No News!

The bad news is that there is really not any news. No gender identifying happened yesterday, although the lack of certain obvious parts indicate that it probably is a girl. This is exciting - but we are cautioned not to go buy anything pink because the doctor really cannot confirm anything.

We did get to see our not so little baby yesterday. I ate a whole bag of marzipan Kartoffeln before the appointment and the sugar rush worked. The baby was wiggling everywhere. And was not so shy about showing us its bottom - just not really an unrestricted genital view.

To confirm my suspicions that this baby will be LARGE the computer projects a due date of April 7. This does not mean it will come on April 7 - it means the baby is as large as an average size baby would be if it were due on the day. So we are a little over a week ahead of growing schedule.

Now my stomach is very obvious and I am starting to look frumpy no matter what I wear.

I am told that I am looking "puffy" also. Nice.

Here is a picture of me looking frumpy and puffy :) Too early for a face shot.

Thanksgiving and Birthday Week !

So I am a year older and another Thanksgiving fatter.

All in all, it was a nice week. I wanted a quiet Sunday birthday. I am pretty tired these days and need the weekends to recover from the weeks more than usual. So I was settled in for a quiet day when Jan surprised me with visitors - his parents and a few friends came over for the very German birthday tradition of cake eating. To understand why this is a German tradition - the cakes are bought by the birthday celebrant, come from a shop, and resemble fancy pies more than cake. But we had a sour cream cheese version, black forest cake, some yummy mocha flavored cake, and something that was orange which I didn't try.

I also made Funfetti cookies - and managed not to eat the dough! A small miracle.

After the guests left, Jan and I went out for dinner. On the way Jan said he wanted potatoes - I said, no thanks to potatoes.

Somehow we ended up with french fries, a bunch of grilled potatoes, and potato salad. And hummus. A very potatoey dinner.

The most special part of the day was that it snowed! A nice surprise. (last year we only had 1 day of slush in Freiburg) And there were roses blooming - which in fact are still blooming after a week in subzero (celsius) temperatures. Amazing.

Thanksgiving was saved by the fact that last years thanksgiving packet was delayed. (This years finally came today!) I had to work in Basel and work in Freiburg, so I didn´t get home until 7. But Jan and I threw together a feast of homemade pumpkin soup, Daddy´s stuffing, and not so home made corn pudding.

It was delicious!

I have a suspicion that my increased belly size is not only due to the growing baby!

Here is belly shot. (Between week 21 and 22)

Has it Been a Month?

18 Weeks Belly



Baby Arm and Leg



Baby Profile


I am amazed that the month of October has passed by. Where did it go???

Well, I was hoping tonight to post the gender of our baby, but according to the doctor, the baby is shy and will reveal its parts when it is good and ready. I was quite frustrated and wanted her to poke at it until it moved into a genital viewing position, but no such luck.

The good news is that the baby is getting very big and actually looks human. Like you can see eyes and a nose and a mouth and feet and little baby hands. It was a bit disconcerting to be carrying around something that looked like a disembodied heart (chicken heart anyone) and then like an alien, so that is reassuring.

I of course forgot my glasses, so it looked like a blurry human to me, but Jan assured me that he saw a beating heart and a stomach as well. The bones show up as bright white - they are starting to harden.

My ´morning´sickness is basically over (despite that one popcorn gorging episode last week) although my sharpened senses do me no good when walking by a man hole connected to the sewage system. I repeatedly tell Jan that somebody has to do something about Freiburg smelling like shit - he does not agree! (By the way Freiburg is lovely and it only smells like shit in some places)

School was delightful for the last two days. I think the Obama high is contagious and somehow has infiltrated even the ranks of the children of Switzerland. At least they all were really excited and wanted to know what I thought about everything. Sometimes it is cool to be an American. I told them that now I would consider moving back to the US. :)

Well the spaghetti for the spaghetti pie is prob cooked so I better go look.

I will attempt to be a more faithful updater!

Home!!

I am home and it is wonderful. I have been really enjoying catching up with my family and doing three of my favorite things: eating, sleeping, and shopping!

Unfortunately I do not have room in my stomach to eat everything I want, but I am doing a pretty good job of packing in the calories. Of course some of them come up again - but hey, that makes more room.

After careful consideration we may have to cancel the scheduled Fajitas and Ritas nacho stop because I think that just may not go over to well on the old stomach.

