New Town
It's been about two months since I posted last. I know my last post was kind of a downer, but I'm thrilled to report that my new apartment has turned out to be everything I hoped it would be! My roommates are great, I love my commute (reading/school-prep time on the train and a pleasant 15 min. bike ride to/from school each day), and living in a bigger city is definitely more comfortable for me.
I have continued to run a lot and I joined my roommate's gym (overpriced, but super nice) where in addition to classic gym stuff I can also continue yoga classes and even enjoy a great pool + sauna. I also continue to cook vegetarian, but due to the fact that I now have a complete kitchen and people to share my food with, I'm able to be much more ambitious and creative with my cooking. It has been fun introducing my roommate to vegetarian/international cuisine such as tofu, seitan, pad thai, quinoa, hummus, lentils, etc. (oh, and even good ol' American boxed Mac&Cheese, pancakes, and choc. chip cookies). I have also gotten to see a lot more of other foreign language assistants who live in my region because it is easier to travel to/from Bielefeld than it was to get around from Wiedenbrück.
One view of a central square in Bielefeld on a sunny, clear, February day. This intersection is on the main artery of the city--standard German central shopping street behind heading to the train station and Altstadt (old town) straight ahead with more shops, old buildings, state theater, city hall, etc.
Bielefeld lacks the small, adorable Fachwerk houses that fill Wiedenbrück's streets, but it still has some cool old buildings, like this one, which is the old city hall. Note protestors in lower-left...there were a series of train and public services (public transportation, trash pick-up, etc.) strikes here throughout the winter.
These are some of the other Foreign Language Assistants in my area sitting in my kitchen. We tried to bake a chocolate chip cookie cake for one of our American friend's birthdays in my half-broken oven.
One of my two wonderful new roommates, Sabine, and a whole-wheat pizza we made.
Roommates Sabine & Anna. We can often be found evenings having snacks while watching a movie or Germany's Next Top Model on TV in our cozy living room.
More foreign language assistants (British, French & American). This is the Paderborn-crew (Paderborn is a nearby city where Lauren, my best American friend here, teaches). We had a lovely weekend biking around town, dining together, and playing some pool.
Teaching
My role as a teacher has reached a really interesting point. I've pretty much decided that I feel like I generally don't feel like I'm using my time this year as a very productive member of society. I think I enrich a few students' English lessons, but I don't feel like the influence is that huge, and all my other teaching friends and I agree that the whole experience can be pretty boring at times. It is kind of an exercise to see how we handle ourselves with excessive free-time and nothing significant to do. I'm not always terribly impressed by how I choose to use my time, but I'm also perfectly content--nothing to complain about. So, "fine" is a really accurate, mild word to describe my time here. It has been a great experience however, because it has forced me to really face myself while also driving me to finally want a real job.
Ironically/Surprisingly, however, although I don't particularly look forward to my work at the school, I also feel like my in-class time over the past 2 months has been the best of the entire year. The classes I am working with in my latest schedule seem to be really engaged in their English lesson when I am in class with them, and I feel like I have built a good relationship with many of the students. So, I do feel like I'm doing a really good job at my work even if it isn't terribly exciting for me personally. I also still like, and appreciate, all the teachers I work with tremendously and feel like I have a good relationship with most of them.
Just to give you an idea of how/what I spend my time teaching:
- In my advanced afternoon English Club classes we read some news articles about the string of shootings throughout the US that occurred at the beginning of February, talked about why US citizens can buy guns and why some of them feel that it is a "right", which should be protected, and then we watched "Bowling for Columbine".
- In my 12th grade classes we have been wrapping up a unit on the American Dream and reading "A Raisin in the Sun" by talking about Langston Hughes poems. I've given a presentation on the Harlem Renaissance, explained the American Dream, and helped with interpreting Lorraine Hansberry's play.
- The 8th grade textbook focuses on the United States, so it is always an appropriate class for me to work in. We read a short love story set in New York and then they wrote their own fairy tales. Now we are reading about average Midwest life set in Nebraska and we get to talk about typical high school stuff (rumors, popularity, homecoming, yearbooks, etc.) This is one of the classes I have the strongest relationship with since I've been working with them all year long and in small individual groups.
- In my beginning-level after-school English club (5th-6th graders) we made fortune tellers to practice the will-future form (i.e. You will win a million dollars).
- 9th grade class is practicing writing letters to editors of newspapers in response to articles about solutions for homelessness.
