Do you speak English?

Want to know what isn't so great?

2008-06-04T20:21:00.002+02:00

A week of temps above 80 in a southward-facing school with many windows. My answer to this sauna? Ice cream bars.

Lucerne

2008-05-31T11:11:00.008+02:00

Sorry that it's taken me so long to post these pictures from Lucerne. I had a lovely, albeit short, time. I took the overnight train from Dresden and arrived in Lucerne around 10. I spent about 12 hours on the train. That's why I look so tired in these.

In front of the famous bridge and water tower in Lucerne. It was built in the 14th century.

Another shot of the bridge from the opposite side of the river.

On a boat ride around Lake Lucerne. We got off at a little village to walk around and had to run back to the boat. We almost missed it.

A view from the balcony of the hostel

Fondue!

One not so nice thing about Switzerland are these political advertisements. This is about foreigners getting Swiss citizenship. Notice the color of the hands. Here is a BBC article about an upcoming citizenship vote, and here is an interesting article about another poster.

Transitions

2008-05-04T19:18:00.004+02:00

In less than two months, I will be home. My flight is booked for June 27, and Zoe is confirmed too. As I get ready to leave, I am going to share some things that I'll miss and some that I won't.

I'll miss spring in Dresden. It is so wonderful when the weather finally changes. I love being able to open all the windows. Eating outside, especially at Biergartens, is a real treat. Everyone's spirits seem lifted.

I'll also miss not having the expense of a car. I buy a tram/bus pass for 44 euros, and that is pretty much the extent of my transportation expenses for the month (unless I take a taxi, which is rare).

I won't miss seeing people drinking openly on the street. It's just odd to me to see someone drinking straight out of a wine, beer, or liquor bottle at anytime of the day or night anywhere, including the trams and buses.

I won't miss not having the convenience of having a car for grocery shopping. Yesterday, I misjudged and carried home close to 40 pounds of groceries for about half a mile. I weighed it when I got home. That's not even the heaviest grocery load that I've carried.

An unexpected trip!

2008-05-02T20:48:00.002+02:00

In two weeks from right now, I will be boarding an overnight train to Lucerne, Switzerland. I've not been to Switzerland, and I'm very excited about going. A friend will be in Switzerland for a month and is meeting me there. I'm going to be sure to have some fondue and Rösti. Yummy. I'll only be there for a day, but I love unexpected trips!

Books

2008-04-29T19:32:00.003+02:00

I've read some really interesting books lately and wanted to share some of the good ones.

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy: This is the story of fraternal twins. It is set in India, which is one of my very favorite settings for a novel. The best part is Roy's writing style, which is really inventive and different.

The Winter Rose by Jennifer Donnelly: I picked this up in Dublin. It is about a female doctor around the turn of the century in London. I really enjoyed the descriptions of the East End, but I didn't think there was much depth to the book.

The White Mountains by John Christopher: I read this science fiction book to help one of my students write a book report. I liked it. It's about a boy who escapes from tripods that enslave humans.

A Painted House by John Grisham: I'm not really a John Grisham fan usually, but I really liked this book. It has no lawyers in it and is the story of a young boy growing up on a farm in Arkansas.

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith: I loved this book. It is enchanting.

Soul Survivor by Philip Yancey: He is my favoriite Christian author. In this book, he profiles people, especially writers who have influenced him. I have a whole new list of books to read from this book!

My next book is One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn.

Easter (a little late)

2008-04-13T14:40:00.003+02:00

This was the lovely view on Easter morning. I meant to post it on my blog, but I hadn't uploaded my pictures until recently.

Homeward Bound

2008-04-10T20:19:00.004+02:00

Well, as many of you know, my father has been ill for quite some time. He has recently gotten worse. After much prayer, I have decided to move back after this school year to be closer to my parents. In many ways, I am torn by this decision. I am happy to be closer to friends and family and to be a country where I speak the language. I am also sad because I really enjoy working with my students here. I will miss my friends here and all the traveling I get to do. It's much easier to get to Italy when it's just a 3 hour flight away instead of a 10 hour one. It's also much cheaper. I feel totally at peace with my decision though despite the fact that I'll have to pay three times as much for good German chocolate.

I feel that it's important that I am Gadsden, but I also have to get a job. I already have some prospects in Birmingham. I really enjoyed living in Birmingham, and I definitely need a job, but is this best for my situation? I'm just not sure. I would really appreciate your prayers!

I also have to end all my contracts here, find someone to buy/take my furniture, move out, and fly back with Zoe. I am praying for another teacher to take over the apartment. That would be a blessing. I will keep you updated on what's happening.

Busy...

2008-04-08T19:03:00.003+02:00

School has been crazy these past two weeks. Every day last week, I stayed after school for a meeting. Then we had a field trip for a Rainforest walk/run fundraiser on Friday. Today, we had personal project presentations. In the Middle Years Programme of the IBO, 10th graders do a year long personal project. We had to read through their essays, listen to presentations, and mark their work. Then we had an accreditation meeting afterwords. Tomorrow is the official grand opening ceremony, and on Thursday, the middle school kids go to an art exhibit of the grade 12 DP art students. Progress reports go out Friday and next week are teacher-parent conferences. I think there are some things I'm missing. Right now, I'm just praying for the grace to get through each day without forgetting something major!

Dublin

2008-03-22T20:02:00.004+01:00

I just got back from Dublin. I chaperoned a group of five students who were involved in a Model United Nations conference there. Dublin was very cute but dirty compared to Germany. We left very early on Tuesday morning to go to Berlin for our flight. The next day, I went with other MUN advisors to tour the city. We went to the Guinness storehouse and brewery. It was pretty cool and had a great panaromic view of the city on the 7th floor. I didn't try any Guinness though. I opted for a Coke instead of the pint that is included with admission.

After that, I went to Trinity College and got to see the Book of Kells, which was SO COOL!!! That was probably one of the coolest things I've seen in Europe so far. For the rest of the time, I sat in committees and hung around the conference to be there with my students. The worst part of the trip was this morning. There was a dance last night for the students that ended at midnight. We had to leave for the airport at 3:15am. The students came back to my (very small) hotel room after the dance because they had been staying with host families. They all sacked out on the floor. It's funny how teenagers can sleep anywhere for any amount of time. I didn't sleep at all.

Dublin is pretty cool. It was great to be in an English speaking country, and most people were really friendly. It is crazy expensive though. A whopper value meal at Burger King (not supersized) was over $11!!

It's good to be back in Dresden, especially since this is our spring break. Happy Easter!

Grumpy

2008-03-02T16:16:00.003+01:00

Lately I have noticed that I have been a grumpy gus. I have just been so annoyed by complete strangers recently. There was a couple at the grocery store on Friday, and the guy was licking the girl's neck! It was completely disgusting, and I wanted to ram them with my shopping cart. Then today, an old woman got on the tram and asked for my seat even though there were at least 5 empty seats in the area. Oh no, she wanted the exact seat where I sat. I was more than a little frustrated. I need to go to the beach and chill out or something.

Great Weather and Spring Trips

2008-02-25T16:30:00.002+01:00

The past two days have been great here. It's been sunny, and yesterday's temp was in the 60s!! Also, since there's more daylight now, the winter seems to be fading away. This spring, I'll be going to Dublin, Ireland as a chaperone for Model United Nations. I'm going the week before Easter, so I'm hoping to attend some Holy Week services in English while there. (if there's any chance) Then, we have the European Destination trips in June. Since I speak Spanish and was the geography teacher last year, I'm getting to go with the Grade 11 geography students to Barcelona! Those are my only spring trips so far. I still don't have anything planned for Easter break yet. I might stay in Germany but go to Cologne or Hamburg. I've also thought about Budapest with a stop off in Bratislava. I might even stay in Dresden.

