck into stores every now and then.

I also just talked to my parents on Skype, which was very much needed. My parents noticed right away that I was feeling down, but I really didn't feel like crying in front of my roommate so I sucked it up and pushed through the conversation. Both they and I know I just need to put myself out there and everything will be fine. God...I don't know what I would do without Skype.

I counted on this first week or so being hell and though it's not quite at that calibur I sometimes catch myself thinking "I should have picked England. Or Canada." But I know I need to give it time. I need to show people the outgoing person I can be and not be so shy. God, shy is a word I don't think anyone would use to describe me, but that's what I am here.

Time to shake off the funk. I'm tired of being down and tearing up everytime I think about my friends or family. In all honesty I knew my personal life would suck for a while, and I was right. The school is fine and I like it a lot, though I'm still getting used to class schedules and the like. The teachers are great though and many will go out of their way to talk to me (while I, once again, am still finding my ground and don't want to step on toes). I think the biggest difficulty I'm having is learning everyone's names!

It's 10pm at the moment. I'm going to spend the rest of my night watching Robot Chicken episodes on YouTube. Humor is a necessity in life and I haven't laughed in three days.

Language Issues

I need to learn German. Fast.

Or else this is going to be a very lonely semester.

(eau de) Cologne

I was halfway through this post when I realized the website was completely in German, but I managed to change it back to English and all is right with the world. Sorta of.

Global Warming seems to be the excuse of the day when it comes to this crazy weather that's hit Northern Europe. Nearly 27 people have died to do accidents caused by the high winds here, and you can drive along the roads and see trees knocked over and signs gone astray. Mrs. W's neighbors had some roof damage and in town a piece of debris hit a window of a Roman artifact museum which then shattered and fell onto an ancient Roman mosaic. I don't think it broken though and people were quick to protect it and fix the glass wall that was shattered.

But other than the weather things couldn't be better. Mr. and Mrs. W, whom I like very much, took me into town yesterday and gave me a grand tour. There's a famous cathedral here-- the Koln Dom-- which is massive. It's so awe-inspiring and gothic that even my grandmother would fear for her soul (and that's saying something). But it's far too big, cold, dark and impersonal to be considered (by me, at least) a place to feel closer to God. Other churches in town are much better suited for that, as I saw later on the tour.

Koln has it's town dialect here which is very interesting. Knowing very little German already it's hard to pinpoint, but I can tell that words are spoken much different here than I heard in Frankfurt. I'm going to start brushing up on my language skills while here, and I'm told the girl I'm rooming with is in fact German, which will help even more.

The town is holds about 1 million people and even though it is big it has a very small-town feel. There's more shops than I thought there would be and many of them I can't wait to get into (two H+Ms!). The hostel I'm staying at really is right around the corner from the school I'll be working at, which is fantastic. I start tomorrow and will be sticking with Mrs. W and her English classes most of the day. The 11th grade is talking about media and film analysis (gender issues, representations of people, etc) while the 5th and 6th grade is beginner's English (vocab, grammar, you know the drill).

Had my first German dinner at a restaurant (pub?) and tried the local beer. Kolsch beer is absolutely delicious-- light with a nice sweet after taste. It's definitely going to be a favorite of mine. Mr. W-- who is American-- commented that I was in the right mindset of a traveler by jumping into German cuisine. And considering I got blood sausage (which is a mixture of blood and meat parts) with mashed potatoes mixed with applesauce I'd say he's right. I loved the food though and will definitely get the dish again.

The best thing about Cologne right now though are the Carnival celebrations. It's like Mardi Gras, but a lot cooler and more entertaining. During this time of year people dress up in the craziest outfits on the weekends leading up to the 5-day celebration. I've seen pirates, angels, dalmations, and 17th century french soliders walking around in the evening. There were many in the restaurant and Mrs. and Mr. W explained to me that there are nearly 300 Carnival clubs in Cologne, each with many members. Each club has their own uniform to set them apart from each other, and they take much pride in the whole thing. This upcoming Thursday is the start of the celebration, with parades and the whole city dressed up like Halloween. You can tell that people really take pride in it, and I can't wait to see how it all plays out these next two weeks.

Darkness at Fenwick Arms

Yesterday was my last day in Lancaster. Tarik and I woke up late (see last post) and we decided to eat at Fenwick Arms, a pub about 20 minutes away from town and right on the side of the road.

