There is no place like it... Home

Home.  There are lots of different definitions of it, but I usually use the on that is "Wherever you feel at home",

I have a few places that I consider Home. Sunderland is my second Home.   I have made some amazing mares there.
but the other one is that place I grew up in.  Where my parents are.  and , In less than 75 hours. That is exactly where I will be!

I had a small taste of it last weekend, I flew to Sunderland to see one of the two people I call my "Best Mates" . The weekend was one I will never forget for a lot of reasons. But one of the main reasons was the sheer Horror that I had with Public Transport.

Being clever, I decided to choose the cheapest. This was with KLM and it was from Frankfurt to Newcastle with a change of flight in Amsterdam.
As a lot of people will tell you , I plan everything down to the last second. It will be followed to this plan, and If it goes astray, then, the world may aswell end.
I knew that this was especially important here, because of the change over in Amsterdam, which I had less than an hour for.

The way there was not too bad.  Big Shout out the the "best mate" I was visiting who told me to sit at the back of the plane.   Cheers mare !  We were swapped onto a rear- engined plane...  it was awful! But , in true mate style..  he found this Hilarious!

My 'Window' is hidden.. its behind the engine... -_-

I got to Amsterdam with the constant ring of D# in my ears..  Then, I had to go for it .
- Check in to next flight
- Passport control
- Security Check
- the 7km (well, that is what it always feels like!) walk to gate D24

sorted! got to the flight in time, and made it to Sunderland.

Typical LADS weekend really:
- Beer, Steak, Football, Half of Batman  (inside joke!)  and buying DVDs that are on the 2 for £10 at HMV
(although, that can be baffling at times, too..  )   (another inside joke!)

I Enjoyed the weekend. Seeing my mate, and being back 'home' was night. I did speak German to people and I forgot that the cars come from the other Direction.. but apart from that..   fine!

It was on the way back.

Dear god.
I think I lost about 10 years off my like due to this trip.

Set off from Newcastle, Slightly late (don't know how, only about 4 planes go there) and Arrived in Amsterdam late too.  Had 50 mins to get to my next flight...

GO!

- Check-in was terrible.. machine was very slow and  took about 5 attempts -_-
- Passport control: some advice - if there are well over 500 people queuing to have their passoort checked..  maybe it worth opening a second line??     just a thought
- Security.... well..   do I have to say anything??   I chose the one queue where no matter how much they checked..  that guy still sets the scanner off..    annoying..

then..  Gate..

E89     ..  I was like Basil Fawlty!
"Well, that is just perfect!"

Off I went..       and got to the plane late..  the plane held 100 poeple..  I had 99 of them starting at me..and then an announcement..
"Sorry ladies and gentlemen, we are going to be delayed slightly, as we have a passenger from Newcastle who's bag needs to be loaded on"

THAT WAS ME!

got to Frankfurt late, Schedule was Ballsed and I really needed to get home.  I was pleased with KLM. None of the delays were their fault, I was late in and they waited for one passenger.   I would recommend then to anyone!
I got on the train from the Airport to the main station, I got the platform and could have Waved goodbye to the driver.   SHIT..  missed it..

Double Shit...  Last train of the night...
triple shit..  what the hell do I do now...

see...  no train....    :/

I was a minute too late.

I, being smart, went to the pub!  It had Wifi and I could form a plan!
Wifi was broke..  luckily the pump wasn't - I could have drunk it dry.   partially for missing the train, partially for doing that thing that Mr Bean does  on "Mr Bean's Holiday" when he did the same.

Well, I had no choice, I was stuck..  I was going to spend the night there, but how and where?
there were 3 options

1- the 24hr Mcdonalds
2- sit in the station and listen to music
3- find a hostel.

I went with number 3. Reluctantly. After being in the pub it was now 1 am and the first train was at 5:26 am. But I was tired, slightly fed up, and it had begun to rain.
I found one, and got my head down for a few hours kip.  Caught my first train, and managed to do a day of work too..     How.. I dunno..  well.. I do..  I had Irn Bru from the UK!


But anyway. Though my ell with public transport makes me want to walk home, My flight is at a good time, I will be on the first train I can be after work so I definitely don't miss the flight, and the flight is a direct Lufthansa flight.   So - hopefully, no issues!


I cant wait to go home. There are some aspects that I can wait for - and not always the ones that are always there, but I need a break, and I need to say hello to the Family.  It has been the same amount of time as it would have been at University, but taking in all that I have, from the sights, sounds and smells of Germany, to the Culture, Language and routine. I am tired.   I am pleased that I had a visitor halfway through, cause It broke it up and Im always happy to see a good mate :)

I feel weird about it. Im looking forward to it (my suitcase is already packed) but I know that I could stay here If I needed to, easily. I guess after the tough weekend of transport before, and the taste of the UK.. I am pretty ready to head back to the family.

So. I hope this week goes fast, I hope that I can get home and Enjoy a beer with my dad and see my brothers again.  I have a small trip planned for Xmas, but the plans need to be finalized there.

I don't know when this will next be updated.. but If I don't see you, or write another one...  then Have a good Christmas.. and all the best, for 2013

2013 is set to bring a lot. F1, more Germany, the start of my final Uni year and some other stuff that I am very excited about too.  It is gonna be hard at times..   but - if its easy, where is the point?

till next time!