Pics from Berlin

2008-02-17T16:36:00.006+01:00

This is from Checkpoint Charlie. My dad was stationed in Germany in the early 1960s and also has a picture of himself in front of the checkpoint.

The Berlin Wall was mostly dismantled, so Berlin has this to commemorate where the wall one stood.

A small section of the wall near Potsdamer Platz

Fun and Games

2008-02-17T14:04:00.003+01:00

My friend Amanda came to visit last week. She was a trooper as she is not only about 6 months pregnant but also has a broken kneecap. She broke it the Monday before she left on Friday to fly to Germany. It only changed our plans slightly, and we had a great time. We went to Berlin and Prague. This was the first time I had been to Berlin as a tourist. We went to the DDR museum, Checkpoint Charlie, Potsdamer Platz, and Berlinale, the Berlin International Film Festival. We also went to Prague and stayed only a few houses down the street from the Charles Bridge!

One of the most fun things we did was a game we entitled "How well do YOU know the 'Coe?" We each gave three clues about someone from Glencoe, and the other person tried to guess. It was great fun. An example of a clue might be "went on one date with Amanda" or "was the salutatorian." It was really fun. We played the game for at least an hour on the train back from Prague.

It was a great week. Unfortunately, school starts tomorrow. Yuck!

Zoe at PT

2008-02-08T21:09:00.000+01:00

This is a short video of Zoe at physical therapy. She is walking on the underwater treadmill. She is doing much better; however, she still doesn't walk all the time. Tonight she wore weights on her right leg to make it stronger.

'Fridge

2008-01-22T20:33:00.000+01:00

After more than four months, at least four visits from repairmen, and lots of frustration, I finally have a permanent refrigerator! It came last Thursday. They decided to repair the old one because they couldn't order a new one that fit my kitchen. They brought the repaired fridge and took away my replacement fridge that I've had since October. All I can say is "Hallelujah!"

Books

2008-01-11T20:56:00.000+01:00

I love to read. In fact, I've read 4 books this week alone and half of two others. I would recommend most of them. Here are a few of them that I read this week.

History of Love by Nicole Krauss: This books has a lot of intricate details that come together at the end in a unique way. It's main characters include Leo Gursky who lost the only woman he ever loved when she thought he had died during the Holocaust. The other character is Alma who is named after a character in an obscure book that her deceased father gave her mom. It is a poignant book.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy: I read it all in one sitting. Haunting. When I finally figured out why most of the women of the "bad guys" were pregnant, I was really disturbed . I even dreamed about it last night.

Perfect Match by Jodi Picoult: A fast-moving book about a mother who kills the man accused of molesting her child. It definitely made me think about how far I could be pushed if a loved one was hurt like that.

Hoot by Carl Hiaasen: I'm reading this to make a reading guide for the 7th graders when they read it later it in the semester. It's pretty interesting. I'm not finished with it yet

So those are some of the books I've read this week. I've read a lot of books for students this year. I think my favorite is Tomorrow, When the War Began. It's about a group of teenagers who become resistance fighters when their country (Australia!) is invaded. It is a series. I've already read the second and want to read the others when I have extra money to buy them.

Happy New Year

2008-01-04T19:48:00.000+01:00

First of all, I'm so sorry that it's been so long since I posted. December was a busy month for me. Of course, Zoe went to PT three times a week. Our school moved buildings over the Christmas break so there was a lot of work between packing and working on things that might get pushed aside in the chaos of starting at the new campus. Plus, my lovely friend Brooke came to visit, and I went home to Alabama for two weeks. So I neglected my blog. I'll give an update of what's going on.

Zoe stayed behind in Dresden. I think this is the last time that I'll leave her for so long. I'll either take her with me or not be gone for so long. I missed her terribly, and it's almost cheaper just to pay for her to fly with me instead of boarding her. She seems to be doing better. She can walk a few more steps on her own. Although it seems like she falls over everytime I'm about to get really excited about her walking ability. I'm like "Hey! You're walk..." and she's down.

Being at home was great. I got to spend a lot of time with my family and see almost all of my friends. In fact, being at home is so nice that I'm usually in a funk for a few days after I get back. Being jet-lagged doesn't help much either.

Having a friend come visit was so nice too. I know the city so much better now and it was great to show her around. Plus, Christmas is such a pretty time here. I'm looking forward to having another friend visit soon.

I think jet-lag is calling again. It's barely 8:00 and I can hardly keep my eyes open.

Tapas for Thanksgiving

2007-11-28T20:44:00.000+01:00

I was in Madrid, Spain last week for a teacher's conference. It was great. The conference sessions were really informative, and I had a chance to go to the Prado and the Reina Sofia museum. I love Spanish art, so I think the Prado has been my favorite art museum so far. Plus I got to see Guernica at the other one. It was way bigger than I expected.

Speaking Spanish was wonderful too. It was such a relief to know the language, to communicate, and to understand!

One of the best things was going out to a tapas bar for dinner on Thanksgiving. We had great food, although my paella had what looked like a whole baby chicken in it. Plus, it's a fun memory to eat tapas for Thanksgiving dinner in Madrid.

In Honor of the Iron Bowl

2007-11-20T14:13:00.000+01:00

Several colleagues went to Moscow for a conference. One brought this back to me. Doesn't it seem weird that a Matryoshka doll maker in Moscow looked up players on the Alabama football team?

The smaller ones are Gilberry and Castille.

Seiffen

2007-11-18T16:56:00.000+01:00

On Saturday, a group of us drove to Seiffen. Seiffen is a village in the Erzgebirge Mountains south of Dresden. Seiffen is where all those famous German Christmas decorations are made. We have seen some snow in Dresden, but nothing has stuck yet in the city because the temps are still above freezing most of the time. Since Seiffen is in the mountains, it has colder temps and LOTS of snow. I'm still really unsure when walking in the snow. It's scary!

I did some shopping for Christmas. It was really nice to get away for the day. A student from school was sweet enough to come by and check on Zoe twice. I'm getting in the Christmas spirit!

Fabulous News!

2007-11-16T20:15:00.000+01:00

Zoe took her first steps since surgery today at physical therapy. It was on the underwater treadmill. The water helps her to support her weight. At first, she was just dragging her back legs, but then she started to move them too!! I was so happy and thankful that all those prayers have been answered. The physical therapist even started to cry a little. How sweet is that?

More Paris pics

2007-11-10T17:49:00.001+01:00

Here are a few more pictures from my trip to Paris. I haven't had a chance to post them in all the Zoe hullabaloo.

at the Louvre

the gardens at Versailles

an unflattering picture of me in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles.
Montmartre

a view of the gargoyles at Notre Dame.

Zoe Update

2007-11-08T19:54:00.000+01:00

Zoe has now been home almost two weeks. We have been going to physical therapy three days a week. The progress is very slow, but there does seem to be progress. Although she can't walk yet, her reflexes and sensation seem to be returning. It's still hard though. I come home during the day to check on her, and the physical therapists is not easy to get to. I take two buses and then walk about three blocks or take three buses. Not fun at all. She got out her stitches on Monday and the wound seems to be healing fairly well.

