Time really does only go forward....

Today, I looked in my diary at school.
I do it every day, so that I can write down what I have done with each class and what we are doing next lesson.

I love my diary, it keeps me organised, and it also helps me to remember what I have done whilst I have been here!

It usually brings good news: Things that I look forward to and things that I have thoroughly enjoyed in the months that I have now spend here.

However, today, It only brought bad news..

Its only 2 weeks until Easter.  This news is so bad, that the start of the F1 season in 10 days, was scarcely a consolation.

To understand why this is such bad news, you will need to know that my last day at work here in Germany, is the 30th May.  This means that from the start of the Easter Holidays, I only have 70 days left in Germany and, due to the holidays, only 41 days left in school, after taking away the weekends and Fridays that I don't work.


It got me thinking.  I have spent a long time here, doing a job I really enjoy in a country I will never forget, in a town that will always be special to me and with people that I hope I will never lose contact with.

This kinda makes this the most relevant blog post for anyone who is planning  year abroad.

I can remember March last year. I was in Sunderland, going to lectures and trying my best to get as much information as I could about this year abroad.
I can remember even more prominently, June onwards, when I really had to plan this trip. I was stressed out and at one point, simply declared that I wasn't going to do it, specifically using the Facebook status

"This trip to Germany can fuck off now"

As im sure you can guess. I feel pretty stupid for putting that right now.

I began to realise, that Germany has been good to me, and not just from an educational point of view.
Linguistically , it has been amazing. My German has come on 10 fold and I really enjoy speaking German in Germany. Knowing that I rely on it forces me to speak it, because there are times that you simply don't have the option to speak English and THAT is how you learn

In terms of Experience; It really has provided.  I have lived by myself now for a fair few months.  It is great at times. Peace, quite and the ability to have thing how you want, when you want and what you want is great. It gives some freedom in the sense that there is no one here to moan If I don't tidy up, forget to turn the light off, or  don't put my mug in the wash.  I have learned to manage without an Oven, and with only basic cooking utensils and managing a budget for food and I have very much learnt to manage money for my rent.
The negative side to this , is that living alone is precisely that. Alone.   The silence is, at times, unbearable and I really feel for my best mate at home who can, at times be relentlessly pestered by me - apologies mate!
but i suppose it brings out the creativity in you! its amazing how exciting German grammar can be when you are bored!

Aside from that, this year has pretty much set my future in stone.   I now cannot wait to be a teacher, and the experience I have gained will be invaluable when applying for my PGCE.   I love this job.  yes, i moan at times about the early mornings and suchlike... but I think ill find, that its what 'working' is all about!!

And then, there is the..    well...  its kinda..     basically,
Its everything I have seen, Everything I have done, Everything I have heard, Everything I have tasted, Everything I have felt and Everything I have said..   Germany has really provided this year, and im sure that the last 70 days will keep on giving it.  Nothing will rival this, and it have been made all the more special when I think that I was about to give up on it a few weeks before I came here.

Above all, the people here that I have met, whether teacher, Student, fellow Fremdsprachenassistent or just that man that says hello to me every single morning - they have made it for me..

Im not going to say my thank-yous yet. I do still have a few weeks left, but looking through that diary today has really been a hit home.

If you are a Language student, im sure that you can see how fantastic a year abroad can be.  The last few posts I put on here will be the ones for you guys..  as well as the usual antics! :P

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...

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'

Ready for the Off!

Luckily, and in the interest of my own sanity; a lot has happened recently that is for the better! (small dance!)

I now have my accommodation sorted - its very similar to uni accommodation, but I have a Balcony! :P   

so I have a place to stay, a job, contact with colleges.  transport to and from my course all SORTED!     

I will admit that i'm a happy lad!

But now - im ready for the off - not in the sense of "I have everything sorted, so I can physically go"  

more

"I want to go now , please!"

I mean , don't get me wrong; I still have some jitters - I keep doing strange things - just 20 minutes ago I put butter in my coffee instead of milk (long story...!)   and I have very odd airport related dreams too!  (nothing sinister though, I assure you all!)  

But I am packed!!  I have 2 days of work to contend with, so it had to be done whenever I had the time - which was now!   It was tough- i found that , though I don't have many - I appear to have a worrying attachment to my clothes !  I didn't want to leave any of them at home!!     but, despite this (slightly odd) issue - I managed to pack it with 1.5kg spare!!   British Airways will love me!   this includes the NEW stuff I bought the other day!     I am impressed!!  


So -2 days of work , my brothers GCSE results, a trip to Whitchutch and a Lord of the Rings style adventure to Heathrow waits - I may be desperate to go - but I have a long time to wait yet! :/

Talk soon!!   hopefully , the night before I depart!