Its the start of a 365 page book.. When you write it, make it a good one...

Wegen Des Wetters...

Schlüchtern in the Snow

I have been told since before I got here, that Germany gets snow.
The UK gets snow... in some places quite a lot.

Here in Hessen, The snow is Very unpredictable. IM pretty sure that the weather has been right every time in that they forecast it. But wrong in the amount that comes down.

Last week, It began to snow on Saturday night. It was about 11PM, and I was just getting ready to go to bed when I noticed it. I wasn't fussed really Im kinda used to what we have in the UK, where it soon melts, and even if it did come down a fair bit, I knew that when I woke up, it was going to be Sunday, so there would be no point in going anywhere anyway.

well, for some unknown reason, I woke up at about 4:30 am. It takes effort for me to look out the window, as the only window I really have is in the roof and no where near the Bed.
I looked out the window. It reminded me that it had snowed (you know that stage where you are awake but your eyes don't work?   well.. that!)

It was about 3 minutes later , after I had got back into bed, that I decided to have another look. My eyes were working, and they could CLEARLY see that we had had about 3 inches.  Possible the third most snow I have ever seen, after Sunderland in first year Uni in second, but being *slightly* beaten by the time I was in Finland in December.

There was a lot and for the first time in a while, I was excited by the snow. So excited that I decided , whilst sober!, to go outside and draw boobs in the snow..

I am an Adult by the way....

This is , obviously, a Very adult thing to do. What would have been more adult, would have been to rub it out...

The tree in Schlüchtern

after the excitement, I went back to bed
between 4:30am and 12PM, it must have snowed more. The boobs were not gone, but emphasized...., and my little town was in a completely different light.. It was covered in snow!

I don't do mornings, I barely do the daytime and only really come into my own during the evening, so (despite my previous adventure outside) I was not getting up, getting dressed straight away, and going to build a snowman!  NO!

I had a cuppa, worked out hoe cold it was, and then decided to go out.  Germany made this decision for me.
If this was the UK, I would not be going out to take pictures. I would be staying in, hugging the radiator, hands firmly around the Xbox controller and a constant supply of Tea!

It was, however, very nice. The snow was deep in places, looked great on what it had landed on and made everything look nice and wintery.

Trees across the road from my flat

The Small garden near my flat

It was nice and there is some still here too! Though I will admit that I am slightly worried, as I have a flight to catch in a few weeks, with more forecast!
But it has been cold for the last few weeks now..  you can feel it at night when you have to put the radiator up a few clicks.  It is also proven when you leave your window open over night and wake up to this!

an Icicle on my window

Germany deals well though.  Everyone has to have winter tires by law, so there there are fewer crashes . The snowploughs are out as soon as the snow hits the floor, gritting and, well.. ploughing and there is a mini tractor that does the same for the paths too..  so no one is caught out!
the trains all still ran, and there were no more delays or cancellations at Frankfurt airport than usual, apart form to the airports that couldn't cope! (I am checking, yes!)   basically they cope..  and (in another area) beat the UK. I have seen messages on Facebook and twitter about it.. here - the school was open, and I have been told that when they got 8 inches 3 years ago, it stayed open too! No lie in for me, but a serious achievement!

The little Tractor :D

That is all about the Snow for now. More about Germany and the run up to Christmas. Well, it is Christmas market time and there is currently one in Schlüchtern. It isn't very big, so I have decided to miss it for now, Just because I am off to one in Bayern tomorrow! So 2 new experiences there (see previous blog!)   I'll be taking the camera and getting some snaps!
The Lights are also going up in Schlüchtern. It looks nice! nothing too major..

Christmas Lights in Schlüchtern

It is also the time when the staff room at work begins to smell of homemade Christmas Biscuits and Cake. I was even given some , very generously, by some Members of staff, which were awesome!
I have managed to get some in Tegut to take home with me soon.. I just hope I don't eat them!

Also, last Wednesday, I went to Fulda with 150 other students and Staff from work to see a performance in English!  it was good! there were a few acting points, but considering what they had done with the few props and things that they has it was good.    The new head of English asked me if I understood everything as a joke, to which my reply was "there are a few words I don't understand!"      ...  I guess you had to be there! Even still. Some of the students that I teacher were there from class 9.  Everyone else there was yr 11,12 and 13. They said that they understood everything, so Im proud of you class 9!

Anyway, here are some more snowy pics for you to enjoy!  
catch you soon!

From the Balcony

Getting Dark.. Whats left today

In a few, unrelated matters....

This may turn out to be quiet annoying for some people, if it does - well tough... :P

This month has been Great. It is now the last weekend in November and in total, I have racked up nearly 90 nights under German Stars - in fact Monday will be my 3rd complete month here..   

The fact that is is November, means a few things right now.

1) This is all going WAY too quickly!  Christmas is , annoyingly,  the half way point of this.  Im pretty shocked at how quickly the time is going, and and how Christmas symbolizes that , although 4 months is a long time - Don't really have all that Much time left!

2) This is pretty important. In fact, apart from only about 3 other things in my life (and food and sleep come below this)  This is the final F1 weekend of the season.

