Easter, The Holidays and what that all means

Yesterday, I booked my flights home.  Though this time, it was not for a trip to Sunderland to see my Mate, or a galavant to London for a Football Game. No. This time...  its one way.

It was painful, pressing the 'Confirm' on the website was tough, not for financial reasons, but because pressing that 'confirm' button also confirms the end of my year abroad.  At the moment, it is almost like knowing the day I will die..  i really, don't know what to do

However, over the last few weeks, we have had Easter, and the School Holidays. So I thought I would update you on all of that shabang!

The first week of the Summer Holidays, brought about some reasonably weather. It was nice to relax and have a pint on the Balcony, with some (not too nice) Strawberries and feel very spring like.  I used this time to relax, as it had been a tough few weeks in the school, with exams and the dreaded TIMETABLE CHANGE!  (dun dun durrrrr!!)

I think that My xbox was close to going on strike afterjust the first day.
The Formula one also started , so despite the holidays, I was up at silly O'clock to watch it on TV :D

The Easter weekend came, and I had been invited to go to stay with a teacher, so that I could experience a "German Easter"

On Good Friday, we woke up to some very unwelcome weather. It had been snowing. Opening the window was a stupid idea, because as soon as you did, your nose fell off with how cold it was.
Freezing.

Anyway, we drove for about 40 mins in total through some really nice German countryside, seeing all of the surrounding Villages  until we got to a car park. We were meant to walk for 3 hours, but weather had prevented that. so instead, we walked for an hour.. to a PUB!




We had a few drinks there, and then walked back. The pub was in the middle of a field in the middle of nowhere, but I was informed that on a hot day, its heaving..  fine! but it was dead when we were there

Once we Walked Back, we went up the hill to a  restaurant, Pub, youth hostel combo that was just off the road. I expected it to be dead - good friday, up a snowy hill and off the main road..  WRONG! it was brimming with people!

There, we had something to eat and Beer..  lots and lots of beer. and then some more. We stayed overnight there and had breakfast. It was a great social night, and I got to practice the art of speaking a foreign language when hammered!  VERY acquired Skill!

When we woke up, which, after the amount of beer I had drunk, anytime was going to be too early.  Whoever had build the place needed to sort their act out because on waking up, i notice that the door (and everything else in the room) was moving..     although.. that MAY have been the beer..  I dunno.

However.. once it had stopped spinning.. this was the view...

anyway..  we gingerly got home and I was dropped off at my flat for a few hours, to get a shower and sort some clothes out. I was then picked up and was taken to this teacher house for the Saturday night and Sunday.

Saturday night was an insight. The amount of work that the Germans put into their Easter is amazing...  It is all about the children and pretty much on Par with Christmas.

First, they spend hours colouring Eggs. with Die..   its is a painstaking event that requires a woman. Nothing Sexist, but we were two blokes, and ours were..  frankly, Crap.   This teacher's Sisters' on the other hand.. well..  she must have had a slave or an egg-painting machine somewhere..  we managed to do 6 shitty ones.. she had 40.. and they were amazing!

Anyway, Easter Sunday in Germany is a very religious affiir, so whilst the Teacher took his son to church in the morning, I slept!   once back, I was on child distracting duty..  whilst the eggs that we had coloured, as well as chocolate and everything else was hidden in the garden.

I saw a car, and as a joke asked: "does the easter bunny come in the car?"
I was told, by a 5 year old, that I am totally stupid and he obviously hops..  

Burn

The kids hunted for the eggs, and checked and checked again, and after an hour..  it was time to go inside for dinner..  This was chaos.. but that good type of chaos that you love to be involved in. Children being children, who also get Presents for Easter, so they are opening them and enjoying playing with their new toys.  We had dinner, which was lovely. Then, Easter was over


A few days went by, and one of my Best friends came over. Not the Sunderland one, but the Scotland one! :D  Once again,we did all of the tourist-y things..  we went to Frankfurt, ate German food and..  drank beer!
I hadn't seen him for over 3 years, but it was amazing how easy it was to talk. Enough to discuss, and really, like we had never been apart !  Just how it should be !

Once he had gone, It was back to School. we have been back 2 weeks now, and its again, Business as Usual.

I think you are sufficiently bored! till next time! :D

Here , and Loving it!

Well – I have now been In Germany for (about) 5 days. I can’t remember the exact number, because I have been too excited and too busy to pay too much attention!

First – the course…

Well – as a course on the whole, not too amazing.

On a personal level, and as someone who has some teaching practice, it was very much teaching a granny to suck eggs. But for those who had never done anything like this, I can imagine that it was pretty useful!

The two full days basically went along the lines of

-          Wake up at about 7:30

-          Have a cheese sandwich for breakfast (continental breakfasts are weird!)