But first I had to get a proper introduction to Fenwick. Apparently the pub had some real trouble about six months ago and a restaurant-style makeover show came to save it from disaster. The show is hosted by Gordon Ramsey, a very crass and no-nonsense man, who had absolutely no trouble yelling "fuck" at the 62 year old own and chef. The segment was great and I was really excited to see what had become of the pub and whether Brian, the chef, was still using crazy plates (read: far too modern plates for a 'traditional English pub').

My expectations were not let down and Fenwick Arms was fantastic. I was pushed to get the Yorkshire pudding and I swear to God a small child could have taken a bath in all the gravy that was put on the table (most of it being on my-- yes-- crazy plate). There were a handful of other customers, my favorite being an old man who muttered "shit" none-too-softly under his breath when he couldn't spoon vegetables onto his wife's plate and a table of four older people who were drinking and laughing heartily (and telling the best stories from their younger years).

But the most excitment at Fenwick Arms occured when the power went out. Storms and high winds have been hitting all of the UK for the past week and a power line was knocked out. It was still light outside, but the dark wood interior made us all feel as if in a cave. Everyone was great sports about it and candles were brought out to all the tables. Sadly though nearly all tables had finished their food, but couldn't get the check. So for about 40 minutes Brian-- the 62 year old part-owner and chef-- along with the bartender tried to pry open the cash register.

Everything was worked out of course, and the rest of the day was spent walking around and just hanging out. Today we're heading to Manchester to stay the night with Tarik's sister and then he's taking me to Liverpool for my flight. Very excited about meeting Mrs. W, my coordinator, in Cologne. I'm staying with her the weekend and then moving into the hostel on Monday-- the same day I start working at the school.

Nightlife in Lancaster

Just read an email from my Dad and now very sad and slightly homesick. Also tipsy/drunk and wanted to document this. Took a bus to a bar named Hustle and had a grand time, though M.C. Hammer's "Can't Touch This" was a downer, along with a couple of Oldies. Most songs were great and just like the States in terms of club music. Got a burger on the way back, though the chicken sandwich was much better. I dropped Tarik's fries (chips!) and feel awful. Will pay back later. Met his friends and love a girl named Ana. She's very much like me, but Norweigan and much lovelier.

Sleep now. I wish everyone had been with me tonight. I have loads of pictures which I will upload soon.

Lancaster, UK

Things I've Noticed About England (thus far):

-There are sheep everywhere (instead of cows).

-There are Southern and Northern accents (I am in the north, where people do not speak like Jude Law at all).

-Tv programmes here are hilarious, but they love day-time shows from the States like Judge Judy and The Ricki Show. Tarik says it's because Americans are better at getting their point across when they are angry, which apparently the English have trouble doing. And I saw my first English cooking show, which wasn't as good as FoodNetwork but still worthy.

-The weather is less than inviting. The wind so far today is enough to remind me of Chicago, just not as cold. It's only about 40 degrees right now, but tomorrow is supposed to be much worse and rainy.

-Old pubs are amazing. I wish we had some in Athens, but we definitely don't have anything like this. Tarik took me to Ye Old John O'Gaunt, which was filled with lots of old men sitting at the bar laughing and talking in the thickest accents I've ever heard. They could tell I wasn't from England, but were great sports about me not knowing what pint to get and just smiled. Got a soup/stew called Cullen Skink, which is basically potatoes and haddock (really good, especially on a day like this). Tarik got an ostrich burger, which was awesome.

-Riding in the passenger seats of cars was weird at first, but I got used to it pretty quick. I'm still trying to figure out the logistics of making turns, but I think I need to make charts or a drawing to help me out.

-The $ is incredibly weak compared to the £ (the £! There's a key for it on the keyboard! Haha...). So much so that I don't want to buy anything, but Tarik isn't letting me spend much money at all. Went to a market today and got a ton of fresh food-- pesto, olives, mashed tomatoes, houmous (yes, that's how they spell it...), free range game, fish, loads and loads. It was wonderful and the vendors were so nice.

That's it for now. From leaving Atlanta to getting to Lancaster I was up for over 30 hours straight, so we stayed in last night and Tarik worked on a paper while I slept. Got up at 10am and everything was fine. We're staying in for dinner tonight and eating the feast that we bought at the market and heading out to town to a club or so. It's sureal seeing Tarik again, but very fun.

