Monday 7 June 2010

5 weeks is still a long time

I seemed to be the last person to go on my year abroad considering that everyone else seemed to go in June or July of last year and I arrived in the first week of October. So it seems fitting that I will be the last person to maybe leave the year abroad experience.

After my time spent in hospital and also the countless hours waiting in doctors surgeries waiting for removal of stitches. It has got me reflecting on what a truly amazing year this really has been and to be honest I do not think I would change it at all. Not even the snow-in experience at Manchester airport with Dave Titcumb in January or me narrowly missing the volcanic ash just after Easter.

My Erasmus placement was just perfect. I got to learn alot of new stuff, I probably didn't speak as much German as I should have but I got to know people from Italy, Bulgaria, Scotland(that oh so distant place), Hungary, Austria, Poland, Spain, Portugal, Finland etc etc. Those times spent partying in numerous bars, flats etc will truly never be forgotten and partly never remembered. How can I forgot my former halls of res people; Bernie-Boy, Ilya and Patrick. Little did they know that the scouser was coming to stay and well liven everything up just a little bit.

Sean Bannon stealing stationary from Bouvier bookshop and forever yelling' MRS BOUVIER'. Charlotte, Isi and I taking a trip to the perfume department to hide the *insert beethovens symphony here* TUNFISCH UNFALL. Ina going crazy moments before a speaking exam which resulted in Charlotte needing ' a moment to calm down'. Revision at residence Ina or taking a trip to Carina's random house miles from Bonn. Funny funny moments had by all.

Then Thomas - who would have known that in October last year a train would be delayed due to someone either killing themselves or attempting to kill themselves and that it would be the strangest reason for us to meet and return back safely together to Tannenbusch Mitte. In every way you amaze me and weirdly/it is unknown that you know me so well and who I really am. I am insane, I am crazy, I freak out - you have just been THERE when I needed you and when we are both sick of each other then we know what to do. It's just been great and well still is all great- you know?

My arrival in Stendal has also made me realise that maybe teaching is not for me and that maybe small town living is not for me but so far I have damn well experienced it and stuck it out. The kids in my school pretty much make my job and also entertain me for hours from their random loves of the royal family to playing 'making a sandwich'' piley-ons while 'learning' English. I have met some interesting and unforgettable characters here in Stendal too and probably when I go I will ever so slightly miss my little life style here.

Anyway - I can re write this in 5 weeks time when I actually leave. I have to look forward to another visit from the Dot, a visit from the Thomas, a visit to the Thomas and then 2 weeks of abusing what Stendal has to offer and also packing to travel back to the UK.

Over and out, Roger.

Sunday 30 May 2010

getting ahead of myself?

On the 14th of May I set out on another one of my adventures to Bonn. Of course to see the Wardzala-Panda and everyone else that I possibly could in Bonn. Always a fun time had and I also went to see Kick Ass which I absolutely loved very funny and very well filmed. Right now that seems like a life time ago.

On 21st of May set out for Hamburg for a weekend of fun and well the perfect excuse to be a tourist. What I did for 3 months in Hamburg really I will never know. There was so much more of it that I saw this time. On the first day we did lots of walking around and walked from the Reeperbahn to Hauptbahnhof. Nice big walk and got to see all of the sights around the docks, saw lots of boats, the weather was nice so we could sit outside. On the Saturday we went to miniature world which was awesome. ALOT of people were there though but it was well worth seeing the mini worlds that these people had created - I think my cousin David would have really liked the exhibition. Then in the evening we went to the Planetarium to watch 'the Cosmic Wall'. OH HOLY COW IT WAS AMAZING. Sitting back watching the images and the stars while lazers are going off and pyrotechnics as the music from 'the Wall' comes blasting out. The music was loud and the show was fantastic. It was just a shame we missed The Dark Side of the Moon the night before which also would have been amazing. If anyone is in Hamburg over the next few months and gets the chance to go to this then seriously go it was AMAZING.

Sunday we went to visit sister Kerstin and the girlies in Ohlsdorf. I had woken up with a stomach ache and thought oh maybe perhaps a little bit of food poisoning. I tried to ignore the pain and also asked my sister for some pain killers but the pain kept getting worse. We had a lovely afternoon in the garden playing on the swing and so did the girls playing with everything. Then we headed back to our hotel near the Reeperbahn. I was still in pain. I was in bed by 7pm and still in pain.