-          Lessons ‘till 12:30, when you have your main meal

-          Lessons till 6:30, when you have what we would normally have for lunch in the UK

-          Then , a piss up*

*we were staying in a former monastery that is attached to a cathedral. Normally alcohol is not allowed on the premises at all, but they make an exception for the British council Fremdsprachassistanten, so that they can (and I quote) “get a taste of German life”

Not only did they provide beer that was strong enough to put hairs on your teeth, but they also put a break in the day at 3PM, for coffee and cake – so not too German then!

the pictures show the building we were in, and the cathedral - to show you that i ws actually a really nice place!

 

The course has another side to it though – the ability to meet new people. Everyone’s in the same boat. And (though I can’t speak for previous years) there was not a single bad person there. Not a single person that you wanted to keep away from.  The tutors are exactly the same – not all of it is in English – they are more pissed than the ‘students’ and they really do want what is best for you.

I do have to put in a shout for a guy called Günter Jakob. He is the ‘big cheese’ (much like the majority of my breakfast) but he really is a sound guy – a good sense of humour , but definitely there to make Germany your home for the next few months – absolutely great fella!

the last day was interesting though – we HAD to be awake at 5:50 pünktlich, which for those who don’t speak German, means “exactly” or “on the dot”. We had to tidy the rooms, get sorted, have breakfast and somehow (after the 3 days of being hammered) get to a bus that would leave Altenberg at 7:30 – tough going!

We were dropped off at Köln HBF (the main station in cologne) and told to make our way to our schools. 

I had about 4 hours travelling in total – and was very impressed when the train I was on said that it was cruising at a somewhat ‘unimpressive’ 300KPH!   I got to Frankfurt which is well qualified in “ways to get a tourist lost” the boarded the regional train for Bad Sondern Samünster. Where I would be staying with a colleague for the next 2 nights.   She has a Husband as well as 2 girls and one boy, ranging in ages from 3-10. (the kids, that is!)

Well – they are lovely!   A really nice family that have made me feel INCREDIBLY welcome!  We have been shopping, played in the yard and I have even helped one of them with their English homework! (would be pretty bad of me not to!)    The place they live is a lovely little town that seems very close-nit. All of the locals have said hello and they don’t seem in anyway perturbed by the presence of me (which is nice!)

With the children being young I can almost feel my German get better!     I have learnt new words from helping with the English homework, as it was revision for a vocab test – and I can understand almost all of the TV!  (For those who are interested, there is a guy on ZDF who has really wonky eyes!

On Friday, we went to the school – it’s an old monastery that has (obviously) been converted into a Gymnasium (or school for the brighter german teenagers)    I was introduced to the staff and was shown around briefly. I went to three lessons, those being a german class (which is the equivalent to our English classes and 2 english lessons – one older and one younger.    When I asked one group what you can do in Schlüchtern, they all replied , with not a single moment for thought ; “Mcdonalds” I loved that !

Then – I was given.. THE KEY!    In this particular school, the staff room is always locked and teachers need a key each to get in!  I have mine now and its weird being staff in a school! 

Then, the boy from the family that I’m staying with got good grades at school , we went out for a german version of the donner Kebab, called a Dönner (pronounced ‘dunner’) it was lovely!   The beer was too!

I moved into my flat today  - its very nice , but more about that later!  ...

As you can probably tell, I love it here at the moment – I have a but on contact with dad which is enough to keep me from being homesick without me being pestered (partially because – its dad) It still hasn’t hit me that I am in Germany yet – but I’m sure it will come! – the thing I have to come to terms with now Is the time I start work …

7:30!! 

A long one, but I think I got everything from the last few days!

Tschüss

GERMANY :D

Well,  I am here- Germany!    Today was a tough day though

Today I have managed to
- Brave terminal 5
- Brave (and I mean brave) the German Passport control
- get from one side of Frankfurt airport to the other for the trains
- get on the right train
-get off at the right stop and
- find my way to the hotel!

I'm pretty chuffed with myself!

Going back to the point about the German passport control:
I went to Berlin a couple of years ago - and i remember the guy on the passport check was really scary - he said nothing, he just looked at you, opened your passport , judged you by your photo, then put it on the desk, and swished his head as if to say "ill let you in.. for now... !"

Clearly , it had a long term effect on me - cause I was sweating like a politician in a room with Jeremy Paxman.

Well when i got there - (my mind may have been playing tricks on me) but the guy looked EXACTLY the same!     he took my passport, looked at it, and swooshed his head!!   my responce was a (quite loud) PHEW!

at that moment - i was stopped and asked to show my passport , but this time to a nice man in a police uniform and a SERIOUS pistol!

luckily, he let me pass too!

so yeah - BRAVED it!

Anyway - after the train i have arrived in Cologne, or Köln, to those in the know!   I was greeted by the pretty serious cathedral!  which is a fair thing!

So yeah - iv only been here about 7 hours now - but i like it !!     i have a lot to do for the next few days, but it should all be sorted!!

free morning tomorrow - then a course to go to!!  Im off to get a daylight pic of the above

turrah all!