Hello faithful followers and friends! Let me once again begin with an apology for my lack of posting and a promise to try and get better. I plan on going back and blogging about the past month even though it has past. It has recently occurred to me that this blog is not only a way to keep my friends and family informed, it is one of the best ways I can document my experience. So. I am going to try and make these postings more of a priority as I hope will be evidenced by the fact that this posting is happening at 11:30 PM when I should certainly be in bed.
So to begin, a little background on how I happened upon this trip to Amsterdam. Back when I first got here and was spending my days traveling back and forth between military bases, I met a woman in the housing building who likes to organize trips for American soldiers and civilians living on base. She gave me a flyer about the trip which my mentor teacher said seemed like a good deal. I was able to get in touch with another student teacher in the area who agreed to go and split the price of a room with me. So, I boarded Friday without any idea who I would be traveling with, looking for a teacher like me but not knowing what to look for.
The bus left from the base at 10 PM Friday night. I met Shelby and we spent the first few hours getting to know one another. It was really nice to have someone my age and in the same kind of situation as I was in to talk to. We spent the rest of the weekend bumming around Amsterdam and are planning a trip to Prague together for November. It is wonderful to have someone I can start traveling with!
We drove through the night and I slept fairly well. Our first stop Saturday morning was to a wooden shoe factory and cheese farm. These were not places I would have ever chosen myself to see but I was so glad we did! The farm has been owned by a single family for hundreds of years and it was really interesting to see how the cheese and shoes are made. We entered first into a room that was covered wall to ceiling with wooden shoes. These were apparently first so popular because they are great to wear on farms and in areas where the ground is damp because they do not sink. The husband of the family showed us how he makes the shoes and talked about how much more efficient the business was now that they had modern machinery. He explained that the shoes he sells now are mainly to tourists but he did recently get a large order from the local High School. These shoes were not to become part of their school uniform, but rather were being given as gifts to students so they would have somewhere to rest their cell phones while in school! Too funny. It was then cheese time. The process of making cheese was more complicated to me than making wooden shoes. The wife went through all the steps with us and it was evident to see just how much time and effort goes into making it! She shared a story of a time when her and her husband decided to try making cheese with peppers and spent their day crying over the machines cutting the peppers. The tour ended with a free sampling and everything was great! I didn't end up getting any of their highly acclaimed cheese mainly because it was so fancy and you needed all kinds of fancy gadgets to cut it. And you have to "let it breathe" and rotate it on a cutting board and all that. There were too many directions for me to remember for having spent the night before on a bus. But, it was a great time and I bought a stupid amount of things while there.
We were then released to have free time in the city. I broke off from the group with Shelby and another female soldier who was traveling alone. We stopped at a Turkish place for lunch which was tasty and featured some very friendly, not bad looking servers. Then it was off to wander the streets. As you all know, Amsterdam is most well known for its liberal attitude. Every street we came to housed at LEAST one "coffee shop" where customers could indulge in things that have nothing to do with coffee. Every souvenir shop was complete with the fixins you would need for a good high which was really pretty crazy to see first hand. Our guide on the tour we took Saturday explained the reasoning his home country had for their laws legalizing things like marijuana and prostitution. He explained how keeping these things out of back alleys made things more safe and better regulated by the government. This kind of thinking really made sense to me and it was evident even to tourists that these kinds of activities were not a big deal and that everyone should go about their day however they see fit.
As we were moseying through the city we happened upon the Anne Frank house. The line to get in was a little long but they provided those who were waiting with a brochure in their native language which passed the time quickly. To prepare for this trip, I started reading Anne Frank's diary but wasn't able to get through it all. I left that day with a renewed interest in finishing. I have found that it is sometimes hard for me to envision what things were truly like when they are completely different now than they were then. Anne's father, the only one of the eight who were in hiding at that address to survive, insisted that the rooms in the now museum be empty to symbolize that the members were no more. In these empty rooms, it was easy to see just how small and dark the hiding place was. The floors were made of wood causing creaks with every step you took. It is hard to imagine how the inhabitants were able to stay quiet enough during the day that their location was not suspected until two years after they went into hiding. The house was really moving, in some ways even more so than Dachau. The diary really gives insight to the faces and personalities of those that were in hiding here and who lost their lives to the Nazis. It makes the crimes feel more personal. While there I just kept thinking about how lucky I am to have this experience. I am getting the opportunity to see things most people only read about. It is incredible.
