faschings.. its weird!

Faschings..   Its a celebration that happens every year in Germany. It is to say goodbye to the cold dark winter (and take it from me.. it was very dark and stupidly cold at times) and to welcome in the Spring.

If someone told you that, without knowing what goes in during 'Faschings' im sure there are many ways you could think of to celebrate this period in the year.
I first though, of maybe a dinner with the family, a firework display or even..a day of work!

The last one was about the closest I got.We did get a day off school (some people even got 2!)  and why did we get monday off school..

so that we could all go an be part of a parade! (if you didn't get that... you must be feeling pretty stupid!)

Yes. Faschings happens ever year here (fitting, as so does spring)  The Germans welcome Spring with parades, loud music, dancing, sweets , days off work, and of course..  Beer!!

There are some rules, that all those going must (and it is a must) abide by.

1) be horrendously drunk.. if you are not drunk.. you will suffer the same issue as I did (which I will clear up later)
2) though you may be drunk..  drink more..  because this will clearly make things better
3) yell  "HELAU" to everyone you see.. no matter what they may be doing
4) dance in the middle of the road
5) find the most stupid costume you can.. something that you wouldn't be seen dead in..  and wear it

Yes.. you have to do these things..  and , for someone who had never heard of it before January (bad really!)  It was completely bizarre.

I live :
- 20 minutes from Fulda
- 60 minutes from Frankfurt
- 90 minutes from Mainz (the biggest Faschings in Germany)

Where..  with all of these places did I decide to go.. I hear you ask

Steinau -_-

Yes.. Steinau..  located just 10 minutes away from my town. I went to Steinau.. and encountered many  of my students in states that  I would never usually see them in..     (that is a nice way of saying that they were drunk!)

I encountered English students dressed as Pirates, Mexicans, police officers and everything in between..  in the UK.. this would be way to over the top..

Well the parade was great. It basically consists of local groups of ... things..   who have mobbed local farmers for the use of a tractor and trailer..  they then proceed to choose a theme, and decorate the trailer as such.   They then attach speakers and play VERY cheesy music through it whilst driving through the center of some town whilst lobbing sweets and various other things at small and unsuspecting children - probably dressed as a gorilla or something.

Although strange.. it is in fact a really good time, and for families it must be great. It is however odd..  watching children dressed as  an Argos catalogue or whatever scurrying along the floor picking up sweets - especially when I bet any amount of money that for the rest of the year, the parents tell their kids off for it!!   I took plenty of pics too...











Ill add pics soon..  please check back!!  :D














After all of this..  one of the colleagues that I was with decided that it was time for what he referred to as "kaltentanz"  ( he was already sloshed..  so he could have meant anything)    we were then frogmarched  (awkward word?  being in Germany??   im gonna use it..)   to a square in front of the main castle in Steinau.

This square is usually..  a really nice place to be.. especially when the sun is out and there are very few people. there is a lovely castle, its very quiet and you can take your time time appreciate the lovely and historical surrounding of the place where the brothers Grimm (as in the load of stories) were born and grew up.

This time.. I arrived to what could only be called "alcohol-related devastation"

There was a whole Shrewdness (that's the collective noun usually used for Apes) of individuals of all ages who were hammered.. and were, upon my arrival.. going GANGNAM STYLE...
my life has taken me in some odd directions..   but this was well up there...

As I said before.. I was reasonably sober.  I had drunk..  but was still in the frame of mind to think logically.. and walk in a straight line - as well as be able to tell what imbeciles everyone else looked.

I really wanted to have a drink.. but I had been (and still was at the time) full of cold. Through many reasons.. my body does not react well to having a cold (and one of those reasons is not that I am a bloke!., well ok it is.. but not the main reason..)  

I decided that it was time to take stock of the situation.

I was in Steinau, dressed as a robber, in the middle of Hessen, Germany. I was with about 1000 other german people who were very drunk, attempting to do Gangnam style with varying amounts of success, shivering so much that the British thought I was trying to send Morse code and It was beginning to go dark. I had also just had an encounter with a gorilla that was slightly too close for comfort.

I decided, that due to the lack of a coffee stand, It was time to go. Had there had been coffee.. i would have stayed.. but the cold was pretty dire at this point.. and Beer was not going to help that.. no matter how much I had.  I had kinda hoped to stay longer.. but not in that frame of mind..

So .. I boarded the next train home (still dressed as a robber!)  and went back to the Flat

I will celebrate Faschings properly at some point.. it is now on my bucket list..   but this year was not the year..  

more to come soon!

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...

Frankfurt, Kollegenausflug and the week ahead!

The Last week has been interesting.  Though I haven't really done much, at the same time, I kind of have!

Last week, I managed to Squeeze in more lessons that usual, just to help out a Colleague who couldn't make it into school.  I didn't mind, in fact, I really enjoyed it! :D

I have also got a lot of lessons to do for next week. I have booked myself to teach the full lesson for most of my lessons, which I am really looking forward to! :D  The lesson is the same for everyone, but it can be made easier or more difficult...

and it revolves around The Simpsons! :D


The main reason for updating this today, was to talk about Friday really.