- 6th graders are learning vocabulary for saving the environment.
- 13th graders are about to begin their HUGE exit exams (Abitur), so I won't be seeing much of them anymore, but I really enjoyed talking with them throughout the year on a lot of more significant/complex subjects ranging from the UN's role in the world to the US elections to religion in school to Globalization.
Ironically/Surprisingly, however, although I don't particularly look forward to my work at the school, I also feel like my in-class time over the past 2 months has been the best of the entire year. The classes I am working with in my latest schedule seem to be really engaged in their English lesson when I am in class with them, and I feel like I have built a good relationship with many of the students. So, I do feel like I'm doing a really good job at my work even if it isn't terribly exciting for me personally. I also still like, and appreciate, all the teachers I work with tremendously and feel like I have a good relationship with most of them.
Just to give you an idea of how/what I spend my time teaching:
- In my advanced afternoon English Club classes we read some news articles about the string of shootings throughout the US that occurred at the beginning of February, talked about why US citizens can buy guns and why some of them feel that it is a "right", which should be protected, and then we watched "Bowling for Columbine".
- In my 12th grade classes we have been wrapping up a unit on the American Dream and reading "A Raisin in the Sun" by talking about Langston Hughes poems. I've given a presentation on the Harlem Renaissance, explained the American Dream, and helped with interpreting Lorraine Hansberry's play.
- The 8th grade textbook focuses on the United States, so it is always an appropriate class for me to work in. We read a short love story set in New York and then they wrote their own fairy tales. Now we are reading about average Midwest life set in Nebraska and we get to talk about typical high school stuff (rumors, popularity, homecoming, yearbooks, etc.) This is one of the classes I have the strongest relationship with since I've been working with them all year long and in small individual groups.
- In my beginning-level after-school English club (5th-6th graders) we made fortune tellers to practice the will-future form (i.e. You will win a million dollars).
- 9th grade class is practicing writing letters to editors of newspapers in response to articles about solutions for homelessness.
- 6th graders are learning vocabulary for saving the environment.
- 13th graders are about to begin their HUGE exit exams (Abitur), so I won't be seeing much of them anymore, but I really enjoyed talking with them throughout the year on a lot of more significant/complex subjects ranging from the UN's role in the world to the US elections to religion in school to Globalization.
I realized I never posted pics showing my school, Ratsgymnasium. It is made up of two buildings, connected by the enclosed walkway you can see on the left-hand side of this pic. The first row of windows on the right you see all belong to the teachers' lounge/office. All teachers share one large room as their office--totally cramped, but at least it is easy to find your colleagues if you need to talk to them. This is one of about 6 bike parking areas.
This is view #2, which is of the second building (the older part where the younger students have classes).German and Germany
1) I recently finished my German class at University of Bielefeld for international students. I feel like there is still a lot of room for improvement of my language skills, but I'm also happy with where they are now. I have no hesitancy about being totally independent in a German city due to my command of the language. When I see a movie preview or read an article and then later recount it to a friend, I often forget if I saw/read it for the first time in English or German. Honestly, I don't know if I've had many dreams in German yet. It's the same thing where I wake up and I can't remember if what I just dreamt was in German or English. I also always know what my roommates are talking about and I don't miss a beat when we watch "Germany's Next Top Model". AND...I'm on to reading my second novel in German...yay for that!
2) I realized that this blog has been incredibly Alex-oriented and not very descriptive of German culture. How boring!!! Kudos to you if you are actually reading this ;) I think that is because I had traveled a lot in Germany before arriving for my year-long stay, so my initial reactions were less focused on cultural differences and more about evaluating how MY year (selfishly and personally) would turn out. For those of you interested in a bit more about Germany, here's some observations for you. (Of course, they are still just a selection from MY observations--so take from them what you will) :
- there is a wonderful bakery on almost every street corner with lots of tasty cakes & pastries, but more unique to Germany are the many types of rye and whole-wheat and nut/seed filled breads that are delicious, healthy, and easily-found
- when you walk into a bakery they ask you RIGHT AWAY how they can help you. Always. Everywhere. I always have to explain that I need a minute to look around before I decide.
- German words are famous for being reallllllly long. That is because many names for things are just really descriptions of the item, and you can always combine words into one noun. Some examples that come to mind right now: Cobblestones are called "Pflasterstein" meaning pavement stones and daylight-savings time is "Zeitumstellung" meaning moving of time. There are a million more, and probably better, examples, but I can't think of them right now.
