No News

There is not much new here. Life is settling down again and I am settling into it. I am working and Uni doesn't start for another month or so. I do, however, start my tutoring job next week and I'm so psyched! Juhu!

Aber natuerlich vermisse ich Deutschland, und am meisten die Leute dort.

There is a man at work that is German, and I love having the opportunity to red' a little Deutsch.

Ummmm. Yep. I think that about covers it. The heat here now is pretty intense, but I love it. Some things about home are so nice. Like listening to the cicadas at night, or chasing fireflies. Ahhh, the lovely Midwest. (and not the South!)

My Half-Ass Rant

Cat and I were talking this evening and she mentioned how these people in her biology class think that doing things half-assed and not working hard are cool. And actually, when I thought about it, it seems a lot of people (sadly often younger people) tend to take this viewpoint. "Yeah man, I didn't do the work for the presentation but the boss thinks I did and didn't check it." Or "I was supposed to help my mom out but she didn't even notice that I only swept the floor instead of mopped it." Ok, so maybe those are sucky examples, but I think you get the drift. Why is it ok or even cool to not try your hardest and be rewarded? Isn't it ten billion times better to give something your all or at least do what you are supposed to and then be proud of the results? Why are we praising twits who think that doing less than your best is not only acceptable but favorable? It's appalling and highly disappointing.

Now, I'm not saying we don't have our lazy days or just times when fudging a little isn't so bad. But on a day to day moral basis, why shouldn't we strive for our best and encourage the best in others?

Just something to think about.

Some pics with Megan

Megan and I enjoying the end of the World Cup, and Megan and I meeting Kate for lunch.

Head-Butt, Wussy Boys and the World Masters

If that wasn't an exciting World Cup game!!! Did you guys see the vicious head-butt?! WOW! I think that was probably the most entertaining (and very wrong) moment of the game! It made up for the fact that usually the soccer boys are little princesses who fling themselves down on the ground every time someone even looks at their ankles. In all fairness, they were much better today. Still it's sad the Germans couldn't be "World Masters" (Weltmeister), but it was still exciting and I for one am a bit sad that the WM is over.

Megan has got me running these last few mornings. Ok, ok, jogging. But wow is it painful! Great to have her here, though. To get even I kicked her butt at tennis last night.

So yeah, not really any news from here. Just chilling with Meegan.

Hope you all are well.

: )

Jet Lag

So I'm massively jet-lagging it. I didn't think it would be so much coming back. But I've been sleeping a ton and have been exhausted. Rosa helped me unpack the first day back so that was really great. However, I still have a few drawers to straighten out b/c we just emptied my bags. And I really, really need to reorganize my closet. It is a danger zone like you wouldn't believe! I need to throw things out and reject my pack rat tendencies, but it's just so hard! Rosa lent me the book He's Just Not That Into You and I am laughing my head off. Great, really. I would highly recommend it to any fabulous woman who is having trouble with many Mr. Wrongs, or just anyone in need of a laugh.

Megan and I have been lazy bums. We've rented movies, eaten ice cream and laid by the pool. My pale self is loving the sunlight and just begging for more. I plan to oblige tomorrow.

The readjusting here is going to take some time, I feel. But it is so good to have Megan here. (my family is of course wonderful as well! that was just an assumed and unspoken whatnot).

Life on the other side of the world. Ahhhhh.

Home

I made it, safe and sound. The day of traveling was long, but ok. I caught the end of the Germany game in the airport. I can't believe we lost like that! Dang it! I was so sad.

Today I am unpacking and doing lots and lots of laundry. I've realized I have way too much crap and need to clean out some stuff. Just like spring cleaning, only, well yeah, in July. : )

I am so tired. Holy cow.

I am already missing Germany like mad. I think I just need time to readjust. I was so sad to leave yesterday. I hadn't thought much about it and then it just hit me all at once and wow. Talk about the waterworks! It was really hard leaving E.

Megan and my aunt both come to town tomorrow. There's so much to do. But all I want to do is lay in the sun and sleep. lol.
Maybe later.

Darn Punctual and Efficient Germans

All right. So I planned on getting up at the butt crack of dawn to do some stuff since I was only supposed to have electricity until sometime between 10 and 12. Now, at home this would mean by 11:50 or so they would cut the power, however, not in Germany. No siree Bob. I slept in a bit late, got up at 8:30 and went into the bathroom and flipped the switch. Nothing. I tried again in my sleepy state. Hmm, that's odd. Yep, the Germans cut it way before they were supposed to.