The physical therapy is interesting. First, the therapist is Bulgarian and speaks German and Bulgarian, so I take my German dictionary, and he draws pictures. I can understand about 60% of what he says. He does things that teach Zoe how to walk again. He does exercises that practice the motion of walking. He also uses magnetic, laser, and electro-therapy. When Zoe gets a little better, he has a underwater treadmill that she can walk on that will support her weight. It's often painful for her, but that's actually very good. Here are some pictures that I took of her when I got her home.

She was sitting on a puppy pad because she has had a little problem with incontinence. That seems to be getting better, thank goodness!

Update 2

2007-10-29T18:37:00.001+01:00

Zoe came home on Friday afternoon, and I spent the whole weekend taking care of her. I really felt overwhelmed at times, but I prayed a lot. She stays in her crate all the time. Because she can't move her back legs, I carry her to the bathroom where she does her business in the tub. I actually have to squeeze her abdomen to make her go.

I tried to work out a schedule for school. I left her on a table in the kitchen this morning on her crate so that she could see out the window. I came back at about 10:45, and she had fallen off the table, out of her crate, and scooted her way into the living room. Then, when I picked her up, she peed on me. I was beside myself.

Then, this afternoon, I came home around 3:00 to take her back to the vet to meet the physical therapist. Thank goodness, Zoe was in her crate! Then, even better, the physical therapist was optimistic about her prognosis!! Hallelujah!! I think the Lord knew that I really needed to hear some good news.

Thanks for your prayers!

Update

2007-10-25T20:18:00.001+02:00

Zoe came through the surgery pretty well. I just got word about an hour ago that she has gone to the bathroom. I still don't know if she actually has control over those functions, but she is making some progress.

Here are some things to pray for

That she regains the use of her legs. She is paralyzed in her back legs right now and could be for several weeks or even forever.

That she has control over her bathroon functions.

And, that I can deal with having to care for a seriously ill dachshund by myself. I might have to take her to school or leave school often to check on her. My emotions were not so out of control today, but it's just hard to not have her here when I got home.

I will call the vet tomorrow to see if I can take her home. Thanks for your prayers. It means a lot to know that I have such caring friends.

Struggles

2007-10-24T18:26:00.000+02:00

These past two weeks have been really difficult for me, and I would appreciate your prayers. While the trip to Paris was nice, there were some not so nice parts too.

Then I got home and Zoe was not well, her back again. She had a crisis last night and lost all ability to move her back legs. I really thought that she might not make it through the night. She is having emergency surgery today on a herniated disk in her spinal column. This surgery will be upwards of 1200 Euros, not counting the extra days at the vet's and the physical therapy. She might not even regain the use of her legs.

Combine this with cold, rainy/snowy weather. Plus, I have to make a very tough decision soon about whether to stay a third year or not. I know that God is with me and that He will guide me, but it's sometimes hard to control my emotions.

Paris Pics Part I

2007-10-22T17:34:00.000+02:00

The Eiffel Tower at Night
Me at the Louvre

Arc de Triomphe

Sacre Couer

The Seine

The Eiffel Tower

Paris

2007-10-20T18:42:00.000+02:00

After much tribulation due to the Metro strike in Paris, I have arrived back in Dresden. I found Paris to be really great. I don't know how it got such a bad reputation, but I thought that the people in Paris were so nice and friendly. The crepes were delicious. My favorite was banana-nutella -- oh so yummy. The museums were great. I got to see the Mona Lisa at the Louvre and lots of Impressionists at the Musee d'Orsay. One of the best things was just walking through Paris and going into all the fun shops. The churches were great too. I was at Notre Dame for a Vespers service. I would definitely love to go back to Paris. I would rank it with Florence and Venice as my favorite European cities. I will post pictures very soon (tomorrow, I hope).

P.S. Please be praying for Zoe. She is in pain. The dog boarder said that she had been sick all week. I'm not sure if it is her back or her tummy.

Fall break

2007-10-11T18:41:00.000+02:00

One of the things I like best about the schedule at my school is the way breaks are spread out. We have a week in Octobers, two weeks at Christmas, one in February, and one at Easter. It's really nice because I have been needing a break from school. Last year for fall break, I went to Tuscany for seven days that was the best vacation ever. We stayed in a farmhouse near Volterra and went to Florence, San Gimignano, Siena, and Pisa. I ate gelatto at least once a day. We ate at really superb restaurants. Plus, the lady who owned the farmhouse gave us homemade fig preserves, tomato sauce, and fresh fruits and veggies. It was heaven. Here are some pics.

These are views from the farmhouse.

Finally this is San Gimignano. I loved this city. Plus, it has the World Champion gelatto place there. Yummy.

I hope this year's trip will be just a fun. I'm headed to Paris. I've never been, so there's much to see: Sacre Coeur, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Montmartre, Musee d'Orsay. I'm also looking forward to the food. I'll be sure to post lots of pictures when I get back.

Funny school story and other thoughts

2007-09-30T19:49:00.000+02:00

The students in my advisory group are 7th graders. Advisory is similar to homeroom; we meet for about 10 minutes, and I announce things about school and check on the students' work, etc. This week, one of the boys asked if I was sick. I replied, "No, why?"
"You look really tired," was his reply.
I can't remember what I said next, but then he said, "You need a good time in bed."
Now I know that he meant I needed some rest, but still... I thought it was pretty funny.

Next, I have good and bad news about the 'fridge. I now have one, but it's temporary. My "kaput" fridge is built into the cabinetry in the kitchen. It is older and the dimensions on new ones are different. Therefore, I have to wait for one to be ordered. If one can't be found that fits the kitchen, I might get a whole new kitchen. How crazy is that?

Finally, one last thought. Have you ever seen someone and afterwards you wished that you would have gone up to him/her and said something? That happened to me on Saturday. I saw a super cute guy on the tram. Black hair, blue eyes, tall, with just the right amount of stubble, AND straight white teeth (often something hard to come by in Europe) He was reading a book about learning English, and he was sitting close to me. I thought about saying something, but I chickened out. Then I mentally kicked myself as I got off the tram. Oh well.

Tagged

2007-09-22T11:33:00.000+02:00

I was tagged by my friend Amanda to do this so here it goes...

H- I would maybe say H is for history. I really love reading about and studying history. My favorite time periods are Renaissance, Reformation, and the social aspects of World War II. Actually, as long as it's not Ancient Greece or Rome (boring!), I'm interested.

O-Other countries. I have lived in two other countries and I really like it a lot. I think you get a much deeper understanding and appreciation for a culture when you stay for more than a few weeks. I also love to travel and have now been to about 14 different countries. That's not really all that much so I want to travel more.

L-Languages. While I don't really like learning another language, I do enjoy the process of understanding and speaking a new language. I knew my Spanish was getting much better when I could understand sermons at church. This week at school, I understood most of the German during a parent meeting. I'm not at the production stage in German yet, but I hope that will come soon.

L-The other L is difficult. Maybe learning as I'm a teacher? Or libraries because I love reading? Or Lost, my favorite TV show?

Y- Yummy because I love to eat. My new favorite food is Brie-so, so yummy.

All my friends with blogs have already been tagged so I guess I won't tag anybody else.

Pray for me!

2007-09-19T16:40:00.000+02:00

So my refrigerator broke last Monday. I kept calm and cleaned it out, taking some stuff to school and cooking and eating far more salmon that I usually do to keep it from going bad. I was pretty sure the fridge was owned by the landlords so I called and asked for a repair guy to come by. He did last Thursday, and I totally understood in German that the refrigerator is "kaput." It would cost 400 euros to repair. He said the landlords may want to buy another one and that they would contact me. So I went the whole weekend without a fridge. Not fun.