From this moment onward, my weekends are empty, bare and spent looking forward to March 17th , when it all starts again!
Some people do not understand how I can be so obsessed with the F1, and how I plan weekends around it. Well - I argue the same for football, or whatever you guys like. I don't know what it is , but whatever it is - I love it!

Im posting this now, before the qualifying on the Saturday, because this season can go 2 ways. One guy I want to win, and the other I would rather see his car bogged-down in a gravel trap.
if it goes that way, you'll hear from me again, and if it doesn't - Then I wish you all a happy Christmas - for all until 2015!

Im also excited about march for another reason - It is under wraps a bit at the moment - Once confirmed, THEN I will reveal all! :D

3) Germany is preparing for Christmas.

These are some comparisons to the way that Germany prepares for Xmas, against the UK  

There are some lessons for the UK here...  which include..

- The coke advert DOES NOT meant the start of Christmas, nor should seeing it make the top 10 on twitter..  Its an advert - every other advert annoys you!

Clearly, I am a pro a Photoshop

- Christmas songs - If it is not Christmas, don't play them - Germany is saving my sanity in that respect

- Christmas lights - your house is not meant to attract the attention of other planets it, therefore, does not need to have enough bulbs to keep a large block of flats lit up for 3 years.  a few, tasteful lights will be fine - even then, you do not need to put the up in October

- Though, yes, this is a busy period in the shops - you do not need to queue outside of the shop, nor when you are in the shop, must you act like a TOTAL tit!   There is no pushing, no fighting and you can breathe. Nor do you go into a shop with 400 customers and only 3 members of staff on duty..

These are just a few things...   UK - this is how Christmas should be ... 'Tis the season to be Jolly!!  NOT Jolly pissed off!!

A generic Christmas Market Picture

As part of the Christmas preparations, I have been asked to go to a Christmas Market in Bayern (Bavaria) on December 9th.  Im looking forward to it - and if you are some of the (Very) few people I but Christmas presents for - it could be that you end up with something very German and bought from this market. Even still - you will be able to spot the tourist at 20 paces - because it will be me , with my camera asking completely stupid questions.


The other thing about this time of year is that is is now the 24/11/12.
This means that in 28 days.. I go home.
Im not desperate to , far from it. In fact I think that i could easily spend Christmas in Germany, given how nice everyone is.
However, there are some things that I am beginning to , not miss as such, but would love to be re-acquainted with again.
some things are a bit sad
- Irn Bru, My xbox and a TV that talks to me in English would be lovely! but there are the other things too.

I miss this stuff!

Family are in short supply in Germany.  They annoy me at times, but they are almost contracted to do that - but no one understands you better than your family. 
Also, My dads sense of humor is desperately needed.  I usually refer to his thoughts as "dads 'professional' opinion" He always has one - and the way he conveys is is fantastic. my dad also is the type of bloke that doesn't need to SAY anything..  the face usually says it all!

My flight is on the 20th December.  This is to Manchester from Frankfurt, and it was pretty cheap because I took my dads advice and booked early.
When I booked it - I was going to book for the Friday, but chose not to.   
This was because of something I saw on the website I used to book them. I thought that it was so fantastic, that I was going to take their advice and run with it

"please note - some flights on 21/12/12 may not fly, due to the supposed 'end of the world'"

It was a Joke, the website was clearly taking the mick, but I thought that it was brilliant!
So I booked my flights earlier.

Anyway, having explained a few things, I may as well let you know what I have been up to.

Yesterday, I went to Frankfurt and met up with the 'Hessen Mannschaft' which are the other language assistants that are based in Hessen. we had a few drinks, a good laugh and it was great fun!   more to the point, I didn't miss my stop, after - Once again - falling asleep on the train.
Again though, I payed for a ticket and it wasn't checked. I have considered not paying -but that is tempting fate! I have also been invited to go to a performance of "A Christmas Carol" in Fulda!
So - im off to go and see a performance of "A Christmas Carol" in Fulda. looking forward to it actually. Its another chance for me to feel cultured!

Ill check in again sometime soon..   I think December is going to be busy!

What Im here for

ODDLY - half way through this the formatting changes...  I dont know why and cant be bothered to change it...and..
In a brief moment of being pathetic, I would like to say before I start, that after having a mate over for just a few days the other week.. It made me realise how BORING living by yourself can be..  !  so, if you ever want to come back mate? :D

Well, 
I have decided that I am going to do a post on the reason I am here :

"To improve my language skills and to gain necessary cultural experience by living in the foreign country"
according to my module guide!

I have (luckily) begun to dream in German now... which must be good...   I still get people in school saying
"you speak English all the time"
well yes - Im here to teach it - to students and the teachers - so I kinda have to -But the rules are
1) In school - English with the students all the time, unless necessary clarification is needed...  (its never necessary)
2) After school, German with the students, unless they speak in English first - then they have decided to have that conversation in English it is therefore their fault if it becomes difficult... they had the chance!
3) Teachers - either or, depending on the situation - if its general chat, German - complaining about other staff or students, English !
4) German all the time to non-school Folk..  don't assume that this shopkeeper can speak English.. go for German every time (excluding the Irish bar!)

I guess that this will mean, that to certain colleges, I only speak English  but tough!!   Im here to help them too! :D  
To my wonderful students who read this...   forget number 2 please..  if i know you have caught on to this you will get English 24/7!!  :D

  
Anyway!.. I have been here now long enough I think to have enough experience to deal with it, so here goes.