Yesterday I had quite an adventure buying maternity clothes. I am converted and I think Faith is too. Nice soft stretchy waist bands = heaven. Soft, stretchy materials...so wonderful. They do feel sort of like pajamas - but there is nothing wrong with that.

I felt somewhat like a fraud because I do not have much of an obvious bump - but the amazing thing is when you put on maternity clothes you automatically look 5X larger. Strange phenomenon. It will be wonderful not to have to undo my pants the moment I get home everyday.

Today is the trip to Boston day and I am waiting for my lovely but slow moving sisters to show up so that we can go. And yes - we will be stopping by Bagel World on the way out!

I´m Going to Boston!!!!!!!

Yay!

On Saturday - after watching a very corny German show about a pregnant Brazilian model and her Italian German Searches a Super Star winner husband, I decided to take the plunge and buy a ticket to Boston for my fall break.

This is very exciting because I have not been stateside since Christmas! Too long.

Here are a list of reasons why I am excited to visit my home stomping grounds:

-I was feeling guilty because I told my grandpa I would be there for his 99th birthday party and I thought I couldn´t make it. Now I get to celebrate.

-I want to eat so many things that I cannot eat here - I will be chowing down. The restaurant list: Bertucci´s, Emperors Choice, Fajitas and Ritas, Bear Rock Cafe

The food list: Trader Joe´s everything, in particular French Onion Soup and mini quiches, Mrs. Maughn´s bean dip, lasagna (ok, I could make this here - but this is my mom´s lasagna!), black beans, and maple sugar candy if I can find it!

-Of course to see my wonderful family members, all of whom will be there!!!!

-I get to watch On Demand television endlessly (maybe they will have the whole season of Big Love!!!)

I also plan to go to the mall, go to Barnes and Noble, visit friends, maybe get a haircut, and walk around the lake.

Sounds like heaven to me.

Recovered - Sort of

So my cold was short lived. I did the right thing, took two days off, slept, and Jan made sure that I wore socks the whole time.

But the bad news is that instead of just feeling like I am about to throw up, I am actually throwing up!! Very miserable.

I have a fear that I will throw up at some inopportune time. Like in the train, or in the middle of the crowded train station, or walking down the street. I mean, I am already gagging at these places...

Then I got to thinking about how people would react. It is pretty disgusting to see someone throwing up...

And why do I never see any women randomly throwing up. I mean you would think it would happen.

The mysteries of vomit.

Shaking Hands

So, this year my first cold came two weeks earlier than last year.

A bit of background - I spend my days in schools. First to teach and then to learn. Schools are notorious for being sickness inducing places. So many people! So little hand washing! Such confined quarters! Such horrid air circulation!

I have a suspicion.

In my school, students and teachers shake hands. We shake hands quite often - when I get to a classroom. When the students leave the classroom. I have always found this habit a bit strange - I am not used to shaking hands so much. But if the students want to shake my hand, of course I let them. This is part of our relationship, and in its own way is nice.

However, I am pretty sure that there are many many Germs living on those little student hands. And one of those Germs made its way into my body and is causing a nasty cold.

When I start thinking about where those hands have been, the frequency of supposed hand washing, etc, well, I should not think about this.

P.S.

Thinking about this hand shaking stuff...it is actually quite interesting. Every handshake has a personality. Some are limp wrist-ed, I don´t really mean it hand shakes, some are nice firm confident handshakes, but, shockingly, 1 or 2 having been bone crushing, I am asserting my dominance hand shakes! From my students! My male students! This is not a good sign! Are they doing it on purpose? Is it just an overdone confident handshake? Once I actually had to tug my hand away and yelp because it hurt! Oh, the confusion of what is going on in the brains of adolescent boys. It is a strange and mysterious zone that baffles me every time.

Mrs. M, You´re Mean

Ouch! One of my stuggles as a teacher has always been finding the balance between being strict and showing students that there are clear boundaries for behavior and being too nice and relaxed. This leads to the constant pushing of boundaries and for much less productivity than I would wish for.

So as time goes on, I have become more and more strict and much quicker to let my students know when they are crossing the line of acceptable classroom conduct. I am proud of myself about this.

However, the other day I was teaching my students about symbolism and theme - I typed notes up and they copied them off of the projection screen.