After this, we wandered through the streets back to the train station which took us to our hotel. We had to be back by a certain time to get our bags off the bus and into our rooms. Though it was already pretty late, Shelby and I decided to ditch our things in the room and head back into the city to see the night life. Rick Steves told us that we needed to try Dutch pancakes while there so we set off at 9 PM to find them. What we found instead was the Red Light District. It felt really strange walking on the sidewalk with only a thin piece of glass separating you from a half naked woman. It was a Saturday night so it was prime work time. I felt more sorry for the men who went in there than the women. They somehow seemed classier than your typical prostitute. We finally stumbled upon a diner where we ordered stacks with ice cream and Heineken to drink. Typical Saturday night in Amsterdam! We then wandered to a bar where we got free drinks from a lonely but not terribly creepy man who left us alone after buying them. We then managed to get a man kicked out for being a bit too touchy when we were sitting at the bar. Shortly after we headed back, stopping to splash in puddles, take pictures of the city, and call hello to men dressed in costumes to celebrate their bachelor party. We got back at one AM and day one was a success.
The hotel we stayed in was very nice! The beds were very comfortable and "free breakfast" has a whole new meaning in Europe. They have things to make sandwiches along with other breakfast buffet staples like eggs and hash browns. It is much more than toast or a yogurt to go. The day started with a bus tour of the city. It was poring which made taking pictures next to impossible which was upsetting. The guide had planned for us to walk much more than we were able to because of the weather as well but we tried to make the best of it. He took us to a diamond shop, Amsterdam is famous for them, and we got a free tour. Wasn't very exciting or interesting to me as diamonds seem like something I will be getting very few of and not anytime in the near future. After the tour we grabbed lunch before heading to the Van Gough Museum. We purchased tickets ahead of time for the museum which was supposed to help us skip lines but we were still made to wait about an hour outside in huge crowds in the freezing, pouring rain. By the time we got in we had less than an hour and a half left to see everything. Van Gough was I believe one of the first painters I ever came to know thanks to a trip to the Saint Louis Art Museum one year. I remember her saying he cut off his ear and kids don't forget crazy things like that. Still, there was much to be learned about the different techniques he used and the many different kinds of creations he made. This was a man who tried his hand at sculpting, shadowing, sketching, painting and more! We had to race through the last of the four floors due to time constraints but we were still able to see everything and learn a lot along the way. We then wandered around in the rain taking pictures before stopping in the gay district at a Mexican restaurant for dinner. I had been warned several times about not trying to get Mexican food in Germany because they just don't get it, but we tried it anyway. The restaurant was gorgeous-filled with white and light blue lights that set a very relaxing tone. The food was great actually and we were able to get margaritas which I haven't seen since my dollar marg days in Kvegas. We again wandered, taking pictures until we got to the train station and headed home.
This morning we began our 11 hour journey back to Vilseck. Things were going well until we were about 2 hours out and realized the bus had a very bad gasoline leak. This led to an hour delay while we waited for a different bus to pick us up. But we were fortunate that was the worst that happened the whole weekend. Shelby and I were able to make the most of things despite the weather and long lines. It was a weekend filled with seeing things that are famous for all different reasons. I wouldn't have normally chosen Amsterdam to visit on my own but it proved to be beautiful and offered something for everyone. And, I can now officially say I have been to two countries while over here!
As I said, I AM going to start giving this blog the attention it deserves. There will be pictures of Amsterdam up on FB to accompany this entry soon. I hope all is well with all who have taken the time to read all of this and I thank you for your continued thoughts and support! Much love!