Monday, I asked a secretary to call again to check about it, and they told me that they would be in contact about either repairing or replacing it. So I waited... Then I asked her to call again today thinking that I would just give them a little encouragement to have it fixed by the weekend. Turns out that the apartment manager could probably have it fixed by NOT next week, but the NEXT. They have to get approval from the actual owner, then get bids, then buy one or wait for a a repair guy to come.

But hey, the manager said at least the weather was cool so I really didn't need a refrigerator. It's in the 50s and 60s!!!! I can't put food outside!!! What an idiot!

What really burns me up is that I pay extra on my rent for a furnished kitchen. (Most apartments in Germany do not come with a kitchen just an empty room). When asked for a discount on the rent, the manager said, "Well, sure if it takes 6-8 weeks."

I thought about putting a whole bunch of stuff on my window sill with a sign that says, "My refrigerator is broken. The landlord won't fix it, but he said it was cool enough to keep the food outside. Enjoy the sight of my milk, cheese, yogurt, butter, meat, and eggs, as you enter the building!!"

Leipzig

2007-09-15T19:29:00.000+02:00

So last night Zoe and I were at a Biergarten with friends enjoying possibly one of the last outdoor, Biergarten opportunities. I so love eating outside and the roast chicken with pommes(fries) at Schillergarten. Some of them were talking about going to Leipzig today, and I decided to join them. Our main point in going was to tour the Stasi (East German secret police) museum that is in the former Stasi headquarters. It blows my mind just how much they spied on the East German citizens. They opened letters, examined scents (what does that tell you?), taped phone conversations, and even took pictures of people who attended church.

We also went to St. Thomaskirche where Bach was the cantor. We had a treat because a choral ensemble was practicing for a concert tonight. They sung beautifully, and I got to hear them for free. The acoustics in the church made it seem as if the music was filling up your body. Then we went to the Nicolaikirche, which is a really cool church that has columns built to resemble palm trees. Someone was getting married there today. It was a really nice day overall.

Thoughts on fall and something funny at school

2007-09-05T19:18:00.000+02:00

There are some seasons that make me wish I were at home. Fall is my favorite season in Alabama. From football to the first cool days and the leaves changing colors, I love it. I even like fall because all the TV shows have their season premieres.

Fall is here in a big way. We're in a cooler pattern of weather with highs in the 50s. The sky-when it's not raining- is the deep blue fall color. It's still pretty dark when I get up in the mornings, so I know the really dark days are coming. I've been taking Zoe on long walks when the weather is nice and dry. I want to make sure to go to a Biergarten a few more times. I think fall here in Dresden is just something to get through until winter arrives. I'm really looking forward to the Christmas season here, but fall just seems to be so-so.

Something funny happened at school today. Right outside the back door (which is the main entry/exit for students) a dog had left a very big deposit. (At least, I assume it was a dog!) I saw it as I went out for lunch. When leaving school, I saw three boys outside wanting to come in, but not wanting to touch the door knob. I opened it from the inside. As he entered, a German sixth grader proceeded to tell me in a very serious way, "There's dog shit on the door."

That cracked me up. I then went to the reception area to tell the secretary. I said," Do you know that at the back door, there is..."

"Dog shit? Yes, I know."

That made me laugh even more. It was said withought any shame or lowering her voice. I guess that's not such a bad word here? I'm just trying to imagine the reaction at Oak Mtn if the secretary said that in the front office.

It's a good thing that my German is bad.

2007-08-23T19:20:00.000+02:00

I really do like living in Germany a lot. I love my job, and I really like Dresden. One thing that I do not like is the tendency for some Germans to scold complete strangers. This has happened to me twice in the past few days.

Two nights ago, I was taking Zoe for her last walk of the night. She only ever does #1 then, so I didn't have a bag to pick up after her. As we were walking back, a man from a nearby building came home. Even though I have never talked to him before, he proceeded to say in a very ugly way that I should pick up after my dog. Today, my next door neighbor yelled at me about Lord knows what. She's about 70 and a little crazy. One teacher at school said that a complete stranger tried to put socks on her baby because the stranger thought he was cold.

Sometimes it is just so frustrating to not speak German!! I did ask another teacher how to reply to the guy who yelled at me about Zoe. So I now know how to say, "Kiss my a**." in German. I really hope that I will not have to use that phrase.

School's barely started,

2007-08-20T18:04:00.000+02:00

and I'm already thinking about my first vacation. I just booked a flight to Paris during my fall break for 100 Euros.

Should I mention?

2007-08-10T19:44:00.000+02:00

That tomorrow's high is supposed to be 62 here?

That's like 40 degrees cooler than back home. Sorry to rub it in. You can return the favor when it is 60 there and -25 here.

I went to my last German class today. I do understand more, but it is still a challenge to speak. School starts for the teachers Monday. I'm so glad to NOT be the new teacher.

Feed the birds... or else

2007-08-02T21:12:00.000+02:00

I just got these pictures from my friend who met me in Venice. In San Marcos Square, tourists can feed the birds. You can buy birdseed from vendors for a euro. The birds are used to this and are very bold. You can see from these pics that it started out well, but then the pigeons attacked.

Eagle's Nest

2007-08-02T20:58:00.000+02:00

I forgot to post pics of my tour of the Eagle's Nest. It was cool to be in a place where so much history had taken place.

So not really fluent yet...

2007-07-28T20:53:00.000+02:00

One week of German class is done. It's tiring, but I enjoy it. My teacher is good. Being a language teacher too, it's funny to be the student. She only speaks German to us in class. Of course, she speaks slowly and clearly and uses a lot of hand gestures. It's similar to how one would speak to a person who is mentally incapacitated. She speaks English very well so it is tempting to speak English to her during the breaks, but I try to only speak German. I really do sound mentally incapacitated though because "Mein name ist Holly" and "Ich komme aus den USA" will only take me so far when I want to say something about a movie I saw last night. Although in a pinch I can count to 100 or recite the alphabet. Obviously, fluency is only a few classes away. Really though, I do feel a little more confident about speaking and understanding.

Another funny thing is the other students. There are five other students from Russia, the Dominican Republic, Japan, Bulgaria, and Brazil. Naturally we all have accents from our mother tongues. Sometimes, I can't tell if a couple of them are even speaking German. I'm sure they think the same thing about me. Also, we have learned a lot of questions this week and the ways to answer those questions. One student keeps on just repeating the question back to the teacher instead of answering. I would have lost patience a long time ago. It also makes me empathize with my students when I make them work in pairs because I only want to be paired with the better students.

Ich spreche Deutsch...

2007-07-20T21:35:00.000+02:00

Well, not so much yet, but I start a German course on Monday that is four weeks long. I will go to class four days a week from 9:00-1:00. I am going to what is the equivalent of community college although they offer really cool stuff. I could take Japanese or even belly-dancing classes if I wanted. Friends from school and church have taken courses like these and say that they are really good. I don't want much. I just want to be able to say hello and carry on simple conversations with my neighbors. Now, if I see one approaching, I practically run inside my apartment to avoid having to talk. It's just so frustrating!!

Now for the Sound of Music Answers:

#1: obviously, the gazebo for the songs "I am 16" with Rolf and Liesel and "Something Good" with the Captain and Maria

#2: The back of the house where the kids fell in the lake after going around in their "play clothes."