Friday, was our Staff trip.

Now, this is not what I expected to be honest.  

We went to a place called Glauberg (to start) where we were dropped off on what can only be described as a back road and we walked for what I would say was about a mile and a half to a shack at the top of a hill. Nice views though!

View From Glauberg Hills

Frankfurt Skyline form Glauberg Hills

Here, we were served Brotchen (which are like sandwiches, but without a top on!) and drinks, ranging from water to apple juice to beer!!  (typical German!).  We then continued to hike for a further mile and a half to a museum, which was about Celts  (Woo!)

We had a guided tour..
to paint a picture..

1)I was tired..  having had a stressful week with home stuff, I fell asleep at 2 the morning before, and was awake at 6
2) I had just walked 3 miles, not amazingly far, but after 12 hours sleep over the last 4 days..  pretty tough
3)i was walking and listening and talking German. Some people struggle to understand, that the mental capacity to Listen, translate, understand, formulate response, translate and speak all so that the conversation doesn't lose flow is OK in bursts, but after 4 hours of it....  its tiring..   (hopefully fellow FSAs will know what I mean here!)

so .. the guided tour....

She spoke with a general speed of about 25 words per second, and similar to Faust, by the time I had translated the first sentence, she has then gone on to say around about 4 more so I understood some of it...

Big shout out to the teacher though, (and it did make me laugh) who then asked for a summary of the tour...    He is an English teacher, and must have been able to read my facial expression like a treat!

The View from the Museum Cafe

After this, we went to a town (I suppose you can call it) Called Budigen and had a coffee , then went to a Restaurant for a Meal.

Budigen 'town' center

Very nice restaurant!

I enjoyed this part...  we had a nice meal and I sat with the younger staff , enjoyed a few beers and talked about nothing sensible.  Which was nice!

On Saturday, I went to Frankfurt , and met up with another FSA.  He was pretty desperate to do something called the Ebbelwie Express , (translated as Apple-wine Express). This is an old tram, that costs EUR7.50 . With this , you get a ride of about an hour round trip, a bottle of apple wine and a packet of mini pretzels.

Not bad really!

Well, it can't exactly be called a sight-seeing tour. The tram (obviously) has to follow the tram lines, which in Frankfurt are more for practicality that tourism. There is one good view though...

The View from the Tram

What I can say it is, is a fairly relaxing hour on a tram that isn't very discreet (it looks like a circus on wheels!), that plays very loud, garish and stereo typically German Music. Nevertheless, it was enjoyable.

The Tram!

Apple wine, by the way, tastes very similar to a not-too-dry Cornish Cider.  The leaflet actually says "This Cider is now a world famous Wine" ..   Well..   Okay then!

We also went back to my Little corner of England in Germany (in the form of the Irish pub) and had a pint.
After the Pint, I clearly had some Dutch Courage and decided to go up the Bloody great tower.
The Lift travels at 20kph  and once you are up there..  its pretty windy..  but Frankfurt at night...

Frankfurt at night from the Main Tower 

 So a good weekend then really...   And the F1 topped it off.. a Second for Massa was great..  Ignoring the Winner and the non-finishing Ferrari.. :P


This next part, it to satisfy The University of Sunderland - as part of my 'reflective Diaries'

its not tough to live tough here
the language is fast
the Germans like beer
hate Lufthansa strikes
they have an unhealthy obsession with fizzy water
and their shops are weird

Oh, and all that Cultural awareness we did before we came??  total and utter Bull...   probably would have been better to teach us something useful??  

If that isn't reflective..

Just for you , Jo! :D


So.. Im not sure when I will next update this..  so - Stay safe all,
Turrah!

German Culture - A Week of the Arts!

This week has definitely been a week of  Culture for myself. I have done things this week that I would normally never choose to do, but have had the opportunity through school, as it was free.

On Tuesdays, I work with the teacher that organizes the theater trips for the students. The German government is pretty supportive of culture, so if you apply, you can get tickets (costing usually about EUR50) for just 5, which includes train travel!

Well, as staff, I go for free (if invited) so when I was, I grabbed the opportunity to with both hands, Using three excuses
1) When in Rome..
2) Its free!
3) Gets me out of the flat for a free night out!

My week's Tickets!

Both productions are in the same place,so im pretty well practiced at getting to the theater now! Which is a nice place:

Frankfurt Shauspielhaus

Thursday was "Faust",


Before the performance , we made use of the time and headed to the Staedel Museum to see "Schwarze Romantic", which is an art exhibition of paintings depicting the dark side of romance. Again, never my first choice (in fact, ever) but it was interesting to see them all. The Museum also plays host to Goethe's most famous painting (which all I know about it, is that he has 2 left feet!)

Goethe in the Roman Campagna

"Faust" is a very old German play, which tells the story of a man who sells his soul to the devil in order to gain ultimate knowledge but renders him eternally dammed. (in sort)
It is all spoken in INCREDIBLY old German, making it difficult for , not just me but also the students to follow..  all in all though, it was a good performance.
I found it tough to keep up..  so much so that I tended to zone out at times and just watch with the background noise!