My solution? Showering in the dark. Now, it would have been much more practical if I had a window in the bathroom. Lol. After awhile your eyes adjust and it's kinda fun. Maybe like camping or something. If I leave my bathroom door open and the curtains in my room open, just enough light seeps into the little bathroom and I can see a bit. Ahhhh, the joys of moving. : D

I had to sit on my suitcase to close it. Hmmm. Yep, that one's definitely over weight. Luckily E will be helping me with the carrying of the monster bags. And he's a dear b/c he's given me his room for the afternoon so I can actually get some things done, like the things I had planned on doing earlier when I was supposed to have electricity still. lol. Ok, ok, I'm complaining. Sorry. Am stopping right now.

So in 24 hours I'll be on my way home. Can't wait to see everyone. Am going to miss it here like mad. I expect way huge hugs when I get home. I'm taking Danny Tanner (Full House) hugs.

Hope everyone is well and I'll see you soon. Oh, my cell number is the same, so feel free to ring me as of Wednesday.

Mwa! : )

Packing. Grrr.

The pics: Me in the teachers' lounge, E and the boys, view from the teachers' lounge, my 12 LK, and E and I. : )

* * *

I did a trial run on the packing yesterday. Today I am starting over. lol. Hm.

I can't believe the games yesterday! France actually beat Brazil, and Portugal beat England! I thought both games would be just the opposite. However, I am a bit miffed by the way the referees didn't count the English goal during the shoot out. So dumb.

Last night we watched the first game at Thursty Nelly's, as usual, then E and his friends and I hit the Glockencafe for some typical yummy German food and watched the second game there. But we mostly talked, which was really great! Sometimes I feel a bit of a lack of intellectual stimulation, and it was great to have a real conversation. And the Dutch don't seem to attack the U.S. government like the Germans (sorry for the generalization, but it's usually true! you know I still love the Germans). It was really nice. E's friends are quite cool.

Today they are off to Bingen to take a Rhine River ride, and I am packing and cleaning. Tonight is dinner at Thomas's and then we are going out for drinks at the Pub, a sort of farewell. So sad!!! I'm also sad that Germany is playing the semi final on Tuesday when I'm traveling!!! Nooooooo!

Semi Finals Here We Come!!!

I can't believe we (I am counting myself as German) beat Argentina last night! That was so stinking cool. I mean, of course I was for Germany, but realistically....lol. Very cool. The town was crazy with people celebrating.

E's friends are in town and they all wore orange Holland shirts, which meant all night Germans were going by singing "Ohne Holland...." (without Holland, we're going to Berlin). But E is such a good sport! He and his friends agreed to pose with a cardboard German player. lol. He just laughs about it.

Yesterday was also my last day at work. I've really enjoyed working there this year. A very cool job. I will miss my kids so much! And the teachers, too.

I've packed some boxes to send, and oh dear goodness gracious are they heavy!!! I need to do a trail run today with packing to make sure I can fit everything. Yikes.

Happy July!

Mold 1 : Kate 0

Why is it always mold here? Why oh why? Mold and dust. You can never keep things clean, go barefoot, lay on your floor, or breathe mold-free air. It just sneaks up when you aren't looking and then bam! Mold!

As I was cleaning things out yesterday I spotted a rather large area of mold. Now, it doesn't even begin to compare to the attack of the mold situation that Megan and I braved, but mind you, it was substantial. What did I do? I decided to be a good resident and clean it up. Don't want to leave a bunch of mold for the next person living here. So I grabbed my handy dandy American cleaning supplies and went for it. And then the paint started coming off. Hm. Bad idea. Now, I couldn't just leave it like that, so I thought how could I fix this? Hmmm, maybe I could use my paint that I use for art. That might work, right? So I dabbed some on a paper towel and dabbed at the wall and oops. More paint came off. Not only that, but then I smeared it on the floorboard and couldn't get it off too well. Double oops. Damn mold.

Today I said goodbye officially at school. Set out the hordes of cookies that took me three hours to bake yesterday. Nice Thomas lent me his kitchen. They gave me a Sickingen Gymnasium sweatshirt, very cool, and a yearbook sort of thing. Also, the English faculty gave me a cd with the soccer songs on it. Cool. : D Very nice.

