Not long left.. SO CRAM IT ALL IN!

Well, As Im sure that you all know by now, my time here is very close to the end. This time, im not going to be all mopey and complain about how the time has gone fast - not this time!  No, this time, im going to talk about what I have been up to of late.

Ill admit, that I have my diary in front of me here. This is not one of those "dear diary..." style ones, but one that keeps me and my life in order. Without it ..  the world would come caving in, and I would be curled up in a dark corner, muttering missed appointments to myself!

The last time I typed anything, was a while after Easter, but it was about Easter, So .. im going to start from there! :D

The first week back at work was hard work, because the Easter holidays were more "free time, that i filled up so much, that there was no free time anymore" So I was back after work after my "break", having not really stopped at all!  My friend came over from Scotland, and I was the typical tour guide! :P

However, I have written about that, so lets ignore it!

The first week back was also a new timetable. This was because of lots of reasons, and more than one day of about 70 pissed off teachers in a staff room.  Without going into too much detail though, I had to make my own.

Of course, I boobed it completely!

Here is a tip: If you are teaching in room 341 from 7:30- 8:20, you cant also be teaching in room 340 from 7:30- 8:20..  that (sad though it is) is impossible!

Still, according to my timetable, I was willing to give it a shot.

Guess what.. it didn't work! and. OF COURSE, there was no other lesson that I could move either of them to..  not one..  there are a total of 28 different lesson periods a week..  but one 1 would work...   great!   However, this issue has now been sorted...  by someone else! :D

The second week was emotional! I got some very good news, and in the same week, some very bad news from home. This was from the same person, and It sent me into worry-mode, especially with who it was exactly.  It was a week of sending   "are you alright?" texts, even though I knew the answer..   (yeah, I do that...   sorry!) but also a week of my brain trying to solve the worlds problems (yeah, I do that too!)

Im honest, I would not be like that if i was in the UK, where this person lives. But, being abroad, you feel a little detached from problems like this, especially when you are directly involved in some way.   It can be tough to take your mind off it (especially when you live the rock and roll lifestyle that I don't) and live alone..    so if you are going abroad, make sure you know how to distract yourself..

Luckily..  i do..  it involves organizing things that do not need organizing yet, walking around really quickly to feel important (a piece of paper in your hand usually helps!) and eating German sausages....


After the emotional week, it was a week of me , once again teaching Frisbee!! :D  Here is an example of harry potter, doing a hipster sport!

complete with University of Sunderland matching tracksuit..
'fashion' is my middle name...

I did about 3 double lessons overall, which made me feel like a true athlete (I even walked home afterwards!) one of which was with a 6 grade class! Luckily, their English was great, and they didn't question why I kept yelling "PANCAKE!" at them..   (its a way of catching...)

To top off this week, I went to the Opera!   Sadly without the small binoculars on a stick, I saw a Wagner. It was great, even if it was a total of 4 hours long (anything on you that makes contact with a chair hurts after that time!)  but i felt very cultured, which was great because I thought I needed a booster. I also forgot that it was written in OLD German, and was worried after 20 minutes that I had  lot of new words to learn..  This was cleared up..  I now know the words, and the modern version too!

We have had some nice weather (yeah, im from the UK! :D )  So here is Schlüchtern in the Sun! :D

a Lake

Sunset from my flat

A Nice view of a house that isnt mine..

Looking up the hill

The School

Looking down the Hill..

There was also an impromptu visit to wiesbaden! ..

Wiesbaden is really nice, and has its own natural (and hot) spring water. This water is said to contain healing properties, but don't drink more than a liter, as it contains cyanide, among other things.. It also has its own micro-climate, making it warmer than the rest of the area. This was great, as Dortmund were playing in the football, so we could sit outside, chill and have a few bets int he sun - wonderful!



The last week has been good too, Another frisbee lesson on Monday, and a Day off on Wednesday! Friday I was up early to go and drink coffee, but also.. I had to prepare..

Some of you will know, that I have an obsession with Motorsport, particularly 4 wheels - even my twitter name is mikee_F1 ..     so, when I got the chance to go and watch some, I bit the chance!!

yes, I am typing this now, still buzzing from watching the DTM at Hockenheim! :D

LOOK!!

The Welcome Sign

Out Seats

Me Standing on the In-field, after all the racing, you can walk the track!

The Lights!

Timo Glock

The Grid

The Grid Lights

The Train Station Sign

It was an awesome day. I would love to post all of the pics, but this is not a Motorsport blog, and not everyone cares about it!

So as you can tell, I have been busy, In 3 days, I fly home to go camping with Bear Grylls, and I also manage to sneak in a small leaving party too. Its all go here, which is weird, because its all go, just before the end!

Also, on a different note, I have had some really nice comments about my Blog. I thank those who have posted them! Its very much appreciated!

Have a great time! I may find time to post another soon!

Mike

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

Exam Season..

Exam Season has just finished here in Germany. It has been a long time coming for the students, who by the end really just wanted to sit their Exam.