Monday, October 14, 2013
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Garmisch
Hello all! I have just returned from an adventurous trip to Garmish (located about an hour south of Munich, right at the southern tip of Germany). We left after school Friday and made the 3 hour drive in time to sit around the fire making smores. Someone who arrived before us had attempted to make our jobs easier and put a tent up for myself and Mary (she is a Truman grad from 08 who now teaches in Vilseck). The thing was too small for us to fit in the cots she had brought and a little lopsided so the first night was spent sleeping on the ground and was a little rough. I still can not get over how much the temperature drops at night. It was about 40 degrees that first night and I could not get warm. But, such is the life of a camper.
We spent all of yesterday hiking through the Alps. We started by traveling through a beautiful gorge (see pictures on facebook!). That trek wasn't so bad so I fooled myself into thinking hiking in the mountains was no big deal. Boy was I wrong. We hiked up and up until we reached a Biergarten where we stopped for drinks and a snack. I had a Nuremburger wurst. It had a white casing and was seasoned with what looked like basil. Looked kind of scary, but it was good! We then continued higher up the mountain until we came to another restaurant. One of my mentor's friend's boyfriend owns the place and met us with smiling faces and shots of schnapps for all! Huzzah! We had been hiking for about 5 hours at that point so we decided to take a gondola down (not the kind that goes in water, the kind that is hanging on a thin line by a clip making for a very questionable ride down the giant mountain). It was a gorgeous day. The gorge was a bit scary because it involves navigating through a narrow, slippery ledge where people are stopping at random for pictures and pushing you from both directions. The two women that did that part of the hike with me did not seem to realize that these beautiful sites were all new to me, so they essentially ran through that part of the hike and I caught up later. I have never really been on a hike so I was very worried that I wouldn't be in shape for it. It was much more than I expected considering we were with dogs and children but I did not have to stop unless the group did. I was really proud of myself for doing it! See, we would be more fit as Americans if only we had beautiful sites like the Alps to hike through! It was really long, but beautiful afternoon.
We ended the night by going to an Indian restaurant to celebrate the 40th birthday of one of the teachers on the trip. Everyone ordered something different and we passed things around and tried it. It was my first time having Indian food. I ordered some chicken in a tomato and butter sauce served over rice. It was really good! I also had nan and DUCK! It was a great night spent laughing and sharing food and stories. We had a private dining room complete with a cake and a sparkler to light it up!We all slept like rocks that night. Mary and I moved into a bigger, nicer tent with my mentor teacher and her partner. We had room for the cots so we were off the ground which made for a much warmer, restful night.
It rained all day today. It was disappointing, but we were happy we at least had yesterday to enjoy the great weather and views of Garmisch. We decided to spend the day at the indoor schwimbad (swimming pool). This is not your typical indoor pool where there is one area to swim and a baby pool. They have a large, "cool" pool that turns into a tide pool for 15 minutes of every hour. They have 2 children's pools, a hot tub, a sauna, and a hot pool where you can relax. There were 5 diving boards, all of various, but rather high heights. They also have 2 water slides, one that is straight down like the green one at Hurricane Harbor. I went down it. My butt still hurts and I screamed like a little girl the whole way down but I did it! It was a fun and different way to spend the day. Germans love these schwimbads. They have one in virtually every town and they are always so busy. Again, why doesn't America have more things like this? Water aerobics are great!
We headed back to camp for "linner". All but one family in the group decided to pack up the cars and head back a night early, my group included. Just made more sense to sleep in our warm, dry beds and be able to get things done tomorrow. For those who have been asking, baby Kate did pass early Saturday morning. Paige's sister has decided she would like her to come the week after this one so she will have someone there after everyone else has to leave. So I will be working with Paige this week to get planned for when she is gone. It is good that Kate is no longer suffering and that she is at home with God. Please continue to keep Paige and her family in your prayers as they deal with their incomprehensible loss. She seemed to enjoy the weekend away, surrounded by people she loves.
First weekend trip was a success! Next weekend, Berlin! But first, a week full of the stuff I came here to do :) Hope all is well! Thanks for keeping up!