As I was walking around to check that the students had their notes - one girl - who I must say is a little less than focused, had about half of the info written down. I say, not in a mean way, "Make sure you get all of the information down, including the examples." The girl says, "But I have no more space." Half of her paper was blank! Clearly this was an excuse. I point to the paper and say (perhaps a bit sarcastically), "Look - what is that, lots of room!! Please write down the notes."

Thus eliciting a, "Mrs. M, you´re mean to kids!" OUCH!!

Do I want to be mean? No. Do I want my students to learn something? Yes. Someday the perfect balance will be reached.

Zetifikat Deutsch

I have signed a paper committing to take the Zertifikat Deutsch on October 24 and 25! This is very exciting. It means that my year + long Integration Course is just about finished and I will have my Mon, Wed, and Friday nights back to myself.

I have the modest goal of getting a 1. I am fairly certain that I will. If not, perhaps a 1.5.

In other news, I am feeling much better, despite the fact that I must return to Basel in an hour for a dreaded Eltern Abend. I though I escaped parents nights after leaving the public school system. This time, I will not have hysterical parents crying about their children, but it is possible that the class teacher will speak for over 2 hours. (I hear this is what happened last year.) Then I can schmooze with the parents for a while, and maybe be home by 10:30. (Which is past my bed time.)

I Have Become a Shut In

Because any time I change my body position I start gagging and have to practice deep breathing nausea control techniques. This is very miserable. That is all.

Now I´m a Librarian

I have been put in charge of our school library - not exactly by my choice, but I don´t really mind.

This involved carrying maybe 200 books up two flights of stairs and then alphabetizing them. Not too bad.

Now I am responsible for ordering books appropriate for 10-18 year olds with varying levels of English proficiency. This is actually not so easy to do given my exposure with adolescent literature was severely limited during my own adolescence. I was much more likely to be reading A. a romance novel or B. some book by Stephen King or Michael Crichton. All of which don´t exactly fit into the adolescent lit category. However, I racked my mind and did come up with a few options. Then I searched the internet and found more.

Jane - I might have to order some Stephanie Meyers.

Really - we are married

I have found that the default in Germany is to assume that Jan and I are not married, rather than that we are. This is especially surprising when it comes from doctors - who you would think would be more tactful.

It has happened twice so far, with two different doctors. (Jan accompanies me to the doctor to facilitate the communication)

Lesson learned - we have to introduce each other as my husband or my wife.

I think the reason for the mistake is that fewer and fewer Germans are getting married - especially at my age. The ripe age of 26 isn't exactly old - but it not shockingly young either as far as marriage goes.

Interesting statistics:
only 1 in 10 women having a baby in her 20s is married
only 1 in 4 women having a baby in her 30s is married

That is pretty drastic.

Of course Germans are having fewer and fewer children and I have read newspaper reports that the country is hitting the point of no return - when population can no longer sustain itself and in fact will continuously decrease. I believe the point of no return is .8 births per person. In fact, Germany has the lowest birthrate in Europe.

I have also put my foot in my mouth a few times assuming women in their thirties with children are married.

I just have to remind myself - the default expectation needs to be - no partner until tactfully proved otherwise.

Back to Work

The temperature has dropped, the constant drizzle is back, and I have resumed my treks to Basel.

On one hand it is nice to have a little more purpose in my weeks - on the other - I miss lying around, reading as much as I want, and visiting beautiful lakes, the pool etc.

It was a good summer. 6 weeks, with a visit every other week. A perfect balance of alone time and visiting time. I also didn´t go to German class during the summer so as to complete de-stress.

I had a major shock when I found out - shortly before school started, that I would be working 5 days per week. After 3 days last year, I thought I would have 4 day weeks. No such luck. This is devastating as far as getting enough sleep goes, but it does have its benefits. My work is evenly distributed and most days I only have 5 classes. (Last year it got to be as many as 9!) So overall it has not been as bad as I thought it might.

German class is German class. Many familiar faces are missing - I am not sure if, like me, some students decided to take extended vacations or if they dropped out altogether. The atmosphere was certainly getting tense before the summer with fights between the teacher and students about her teaching methodology and the students' lack of learning. A lot of anger coming from both sides. Of course, I don't participate in any of this - but it still makes German class more unpleasant and stressful than it has to be. I did find out that I got a 1 on my last German test. Only 1 mistake!!