#3: From the end of "Do Re Mi." The kids hop up the stairs and Maria walks up and hits the high note at the very end of the song.

#4: Fountain in "I Have Confidence" when Maria leaves the abbey. Unfortunately, I think I took this from the wrong angle.

#5 and #6: These are probably the hardest. They are from "Do Re Mi." The kids walk around the fountain (but that is shot from above the fountain) and then have a pretend race while singing down the walkway.

Hot!

2007-07-17T19:00:00.000+02:00

We have had a heat wave for the past few days. Yesterday was 97! The day before was in the 90s too. Today is cooler but still in the high 80s. I don't have AC so I was really worried that I would be dying. Thankfully, last week was cool and my building is still pretty cool. I keep the shades and curtains drawn during the day and try not to go out. Tomorrow is supposed to be around 73 and I'm glad. It's just no fun to have Alabama heat without Alabama air conditioning. In fact, I don't know of a single place other than the dairy section of the grocery store that is cool. If it gets hot and stays hot for more than three or four days at a time, I will seriously think about going to Norway or Sweden.

Sound of Music!

2007-07-13T16:07:00.000+02:00

One of the best experiences of the trip was the Sound of Music tour in Salzburg.

Obviously, this tour means businesss! This bus cracked me up! Now, on to the quiz. I've put the pictures in order of what I think is increasing difficulty. Do you remember the scene, characters, or song involved?

This next one might be hard because it was POURING, but I have confidence (that's not a clue) that you can figure it out.

Good luck!

Stefano?

2007-07-13T15:55:00.000+02:00

On the way from Rome to Venice, two Italian women were having a discussion and the name Stefano came up several times. Of course, I didn't understand any of it, but I wanted to say, "I know, can you believe what he's doing to Marlena right now?"

Obviously, I've been too influenced by Days, but doesn't it seem weird that someone is actually named Stefano?

Back!

2007-07-12T19:04:00.000+02:00

I'm back from traveling!! I had a pretty good time, but it was a little lonely traveling alone. I'll give you a quick rundown of each city.

Munich: The best thing was the second-hand English bookstore there. I was in heaven.

Milan: Not too impressive, but it has a pretty cathedral.

Florence: Awesome again. The art was fantastic. I snuck this picture.

Rome: The Vatican and St. Peter's Basilica were gorgeous, an experience of a lifetime. The Pieta is breathtaking.

Venice: beautiful city, great shopping. Maybe my favorite city in Italy.

Innsbruck: by far the best hotel of the trip. Salzburg: Sound of Music. Yay! Those pics will come later. Maybe I'll do a quiz.

Cool stuff

2007-07-03T22:46:00.000+02:00

I'm having a good time so far. It can be a bit lonely though, but I had nice conversations today in Florence as I waited 9 hours total to see David at the Accademia and the Boticelli's at the Uffizi. Totally worth it though. Pics will be coming later

Come on ride that train...

2007-06-26T20:45:00.000+02:00

I hope you now have the Quad City DJs stuck in your head! I am leaving Thursday for almost two weeks to go to Italy and Austria. I will be traveling by train the entire time. I am looking forward to it, but I'm a little nervous too because I am going by myself. Here's my itinerary so you can think about me on these days.

Thursday, June 28: Munich
Sunday, July 1: Milan
Monday, July 2: Florence (Since I'm only going to be there a day, please be praying that I can get into the two museums that I missed when I was there in October)
Tuesday, July 3: Rome
Friday, July 6: Venice
Sunday, July 8: Innsbruck, Austria
Monday July 9: Salzburg... I've booked the Sound of Music tour. I'm giddy with excitement.
The next day I'm going on the Eagle's Nest tour to where Hitler had a vacation retreat.
Wednesday, July 11: Back to Munich then home to Dresden

Please be praying for my safety as I will be alone, for clean, safe hostels, and for some traveling companions. I will try to post while I'm gone.

Summer?

2007-06-23T20:39:00.000+02:00

Is it really summer if the high temperature is 65 degrees?

(Since I don't have AC, I'm not complaining!)

Last day of school

2007-06-22T21:51:00.000+02:00

Today was the last day of school. It seems like the school year has flown by. Yesterday was the students' last day, and we had the end of school assembly for almost three hours. I was truly dreading the assembly because I have never been to an year end assembly that was not excruciatingly painful with an entire day of band and choir songs.

Yesterday was not like that all. There were awards given out to most improved students and to students who exemplify the IB Learner Profile. There was a video produced by the students in drama class about what we as teachers would have been like in high school. It was hilarious. One of the most touching things was that all the departing teachers and students were recognized. I had a hard time not crying at some of the speeches. It was really nice.

The last week of school has been so lovely. There was a teacher appreciation barbecue organized by the Grade 10 students. Only here would the students serve the teachers champagne, beer, and wine. Then, one of the board members had everyone on staff over to his house for dinner. The food was excellent, and the house was even nicer with a spa room that had a steam room and a massage table. I wouldn't mind house-sitting for them. Finally last night, a very large group of teachers went to a Biergarten to celebrate.

One difficult thing is that this is the second year in a row that I'm saying goodbye, but instead of leaving, I'm the one staying behind. It's hard to see all these wonderful teachers, who are also my good friends, leave. I wonder how the next school year will go. This year has been great-by far, my best year teaching- so I wonder if next year will be as nice.

On my walk home from school, I just reflected on how much the Lord has blessed me. I have a job that I love in a country that I am coming to love. I've made wonderful, caring friends here and still have beautiful friends and family back home. I've recently found a new church that is open and grace-filled. I get to travel and see the cool, diverse world that God has made. I'm just so thankful for His love and grace.

Neustadt Fest

2007-06-18T20:23:00.001+02:00

The Neustadt area of Dresden is a really interesting place. A lot of people live there who definitely have alternative lifestyles. For example, there's a Goth second hand store. I don't know of many places that have Goth stores at all, much less a second hand Goth store. The Neustadt also has restaurants and bars. I like several restaurants in the area, but I don't really like going on the weekends. It's disconcerting to see my students out on the streets drinking (Sixteen is the legal drinking age).

The Neustadt had a big festival this weekend. I had heard about it for several months. Pretty much anything goes. People can pull their couches from their apartments into the streets and even sell things if they wish. I heard about some people who had set up a beer funnel from the second story apartment with a chute rigged to send money up to them. I bet they made a killing.

For a while, I had also heard that there would be violence. There's been some protesting in the Neustadt during the year, and the G8 conference was held in Germany a few weeks ago. I think people expected the protesters to come to the Neustadt festival. Anyway, I decided to go with some German friends. It was really crowded. I saw more dyed hair and piercings than I've ever seen, but it was pretty tame. Plus, there was a ton of police including some dresseed in what looked like riot gear. Some of them were pretty cute. It was really fun, and a fabulous place to people watch. I look forward to going next year. I'm going to break out my hippie clothes so I can fit in!

ZOE UPDATE: She is doing much better. Almost 100%. The lady who took care of her during my trips even took her swimming in the Elbe so I've bought a retractable leash for the summer. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers!!

On to Vienna

2007-06-05T20:34:00.000+02:00

So I'm still playing catch-up. We arrived back in Dresden after our trip to Krakow at 7:15 pm. Guess when I left for Vienna? 5:15 the next morning! Yes, I am crazy.