 The Culture
During our second year at Uni, we had a module (MFL111) which I know that all Sunderland students are now sniggering at, that was supposed to prepare us for coming abroad, and dealing with different situations that may arise
some of which were:
- going to a party - etiquette, should I take something and how long should I stay for
- out and about - dark places, new people and whole new surroundings
- what is that? - discovering the differences and how to deal with them.

well..  I paid £3320 for my tuition last year, and did 7 modules.   that makes £474.28 per module. 
MFL was a waste of £474. (there were some useful aspects, hence, not a waste of 28p)

We are all put together, German, French and Spanish, so it would be tough to do, but this would have been SO much better if they had brought a former Erasmus student from each language to tell us what they found shocking/ hard/ new/ different.

It meant that I was not prepared for some things in Germany, and I have had to adjust myself to certain things.

- Germans are really direct. There is no beating around the bush like in English. They are not rude with it, just to the point!
- Sorry is not said at every slight inconvenience, whether it was you or someone else that caused it
- "danke" (thank you) is not used as often.  basically, you only use it when someone has gone really out of their way for you, and not moved their trolley so you can get passed!
- The word 'sofort' (immediately)   that stereotype about it - its true..  sofort means sofort!

but there are other things too..

- Shopping - if you want pickled stuff, you are in luck!  if you are looking for a 13 min microwavable lasagne for one...  tough luck..  but also, in Germany, shopping is done by type of food...   meat from the butcher, break from the baker etc etc  so you cant just nip to one shop!!   also   DON'T FORGET YOUR BAGS!!  only very few places offer plastic bags, and the cheapest I have seen are 19 cent paper ones 

I Love tegut...

- to further that note - shop etiquette. 
"Schonen Tag noch" or 'have a nice day' is said really often..  reply "ebenso" or "gleichweis"  (likeways, or back atcha!) because that's the thing to do! and not doing it appears really rude..  you can see it on people's faces if someone doesn't say it! 
- saying Hello...  if you read my post about the German Health system (opens new window)  then you will get a good sense of how that works through an emphasised point of view..  but also see the point I make about people saying 'hello'    - but its not just at the doctors.. its everywhere!  pizza shops.. wherever.. people walk in an announce themselves with a "hallo"
once place I went the other day - the person didn't get a response the 1st time, so cleared their throat and said it again, louder. to get a response! 

- Sarcasm...   well...  when on form, I can be VERY sarcastic.. this should only be done with people who have spent time in the UK..  otherwise, they are likely to take you seriously..  because everyone is direct
I was joking the other day saying that if my students spoke German, then I would throw them out the window..  she then asked me "is that allowed?"  -_-

the other major thing.. is this 'du' and 'Sie' thing,  Both ways of saying 'you', but one of them is formal...
whoever invented that needs to be strung up! For  person who's mother tongue only has one form, this gets confusing..  I didn't use the 'sie' form the other day in a shop (I was very tired, and not feeling 100% -better now though, thanks for the concern) and I was treated like I had just shit in their kettle..   I didn't realise it at the time... but I do now.  I realise that it is like me going up to a person in Tescos and saying   "you, chips, where, now?"  but I didn't at the time realise the gravity of it..  and now - im over using it great!

my last major point for now.. is recycling.
Pfand is amazing..
(watch the format change!...)

basically, a bottle of coke or whatever will have a price show like this

€1,00 + 0,25 Pfand.

you pay a total of €1.25 at the till.  BUT when you take it to a recycling place, you get the 0,25 back, to encourage plastic bottle recycling!

a machine to collect your 'Pfand' back

This applies to plastic (and I think glass) bottles...

BUT.. you also have to sort out your rubbish int bins, like the UK.. 

oh dear..    its even coloured to help me!

however.. here .. is it treated almost like a life and death situation..

sort them wrong and suffer the wrath!!    I have obviously been doing it a few weeks now.. and all of a sudden, a very stern notice has appeared on the door to the bins telling us how to do it!

I think its aimed at me!



This is a long one eh?
Now the language..

There will be another blog on both of these topics, im sure, so this one is about the one thing I find most stark

ENGLISH
Centuries ago, English was made..  not the most creative language.. most of it was stolen from other people.. 
but , now, it appears that the other countries are taking stuff back.

there are so many words that have been derived from English that know about.. most are technology or new advancements.. but they even have phrases that they use..

for example

Ich werde es googlen - im going to Google it
Ich habe es gegoogled - I googled it

Man muss das im Facebook liken - you need to like that on facebook
dass habe ich geliked - I liked it

I mean really - geliked? that is taking an English verb and making it VERY German, grammatically!
other words - geaddet (added) / gestalked ( I mean c'mon!)

but there are loads - some can be found here (new window)

My favourite English word made German is 
angepissed - to be pissed off

du siehst ein bisschen angepissed aus - you look pissed off!!

but also phrases...

Germans will actually say

"you don't Say" as a phrase!    as a response to something shocking..    
someone used it to me (Jerome!) and I was like.. OK English now!!..  He was totally baffled...  because Germans use it!!

