Keeping Promises

So I kept my promise! I've made the time to write in my blog one week after my last post. But it will have to be kind of quick today....my teaching is keeping me kind of busy. I'm going to school on my day off tomorrow because an 11th grade class I work with is going to skype with a German class at my former high school! Yay! I'm excited! I just hope all the technical stuff works. And then on Tuesday I'm doing a lesson on the presidential election process and Osama bin Laden. I admit I don't know all the details about each topic, so I have to do a bit of research. But one thing I do like about my job is that I sometimes have to research different topics that I don't know much about, so even though it can be time-consuming, I'm learning and becoming more informed! Oh and I hope I don't say Obama instead of Osama on Tuesday. I've been doing it already and it might be a bit embarrassing to get the two mixed up in class.

And I've been busy with looking for jobs for when I return to the U.S. Never a fun process. Then my parents, sister, and Kenny are coming on June 30th to visit! So I've been looking into some stuff for that. I have to admit, right now I'm leaning towards wanting to go home more than wanting to stay here in Germany. I mean Germany...I love it and I really like my friends I have made here and the students....but the old country is calling me. But at the same time I'm kind of afraid of the transition of going back to the U.S. Will I not see people and places in the same way? Possibly....probably. Will the ways I have changed and other people have changed make my relationships different? Maybe....but even though things will probably be different, I don't think it will be a bad thing necessary. At least I hope.

Here are some more photos to make up for the lack of blogging I did last month.

Regensburg (where I studied in 2008): I went to visit a friend there over our Easter break.

On the grounds of an old castle along the Rhein River

I'm back!

Wow....I know I've been away for too long! And I'll tell you a secret, and you may already know this if you look at my blog regularly....the post before this one for April 10th was really posted today. I wrote it on April 10th and had every intention of posting it that day, but for whatever reason I didn't finish it and am just now posting it today.

Once again I've been pretty busy and have not kept up with my blogging duties. In the month of April I only taught for two weeks because we had two weeks of vacation! One of the great perks of teaching in the German school system. During those two weeks the wonderful weather that I spoke about on April 10th was still going. I enjoyed every ounce of sunshine and the beautiful garden/yard of my landlords. On the first week I mostly bummed around Altdorf and a few cities nearby (Bamberg and Regensburg) And then as a nice Easter present Kenny and my friend Kate came to visit from the U.S.! We traveled to quite a few places, including Innsbruck (photo above) and took a hike in the Alps! That was a check off of my check list. We also took a river cruise on the Rhein River and saw Rothenburg, a city that is still encircled by a wall, well the old part of the city anyway. The nice weather held out for the most part while they were here and we had a delightful time! It was Kate's first time in Germany, so I enjoyed showing her where I've lived for the past 8 months....which leads me to my next thought....my countdown till I go home. Now this isn't entirely a countdown that I am completely excited about.

Of course I am feeling a mixture of emotions as I realize that I have a month and half till the end of my grant and about two months till I go home permanently. And only 5 weeks of actually teaching (we have another two week break in June). But as I anticipate my brother's wedding on June 18th (yes, I'm going home for that and coming back...) and search for jobs for when I'm back in the U.S., I can't help but feel a bit excited to see my family and friends on a more regular basis. But I know I will miss Germany, speaking the German language, and my friends, colleagues, and students who I haven't gotten to know here. But I think when June 30th (last day of teaching) and July 12th (the day I go home permanently) roll around I will be mostly ready to go home. But I won't get too emotional just yet, I mean I still have almost two months!

Oh and a quick update of my latest post: Another student did join my literature club! And I did do some more tutoring. Double success! Teaching has been good, just busy. Working at two different schools now that are 40 minutes apart by train can be a bit more time-consuming. I'm learning the ropes at this new school, although I realize that I only have 10 more days of teaching there and it feels like I just began! But it's great to know that I'm impacting more students by teaching at two schools and making (hopefully) even more of a difference. In a week one of my 11th grade English classes might be having a Skype conversation with a German class at my former high school. It should be really cool!

Now I will make one last resolve to write on here more frequently, particularly because I won't be here too much longer. Maybe one post a week...? I think I can handle that :)

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Oh yes and we were in Munich too!

Flowers in the old castle gardens in Rothenburg.