After a LONG 8 hour bus ride (and being in 4 different countries in less than 24 hours), we made to our less than clean hostel. Five chaperones and 30 10th graders; let the fun begin!! Actually, our group was really well-behaved. They were on time and polite, especially compared with other school groups we saw.

We went to several art museums, including the gallery at the Belvedere Palace. Gustav Klimt's The Kiss is there. It is one of my favorites. The gold in the painting is luminous. I snuck a picture when a guard wasn't in the room. Another highlight of the trip was a visit to see the morning workout of the famous Spanish riding school in Vienna. We were able to see one of the horses work on jumping back. It was really cool. Several of our students ride and show horses so they were able to explain a lot about the different techniques. Here's a picture of their stables.

The absolute best part of our trip was going to the Schoenbrunn Palace to hear a concert by the Vienna Philharmonic. This was not part of our plans, but we saw advertisements decided that it would be fun. This was a really famous outdoor, free concert. There were over 80,000 people attending. Plus, Bill Clinton was there accepting a check for his AIDS charity. You can say what you will, but I like him a lot so I was super excited. Plus two older ladies got into a shoving match. So we had multiple forms of entertainment!

I ended up not going on the Model United Nations trip the next week because I wasn't feeling well on Sunday. I was a little disappointed, but I was able to get Zoe a week early and get some work done at school.

Catch up

2007-05-30T20:12:00.000+02:00

Sorry that it's taken me a while to catch up with my blog. I ended up not going on the third trip to Oldenburg due to sickness so I've been at school. The end of school is quickly approaching. Our last day is June 22. I'm a little envious of everyone who's already out. I have a lot to tell you about Krakow and Vienna so I'm going to break it up into at least two or three posts.

I went to Krakow with 7 other teachers from school. It's an 11 hour train ride so we left at about 8 am and arrived after 7 pm. That is a lot of train riding! We passed the time with a special game that Florian and I made up. We name a letter and take turns saying countries of the world that start with that letter. Once there is only one left, the first person who names that country wins a point. We have played the game before and were both looking forward to it. So to make things official, we printed off a list of independent countries as recognized by the United Nations. I printed off study guides and then an official list for our "moderator." What makes things even better is that he is just a competitive as I am. We probably played the game for 4 or 5 hours on the way there and back. Joe joined our game, but was at a disadvantage as he did not have a study guide. Yes, we are NERDS, but it is a super fun game. Btw, we tied, but I never lost a point. (You lose a point by not being able to think of a country when there are still countries left.)

On to more interesting things, Krakow is truly lovely. Here's a picture of the main square. The basilica is on the left and the town market is on the right. There are a lot of carriage rides for tourists which is why you see all the horses.

I have more pics of Krakow on my flickr account. We stayed at a hostel in the center of town and went exploring the first night. We decided to get up and go to Auschwitz on Friday.

Auschwitz and Birkenau are only about a 90 minute bus ride away from Krakow. We needed to be on the 9:00 bus in order to go on the English speaking tour at 11:00. We arrived late and thought that we would miss the bus because all the seats were taken. However, in Poland, you can stand in the aisle of what basically amounted to a church bus. It was not fun. I tried not to complain though because of where we were going. 1.5 million people were killed there; I can stand up for less than two hours.

There were a lot of tourists there so we started at Birkenau which is usually the second part of the tour. Our guide was really good. I think he was probably a grad student because he knew a lot. One man had a female relative at Auschwtiz and our guide was able to figure out where she stayed and worked even though her account seemed to contradict what the maps and signs said. We were asked not to take pictures, but this is not enforced at all. I only took one of the train tracks into Birkenau.

They told us about the select prisoners who worked in the gas chambers. They were usually selected because they spoke the same language as the victims who would soon be arriving. After the people were killed, these men had to remove any fillings from their teeth and shave the women's hair, which was used in the German textile industry. They even had hair that had not been shipped to factories when the camp was liberated by the Red Army. After a few months, our guide said that these prisoners were "liquidated."

Overall, it was fascinating and very somber, but it wasn't emotional for me like I thought that it would be. I am very glad that we went.

Vienna Philharmonic

2007-05-24T22:42:00.000+02:00

Okay, another quick post to tell about a really cool thing that we did. We heard that the Vienna Philharmonic was giving a free open air concert in Schoenbrunn Palace so we decided to go. There were a ton of people there (think Alabama/Auburn game). And the best part? Bill Clinton was introduced at the beginning because he was accepting a check for an AIDS charity. It was freaking awesome!! Plus, we saw some old ladies have a shoving match because one stepped in front of the other. Toss in some Tchaikovsky, and that my friends is a great night.

Quick update

2007-05-23T22:06:00.000+02:00

I'm now in Vienna in the middle of my travel marathon. Krakow was really nice. We went to Auschwitz, which I'll blog about later. Krakow is must see. Vienna is really nice too, but after so much traveling and walking around, my feet and legs are killing me. I did see Gustav Klimt's The Kiss at the Belvedere today. Wow, so cool!! I'll try to write more and add pictures this weekend.

Travel (Again!) and a Zoe update

2007-05-14T19:18:00.000+02:00

Thanks so much for your prayers for Zoe. Today on our third trip in one week, the vet finally took x-rays, and noticed two areas of concern on her mid and lower back. She is stocked up on pain and other meds (including B Vitamins). It's wait and see now because Wednesday I leave and will only be back home for a day or two until June 2. I'm taking her to her usual boarder with strict instructions for no climbing stairs, jumping, running, or playing with other dogs. Pobrecita! How boring!

Now for the travel details. I leave for Krakow on Thursday with friends from school. Since Auschwitz is close, we are going there too. It should be a great trip, and I'm going with the funniest people I've met so far here. (Although they don't compare to Trey and Co., the Lunch Crew, or the Glencoe girls for peeing in the pants laughter) We get back Sunday just in time for me to turn around and leave Monday for Vienna with the Grade 10 on their European Destination field trip. We're there til Friday. There's a possible trip to Berlin for Saturday and Sunday to watch English movies, and then Monday, I leave to chaperone a Model United Nation group in Oldenburg, Germany. We get back Saturday. My poor Zoe won't recognize me!!

As I type, a good old fashioned Southern thunderstorm is going on outside complete with hail. A part of me wants there to be a "weather event," but it's just not the same without James in the weather center. He wouldn't have even taken off his coat for this one much less rolled up his sleeves. Oh what the Germans are missing with their sedate weather!

Prayer Request

2007-05-09T15:54:00.000+02:00

Zoe has hurt her back. I'm not sure when it happened exactly, but she has been in pain since the night that I got back home to Dresden. I took her to the vet first thing on Tuesday morning. He gave her several shots and some pain medicine. I am supposed to bring her back on Friday for more tests. She doesn't want to walk and even drags her back legs behind her. I'm really scared that she is seriously injured and will need surgery. I think most of you understand how much this upsets me. I've cried more in the past few days than at The Notebook and Steele Magnolias put together! Please be praying for her and for me.

Wedding!!

2007-05-07T19:21:00.000+02:00

I just got back from Haley's wedding. It was gorgeous. Here are some pictures

From the rehearsal dinner

My new brother-in-law!!

These are from the day of the wedding. My dad looks very handsome and my mom looks beautiful...

The flowers were some of the prettiest that I've ever seen.

Haley even had each girl's initials on her bouquet.

Haley and Keith are big Alabama fans so when they left the reception, everyone had shakers instead of throwing birdseed or blowing bubbles.

I love her dress.

Here are some other pictures from the reception.