5am not improvement on the pain situation it was time to go to hospital. I signed in and then about 20 minutes later I had a drip in my arm. They had taken my blood samples etc everything else they needed.

I had to wait 3 hours for an ultrasound scan to inform me that I had gallstones in my gallbladder and that they would have to be removed, potentially on the same day. Up I was taken to a ward and I had to sign all of these different forms etc. Again they kept an eye on me but I had to wait until the Wednesday before they finally operated on me. They sent me to sleep and when I woke up I felt full of energy as I weirdly always do after anaesthetic but then the pain set in. I lay in bed for nearly a day and when I tried to get up oh my god the pain was unbelievable. It felt like my stomach was going to fall out or off from my body. Have been moving more everyday but everything is so strenuous even eating. Mum arrived on Wednesday evening shortly after Thomas had left to go back to Bonn. His journey was so long but I thank GOD that he stayed with me because I was terrified. mum asked the Doctors about how everything was now they had removed the gallstones but at that point I did not know they had also taken my gall bladder out. Every woman in our family (on both sides) has had the same problem so have now joined the club. If I ever have a daughter she will be stripped of her gallbladder from birth.

Drove back from Hamburg yesterday in a car and mum has to drive all the way to flippin Magdeburg to bring it back. Thankfully Stendal Kerstin has gone with her and so can help her. I just want to say a big thank you to every one; Thomas, The Heims, Dottie, Doctor Elena and Mr Bernhard for helping me on the way to recovery - hopefully now I won't be such a pain in the backside and will not be getting ill so much!

Love to you all
Steffi x

Sunday 9 May 2010

Frida Kahlo exhibition




Yesterday I took a train to Berlin to go and see the Frida Kahlo exhibition that was on at the Martin-Gropius-Bau near to Potsdamer Platz. The train ride was nice and short and then I walked from Hauptbahnhof to the gallery which took a fair while but it wasn't raining so it was ok.

As soon as I went in to the street where the gallery is half of it was filled up with people trying to get into the exhibition. So I started queing eventually when you get into the building there is alot more queing to be done. After giving in your coat and buying a ticket you then had to join another que which went up two flights of stairs and then around a large round balcony. 1 hour 45 minutes after I started queing I got into the exhibition.

It started with some photographs which her friends had taken of her and also some personal photographs from her family's collection. All very beautiful. The next room then began with her paintings and all of them were stunning. The one on this post is in the first room but there were so many people looking at it I just about managed to see it. Not only photographs, paintings and drawings were in this exhibition but also some personal items like her clothes and also a cast that she wore with I think the hammer and sickle painted onto it. It was really bizarre to see that and then see a photo next to it of Frida actually wearing the cast.

All in all I am so happy I got to see this for my little day trip it was definately worth it. My only problem was the amount of people there - I know she is a popular artist and also it was a Saturday so maybe I should have re-thought my going there. Still I have seen them now and made up for when I couldn't make it to London and now also don't have to go to Mexico (even though maybe in the future it would be really nice to go there).

After leaving my feet were completely dead but I had to walk back to Hauptbahnhof. Walked by the old section of the wall and also discovered the former Gestapo head quarters were next door to the Art Gallery. Then walked by the back of the Reichstag to see a memorial to the Russian soldiers and also to people who had died trying to escape the GDR. I went through the Tierpark as well and saw the memorial to all of the gay people who were persecuted during the 1930's - very sweet and very beautiful. Also saw the memorial to Peter Fechter who was a brick layer that tried to escape was shot and left to bleed to death. Very emotional!

Am on the last leg of my time here now and then my year abroad is finished. Am still working on the year abroad essay but it is beginning to take shape as there is not long to go now until it has to be handed in. 3rd of June is now less than 4 weeks away! The race is on.....