Tomorrow I am going to school to say bye to one last class, give back my keys, and then at 4 we are BBQing with my 6th graders and watching the Germany vs. Argentina game at school as well.

Tonight I hope to pack some. Axel is bringing over some boxes and I'd like to pack and get them sent out Saturday morning. And E is cooking dinner tonight, too. Such a good boyfriend. :)

Can't wait to see everyone!

Oh, and something in my room reeks and I can't figure out what it is. Man!

One Week and Counting

I said goodbye to one of my ninth grades and my 12 LK today. The ninth graders made more cakes, meaning I've eaten way too much cake recently! lol. And saying goodbye to my 12ers was hard. I admit, I did cry just a little. Dang it. hee hee. They gave me a goodbye card with their pics on it, a small German dictionary, and Bridget Jones' Diary (book) in German. That is one of my favs, and I've never read it, so it couldn't be more perfect!!! I am going to miss them. They didn't all hand in their essays so I demanded they do it by Thursday so I can return them by Friday, my last day of work.

I also gave the bike back today which was great fun. I had to haul it up and down lots of stairs. lol. The little girl carrying the big bike. So I was all gross and sweaty by the time I reached the school. However, there was this very nice man who offered to drive the bike to the woman's house that I borrowed it from, which was a huge relief, b/c it meant I didn't have to deal with more trains and stairs. Whew! He deserves a gold star for the day.

I'm starting to get a bit more sad about leaving. It's always hard saying bye to people. And I'm trying to get lots down before I head out.

Ok, must run to Stammtisch or I'll be late. I will add some more pics when I get some time.

Bye : )

Pics from the last few days...

My kids and one of the many, many delicious cakes, Koto and I in lovely Frankfurt, and us cheering for the Netherlands. Who is that dashing man in orange? hmmmm....

Ohne Holland Fahren Wir Nach Berlin...Schoeffle Schoeffle

This is a very sad song. And I can't believe the Germans sing it! I schimpf my kids when they say that. Soccer is taken so seriously here!

I visited Koto this weekend in Frankfurt. She lives in a beautiful part of the city. We walked around and saw some of the city, which seems quite nice, and watched the hordes of people pour into the area by the Main River to watch the soccer match, Germany vs. Sweden. We watched at a cafe and the Germans were crazy. They won, which means they go on to the Quarter Finals. It was insane! We took the U-Bahn back into town to take part in the celebration. They kept singing the same songs and people were climbing the fountain and jumping in, waving flags, and other craziness. Koto and I didn't stay too long, just long enough to take it all in. After all, we're not German, and while we are happy for them, we're not going to go crazy.

Last night E, Darco and I cheered for the Netherlands (sorry Rita, you know I love you!) and sadly they lost. Poor E! My sad Dutchman. We were even all decked out in orange and very spirited.

Today my two 8th grade classes had surprise parties for me. It was amazing. They baked all these incredible cakes, and I don't think I've ever eaten more cake in one day! I couldn't try them all. My kids can really bake. You wouldn't believe how incredible these cakes were! And they made me cards and gave me a Germany hat that they signed. I felt so loved. I really like those classes and it was so great to know they appreciated having me here as well.

This afternoon I started dealing with going-home-things. I will be without electricity for a day or so at the end, and I did the official whatnots to let the city know I'll be leaving. Dang. There is so much to do and my time is filling up and running out. I hadn't been really thinking about coming home and what I'd need to do. Yikes. And some teachers have invited me out to dinner, which is very kind. 8 days. I can't believe it. Then I'll be home. Can't fathom it.

But this weekend was great and so was today. My 6th graders invited me to a bbq at school on Friday and I'm more than excited to go. They were really shy/scared about asking me, which I think is cute b/c why should they be? I'm so happy to go!!!

I hope you all are well.

: )

Some Pics from the WM Madness

It is hard to tell, but the view we had from Ranj's BBQ was amazing! We could watch all the people and craziness below! Alison is the one in the England hat. She's great fun. And I am wearing E's Holland hat in support of the Netherlands.

Sunday the Netherlands are playing Portugal and I think I will be for Portugal, as long as E doesn't get too upset! hee hee. But I have to support Rita.

Tomorrow I'm off to Frankfurt to see Koto for the last time before taking off. I've not really been around the city yet so it will be nice to see a new place.