The video below below is in German and English combined (called Denglisch)

It doesn't matter if you don't understand as an English person... because to be fair, you will see how many English words and phrases there are! some words have been changed to make them conform with german grammar, but when you hear them, you will know which ones?

I will warn you - the song is average, but may get stuck in your head
This is called 'Denglisch' by a band called 'The Wise Guys'...  they use no instruments, so everything you hear is done by mouth



So.. ill put another language and culture blog up sometime.. but now yet eh? I think it will be about German TV - that is 2 birds, one stone!

A week of Expereinces

Before I Start, I would like to say Hello to the lovely students of mine that read this !!   HI! :D
Anyway...
Nearly a week an a half ago days ago, on Thursday 1st November, I was on my was to Frankfurt Airport to pick up a friend who was arriving from England.  I got their pretty much as his flight took off, so I had a fair while to wait whilst I was waiting for him to arrive.

His flight was on the board.. but the 2 hour flight from Heathrow seemed to be taking a long time!

I had a few beers, a coffee, a sandwich and still had about an hour left to wait. But then, at that moment - it got much more exciting, with the arrival of a coach load of Police.

Yes, a coach dropped them off. blue lights, sirens and a whole heap of noise. But they got off calmly, more like a load of pensioners at Llandudno and then walked into the terminal.

They walked in  line, to a part of the terminal, turned around and then one police officer (with 3 start on his shoulder) Shouted "ladies and gentlemen, please leave the building immediately"  (but in German first)

there was a pause.. people who were waiting for friends, loved ones or colleges just ..stared...  and questioned..  I half expected a man to appear from nowhere with the phrase "yeah, right!"

The policeman rolled his eyes, and with the look of a guy about to give up yelled (in very clear English)
"There could be a bomb, get out!"

The Cordon

People understood that!  but this is Germany.. there was no running, screaming or tripping over, no crying children that had been separated from their mother - NO. Everyone, as if they were now walking to the shops shrugged their shoulders and began to walk silently away from the cordoned off area. The shops along the side of the airport started to roll their shutters down and we were out of the 'effected area' within seconds.

There was of course the odd person who argued the case, but the police soon taught them the meaning of the words "bomb scare" and soon 'assisted' them into the safe area!

We stood, watched and waited...  no news was coming through, no radio communications from the police, just about 400 sets of eyes watching to see what was going to happen

What  did happen?

A thumb up...

The airport was open again..   and that was it ..   after 15 minutes of a scene that would only be in the 'deleted scenes' of an action movie, everything was back to normal in seconds.

This happened twice. The second time, was conveniently as my friend was coming through the arrival gate:

"Welcome to Germany: We have a Bomb scare"

Anyway, I picked him up, we headed to the trains, and to be fair - it was like the last time we had seen each other was yesterday...

There was a race on (so I thought) to catch the last train from Frankfurt to Schlüchtern - as I was not willing to spend a night in a shitty hotel in Frankfurt..  anyway, it turns out that we had enough time to get a Mcdonalds! Win!

Friday (so exactly a week ago) we went to Frankfurt.  This was odd..   Not for any other reason, but that for all the touristy things I had been doing not 6 weeks ago, I was now the tour guide to a bloke who had never set foot in Germany...

We did the typical...
Main Tower

Town Hall

The boat ride was not running, annoying - because if you have read my previous blogs, you will know how much I liked it!

Shopped a tad

Food

Sightseeing.

The Daytime Main Tower View - Richtung: Hauptbahnhof

It was a good day - the only slight issue was the weather.  But - as people from the UK, we could manage a bit of crappy weather! It was howevera goo day.With another citizen of the UK being won over by Germany. I was pleased that my freind felt this way!

Throughout the previous week however, My little hometown was being destroyed by Pikeys, turning up with their funfairs and sweet-selling stalls, causing road closures and keeping the shops open late. But, at the same time.. they were creating one of the biggest events in Schlüchtern's Year

Kaltermarkt.

Basically, the cold market - and I wouldn't call it a market, but the chance to eat every possible food going, get hammered and then throw it up on the fair!

Still. It turns Schlüchtern into a nice place, with all the lights, sounds and smells of a typical market!

Kaltermarkt in the dark

Kaltermarkt

The Fair at Kaltermarkt

Me and my Friend went on the Saturday. 

Well, it was pretty good!  When I say "pretty good" , I mean i liked it - but im conscious that for those who go every year, its just the same thing.. over and over again...

Well, my friend speaks no German - he can say a few words, but only because I forced him to! so we were sampling the wears of the market, everything from the food, to the beer to to chocolate! We met up with 2 colleges  and had a chat etc etc  and it was all very enjoyable!

I am an Air rifle instructor. I earned this title about a year and a half ago. So I am now pretty well practiced.

There was, at the fair, an air rifle stand, and of course, I wanted a go.

I had 61 shots over the weekend..  I hit all of them... accept 1.  I was gutted! (and still am, as my mate will tell you!)  But, never the less - I won some Fish (they are stuffed ones, not real ones!)  At the bottom is a video of me hitting 15 of the targets...

Me on the rifle range!

Fireworks

So much so that we ended up going on Sunday too! Sunday had a slight difference, however - which was the firework display! 

The kaltermarkt was handy..  especially because we could go at any time. This meant that we could watch the Formula 1 too! :D 

Anyway, all too soon, Monday came around, and it was the day when I had to take my friend back to the airport...