I miss everyone very much and will keep everyone updated as much as I can. It still hasn't hit me that I'm here yet, that I'm starting all of this. I think it's because I'm with people I know (Tarik, Nneka), but as soon as Saturday hits I'll be in Cologne. I think by then I'll feel like I've started my last semester.

Off We Go

Last night I couldn't sleep because I kept thinking of things I forgot to pack.

'Shoes? I have shoes, right? Oh man...wait, should I bring this pair? Maybe, but what would I wear them with? I don't even wear them now! God, go to sleep.'

Things of that nature.

Leaving the house in a couple of hours. Talked to T this morning and he's all set for the visit and is very excited.

Mom and Dad are sad I am leaving, and the goodbye between Cheryl and I took about half an hour. I'll miss everyone, but I've got it in me to do this and nothing could stop it.

Countdown: 2 Days

Nneka thinks it's hysterical that I leave on my flight four hours before her and land in Manchester three hours after her. And to top it off my connection is in Frankfurt, but I've learned long ago that if the price is right I won't question how an airline gets me to my final destination. But seriously...I go right past Manchester to get to my connection in Frankfurt, only to wait an hour or so and then backtrack.

I hate backtracking, even when it's 30,000 ft in the air.

The Going Away Party was fantastic, as I knew it would be. I saw a lot of people I hadn't in ages, along with others I've been waiting to trade stories with (such as my fellow student teachers, who are settling in really well to their respective schools).

Got home around 9pm and have been lying in my parents bed chatting with my Mom about everything from popcorn ceilings to how Matthew Perry would make a good husband (we had started watching Fools Rush In).

Haven't been sleeping very well and my stress is taking on not-so-stellar manifestations in my sleep. Everything from running away from shadowy predators in the rain to being attacked by a half snake/half cat-like creature. I kid you not.

Eh, that's why God created NyQuil.

This Week in Life

Nearly finished packing and still have plently of room in Jerry. I just need to figure out what books to bring and I think I'll be set.

Going to Athens tomorrow. These past couple of weeks have been incredibly long, but a definitel good thing has come out of it: I've hung out with my parents more than ever before I know we're better for it. I've always had a good relationship with my parents, but I hardly came home to visit while at college. It's like they knew me in high school and at the beginning of college, but then there's this huge gap until now. They don't know how much I've grown up, especially since I've spent the past two summers away from home. That's nearly two years gone by with my parents seeing me only for holidays and the occasional weekend.

But I'm thankful I've gotten to get to know my parents a little better. It seems as if my entire family is at transitional stages in life: Mom is bordering on retirement (she will make a choice soon enough, I think), my sister and Eric should be make a choice about if and where they want to "settle down" (aka whether they are going to move away from Orlando), and I'm about to start student teaching and graduate in May. Dad is still Dad, but I think he's growing restless of life at the moment. There's a lot to be done to the house before my parents can move out, but it's going to happen sooner or later.

Going Away Party tomorrow
Bombay Cafe Saturday
Home for weekend
Flight on Monday

Countdown for Europe: 4 Days

The Great Paperwork Search

If you were a vital piece of paperwork needed for an upcoming trip overseas where would you and your very cool German stamp be?

Drawer? No...you're too important to be in the company of underwear and socks.

Top of desk? No...you're too cheeky to stay out in the open.

Folder filled with other important things? You tried it, but decided to move elsewhere (too much ego for such a small space).

Downstairs by Dad's chair? You were there for a bit, but moved upstairs later that day.

Bonus room? You were read while watching intellectually-and-morally-stimulating epsiodes of Full House in this area, but grew tired of Stephanie's whining and Kimmy's voice.

AH-HA! There you are...in my old room under the bed with my black heels.


Hmm...shoe fetish, eh?

Pervert.

Goodbye, Farewell and Amen

Countdown for Europe: 8 Days

Things On My Mind (in no particular order):
Being sick
Cold Weather
Global Warming
The EU
Money, and where it all went in the past six months
Sleepless nights
The Going Away Party
The M*A*S*H* series finale (hence title of post)
Germany
Levi in Mexico, and my other fellow student teachers starting this week
What to bring to Germany
What to pack for Germany
What to expect in Germany
Life, specifically my sister's
Rain
Christmas decorations
Jobs
Applying for jobs
Getting my dream job
Germany...

There's always more, but that was a rapid-fire projection into my mind for all you lovely folks.

Weather

The weather in Macon is the same as Cologne right now.

Hmm.