So...there it is. Back to the grind.

1st Anniversary

Jan and I celebrated our 1st wedding anniversary (our summer, or as I like to say 1/2 married anniversary) on Monday. Among other things, this means that I have been in Freiburg for almost exactly a year and Jan and I have been married for a year!

This is what we did:

I slept later than Jan as usual. He came home with roses (12 - 1 for each month), trashy magazines for me, and socks. The socks were pretty funny. We enjoyed a nice breakfast.

Later we went for a walk that included a stop for some cake at our neighborhood bakery.

Next, I tried swim practice and had my ass kicked by a bunch of 13 year olds. Very humbling, but it was good.

Then, Jan and I had a delicious Italian dinner at Bella Italia followed by cocktails.

A perfect day!!!

New Motorcycle

Ok..so we already found a replacement motorcycle - we might even take it home tomorrow!! This is exactly what it looks like. Very stylish...and orange my least favorite color. But Jan is partial to orange, so at least one of us is satisfied :).

Visit to the German Dentist

Yesterday Jan and I had our teach cleaned. I never loved the dentist, but I never faced it with great fear either. Now that has changed!!

The German dentist is much different from the American version.

Ok, so I don't have the best teeth technique. I brush with my electric tooth brush twice a day and rinse with Listerine, but flossing - er, not so much. After all both my tooth brush and Listerine tell me they are as good as flossing.... also, not so much.

First I walked in and the dentist asked me why my tooth in position 1 looked yellow. I of course, said, which tooth do you mean and attributed it to coffee. After a quick put freezing something on your teeth test - we learned that my tooth has no feeling. In fact, my tooth is dead!!!! And I need a root canal! And perhaps I can´t have root canal because the nerve might be calcified! And this is a big problem! This woman, after looking at me for 5 seconds, detected a problem and identified the cause after my American dentist said anything for years. I always was suspicious about that woman (something to do with almost paralyzing my face.)

She also told me that I got my implant at too young an age and that they did a shoddy job of bonding. Basically tsking and saying that it must be very different in the USA. Now excuse me, but my implant and bonding were done by very expensive dentists who have dental students observing them - so they must be good? Not so much.

This dentist also identified a cavity and filled it right then and there. Very convenient. And at 56 Euros, quite a bargain.

All well and good. Next the dental hygienist showed up and proceeded to do what can best be called torture. She told me, well, I´ll do my best but I can`t promise I can get everything else. Then she basically gouged out my gums. No pause, no does this hurt, no gum numbing gel!! It was incredibly painful and bloody. Horrible.

She sent me off with an admonishment that I better do something or it will only get worse. My mouth ached for the entire day. Needless to say, I flossed last night and I have already flossed today. Don´t want to mess with these German dentists.

Inspection

Today my English class was unexpectedly visited by a state inspector from Switzerland!!! Very stressful with my precocious, loving to say inappropriate and shocking things, students. During the time that he was there one student asked what a virgin was and they also had a short lived discussion of suicide bombers blowing themselves up and being perceived as heroes. All from the simple question: In current society, who do we consider to be heroes. Nothing is ever an innocent avenue for discussion with these kids. At least the lighter incident happened before he showed up!

It actually wasn´t that bad. He was a nice guy and quite interested in how the school works - what we do.

And - in other news - our new Piaggio (don't worry - before we actually received or payed for it) was found mutilated on the bottom of the Dreisam River. Hence no new roller for us. Aw well. Jan still wants to buy one, but now I am a bit disheartened.

We won!!

Jan and I are now proud owners of a 2000 Piaggo. I sort of can't believe it.

Vespa

Jan and I are currently in the midsts of Ebay bidding on a Vespa (not really a Vespa but not quite a motorcycle either).

I have been having fantasies of riding off to a nearby lake in the sunset. Or of not having to power up the huge hill we live on top off with a backpack full of groceries whenever I want to go shopping.

So...

We even went and test drove it yesterday. This whole experience has shown me that I am not quite over the trauma of my jet ski accident when I was 15. The whole time I was on the bike (about 30 seconds in a garage), all I could think about was that having your face plow into concrete would be much less pleasant than falling into water.

We will see how the bidding goes...but maybe it is time to re evaluate and check out the cheap used cars market.

Or we can just keep walking and biking everywhere!