Last night I actually ordered some books for school and it is the first kind of matierials I have had to buy. Of course I am kind of reliving my childhood through buying them. A few Roal Dahls, a couple of Allan Ahlberg's who I didn't realise had written so many of my favourites including Funnybones and the Jolly Postman. I couldn't order Beatrix Potter which is annoying but I picked up a couple of other classic's like 'The Queen's Nose' and also Iron Man by Ted Hughes which I remember Mrs Davies starting to read with us in Year 2 but I can't remember if we finished. So I will be reading that one before the kids do.

Saturday 1 May 2010

reflections of my time - two and a half months too soon?

After watching Julie & Julia am feeling incredibly inspired by both characters. They both found something that they truly enjoyed and stuck through it even in the bad times. It is such an admirable quality and I wish I could say the same for myself.

I am such an impatient person and the quicker something is done the better. However doing something quicker isn't always the best way in fact the hare and the tortoise should have taught me that going slow can often make you a winner. Also if something is not worth doing then don't do it or in some cases I find ignore it until it completely goes away.

Today is Mai Feier Tag(May Celebration Day) in Germany and is also a good day for a bit of a political demonstration throughout the country as well as lots of fun for kids...not necessarily though political demonstrations even if the politcal parties do give out free balloons. Kerstin, Michelle and I headed off on our bikes to the Tierpark to see all of the animals. All very sweet indeed (A shame that they are in captivity) but nevertheless they all seemed happy. I saw the tiger who escaped last month and also some amazing baboons. No pandas and no penguins I am afraid.

After curry/bratwurst with pommes for lunch it was time to head to the fire station which had opened its doors. It meant that all of the engines were open to sit in and also lots of fire cadets (?) were around in their uniforms doing lots of different things. One of the things they had to do was a race to unravel the fire hose and blast a target with the water. Very entertaining but unfortunately no fires around which was not really fair considering it was a fire station.

After a long bike ride home - Michelle went back home and Kerstin went into the garden. I tried to catch the frogs but it was no use and I was not in the mood for gardening. With nothing to do - I got into bed for a snooze potentially missing out on the chance to go to the Spa. Maybe we will go tomorrow only time can really tell plus me hiding out in my room will not really help the situation either.

Today I had a very lovely phone call which cheered me up immensly - I went from feeling miserable to feeling extremely happy in the space of 10 minutes.

In two weeks time it is back to Bonn and then on to Hamburg for a few days. Since I am staying longer I will get to see more people and also unfortunately have to work really hard on my essay for University. It is so hard and laborious - I just don't understand how it is supposed to benefit me really. I don't know how I can find enough hours in the day to fit everything in.

Next week is the Cambridge test in Berlin - I am so excited and the kids are probably terrified. I have prepared them all as best as i can in the roughly 7 weeks I have had. This includes talking as much as possible about all of the topics and even in some cases about English history (see previous blogs). We have gone through all of the topics and I have given them a practise paper to do since they have only done one and if you don't feel confident on the exam layout then I think it will effect their performance. Aside from that I have my fingers cross that every one of those kids acheives something. They have truly been inspirational for me and I have loved getting to know all of them, shocking them with my German knowledge and helping them with their English & building their confidence. BRING ON THE TEST!

Thursday 15 April 2010

Cause i'm TNT, i'm dynamite

Well have now nearly been living in Stendal for 6 weeks and a few more days which means that 2 weeks time I am already half way through my stay here. Arranging things to go home because I don't think I will be flying this time but rather going with the car and then the boat - awesome because of luggage allowance/no luggage allowance.

School is going ok - am still preparing the year 4 kids for their Cambridge University test. It is proving fun and also means I am getting to know the kids and their personalities very well now. It's also really nice when you turn up in the morning and can say hi to the other kids who are on their bikes too. Some of the things they tell me are most entertaining. One of the lads said today that he knew who Henry VIII was and that he was a very man because he had so many women. So this resulted in a conversation about the royal family and me researching who everyone was. Yesterday was music and the kids get to choose which songs they want to learn. The boys are going to be learning TNT by AC/DC and the girls will be learning Single Ladies by Beyonce. Oh the sheer entertainment i wish I had had a camera.

Today the kids had their bike test which involved the local police and also the German version of the RAC. It was properly like a test - the bikes got checked, they had to do a written test and also do some other quick tests. Then of course the most important was to make sure that they did the course correctly and in a sufficient time! Most proper. One of the girls was quite upset though because I think she either went the wrong way or overtook somebody which she should not have done.