It took the usual amount of time and I saw him off (more to make sure he had gone! :P) and got home at the ripe old time of 3PM, where I bumped into some of the teachers from the school

I ended up in the Handball tent.. downing pints of beer...  

and that..  is what I remember of Kaltermarkt..

Anyway, a week past at work, as per..   On tuesday, I inadvertently managed to accept an invitation to a 'class meeting'.  Again, Germans know the meaning of a "meeting"

We has steak. Argentinian, to be exact  and it was big enough to hang off the plate!  Cooked to perfection "englisch"style (or Medium rare to english folk) it was awesome. The chips and everything were bliss!
I had:
A steak that hung off the plate
A huge pile of chips
Salad
2 Beers

Total:  €16.80...
BOOM!   Germans can do steak too,it seems!


Now, though Friday's steak adventure was great, and Saturday was a (well needed, though I say so myself) rest. Sunday was a day of peculiarity.

Sunday was 11\11\12 - or Remembrance Day in the UK

As a Scout, I have spent the last 15 years getting up early, ironing my trousers and my shirt, and heading out to church.
This was not the case.
Germans do have a day of remembered, but its in March, as is not on the scale that it is in the UK.

I had to remember the time difference, so actually  my 2 minutes were going to happen at 12 which was the first odd thing. But the second was when I actually did the silence.

I had the TV off..   But I could here:

- Next doors TV

- a car alarm

- people talking walking the dog

- Police sirens

- a man on the phone

- someone coming up the stairs

Though I am fully aware that it is not the day Germany has set aside for this event, It was very strange, realising that a whole country, frozen for 2 minutes of reflection, with people pulling over in cars, people standing up from a seated position, and hundreds of war veterans from every generation were standing, paused in thought, whereas the other - went about its business ..

I don't really know my true feelings .. I guess that Germany's view on the whole period is different to the UK's.. but I cant get my head around it...  and .. somehow   don't think I ever will..

On a different note: My time here.

- I am beginning to 'gear up' for the wind down to Christmas. Though it pains me to say that word in November!

I see statuses on Facebook and Twitter about Christmas songs and the Coke advert and Im kinda glad that Germany's attitude isn't so materialistic, so we don't have a toys'R'us advert every 2 minutes, or the next cheap wifey offering me some shite that Iceland are selling..

What I am realising, is that 80 days ago today, I was spending my last night in an English bed, and that since then I have managed to survive pretty well.

I am in (as near as) full time work here, I have a flat and friends, and most of all,I am doing the job that I want to do in the future.

It has made me realise, that I am absolutely pig sick, of being a student.

Every year, just by signing on to the uni, I spend near enough 4K, and then there is grants and loans as well.  Its not hard work, but at times, it can appear pointless work.
I constantly have to battle with exams and stuff, when here I know that my German has improved, a damn sight faster that it would have done if I have spend the 3 months at uni. Its not free..  But it wont land me in student debt!

Ill be honest, getting back to Sunderland will be bitter-sweet. I like Sunderland  don't get me wrong, but I enjoy working too much to go back to studying. At least it will be my last year before I actually start my full course on teacher stuff. I hope, that by doing the teaching course, I can find some enthusiasm to carry on.

Though oddly, being here has made me realise that I really do waste time in the UK. German can* be learned from a textbook.  What that also means is that , as long as I have the textbook, I can probably use the time in front of the TV to revise grammar.. It takes minutes..   Writing out is a different matter.. but , you don't have to write it out all the time!

*can - one has the ability to - im not commenting on quality,mind

 I am fully aware that I "wont get these years back" and all that Jazz... and I am not going to let all enthusiasm die because I have decided Im fed up of it all...  I just think that when I get back to Sunderland, I need to find a new attitude to it all, especially as it is the final year.

So.. this entry is a mixed basket of Eggs...

nevertheless, Christmas is less than 7 weeks away for me!  Im sure its going to be great fun flying home on the 20th December!  but we shall see!!


below is my Kaltermartk Rifle video....    Enjoy!

The German Health System...

As if I haven't spent enough of my life in a hospital...
Well, those of you who have me on Facebook, will know that the other day, whilst attempting to cook.. I decided to totally ruin the top of my thumb with a knife.

A ceramic Knife!

Well, normally,  I try to laugh off injuries...  but - it was bleeding pretty badly.. for 30 minutes
The Irony behind it all is, that I bought a New knife, because I know - being a Scout for however many years - that blunt Knives can be dangerous.   I bought a ceramic one - which are ridiculously sharp, but also look like plastic to be deceptive (see right)
Anyway.
The offending Item that I was cutting was an Onion, ready to go into a Pasta - My dad will know exactly was I was up to!    My old knife was a tad blunt. When I say blunt.. I mean that butter was a struggle for it.  so I bought this new one.  I really wasn't used to how sharp it was - ans, having made sure my fingers were safe - I applied the same amount of pressure as I am used to (with a blunt knife)
The key word in the previous sentence was fingers.

I went straight through the onion (impressively well actually) and then straight into my thumb (again, Impressively well actually!)