May Day

Thursday, May 1st is Worker's Day in Europe - hence no work! I don't work on Thursdays anyway, but I had Friday off too...so it gives me a 5 day break.

May day originally looked like a day of helping Jan studying and hanging out on the balcony (we finally have nice weather). Around 5 I convinced Jan that we needed an ice cream break. There is an Italian gelateria about 10 minutes down the street. So we headed off. I had Rafaello (coconut) and Jan had yucky fruit flavors (lime and something peach like). Then we sat down at Zahringen Platz (a little square with benches) to enjoy.

After a while, we saw Jan's ex roomate and his girlfriend. It turns out that they were about to start a Geo Cache adventure and it started at Zahringen Platz. Of course we joined in.

Geo Caching is using GPS to move from one location to another. At each location there is a little riddle/puzzle to solve, and you use the information to get the coordinates for the next location. It is like a complicated scavenger hunt.

So 2 hours and a tour of Zahringen later, we found the cache and now we are hooked!

We are trying to find a cheap GPS machine.

Coffee and Cake

Two weekends ago I spent a delightful afternoon having coffee, cake and talking to a family in Freiburg. The daughters had participated in an exchange at good old RMHS and met my wonderful mom - who sent me key necessities like Chai Tea, my sneakers, clothes, and SPLENDA, which I am thoroughly enjoying. Oh, and Eat, Pray, Love which makes me want to run away to Rome, the land of open and emotional people.

It was really wonderful to meet this couple who told me all about life in Freiburg, and even offered to work on my German with me once a week! What a great connection. The lent me books and movies too. They strongly recommended this big fat book about building a cathedral that I forget a name of (very flattering considering my German ability) and I have worked through 100 pages. Only 900 left to go.

Story about the book:

That other day I was reading the book in the train, and the man across me said, "That's a really long book." To which I replied, "Yes, that I am reading very slowly." That goes something like (forgive me for my buchered German). Das ist ein sehr lang Buch - Ja, und ich lese es sehr langsam. Notice the pun on the word lang! I think that is my first German play on language.

So, the moral of the story is that there are wonderful people everywhere and it is great to get to know new people in my city!

A Cultural Note

Ever so slowly my coworkers are opening up to me, asking me about myself, and telling me about themselves. It is kind of amazing that it took me so long to find out that this colleague lives in Freiburg and that colleague's wife just had a baby.

I am glad that I will be working at my school for another year. After four years of new schools (sometimes more than 1 new school) and four years of having to figure out how to function, I am ready to see what it is like to get used to a place.

After my life has been in flux for so long, this is a chance to have a bit more normalcy in an environment where nothing is really normal.

I imagine it would take years to become habituated to all of the differences of life in Germany and Switzerland.

So far am focussing on adjusting to the following:

Married life - so far so good, although growing up with a full house still makes me jittery and uncomfortable when I am alone for too long. So I guess my major complaint is that Jan and I have somewhat conflicting schedules. If that is the biggest problem, I think we're doing well.

New language - slow going...although I do attend 9 hours of German class it is frusterating to be learning so slowly. My class moves at a snails pace. I keep saying that I will start working on my own during the classes - memorizing verbs etc., but by the time I crash into my chair after 8 hours of work, I have little motivation to do anything but try to stay awake.

I also spend my days teaching in English and speaking English with everybody I come across! This must change. I am thinking about getting a German tandem partner to meet with each week. I think that may be a summer project.

Work - As I said above, new school, new culture, new rules etc etc. I also started my other new job in Feb. Last week I taught over 40 lessons - which is lucrative, but I think that's the maximum.

Angst over my future - My dream is to go to graduate school and study psychology. How will I manage to do this? I'm not sure. I also am not sure how much I really like this teaching thing. I love the idea of teaching, and sometimes I love teaching, but dealing with teenagers wears on me.

Jan's big tests - This has been dominating our life to some degree. We've hit the two week mark. Hopefully he will pass, although even if he doesn't it is ok. He'd have another chance in the fall. It will be a tense few weeks up to the tests.

Teaching Adults

I have now been teaching adult English courses at a language school for a little over a month.

What a luxury!!!!!!!!!! These people are motivated, want to learn, and are also a lot of fun. The teaching is easy because it is done from scripted materials. It is like teaching heaven.

Now I am sure it would get boring if this is all the teaching I did, but it sure does give me some perspective on dealing with my hormonal, angsty, and difficult adolescents.