I was at home over Easter which was really nice and weirdly it felt like it was time to go home - oh well this is the last stretch of my journey here in Germany for now. Who knows what the future may hold for me? It was nice to spend time with mum and also get to know the new cat Inga. She was in the RSPCA home for about 6 months and just needed to break free *insert Queen's I want to break free here*. She is such a sweet cat but I think that she will stay indoors most of the time. She is getting to know Stella but I don't think there have been any fights yet - I was there when they first met and Ms Inga was growling a fair bit. Oh well.

Over the weekend am going back to Bonn. Am really looking forward to going back and being able to see everyone again.

Bis spaeter - tschuess!

Steffi x x x

Thursday 18 March 2010

Back to school

Well am now into my second week of teaching and to be honest actually loving every minute of it.

Last week was my introduction week and getting to know the layout of the school. It isn't too big and the classes are fairly small. All of the members of staff are really helpful too and very welcoming. I have so far sat in on an Art, Music, English, Maths, HSU(PSE! oh the memories) and of course German lessons. Some of the things they learn in their German lesson's I didn't learn until I was in sixth form taking my AS levels which is pathetic when you think about. Stupid English education system.

I am helping the kids to prepare for the Cambridge University English Language test. They are expected to know ALOT of specific vocabulary. I have to work with 3 different classes. Last Tuesday I was given a group and I was completely unprepared - so Simon Says was a great saver.

This week I was more prepared and have started creating little plans. I even have to keep a register on who has been to see me because sometimes I am alone with the kids or they are in groups. I think the groups are better. My idea for this week is to learn about clothes and also combining that with colours and the weather. 3 topics covered but I have ALOT more to go. I basically took half of my wardrobe into school with me, created some beautiful labels and voila created a clothes shop that need the things labelling. Very entertaining things but I think hands on learning is better and will stick better in their memories.

I have no idea what I will be doing next week because everything will be different. I think I might ask to just do English if I can next week with the year 4's because I need to really get stuck in with helping them out. I realised that there isn't very long until they have their exam which I believe is in May. I am going to have to RUN through some topics and pray the kids soak in the info.....mmmm i think Professor Fluffy maybe making a surprise visit abroad.

This week in German class the year 4's are writing a newspaper so I got to go on a class trip to the local newspaper office which was really interesting because I have never been in one before. There were some great questions and today the kids had their pictures in the paper because it is the newspaper who is organising the scheme about getting children involved in newspapers.

Living in Schloss Steffi is great too - today the weather was finally warm so I went out in the garden with my flip flops on - it's not exactly tropical yet but still it is not freezing or snowing....yet. Yesterday we had a MASSIVE bonfire and were cutting things down/ burning them on the fire from 2pm until 7pm. I was feeling very Jamie Oliver-inspired and so whacked some spuds on the fire also did some bananas with chocolate :-) SO TASTY. As it was St Patrick's Day of course I had a Guinness. Also I was given the last lesson with class 4A so I did a special St Paddy's day themed lesson and made them sing Molly Malone.

YAY tomorrow is Friday and what is even better is since I have done all my hours! I AM OFF! - lie in tomorrow non of this getting up at 6am. Although THANK GOD that it is light outside and I don't have to wake up in the dark

Sunday 7 March 2010

A Sunday in Stendal

After finally having a good nights sleep because Dottie flew home last night - so no snoring to accompany me when I sleep - I was awake around 8.30. Sat in bed reading and eventually got up at around 11am.





After breakfast I went with Kerstin to the stables and of course Hamlet came with.



We went to see Kerstin's daughters horse who was in the stables. Christiane is home for the weekend so has taken the horse out for some exercise. Meanwhile christiane's boyfriend and Kerstin filled a trailer with muck to use in the garden for the vegetable patch which shall hopefully grow over the next few weeks. I didn't have any wellies with me so I couldn't get properly messy :-( Oh well that is on the shopping list.

Just ate a roast dinner for the first time in months. Am now in bed watching save the last dance.

Will just take it easy today for tomorrow is my first day in work at the school