Pre-exam season here is strange. Teachers are asking the students what they want to do. We would never have this in England, we would be told that we had to learn Grammar for the 200th time, and revise topics and stuff..

Im absolutely certain that one class I had, was helped by my idea of forced revision...  We watched a movie! :P

Emperor's New Groove!


I was invited to go and see the Exam questions during the exam. This confused me from the off, because teachers are not allowed in out exams in the UK. Here, there are no exam invigilators, the teacher do it. So I guess it must be ok for me!

The English questions were ok. out of the 3, I would have chosen the second set, but there were some that chose other ones too! (great for me, who has to mark some of them - its not as boring! :P)

I walked into the exam, and was baffled totally...

The exams are about 4 hours long- that may be crucial, before we get started!

Each student has their own table.

They all bring their own entire picnic of goodies and things to eat and drink. Cakes, Sweets, Fruit, Coke, Water.. everything.They just sit, do the exam and munch away! IN the UK, we have to take the label off the bottle of water we are allowed!!  Here, they just eat!

Second, they are very allowed to get up and strut around the room.  They have access to information which is at the front, so they are up, and off to go and have a look!   We would be killed for this!

AND - they can go to the toilet alone!  we have some creepy 70 year old guy follow us! but these guys here just get up and they are off!!!   (so, arrange to meet people! its aparantly, very easy! :P)


Its now Easter Holidays. 2 friends are heading to Germany right now. One comes today and will be here for a fair while, and the other comes on the 4th and is visiting me for a few days! :D   I plan to see the other one at some point in May: He is living in Koblenz!

Right. I think its best to do a better one later, when I have more to say!
After Easter! :D

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

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!

long time, lots to tell!

So first, I guess I have to apologies that I haven't posed for a while. I have been busy, and it has taken a while to find the time to post anything!

Once again, we have snow!  That is all im saying on that..   cause im sure its as boring for you ho hear about as it is for me to have here!

I was in Sunderland last week for a multitude of reasons ! Great weekend , so cheers mate! and thanks for your help!

Work has been the usual. It was very easy to come back after Christmas, settling into the routine like it was only a weekend that I was away for, and although we have now started the second "Halb Jahr" or half year, my timetable is unchanged, so I don't have to learn new names or have to introduce myself again!

The other weekend, I was in Gelnhausen. Its only a 20 minute ride on the train away, but its a nice sized town with some good things to see

Church Lit up at night

Main square

Gelnhausen was a good day trip. not to tiring and nice to see the other Language Assistants. we had some nice food and managed to catch up after the Christmas Holidays.  and not too expensive either!!  there was, of course also the token beer! :D

Few weeks later, I went for a night out in a suburb of Frankfurt called Groß-Gerau.  Interesting night!  very different to a night in Schlüchtern.  They gave you cards and everything was paid for on that, afterwards, you paid at the door when you left!! DANGEROUS!! luckily, it only came to 15 Euros.

I have also planned to go to Mainz for the festival Season. There will be a post on that soon, which is why this is so short!

so, I will be posting in the next week or so!

Finally.. I have come back!

Christmas this year was very interesting..      I spent plenty of time away from home, seeing my mates, my dad and stepmum and the rest of the family too..     so all was good!!

I am now back in Germany.. and - apart from everyone wishing me a "Happy New Year!" , its pretty much like I have never really been away!  The town's Christmas Decorations are gone, the sales are over and the only real sign that it is (near) Christmas is that there is a slight dusting of snow on the floor right now.

This makes me realise that I was actually really comfortable here.. I put that partially down to the people of the school and local area.. but it was really nice to come back and slip in as if nothing had happened.

The three weeks of Christmas flew by in one respect, and dragged in another.  I was really happy to be going home for so many reasons. The break was great and the lie ins were awesome! I managed to see most of the family and even travel to London to see (one of my two) best mate(s) for new years Eve!  it was the first time for a few years that I didn't work for it !  so I could also afford the odd drink!

The Christmas period was typical. ..  the usual stuff that every family tends to do (and some things that other families just don't do..  especially this year...)   and it as the same in that we got all excited for something that is the same every time!!

It was the first Christmas that I noticed the change since turning 18..and not being a kid anymore.

Christmas eve was spent in the Indian - very sophisticated- with Prosecco and curry!

the run up to me coming back to Germany was slightly rocky..  I had other things on that were unavoidable and due to this, I didn't actually manage to pack properly.. and - I would say that the two things I forgot were some of the most important .. like...  towels.. and my bed sheets..  dammit!!

The day that I was flying came and I was waiting at the door like a dog for my dad to pick me up..  it was definitly time to get back to what has now become normality with some great colleges and some great friends now too!  I enjoyed seeing everyone.. but the time to go back was the right time!!

I am now here till may.. I may have the odd adventure here and there.. but only the one planned so far.. ..    I cant see it being difficult to stay here for a solid 5 months..

sorry that this entry is a tad on the "mopey Christmas" side and very little to do with my "adventures in germany"  but , I thought it was time for an update.. and to let you all know that I am enjoying this year abroad so much, that I was actually desperate to come back !!

cheers!