We spent all of yesterday hiking through the Alps. We started by traveling through a beautiful gorge (see pictures on facebook!). That trek wasn't so bad so I fooled myself into thinking hiking in the mountains was no big deal. Boy was I wrong. We hiked up and up until we reached a Biergarten where we stopped for drinks and a snack. I had a Nuremburger wurst. It had a white casing and was seasoned with what looked like basil. Looked kind of scary, but it was good! We then continued higher up the mountain until we came to another restaurant. One of my mentor's friend's boyfriend owns the place and met us with smiling faces and shots of schnapps for all! Huzzah! We had been hiking for about 5 hours at that point so we decided to take a gondola down (not the kind that goes in water, the kind that is hanging on a thin line by a clip making for a very questionable ride down the giant mountain). It was a gorgeous day. The gorge was a bit scary because it involves navigating through a narrow, slippery ledge where people are stopping at random for pictures and pushing you from both directions. The two women that did that part of the hike with me did not seem to realize that these beautiful sites were all new to me, so they essentially ran through that part of the hike and I caught up later. I have never really been on a hike so I was very worried that I wouldn't be in shape for it. It was much more than I expected considering we were with dogs and children but I did not have to stop unless the group did. I was really proud of myself for doing it! See, we would be more fit as Americans if only we had beautiful sites like the Alps to hike through! It was really long, but beautiful afternoon.
We ended the night by going to an Indian restaurant to celebrate the 40th birthday of one of the teachers on the trip. Everyone ordered something different and we passed things around and tried it. It was my first time having Indian food. I ordered some chicken in a tomato and butter sauce served over rice. It was really good! I also had nan and DUCK! It was a great night spent laughing and sharing food and stories. We had a private dining room complete with a cake and a sparkler to light it up!We all slept like rocks that night. Mary and I moved into a bigger, nicer tent with my mentor teacher and her partner. We had room for the cots so we were off the ground which made for a much warmer, restful night.
It rained all day today. It was disappointing, but we were happy we at least had yesterday to enjoy the great weather and views of Garmisch. We decided to spend the day at the indoor schwimbad (swimming pool). This is not your typical indoor pool where there is one area to swim and a baby pool. They have a large, "cool" pool that turns into a tide pool for 15 minutes of every hour. They have 2 children's pools, a hot tub, a sauna, and a hot pool where you can relax. There were 5 diving boards, all of various, but rather high heights. They also have 2 water slides, one that is straight down like the green one at Hurricane Harbor. I went down it. My butt still hurts and I screamed like a little girl the whole way down but I did it! It was a fun and different way to spend the day. Germans love these schwimbads. They have one in virtually every town and they are always so busy. Again, why doesn't America have more things like this? Water aerobics are great!
We headed back to camp for "linner". All but one family in the group decided to pack up the cars and head back a night early, my group included. Just made more sense to sleep in our warm, dry beds and be able to get things done tomorrow. For those who have been asking, baby Kate did pass early Saturday morning. Paige's sister has decided she would like her to come the week after this one so she will have someone there after everyone else has to leave. So I will be working with Paige this week to get planned for when she is gone. It is good that Kate is no longer suffering and that she is at home with God. Please continue to keep Paige and her family in your prayers as they deal with their incomprehensible loss. She seemed to enjoy the weekend away, surrounded by people she loves.
First weekend trip was a success! Next weekend, Berlin! But first, a week full of the stuff I came here to do :) Hope all is well! Thanks for keeping up!
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Prayers Please
Friends. My mentor teacher needs all of your thoughts and prayers at this time. Her niece was born not even 2 months ago with a rare condition where her brain does not tell her to breathe. The family knew even before little Kate was born that she would not live long because of this. It seems that god will be calling her home very soon. Paige will be flying back to the states to be with her family and I will be left in charge of the classroom for the week that she is gone. I ask that you please pray for me; that I will be ready for this responsibility when it comes. But more importantly, I ask that you pray for Paige and her family. I have been through a lot of loss in my life but I can not even begin to imagine how it would feel to lose a child, especially one that the family is just getting to know. Please pray that their family may find peace in this time of darkness. I am so blessed to have such a great support system in all of you. I know that there have been tons of prayers and good vibes sent my way during this trip. I now ask that you take a moment and think of Paige and her family as they go through this trying time. Thank you and all my love to you!