I can actually teach effectively! People appreciate me! They tell me I am a good teacher! They thank me effusively. They tell me I am attractive and that they love it when I laugh. They ask if they are allowed to give me presents when I help them out with editing. (I received two entrances tickets to a nearby bath today and another woman wants to buy me an electronic dictionary)

What an ego boost.


I love it.

Meeting the Neighbors

Getting to know people here seems to be a slow moving process, but after 8 months I finally met my neighbors.

I was walking home from the train and I saw an old man waving at me. I said hi, and he asked me if I lived next door (pointing). I said I did, and he told me he had been wondering about me. He knew that I moved in but had not seen me for 8 months. We kept talking (in broken English) and he told me that he had been in an American prisoner of war camp near Marseille from 1945 - 1947. That is where he learned English. It was quite impressive to see how much he remembered with basically no practice over the years. I filled in words from him now and then, but he had the basics.

His wife came out to say hi also. And we had a funny conversation. She asked me my name, I said Sarah. Then she said, no no, your last name. I replied, and she didn´t understand, so we agreed that they would just call me Sarah. Older Germans call each other by last name unless they are close friends. My downstairs neighbor calls me Frau blah blah and it always seems so strange to me.

The couple said that I had a wonderful husband and that I am lucky. (which is true) and invited us over for cake in the garden in spring.

I´m looking forward to it.

Authentic German Experience

The other night I was at a bar (Schlappen for those who know) and I had an authentic German experience. One of the traveling apprentice carpenters - dressed in authentic apprentice carpenter clothing was going from table to table. Once he got to us, he recited a rhyme (apparently something about coming to Freiburg and driving the devil away with his carpentry tools) and asked for a donation. When I said I didn´t understand a word he said, he asked if he at least had a nice voice. (he did) Then he reminded us not to drink too much and was on his way.

Side note: These traveling apprentices live on the generosity of people they come across and payment for completing odd jobs. They´re not allowed to go within a certain distance of their hometowns. It is a funny sight to see men in what looks like 18th century clothes wandering around.

Here is a picture:

Let the Grilling Begin

So excited!

Jan and I bought a beautiful copper colored brazier/grill (that´s what the Germans call it) and I am currently listening to the sizzling of embers.

Jan went off to get bread to accompany our favorite feta, veggie, sauce wrapped in foil and cooked in the coal combo. Today we were blessed with an unseasonable warm and sunny day. Such a relief after months and months of rain and gray skies. Unfortunately for us, snow is in the forecast for next week - but today we are seizing the day and initiating our brazier-grill.

In other news it is the beginning of easter vacation -that means no Basel for two weeks. But I have picked up quite a few private lessons through the language school I just started working at in Freiburg. This job is so easy and wonderful compared to the hardships of teaching adolescents. I like doing both though - it keeps everything in perspective.

After my vacation I have a 13 week vacationless stretch of teaching to do, which will be a challenge. So I am committed to relaxing and working up those energy reserves.

In Jan news, he finished the written test section of his big exams and is studying for the deadly oral. I will try and be helpful. Although linguistics is booooooring.

It´s Snowing

Tonight we are having our first real snow storm of the season! In March none the less. This is following a storm that the Germans called Uricano Emma - but the English speakers refer to it as, a big storm. Because of course you can´t have a hurricane so far from the ocean, or can you?


Yesterday I had the wonderful task of taking 120 euros out of the bank to pay for my German course. 100 euros - 1 for each hour of class +20 for a new book. We are starting Berliner Platz 3 tomorrow! This is a big deal.

So I went to the bank (luckily my neighbor was about to go shopping so he gave me a ride - it was raining). By the way I happened to be wearing jeans, a Camp Nawaka sweatshirt, and a red vest. Not typical German wear. and my hair was a bit, shall we say 'wild' (this clothing description is to set the scene.) First I try the ATM outside of the bank. No Go. I assume something is wrong with the ATM, so I go inside. Mind you, this bank for inexplicable reasons has tv screens showing fashion shows built into the floor. Very random. So in the bank I go, still no money. I try again, this time clicking on something different. Finally, I go to the service desk and say that I can´t get my money out. The friendly bank women checked the account. There was money in it, check. Then she came over to show me how to use the ATM. The big problem was that I had been clicking Geld Karte, instead of the German word for withdrawal. Oops. So embarrassing. My incompetence was made all the more mortifying by my somewhat slovenly appearance. The shame.