11 days. : )

Another Game Day

Trinidad and Tobago play Paraguay in town tonight, and taking the train home was crazy. It was a bit late, and then was only a two-car train, with four doors. I went to one and it was completely packed, no way to get in. The next two were the same. Crammed full with people. I thought I wouldn't be able to get on! So the last door there was about two square feet of space and let me tell you, more than two of us got on! Talk about insanity. People were also singing songs about Germany winning the World Cup, which was kinda fun.

Germany is also playing in just over an hour, and I had planned to go watch in town, but I'm not sure now. It's raining and the city is already packed. However, there is supposed to be a parade put on by Trinidad later, and I would like to see that. Hmmmm.

No one at work really seemed to know that next week is my last week, so I'm trying to spread that around.

And today one of my classes made the whole year worth while in just a few words. I told my 12 LK that next week is my last class with them and I told them I've really enjoyed the class, and they said they'd enjoyed having me here and felt they'd learned a lot. They even said thank you for making them write all the essays (I thought it just annoyed them!) and that they felt it has helped them prepare for the Abitur next year. Then they all started clapping. I didn't know what to do so I said thank you and turned which I sure was a lovely shade of red. It is moments like that that really make teaching amazing. I will miss that class, they really are one of my favorites.

One last note: TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY!!! That's right folks, just two lil ol weeks and I will be back in the KC area! Can you feel the excitement? hee hee.....

Clearing Up Some Confusion

Just to make sure everyone is aware. Yes, the World Cup is going on right now in Germany. Not only that, but I am in one of the cities where the games are actually going on. Australia played Japan here, and tomorrow the U.S. plays Italy. So it really is crazy here. But good.

Tonight we're cheering for the Netherlands. I was glad to see England kick butt yesterday.

Now I should get back to lesson planning. hee hee. : P

Lazy Summer Days

For those of you not well-versed in Calvin and Hobbes, that was a reference. : D

I have no work today b/c it is yet again a German holiday. Not bad. It's warm and cloudy and absolutely peaceful here right now and I'm loving it. I also realized yesterday as I was at work, that I really do enjoy and love my job here. I get excited to go to work. Hmmmm.

Last night we went out to watch Germany kick Poland's butt, and in the very last few minutes Germany scored and it was great! The town was so full of people and it was crazy and lots of fun. It is weird that my quiet little town has become party central. lol.

If I'm lucky we might get a bit of a storm today. However a German "storm" barely shows up on our Midwest radar, but a girl can dream!

Miss you guys and hope you're well and see you soon.

: )

A Few Choice Pics

The nose-picking is for my darling Mutti who thinks it's not so appropriate to take such shots. The smoking isn't real (or at least I'm the only one not really smoking!) and it's a Portuguese traditional friendship cigarette, so I was partaking in cultural things. The soccer whistles were free at the airport. And the last two pics I'm at Hoheneck, near K-Town with lovely ruins. Very cool.

A Sad Day In K-Town

The U.S. just lost to the Czech Republic. 0:3. So sad. : (

And we took Ms. Rita to the airport. She's on her way to Portugal now. I will miss her so very much. But it was great having her here!

It was way warm today.

Another holiday on Thursday. Do we ever work here? : )

Hello Summer!

So it's really, really here. Warmth and sunshine and I am very happy to enjoy it. Yesterday Rita and I played in the Stadtpark, except I couldn't climb the red thing bc the kids were playing on it. Sheesh, as though it were meant for them or something! lol. Then we stopped by Jan's, stole some funny-looking hats, and woke up Chuck at noon! Then we all went to the American Diner (hee hee) and had a lovely lunch. It was pretty cool. Afterwards Jan took us to Otterberg where we saw an old church and remains of the monastery, then we went to Hoheneck, which has some very nice ruins of an old castle. I think my computer can't take any more pics! lol. I just keep taking tons and putting them on and it's starting to get really slow. Hmmmm.

Last night we went to Dorle's, a teacher of Rita's, and had a fun goodbye party. I am still feeling the party today. Sleeeeeep. But it's Rita's last full day here so we got our sorry, lazy bums outta bed and walked around the WM Mile with all the craziness. Tonight Portugal plays and we're taking Rita out to watch it. I'm still sad she's leaving, and trying not to think about it. Though we already packed up her room this morning. Schnöffle schnöffle.

So that's what's new here! C u all soon!

: )