- Germans generally wait for the light to cross the street
- Drinking alcohol in public is allowed, no question, of course, wouldn't it be oppressively dictatorial to forbid it?
- Here was a shocker to me: Many people order their beer mixed with soda. They also sell pre-made mixtures. From a US-perspective, we often think of Germany as having some of the best beer, and to see how many of them mix it, which I would assume would be blasphemous from a connoisseur's point of view, was shocking.
- Straigh-leg jeans tucked into boots are all the rage in German women's fashion this year. Also, colors are out. Everyone seems to be wearing black, brown, and gray.
- Saunas and tanning booths can be found all over and in most fitness studios.
- They're trying to pass smoking-bans throughout Germany on a state-by-state basis, but I still can't get the straight story on when it will really happen here. Smoking is still more widely accepted here than anywhere in the US or London.
- You can take a train to get pretty much anywhere, but they aren't incredibly cheap and many people rely on their cars more than I anticipated they would (especially since gas is so expensive). That being said, everyone bikes and it's not odd to see senior citizens going grocery shopping on their bike.
- weekly markets are all over but there is no obvious emphasis on local farmers' products or organic goods...I hesitate to call them "farmers markets" for that reason, but you can also find your local, fresh products there.
- everything is more bureaucratic, meaning that you always need an official paper to register for anything, but all you need to make it official is to get a stamp on it...basically the beginning of my time here was a lot of moving from office to office getting everything in order. Also, you always have to register at city hall when you move into a new town.
- there are large Turkish, Russian, Polish, and East European immigrant populations here and their integration, or lack thereof, is always at the top of the political/media discourse.
- Tom Cruise and his belief in Scientology was all the talk a few months back. People felt he shouldn't have gotten a Bambi award (German entertainment award) because his religious beliefs should be seen as criminal.
OK...enough for now...if you are interested in more leave a comment and I'll continue in my next blog post.
Spring Break '08
I spent the first week of my spring break (actually called Easter Break here) in England visiting Jessie & Avi in Oxford and my oldest friend, Maria Scott-Wittenborn, in London. I saw a few sites, but also just spent most of my time walking around and catching up with old friends. Highlights included (besides the people) the Tate Modern, Sir John Soane's Museum, Sleeping Beauty ballet, Shakespeare's new Globe Theater, the British Library, the British Museum, Indian food, scones & clotted cream, and Harrod's chocolate bar (hidden on the 3rd floor behind the garden section--not in the food courts). Here are some pics:
1) I recently finished my German class at University of Bielefeld for international students. I feel like there is still a lot of room for improvement of my language skills, but I'm also happy with where they are now. I have no hesitancy about being totally independent in a German city due to my command of the language. When I see a movie preview or read an article and then later recount it to a friend, I often forget if I saw/read it for the first time in English or German. Honestly, I don't know if I've had many dreams in German yet. It's the same thing where I wake up and I can't remember if what I just dreamt was in German or English. I also always know what my roommates are talking about and I don't miss a beat when we watch "Germany's Next Top Model". AND...I'm on to reading my second novel in German...yay for that!
2) I realized that this blog has been incredibly Alex-oriented and not very descriptive of German culture. How boring!!! Kudos to you if you are actually reading this ;) I think that is because I had traveled a lot in Germany before arriving for my year-long stay, so my initial reactions were less focused on cultural differences and more about evaluating how MY year (selfishly and personally) would turn out. For those of you interested in a bit more about Germany, here's some observations for you. (Of course, they are still just a selection from MY observations--so take from them what you will) :
- there is a wonderful bakery on almost every street corner with lots of tasty cakes & pastries, but more unique to Germany are the many types of rye and whole-wheat and nut/seed filled breads that are delicious, healthy, and easily-found
- when you walk into a bakery they ask you RIGHT AWAY how they can help you. Always. Everywhere. I always have to explain that I need a minute to look around before I decide.
- German words are famous for being reallllllly long. That is because many names for things are just really descriptions of the item, and you can always combine words into one noun. Some examples that come to mind right now: Cobblestones are called "Pflasterstein" meaning pavement stones and daylight-savings time is "Zeitumstellung" meaning moving of time. There are a million more, and probably better, examples, but I can't think of them right now.