Some people have to face situations like that everyday: not understanding what in the world is going on, and needing to ask for help. Usually I avoid these situations, thanks to my very sweet husband who does all the dirty work (setting up bank accounts, ordering pizza - the things that actually require much use of German). Of course, I must start doing more of it, but I hate it when I am in situations where I am not in control of what is going on.

It is also somewhat ironic that I needed the money for my integration course. Clearly I am well integrated when I can´t even figure out an ATM!! Arg.

Anyway, that was my humbling immigrant experience for the day. I usually feel like such a non - immigrant. I blend in very well with the Germans. The old women in the trains chat with me, people are fairly friendly (as far as friendly Germans go), I look fairly German. No problem! That is, until I open my mouth or have to use an ATM machine.

Night in the Tram

So I have written that I am teaching Night. A few days after passing out the book. One of my students came to school with a pretty amazing anecdote. He said that he had been reading the book in the tram, and an old man approached him. The old man asked him if it was the first time he read the book. My student said yes. Then the old man said that everything in the book is true and that he had been in a concentration camp.

Wow.

Teaching Night

I ordered the book Night by Elie Wiesel in the beginning of the school year. I have found that this book with a compelling message and a jarring exposure of not so distant history is enough to enrapture even the most resistant readers. I taught it during both my years of teaching in the US (it is fairly universally on the Freshman English curriculum) and I understood that my students would be at about that equivalent level. What I failed to consider is the protective nature of Swiss parents, especially when it comes to violence.

So I realized that I need to tread lightly. I talked to my students about the prospect of reading the book - I wanted to find out if any had a reaction against it, even personally talking to the younger and/or more sensitive of my students. I do not want to expose kids to something that they think they are not ready for. Then I discussed it with my principal - he supported me.

Another argument for teaching the book is the not so subtle undercurrent of intolerance that I find in my students. They can be quite nasty - as children can be- when it comes to issues nationality, race, religion, and sexuality. I am not usually one to be become so worked up - it takes a lot. But when I hear my students saying incredibly insensitive and disturbing things with the confidence that they are right, it does incense me. This is an the aftermath of a very anti immigrant election with undertones or racism. A popular image was a group of three white sheep then a black sheep being kicked out.

So, I see Night as a book that can be used to teach methods of tolerance, and help students become a bit self reflective. Hopefully, that will learn to question. What am I saying? Why am I saying it? How does it impact other people? Why is it dangerous?

We will see.

I´m Going to Egypt

So, I have been a negligent blogger for the last few weeks due to being both very very busy, and being continuously sick and tired. I seem to pick up every cold, every stomach bug there is. Or to be fighting ongoing illness. However, I have not stopped thinking about blogging. Every few days, something happens and I think - hey, I should write about that. So now I will put a string of tidbits from my life for the last month up.

But before I look to the past, here´s to the future! I am going to Hurghada, Egypt on Friday for a week. I am very very excited for this adventure. It all started when a coworker mentioned that she found a last minute deal to the Canary Islands during our two week Feb. vacation. That got me thinking - maybe Jan and I can find a last minute deal. So I brought up to Jan, we looked at the possibilities, and then we decided - naw, not the right time. His big exams are 4 weeks away and he has to devote himself to studying. As for me - I do I have German class which I would miss. So we were good and decided at a future date and time we can travel.

Then , to my surprise, Sunday night, Jan said - ok, we need a vacation. At first we were into the Canary Islands, but it turns out that Egypt is cheaper and offers more for the money. So we are going! I have to admit I had some reservations going to an a potentially volatile region which the American Embassy recommends against traveling to. Let´s find a quote: U.S. citizens who still plan to visit the Sinai in spite of the persistent threat of terrorist attacks should exercise great caution. Ok, so I am not visiting the Sinai (Well, there is a slim possibility that we will check out the pyramids - I mean, they are the pyramids. But the prospect of 5 hours in a police escorted convoy across the desert is a bit off putting.) but after some research I found out that in 1996 60 tourists were killed in Hurghada - that is where I actually am going. So despite the allure of Ancient Egypt - and it is alluring, I have decided it may be best to stay in my hotel complex and enjoy the sun and the ocean. That prospect doesn't sound so bad.