Travel

2007-05-01T10:52:00.000+02:00

I will be going back to the U.S. on Wednesday afternoon for my lovely sister's wedding. I am very excited about seeing all my family at the celebration. I know that she will be a gorgeous bride. The only thing that I don't look forward to is having to fly from Atlanta on Sunday afternoon to be in Dresden on Monday for school. I am praying for blessings like sleep on the plane, a good seat mate, and to be bumped into first class. I would be thrilled.

Spring!

2007-04-27T20:47:00.000+02:00

Spring seems to have arrived in full force here in Dresden. The weather has been outstanding. In fact, some people have said it's like summer because the highs have been around 75. Of course, as a good 'Bama girl, I scoff at summer temps in the 70s unless it's midnight. One interesting thing is that it is still light after 8 pm. Right now, its after 9, and it's not even completely dark yet. What will happen in June?

Unfortunately, with spring, I've seen disturbing fashion choices including tube tops with bra straps showing, (it actually seems like part of the outfit!!), open toe sandals with reinforced toe pantyhose, and MEN wearing capri pants. I haven't been to the States in warm weather since last August. Is this normal? It looks really messed up to me, and I think Stacy and Clinton would disapprove.

Apart from the fashion missteps (or wipe outs), Dresden is really wonderful. There are so many plants and trees that are blooming. God has created such a gorgeous world for us to enjoy. His creativity is astonishing. When I walk Zoe, I marvel at the beautiful colors in spring.

So happy together!

2007-04-16T19:13:00.000+02:00

Five years ago today, my dad took me to Hokes Bluff for an early birthday surprise-Zoe! I thought we were going for some tractor part. Little did I know, I would be getting the best birthday present ever! Even though she had humble beginnings (I mean, Hokes Bluff!), she's been on an airplane and lived in two different countries! Here are some reasons why I love my baby girl.

She lost weight like a champ on her airplane diet last summer and didn't even make a peep on the flights.

She tucks herself into bed, even if it's my bed.

Her tongue is just a little too long for her mouth when she's sleepy.

She has the sweetest expressions.
She loves the sunshine!

She curls up like a bean when sleeping.

She intently watches outside for the slightest hint of a bird, cat, or other dog.

But most of all, she loves me back!!
In fact yesterday, I sprained my ankle fighting off another dog who tried to bite her. She's fine, but I'm not so great. I'll be fine though, and she's worth it.

Pics

2007-04-12T21:36:00.000+02:00

I really love makeup. I like to experiment with eye makeup especially. I tried a smoky-eye look from a beauty website. Since all my makeup girls are in the States, I thought I would post two pics to see what y'all think. I have to say, my freckles sure are popping out after spending some time in the sun walking Zoe.Finally, I went grocery shopping the other day and when I came home, I found Zoe sitting on a pile of laundry that I had taken out of the dryer. (Haley and Amanda, I'm sorry for not folding them immediately.)

I have very little willpower

2007-04-12T13:09:00.000+02:00

So I am now caught up with Lost. I watched Wednesday's episode today as soon as it was available on iTunes. I know that there are a lot of people disappointed with this season, and I'll admit, I wasn't all that thrilled with the first six or seven episodes. Having now watched 8 episodes in the past three days, I am enjoying this season. All the Sayid time is great too. He is just so wonderful (and HOT!). I cannot stand Juliet though. I hate the way she smirks.

When I had several episodes waiting on me, I could stay away from spoiler websites and had no interest in knowing what would happen. I was happy knowing that I could catch up by watching those episodes. Ideally, I don't want to be spoiled, but I just can't help myself. Today after I watched last night's episode, the very first thing I did was to get on the Internet to look up spoilers. When I watched Roswell (my very favorite show of all time), I would even read the script excerpts that were posted before the shows aired. That really ruined the suspense. I am usually good with surprises; I can wait for Christmas morning, and I want birthday presents to be surprises. TV shows are a whole different things. I cannot stay away from spoilers. It's like crack to me.

Enjoying the break

2007-04-10T22:02:00.000+02:00

I haven't done anything special during the school break yet. I've read and watched movies mostly, but I have enjoyed it so far. I am reading The Jesus I Never Knew by Philip Yancey. I really love Yancey's honesty in his books. I'm over halfway finished, and I've got such a fresh perspective on Jesus, how much He loved us, and just how great He truly is. I just read the chapter on the Sermon on the Mount today, and I'll admit, I always struggled with it. I just know that I'll never measure up, yet I understand that is what grace is all about. However, Yancey says that the Sermon on the Mount is more than that; that it is describing the holiness of God. Of course, Yancey explains it far more eloquently than I just did. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it.

Another book that I am reading this week is The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis. He describes the four loves of affection, friendship, eros, and charity. I'm not as sure how I feel about it. Now don't get me wrong, I really enjoy his books, but I don't think I agree with his views on friendship. Maybe I misunderstood it because goodness knows that he is far wiser than I, but he made it seem that friendship comes out of a shared preference or experience. He made it seem as if the preference were almost more important than the friend. I think it may be because he is writing from the male perspective, and I think female friendship is a far different thing. For those of you who have read this, what do you think? Did I get it wrong?

I watched 4 or 5 episodes of Lost last night. I think I am about three weeks behind now. I just got behind watching them after they were downloaded to iTunes. I will say that I am glad that they are finally showing more Sayid. I LOVE him; of course, I think most of you know about my obsession with him.

So that is what I have done so far during the break. I guess the trips around Dresden will have to wait. Other than going to church, I've only been to the grocery store. The funny thing about it though is that even though I haven't really gone out, I haven't been lonely at all. (unlike the post from a few weeks ago) It's almost been like a retreat. Except without camp food or being mooned by the boys from the youth group.

Holidays!!

2007-04-05T10:07:00.000+02:00

School has been cuh-razy this past week! We had interviews with prospective principals, late meetings, and parent conferences. On top of all that, the normal school day was really busy too. Thank goodness that today is the first day of our Easter break. School doesn't start again until April 16. Yay!

This is the first break that I don't have plans to leave Dresden. I'm really happy about being able to hang out with Zoe, take walks along the Elbe, and catch up on some TV shows and movies that I want to watch, especially Grey's Anatomy. I am LOVING that show. I rarely watched it last year so I am watching all of season 2 right now. I may have to buy season 3 from iTunes when I finish. I may take some short trips around Dresden or go see some of the Dresden museums. Even though I live here, I rarely go see all the things that are right here in the city.

I have trips planned in May to Krakow, Vienna, and of course, Alabama for Haley's wedding. I'm already starting to think about where to go this summer. I'm thinking going North during the summer to be able to see Scandinavia. Thoughts?

Sunday on the Elbe

2007-03-25T17:07:00.000+02:00

It was such a pretty day today: sunny and around 55. Zoe and I went down to the Elbe. We walked for almost two hours.

Here are some of the castles across the river.

From where I live, we can walk to the next street over and then straight down that street to the Elbe plain. Then Zoe and I walk along the river to the Blue Wonder bridge and take a tram back. I'm not sure exactly how far the walk is, but this is about halfway, and you can just see the bridge in the distance in this picture.

Last, but not least, I took some pictures of Zoe too.

A split second decision

2007-03-24T15:14:00.000+01:00

Do I run or not?