- Germans generally wait for the light to cross the street
- Drinking alcohol in public is allowed, no question, of course, wouldn't it be oppressively dictatorial to forbid it?
- Here was a shocker to me: Many people order their beer mixed with soda. They also sell pre-made mixtures. From a US-perspective, we often think of Germany as having some of the best beer, and to see how many of them mix it, which I would assume would be blasphemous from a connoisseur's point of view, was shocking.
- Straigh-leg jeans tucked into boots are all the rage in German women's fashion this year. Also, colors are out. Everyone seems to be wearing black, brown, and gray.
- Saunas and tanning booths can be found all over and in most fitness studios.
- They're trying to pass smoking-bans throughout Germany on a state-by-state basis, but I still can't get the straight story on when it will really happen here. Smoking is still more widely accepted here than anywhere in the US or London.
- You can take a train to get pretty much anywhere, but they aren't incredibly cheap and many people rely on their cars more than I anticipated they would (especially since gas is so expensive). That being said, everyone bikes and it's not odd to see senior citizens going grocery shopping on their bike.
- weekly markets are all over but there is no obvious emphasis on local farmers' products or organic goods...I hesitate to call them "farmers markets" for that reason, but you can also find your local, fresh products there.
- everything is more bureaucratic, meaning that you always need an official paper to register for anything, but all you need to make it official is to get a stamp on it...basically the beginning of my time here was a lot of moving from office to office getting everything in order. Also, you always have to register at city hall when you move into a new town.
- there are large Turkish, Russian, Polish, and East European immigrant populations here and their integration, or lack thereof, is always at the top of the political/media discourse.
- Tom Cruise and his belief in Scientology was all the talk a few months back. People felt he shouldn't have gotten a Bambi award (German entertainment award) because his religious beliefs should be seen as criminal.
OK...enough for now...if you are interested in more leave a comment and I'll continue in my next blog post.
Spring Break '08
I spent the first week of my spring break (actually called Easter Break here) in England visiting Jessie & Avi in Oxford and my oldest friend, Maria Scott-Wittenborn, in London. I saw a few sites, but also just spent most of my time walking around and catching up with old friends. Highlights included (besides the people) the Tate Modern, Sir John Soane's Museum, Sleeping Beauty ballet, Shakespeare's new Globe Theater, the British Library, the British Museum, Indian food, scones & clotted cream, and Harrod's chocolate bar (hidden on the 3rd floor behind the garden section--not in the food courts). Here are some pics:
Alex, Avi, and Jessie in England.
Oxford.
Avi, being a Rhodes scholar and all, gave us a short tour of the Rhodes House.
View from the Tate Modern of the Millenium Bridge and St. Paul's Cathedral in London.
Maria and our high tea.
Classic London touristy pic #1.
British Museum's Africa Gallery: Let's do ALL of Africa's artwork/cultural life (the entire continent covering all of history, and up to present day. in all forms of media) in 3 rooms.
Stereotypical view of the Thames on a cloudy day. I felt like this could have been taken during the Industrial Revolution.
Indian food!! Rosalie, Maria's lovely British friend, joined us for many of our tasty eating endeavors.
I found it: the most discreet Starbucks ever.
Classic London touristy pic #2
Somebody out there buys her/his Bounty paper towels at Harrods. wow.
Classic London touristy pic #3.After my lovely week in London I returned to a week of SNOW in Bielefeld. None of it stuck to the ground, but it was the first snow we have had all year, and it certainly didn't make me feel like yelling in typical-American-college-student-on-Spring-Break-in-the-Bahamas/Girls-Gone-Wild fashion "Spring Break '08". It has been quite a relaxing week nonetheless.
I'm sure there is more to be said, but I think this is long enough already, and I want to go on a run now, so I'll sign-off for today. I'm really looking forward to Spring (all my 4 pairs of winter pants have been overworn and are rather shabby looking and I'm awaiting warm weather to transition back into my trusty wardrobe of warm-weather clothing that got me through Pomona).
Happy almost April to all!!!! xoxo, alex
I'm sure there is more to be said, but I think this is long enough already, and I want to go on a run now, so I'll sign-off for today. I'm really looking forward to Spring (all my 4 pairs of winter pants have been overworn and are rather shabby looking and I'm awaiting warm weather to transition back into my trusty wardrobe of warm-weather clothing that got me through Pomona).
Happy almost April to all!!!! xoxo, alex