Friday this week , I worked.   Not that it was a bother, but one of the members of staff were off, and I offered to go in to her older groups and do something useful instead of leaving them trusted.. (cause it never works!)

It was a good day, and I made use of the free coffee in the staff room! :D    It gets me out of the flat for an hour or so and  get some fresh air!

Saturday was the day of the Opera.   I had never been before, so m expectations were all over the place. Those of you that had seen my Facebook will know that I put the status"

"ooohh. Opera tomorrow - a very cultural week.. cant wait for the fat viking lady to show her lungs off! :D"

Well, It wasn't like that. It was different .. the tickets that we had got us brilliant seats, that normally cost about EUR70, without the train..  (not my picture, but definitely taken from where we were sat!)

Frankfurt Opera House

It was, however, a typical Opera.   

Man meets Woman
Woman meets Man
They fall in love

She spends 25 minutes dying...

Standard

I enjoyed it - there were German over titles to translate the Italian, s which made it easier to understand!  So from a language point of view, pretty good!

Saturday was , before the Opera,  a day to rest. I was tired this week, more so than usual - but I think its because I am settled in, enjoying it, and grabbing opportunities Left, right and center!


Aside from that - I hear that the UK is once again enjoying the joys of the weather there..  If you need a swimming kit - there is a spare one at my house- help yourself..  I don't need it here ! :D

Auf Englisch, "Buggered"

Also, I would like to use this opportunity to shout out to the 3 German police officers who gave me 3 hours of entertainment last Monday.  The two for crashing the car into the ditch (baring in mind I live on a dead end I i don't know what they were doing, let alone with the blues on...:/)


So that was my week!!   
Pretty different, Id say...

Till Next time

Mike

Typical Tourism!

Moin Moin!

Well, I thought I would update you all since the last few days have been pretty busy!

Well, Friday I was invited on a school trip with the 7th Grade to Frankfurt Zoo!   It is the second oldest Zoo in Germany and has a serious breeding program for rare and endangered animals.

There are some odd things about it..     1st - it is right slap bang in the middle of the city center. it is really odd looking at a rare frog or flamingo and finding that the ICE train to Berlin is flying past next to you! the second is that - there are very few fences!  some animals obviously need it - bird etc - but for most, they just have a moat between you and them - weird!!

The animals all seem happy though and they interact with the guests really well, like these little guys...

The monkey chasing a finger

The new Baby seal playing against the window

The zoo was a really good day - German children are the most difficult to understand because they talk fast, and with loads of colloquial words in their language too...it meant that I could really get to know the class - and everyday German!!     it ended up with the German kids telling me the words in German, and then me telling them in English!!
apart from that - it gave me the chance to see Frankfurt - and it is BIG.

But that was Friday - Saturday i got up and decided to go to Fulda on a day trip.  Armed with my camera I left at 9:30 and was there for 10 - I had a look around, took 3 pics and was on the train back to Frankfurt by 13:30.   I had decided to go and scope the place out - having enjoyed it on Friday - and it is HUGE!

I walked down the main shopping street - which if you don't know what you are looking for and where it is can take you about 3 days anyway! or a full calendar month for ladies!
I found (but didn't do this time) a skyscraper with a viewing platform at 200 Storys - so , one for the future.

Frankfurt has the label of being a very financial and ugly city, but it is very much a city of two halves..
I went see the Rathaus - which is really nice - it is like walking from a massive modern city into a typical German town. all around one square, umpa band, leather trousers..you know the drill..  the Rathaus is impressive anyhow...

Rathaus Frankfurt

The Rathaus is in a square, near to loads of churches and a cathedral.  Its actually a really great place and there are loads of resteurants around it with outdoor seating too!

German Band, Leather Trouders!

Having eaten an Ice cream and loved the Umpa band, I headed towards a shopping center that had a viewing gallery...   didn't want shopping, just wanted this...

Frankfurt Skyline

 Its pretty Special..
So it pretty much has everything.

The highlight of the day for me came at about 5:30PM, when i bit the bullet and went on the boat trip.

EUR 6 for 50 mins,  EUR 8 for 100mins..  cheap as chips!
the 100 mins wasn't running, due to the time of day, but the 50 mins I has were brilliant!

It gives you an opportunity to see the city from the river, and get pictures like this...

The Frankfurt Skyline and a Setting Sun

 yeah, im pretty impressed with that photo!
these were also boats like these (left)  they are like dinghies but they have an umbrella, a small motor and a BBQ in the middle - you can rent them!

I want one!!  :D





on the way home I bumped into an Irish bad - I 'Fell' inside and had a nice chat with an Irish bloke Called Anthony - cheers for the Pint, mate!

So - that was my weekend!!  awesome!!

today I have spend chilling, and eating eggy soldiers !
Bliss!!

anyway...

In a bit, Beef!

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!