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
First Days Frienzies
Hello all! I apologize for the long length of time that has elapsed since my last post. Things have been crazy here getting settled into my new digs and preparing for twenty four kiddos!
When I last left you, I was still staying with my mentor because the process for getting my housing proved to be more difficult than anyone could have anticipated. That continued to be an issue for me. We got the keys to a room on Tuesday from the base in Graff (30 minutes away), had to drive back to Vilseck to make sure it looked ok and that everything was working. Then had to drive back to Graff and sign my paperwork to make my room mine. Long story short, I spent 4 of my 5 days last week running from base to base with various teachers who donated their time all trying to pay for housing and get the passes I need to be on base. I finally got my housing paid for Friday (only 127 dollars a month!) and got my privilege card so I could fill my fridge. I am STILL working on getting the pass that will let me come and go on base. So needless to say, it's been a challenge and a bit of a nightmare. Hopefully soon everything will be resolved.
So I am in my room. It is a lot like a dorm, lots of rooms in one building. Because this is a deployment year, there appear to be only a handful of people in the building, none of which I have actually seen. So kind of a creepy, lonely place to be. It is all one room with a full sized bed, closet, desk, love seat, kitchen, and bathroom. The kitchen does not have an oven which is a little disappointing. I am really craving some homemade cookies right about now! But so far, I've been so busy with everything that I have been eating meals that don't require much preparation. Its a nice enough place. Has what I need and I have been able to borrow from others what it didn't have.
It wouldn't be right if I didn't stop and take a second to rave about the people I have met here. My mentor and her partner have been INCREDIBLE. Opening their house to me, taking me shopping the first time so I could put my things in a car instead of making several small trips on foot, letting me do my laundry at their house and borrow their Internet, driving me where I need to be, making me dinner, asking me on trips with them, introducing me to all their friends and other incredible people, etc. This place is wonderful. All of the staff are really friendly and have provided me with everything I could possibly want while I'm here. I have been offered rides places, meals when I want them, and beds in real homes when I need to get away. I feel so incredibly blessed to be surrounded by so many good-hearted people. It has made this transition seamless.
So last week was filled with cleaning, planning, and making trips all over the place trying to get ready for school and to get me legal. This weekend I went to my first fest in the small neighboring town of Schlict. It was there that I had my first brat, the Nuremberg brat. They were really skinny and long, like sausage links and very good. I went with my mentor and a bunch of her teaching friends. We drank beer, ate meat and bread, and ended the night sitting by their friends fire talking and laughing. It was a great night. I spent the night at my mentor's house and went to church with them the next morning. I spent the rest of the afternoon at their house working on homework and doing my laundry for free! Even got a home cooked meal while I was there. Have I mentioned how giving and loving these people are?!
First day of school was yesterday. I have 5th grade classroom with 24 students, 12 girls and 12 boys. The class is extremely diverse (these are military kids) which is really neat. They all seem really sweet and say things like "yes mam" all the time. It is hard knowing that over half the class has a parent who is deployed. It is amazing to see the way they carry on even when their world is in turmoil. I can already tell how rewarding this experience will be for me. I brought a behavior management program with me to Vilseck and all the teachers are raving about it and are so glad I did! It was nice to be able to bring something to the table. By 10 AM yesterday, my mentor was telling me that I am a natural and making plans to start turning things over to me as soon as Wednesday! Being told that you are a natural is, I think, one of the biggest compliments you can receive in this career. Paige and I get along really well and seem to have the same kind of teaching philosophy which helps a lot! I know I will be able to get a lot of invaluable experiences this semester and I am so looking forward to growing into an even better teacher!