Bleeding started.
Bleeding escalated

I have had first aid training (it is , at the moment out of date) so the first thing I did was whack it under the running tap .. well, this made it look like John Cramer has been in my flat (for those of you who don't know the name - he is the guy from SAW) and it wasn't helping the bleeding much., though it was sorting the pain out a treat.
So - I used my first aid know-how and went straight to the Pressure thing.  What did I use?  well..  A SOCK!   This was no ordinary sock.. It has just been in a wash with towels by mistake - so it had been boiled!  so it was Clean (ish) or cleaner than anything else anyway - and likely to hold together for longer than Bog-roll..

This is when I decided to go to Hospital...   I don't know the number for the ambulance here - and learning it is tempting fate - but I wasn't going to ring them for a bleeding finger - so, sock now tight and in hand, I was off on the 30 minute walk to the local A&E department..

Nice walk - the slight "going into shock" thing wasn't too nice, but I got to the hospital.  A&E was empty...

Now - Imagine ..
You have just had the minor panic of cutting your thumb that hasn't stopped nor slowed down the bleeding for what has now been an hour and you were in a hospital in a foreign country .. and you had to explain the problem.
Well.. the Nurse came, she smiles and said "Bitter Schön" (which is the |German way of saying "can I help")
Well, my sock had now born the brunt of about 45 minutes worth of pretty serious bleeding, and was now just dripping onto the floor..
I told her, in my bestest panicky German...   "Ich habe meiner Daume Geschnitten"  or 'I've cut my thumb'

She realized at that minute that German was not on the cards and said "Well, I am your guardian Angel - I can sort your thumb, and my american husband means I can speak English!"     Get in!

She then proceeded to do all of the paperwork..  she explained that, though she would love to do thumb first - its not possible to administer treatment until there was the paper work done !  (well, yes.. Im in Germany!)

Luckily, I had my wallet in my coat from a previous trip to the bank that day - oh - and to buy the bloody knife! so I have my EHIC and Insurance card with me :D

So - with not a single other patient - I was introduced to a nurse who only spoke German..who began to treat my thumb - by now, I was a bit more chilled and had caught my breath - so German was working now..  but - as the English speaking nurse was bored - she came in to help too...

It was all really good - apart from the German one asking if I had brought the knife with me...    because I clearly carry blood - covered kitchen knives around with me at night!

I was Glued (which failed) and stitched... bandaged and sent on my way - and told to go and register at a doctor to have it checked in the morning.

After he Hospital...

I just had to go home now...   and clean up all the blood from the floor
Today, I registered for a Doctor...  What a farce!

I went into town at 12, thinking that all the morning rush of people waking up Ill would be over - and people will not have fallen over in their lunch break yet.
Well, on a Thursday in Germany, you can apparently only be ill on on a Thursday during   9am-12PM and 5PM-7PM

well, I misse the 12 part, so loitered until 5 in coffee shops  (caffeine overload!)

I got in a 5:05PM, where the cue was out the door!! but I got to the desk at about 5:15, so not too bad - I registered (which the nice receptionist did mostly for me from my ID)In Germany, you choose your doctor.. She asked me to choose by saying 2 names..  and nothing else..  I was first like "it doesn't really matter, i don't plan to visit again! She told me i had to choose, so I went with the guy whose name was easier to pronounce!  Herr. Doktor Wagner. (now imagining some shite x-factor dropout!)  How she expected me to choose with just a name I ave no idea - don't get me wrong, I did't expect a powerpoint of their credentials or anything..  but its like.. whats the point??!   Then.. it was time... went and sat in ...

THE WAITING ROOM...
Oh my god..  This is the weirdest room I have ever been in...

Not the actual room.. but nor far off!

In German doctors surgeries , when people walk into the waiting room, they almost announce themselves with a "Guten tag" and we are expected to say the same back!  WHAT THE HELL!!   In the UK, talking in a doctors waiting room is Strictly forbidden!! but walking in an greeting everyone!!  This would explain the weird look I got when I walked in..  I did not greet the Ill people..

Also, the waiting room was just like a Mr. Bean Sketch:
-  man with a beans tin stuck on his hand
- a woman who was clearly there more often that the furniture
- the guy who makes a point of turning the page on his magazine
- the people that know each other, who have met by accident and describe their symptoms in Extreme detail and very loudly ( all im saying, I definitely spoke the least amount of German in that room.. and I understood that I didn't need to know about that part of this lady..so..  yeah...)
- That person's whose cough get worse the longer they wait..

Honestly..this was the clientele of the waiting room tonight - It was just odd.. with every walk of life crammed into what was clearly an old doctors office with some chairs in it..

Anyway..  I waited for about 35 minutes..  (I didn't have an appointment, so they just cram me in whenever)
I was then called into a room, were the same receptionist who has registered me, took my bandages off - I have no issue with this - I couldn't do it alone, and you don't exactly need  a degree to take a plaster off...

This revealed my thumb.  she asked me what the Hospital had done - which I explained (in German) .
She then just fucked off, almost yelling that she was off to find the doctor..  Great!

After the Bandage came off - stitching covered with strips

Whilst I was alone in this room..  I noticed the following...

- the sharps box was an old bulk size washing-up liquid fluid tub, with the top cut off
- the computer was logged on - and written in German and English .. if i'd have had sinister intentions..
- there were hoards of drugs (prescription) on the shelf above my head
- there were those stereotypical brown bottles, making it look like the hospital from the film Pearl Harbor!

the doctor shone a light on it - told me to go back Monday, took EUR10 off me , and left - after 2 minutes of looking at my hand, and 20 talking about why I was in Germany..   such a nice guy!