That is the question I asked myself today as I walk out of the store and see the tram that I need to take go by. Since today is Saturday and there are only 4 trams an hour and because this is a big stop so there will (I hope) be several people loading and unloading, I decide to run. I cross two streets without looking to see if I have the green light and weave my way through old people all while carrying a big canvas bag full of groceries. Thank goodness there is a man pushing a stroller running in front of me going for the same tram. He goes to the next to last door because he needs room for the stroller, and that gives me just enough time to make it to the last door and jump in a second before the tram pulls away. Running for the tram is something I do more often that I would like. I've made a dash for it in the snow, in the rain, and across busy intersections. It can be fun if I make it, but if I don't, cursing is usually involved.

30 in a little more than 30 days

2007-03-19T19:30:00.000+01:00

My 30th birthday is about a month away. I'm not really all that freaked out by it, but it does surprise me every now and then to think that very soon, I will be in my 30s. I've been thinking about how to celebrate my birthday, and nothing really sounds all that fun or exciting.

Then I started to think about ways that I could be a better Christian, friend, and woman as I enter another decade of life. So I think for the next month, I will be praying specifically about ways that God wants me to change or grow. I may be soliciting advice from my friends so don't be surprised if you get an email.

Loneliness

2007-03-18T19:23:00.000+01:00

Sometimes it's just really lonely to live in another country. I like it here a lot, and I feel that this is where God wants me, but all my closest friends live about 5,000 miles away (I looked up the distance). I haven't really made any friends here that I feel like hanging out with no matter what. Plus, no one here makes me laugh so hard that I forget where I am or that I'm literally going to die because I'm laughing so hard that I can't breathe.

I know that God hasn't dropped me here in Dresden and forgotten about me, but sometimes it feels like that. Maybe I'm just in a funk, but this has been a hard weekend.

By the way, I'm going to try to get my driver's license tomorrow, so I can go 120 mph on the Autobahn. Maybe that would make me feel better.

Food in Germany

2007-03-15T18:04:00.000+01:00

So I'm feeling much better now. I went to bed at 8 on Tuesday night and caught up on my sleep.

I just wanted to post about how much I love the food here in Germany. I don't necessarily love German food, but I like the quality of the food here. For example, I stop at a bakery occasionally and buy a salami sandwich to take to work. It is a thing of beauty: delicious salami, cheese, savoury cream cheese spread, and veggies like cucumbers and peppers. The bread is especially tasty. Today it was pumpkin seed. Delicious and cheap at 1 euro 70.

It's so easy to buy produce too. I walk by at least three fruit and veggie stands on the way to work. I just stop and buy bananas or grapes. I love it because I can buy just one or two and stop again the next day.

Another great thing is the Soup bar. There is a soup restaurant near the school. They sell really good, cheap soups. Today I had Tuscan vegetable soup for only 2 euros. Plus they give you really excellent bread.

I eat out a lot here, but I feel like I am eating healthy meals. I rarely eat fast food. I feel better too. When I go home, I always want to eat BBQ, catfish, hamburgers, etc. It makes me really sick though. When I leave Germany, I'm going to miss the food.

Dave Matthews in Berlin

2007-03-13T18:14:00.000+01:00

Monday night-no, Tuesday morning- around 12:50 AM, I realized that I am not really that young anymore. I went to see Dave Matthews in Berlin on Monday night with Joe from work. Since neither of us has a car and we would miss the last train back to Dresden, he arranged for a German friend of his to go with us and drive. We paid for his ticket, which was less than train fare and a night in a hostel.

So far, so good. We arrived a little late to the show and Dave had already started playing, but it was a really great concert. I heard all my favorites, and he played for almost 3 hours. It got out around 10:45. As we were leaving, I thought, "Hey, we'll get home before 1. Even though I have an 8:00 class, that's not terrible." Then, up walks this German girl and she hugs/attacks our driving buddy. They hugged for about 5 minutes then walk over and he says, "Why don't we go eat?" Eat? Eat? At 11:00 at night, in Berlin? Two hours from home? And I have to get up at 6:00? Joe uncomfortably says yes. I say nothing.

Apparently, the driver had hooked up with this girl a few weeks ago and had made plans to meet her after the show. Which is all well and fine for him. He's at university and can sleep until noon. Joe and I cannot. In fact, Tuesdays are our longest days. What makes it even more distasteful is that she used to be with his best friend. He actually used the phrase "keep it in the family" and made a comment about her hands since she's a massage therapist. Gross!!

We went to this Turkish place (think German Waffle House, but with Arabic techno) in Neukolln, which is like the Ensley of Berlin and sat there until after midnight watching them eat. I don't talk to them at all. That is when I realized that I am almost 30. I do not want to be here and I don't want to hang out and do things like a kid anymore. I want to have an adult, in bed by 10, hang out with decent people kind of life.

We got in after 2. I'm still ticked off at the rudeness. It almost ruined the concert experience. I will not be going to anymore German concerts though. I don't like standing the entire time. (There are no seats.) Even worse, my lungs still feel burned from all the cigarette smoke. If I go to another concert here, it will be outside.

A nice Sunday

2007-03-11T20:39:00.000+01:00

Today was such a nice day. The high was around 55, and it was sunny. My friend, Kathrin, came by, and we went for a walk along the Elbe. It was gorgeous. Zoe came with us. She had such a good time meeting all the other dogs and smelling everything along the way. Because the day was so nice, there were a lot of people outside. We walked down to the Blaue Wunder bridge and ate lunch outside at Schillergarten. Schillergarten is a Biergarten overlooking the Elbe. Zoe just hung out at our table. She only barked twice-once at a bird and then once because she wanted my chicken. This was her first time to go out to dinner with me. I'm not sure if she's ready yet for an inside restaurant, but I was pretty pleased with her. When we came back, she fell asleep and is still asleep over four hours later. I'm pretty tired too.

My problems with money

2007-03-10T15:31:00.000+01:00

I really struggle with the money issue. I tithe, but I don't really give God control of my finances regarding my purchases. Being here in Germany has made me realize just how much I'm influenced by the consumerism of American culture. Apart from my church, I miss shopping maybe more than friends and family. And that is seriously messed up. I'm constantly thinking of what I need to buy next that will make me happy. Right now, it's a black pair of Primo Chill slides from Merrell (the two pairs I already own in different shades of brown aren't enough), and a portable DVD player. I almost seem to become obsessed with these things that I think I need.

I guess it's not so much that I have a problem with money, but that I have a problem being satisfied. I expect things to satisfy me. But they don't; there is always something else that I need to get. I am especially convicted by this attitude when I think about people who live in Less Economically Developed Countries (to use the U.N. term). Is this the way a believer should think and act? I was very convicted by my consumerism.

So until my birthday on April 21, I will not be buying anything that is not related to food or the maintenance of my household (i.e. dog food, toilet paper). I may try to push it longer. By the grace of God, I pray that my attitudes about stuff will change.

Yay! I join the blogosphere.

2007-03-09T18:08:00.000+01:00

I've now been in Germany over seven months, and I meant to start a blog when I first got here. Obviously, I have been procrastinating.

What made me start now? I'm home sick from work. Here's an interesting thing about Germany- if you are sick, the doctor gives you an excuse to miss work! I have a paper saying that I don't have to go to work until next Wednesday. It seems to me that people don't go to work sick like they do in the U.S.

Another great thing about the German medical system is that I paid less than 20 euros for the doctor's visit and the medicine. If I go back to the doctor before the end of March, I'll only pay for the medicine. The copay for the doctor is 10 euros every quarter. Isn't that great? Of course, I pay about 44% of my salary in taxes so there are drawbacks.

Anyway, I shall be writing about my experiences living and working in Germany. I hope you enjoy the blog