That's what I have been up to! I am taking a weekend camping trip to Garmish, a southern German town, this weekend with my mentor and a bunch of other teachers. I will attempt to blog before then and am sure I will have lots to report after. For those of you who haven't heard, I have not gotten Wifi in my room yet so that is why I am unable to get and recieve texts, snapchats, and Skype right now. They are supposed to set me up September 4th, a week from tomorrow. When I have that set up, it should be much easier for me to communicate with everyone, especially through text and Skype. Sorry if you feel I have been neglecting you! I just haven't been getting things. Also, I got my address today which I will include at the end of the blog. PLEASE DO NOT FEEL LIKE YOU NEED TO SEND ME SOMETHING. Things are expensive. Letting me know you love me is free and easy and does not require the use of the postal service! As always, thank you all for the love, prayers, and support. I honestly did not know how this adventure was going to go. I was very nervous about being this far away from family and friends. The people I have met here and the support I have gotten from home have really made for a smooth start. I feel settled and actually very excited about all of my opportunities over here. It's going to be a great 4 months. Until next time, Chuse!
When I last left you, I was still staying with my mentor because the process for getting my housing proved to be more difficult than anyone could have anticipated. That continued to be an issue for me. We got the keys to a room on Tuesday from the base in Graff (30 minutes away), had to drive back to Vilseck to make sure it looked ok and that everything was working. Then had to drive back to Graff and sign my paperwork to make my room mine. Long story short, I spent 4 of my 5 days last week running from base to base with various teachers who donated their time all trying to pay for housing and get the passes I need to be on base. I finally got my housing paid for Friday (only 127 dollars a month!) and got my privilege card so I could fill my fridge. I am STILL working on getting the pass that will let me come and go on base. So needless to say, it's been a challenge and a bit of a nightmare. Hopefully soon everything will be resolved.
So I am in my room. It is a lot like a dorm, lots of rooms in one building. Because this is a deployment year, there appear to be only a handful of people in the building, none of which I have actually seen. So kind of a creepy, lonely place to be. It is all one room with a full sized bed, closet, desk, love seat, kitchen, and bathroom. The kitchen does not have an oven which is a little disappointing. I am really craving some homemade cookies right about now! But so far, I've been so busy with everything that I have been eating meals that don't require much preparation. Its a nice enough place. Has what I need and I have been able to borrow from others what it didn't have.
It wouldn't be right if I didn't stop and take a second to rave about the people I have met here. My mentor and her partner have been INCREDIBLE. Opening their house to me, taking me shopping the first time so I could put my things in a car instead of making several small trips on foot, letting me do my laundry at their house and borrow their Internet, driving me where I need to be, making me dinner, asking me on trips with them, introducing me to all their friends and other incredible people, etc. This place is wonderful. All of the staff are really friendly and have provided me with everything I could possibly want while I'm here. I have been offered rides places, meals when I want them, and beds in real homes when I need to get away. I feel so incredibly blessed to be surrounded by so many good-hearted people. It has made this transition seamless.
So last week was filled with cleaning, planning, and making trips all over the place trying to get ready for school and to get me legal. This weekend I went to my first fest in the small neighboring town of Schlict. It was there that I had my first brat, the Nuremberg brat. They were really skinny and long, like sausage links and very good. I went with my mentor and a bunch of her teaching friends. We drank beer, ate meat and bread, and ended the night sitting by their friends fire talking and laughing. It was a great night. I spent the night at my mentor's house and went to church with them the next morning. I spent the rest of the afternoon at their house working on homework and doing my laundry for free! Even got a home cooked meal while I was there. Have I mentioned how giving and loving these people are?!