I was about to leave. when the receptionist came back.. and re-bandaged my thumb.. she gme me 2 spare bandages and then , as soon as she had finished said "bye!"

umm.. ok then..
The doctor then caught me on the way out, and said that the stitches are out on Monday..

(upside down) but what it looks like now - with a camp bandage bracelet!

so.. I loo forward to it...

going by the last few day.. I wouldn't be surprised if Mr Blobby took them out..


I have had to be so careful writing this.. Im kinda scared that Ill have written 'bondage' instead of 'bandage'

They say 'time flies when you are having fun', but this is ridiculous!

So. Im now towards the end of my seconds month!

This month has been quiet to say the least.  The first 2 weeks were in school, the second 2 are holidays.

Well, I had loads of plans for the 2 weeks - travel to Berlin, head to Hamburg.. but then at the start of the holidays, I had a 'brainwave' to pay 2 months rent in one go.
Next month will be great. This month, NO!!

Don't get me wrong, I haven't been left tight, just not enough to survive and go to Berlin and buy food - which, sadly, I still need!

So I am making it up by planning a larger trip during the 1st week in Easter/ But for now, its under wraps until its DEFINITELY happening, and its all completely confirmed!


But anyway, what have I been doing over the last few weeks, that have not cost very much?
Well, I try to make sure that I go for a walk once a day.  The weather here is great at the moment, so I may as well make the most of it - after all, its getting colder, and it could be my last chance before I have to go out wearing EVERYTHING I own (people who know me will know what I'm like with the cold..  It can be 30 degrees, if the wind blows at 29, I feel it!)

I was also asked to go to a park Its in Schlüchtern,but its pretty hidden.
Well, its a nice place to be ..

There is a playing field, a small play area.. Oh, and deer!   VERY TAME Deer..

 To make it perfectly clear..  The Deer are fenced.. yes but ..   the Humans have less space than they do!!  


It was pretty tough to get a photo, because they kept moving, and I kept getting a picture of their arse..  until one of the members of staff that I had gone with went all doctor dolittle on them, and made noises..!

  This guy followed us all the way around!

This was one of the younger ones.















Anyway it was nice! and good to see Human beings too!

Before the holidays, I had my 'big spend' of the month. (apart from the 2 months rent...)
I say 'big spend' .. It wasn't , but considering I had almost 3 weeks left before being paid..  I had to consider the future a bit!

Some of my students invited me to their (and I quote).. "school disco"
Now, despite being the DJ that the kids at my old high school still ask for in the hope that I am not at uni on that date because I (supposed to be) the best... (its always nice for a positive review!!)    I still expect a school disco to be terrible music, awful lights a DJ enjoying himself more than any of the guests and teenagers dancing with members of the opposite gender, but look like they are shifting a wardrobe!
So.. kinda like this..

Well .. it wasn't..

It was a HUGE rig...   about 600 people, and went from 9pm - 5am!  beer was flowing, spirits were flowing faster and, after being there for just 2 hours.. I ended up doing what I do best (and the answer isn't partying!)

DJ-ing!
well, not being the DJ, there was this kidda doing that who clearly had taken a disliking to me!  there was a word for him..   and it rhymes with 'Bosser'
Moving on..

One of my students was in charge of lighting. (which I do anyway..)  so, it ended up that we kinda shared the workload! :D

So, to be fair..
This type of thing would never happen in UK schools. EVER.. but they are stupid.. because this made SO MUCH MONEY!    They have asked me to DJ at the Christmas Disco..   er   YE!


There was another Major Event over the last week..  (notice the capital letters...)
to say its the best thing to happen so far, it a bit far..  but it is us there..
There was a special arrival to Schlüchtern the other day...

Yorkshire Tea makes Mike happy!

A colleague went to England (Whenever I say Colleague, I should probably point out that it is usually one of 4.. the rest are nice, but I don't have much to do with them , so its now worth writing about!)   but a colleague went to England.  She was there for 4 days and , as an English teacher, loved it. She even managed to catch the good weather that was about for a few days.

But, when I started here, she asked me what I miss the most about the UK..  my answer was 'Yorkshire tea'

well, she remembered.. and when she came back we met up.  I walked through the door, and she presented me with this 80 bag box of Yorkshire tea.  Well.. since then, I have been the happiest person in Germany !  its lovely.
I should probably also explain. that German 'tea' or what they pathetically refer to as 'tea' is like dishwater. dishwater that has been left overnight, warmed up by candles and had milk that is on the turn poured into is ..    its GRIM.
This was an awesome day.. until I took them home and realized that I had no milk, nor sugar and the shops were shut..    Im quite surprised that you couldn't hear me yell "BUGGAR" from where ever you are right now!

Just realized I have spent about 20 minutes talking about tea..  I definitely am British eh?



More news!  (This has been a month of little money, but news!)

(despite him running away during out early high school years) The one who remains my best friend SAM is coming over in April!   a couple of days after my birthday!   Well, I haven't seen him now in .. 3 years..  so to say that I am excited is a slight understatement!