First day of school was yesterday. I have 5th grade classroom with 24 students, 12 girls and 12 boys. The class is extremely diverse (these are military kids) which is really neat. They all seem really sweet and say things like "yes mam" all the time. It is hard knowing that over half the class has a parent who is deployed. It is amazing to see the way they carry on even when their world is in turmoil. I can already tell how rewarding this experience will be for me. I brought a behavior management program with me to Vilseck and all the teachers are raving about it and are so glad I did! It was nice to be able to bring something to the table. By 10 AM yesterday, my mentor was telling me that I am a natural and making plans to start turning things over to me as soon as Wednesday! Being told that you are a natural is, I think, one of the biggest compliments you can receive in this career. Paige and I get along really well and seem to have the same kind of teaching philosophy which helps a lot! I know I will be able to get a lot of invaluable experiences this semester and I am so looking forward to growing into an even better teacher!
That's what I have been up to! I am taking a weekend camping trip to Garmish, a southern German town, this weekend with my mentor and a bunch of other teachers. I will attempt to blog before then and am sure I will have lots to report after. For those of you who haven't heard, I have not gotten Wifi in my room yet so that is why I am unable to get and recieve texts, snapchats, and Skype right now. They are supposed to set me up September 4th, a week from tomorrow. When I have that set up, it should be much easier for me to communicate with everyone, especially through text and Skype. Sorry if you feel I have been neglecting you! I just haven't been getting things. Also, I got my address today which I will include at the end of the blog. PLEASE DO NOT FEEL LIKE YOU NEED TO SEND ME SOMETHING. Things are expensive. Letting me know you love me is free and easy and does not require the use of the postal service! As always, thank you all for the love, prayers, and support. I honestly did not know how this adventure was going to go. I was very nervous about being this far away from family and friends. The people I have met here and the support I have gotten from home have really made for a smooth start. I feel settled and actually very excited about all of my opportunities over here. It's going to be a great 4 months. Until next time, Chuse!
Monday, August 19, 2013
Surviving the Shuffle
This is now my third full day in Germany! I have still not been able to get into my room on base so I continue to stay with my mentor teacher. Hopefully I will be able to get all the necessary paperwork signed tomorrow and get moved in. School starts for teachers Wednesday!
I spent Saturday exploring a town called Amburg with one of my mentor teacher's friends who also attended Truman and now works at the school I will be doing my teaching at. Amburg is a quaint city surrounded entirely by a wall. There is a downtown area with many shops and caffes and rivers with walkways surrounding them. I will be sure to put up pictures soon! We walked around the whole city and then had a traditional German dinner of schnitzel and beer! It was all very yummy! She also showed me how to get around on the trains and busses and gave me a lot of advice about planning trips and ways to make the most out of my experience. It was a great way to see some of the country in a not-so-overwhelming way.
On Sunday I went to church with my mentor. We then went for a picnic at the schwimbad which is an outdoor pool. This one was unique because it was all natural, with no chemical treatments! It was too cold for me to get in but it was fun to people watch and take in the experience. We then went to some of my mentor teacher's friends house for dinner. They have 2 kids under 6 and it was fun to be around little balls of energy again!
Today I was able to look around base for the first time. We went virtually everywhere. I was able to see the school and the class ill be in. Everyone there seems really welcoming and friendly which will make for a nice transition. I saw the building I will be living in once we get all the logistics ironed out. I also went to the commissary and the PX where I got some information about Internet. Looks like it is going to cost a pretty penny to be able to have Internet in my room on base. What's worse, they are notorious for taking their time when getting things done so it could be a while before I am able to enjoy Internet from the comfort of my own home. This is something I have been most worried about when thinking about moving on base. I ask for good thoughts that things will be less complicated than they appear to be now.
I am so blessed to have the mentor that I do. She and her friends have made this transition as seamless as possible, keeping me entertained, fed, and in good spirits. While I wish I could complete my semester form the comfort of their home, I know that being in my own is one of the challenges I most wanted to face while I'm here. It is nice to know that I have people here looking out for me in addition to all my cheerleaders back home. Please keep good thoughts for my next transition on to base! Love you all!
I spent Saturday exploring a town called Amburg with one of my mentor teacher's friends who also attended Truman and now works at the school I will be doing my teaching at. Amburg is a quaint city surrounded entirely by a wall. There is a downtown area with many shops and caffes and rivers with walkways surrounding them. I will be sure to put up pictures soon! We walked around the whole city and then had a traditional German dinner of schnitzel and beer! It was all very yummy! She also showed me how to get around on the trains and busses and gave me a lot of advice about planning trips and ways to make the most out of my experience. It was a great way to see some of the country in a not-so-overwhelming way.
On Sunday I went to church with my mentor. We then went for a picnic at the schwimbad which is an outdoor pool. This one was unique because it was all natural, with no chemical treatments! It was too cold for me to get in but it was fun to people watch and take in the experience. We then went to some of my mentor teacher's friends house for dinner. They have 2 kids under 6 and it was fun to be around little balls of energy again!
Today I was able to look around base for the first time. We went virtually everywhere. I was able to see the school and the class ill be in. Everyone there seems really welcoming and friendly which will make for a nice transition. I saw the building I will be living in once we get all the logistics ironed out. I also went to the commissary and the PX where I got some information about Internet. Looks like it is going to cost a pretty penny to be able to have Internet in my room on base. What's worse, they are notorious for taking their time when getting things done so it could be a while before I am able to enjoy Internet from the comfort of my own home. This is something I have been most worried about when thinking about moving on base. I ask for good thoughts that things will be less complicated than they appear to be now.
I am so blessed to have the mentor that I do. She and her friends have made this transition as seamless as possible, keeping me entertained, fed, and in good spirits. While I wish I could complete my semester form the comfort of their home, I know that being in my own is one of the challenges I most wanted to face while I'm here. It is nice to know that I have people here looking out for me in addition to all my cheerleaders back home. Please keep good thoughts for my next transition on to base! Love you all!
Saturday, August 17, 2013
A Safe Place to Land
Hello all! As you may have heard, I attempted to post a blog yesterday without success so this is my second attempt. I have made it to Vilsec! My housing on base isn't ready until Monday so I am staying with my mentor teacher and her roommate. Their house is amazing. I have my own bed and bathroom complete with a glass shower with adjustable water pressure! So cool. They have been very accommodating, keeping me fed and showing me the town. We went on a rather lengthy walk yesterday after dinner to see the town and keep me awake. They were able to keep me up until about 10 pm German time and I slept in this morning. So my jet lag is nearly inexistent! Today has started with authentic German pretzels and some relaxing.
I won't lie, yesterday was really rough. Being in a country where you do not speak the language at all is overwhelming. I am the first intern to come over alone as well so I don't have anyone over here that can really relate to what I'm going through. Going on this adventure was not an easy decision to make . It involves leaving behind my family, friends, and everything familiar to me. I am not the kind of person who likes to be alone; I'd much prefer the company of others. So this trip is not only an incredible experience, it is a challenge. I hope to come home December 22nd a more independent, confident woman. Your prayers and good thoughts are much appreciated during this adventure.
I have no reason to believe that this trip will be anything short of amazing. I promise to blog as often as possible with updates but I refuse to do so if I have nothing witty or worthwhile to say. I'll leave that to the newspapers and late night talk show hosts. Keep in touch with me through face book, Skype (amy_hiatt85), email (amh6275@truman.edu), or texting and I will respond as promptly as I can. Love you all!
I won't lie, yesterday was really rough. Being in a country where you do not speak the language at all is overwhelming. I am the first intern to come over alone as well so I don't have anyone over here that can really relate to what I'm going through. Going on this adventure was not an easy decision to make . It involves leaving behind my family, friends, and everything familiar to me. I am not the kind of person who likes to be alone; I'd much prefer the company of others. So this trip is not only an incredible experience, it is a challenge. I hope to come home December 22nd a more independent, confident woman. Your prayers and good thoughts are much appreciated during this adventure.
I have no reason to believe that this trip will be anything short of amazing. I promise to blog as often as possible with updates but I refuse to do so if I have nothing witty or worthwhile to say. I'll leave that to the newspapers and late night talk show hosts. Keep in touch with me through face book, Skype (amy_hiatt85), email (amh6275@truman.edu), or texting and I will respond as promptly as I can. Love you all!
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