Greetings all!
So, this past week has been challenging. But I am learning a lot about who I am and who I need to become. :) I know this tends to be the continuous theme, but, God is really rocking my life right now. And I am all for that type of continuous theme. I have been just praying to him so hard lately, and I am getting the reassurance I need. However, I would like to ask for specifc prayers of physical protection.
I am working really hard in school, and am up to 14 hours a day in the classroom just trying to fix everything and make sure that all of my stuff is ready to go. It is really frustrating and it is really rewarding too. I am working to bring my kids the best lessons possible. My biggest struggle has been with the Psychology class, so... that has been quite interesting. But, I am now getting into stuff that I understand more, and Mom sent me some stuff that is definitely going to help, so that is relieved some of my stress. I am going to ask that you continue to pray for me, as my stress level is climbing. And I thank you all so much for that.
School has been, well rather interesting. I am trying to understand and work through my research project, but my kids don't really seem to care about whether or not they are learning. And as far as taking responsibilities for assignments and projects and quizzes.. None. It is almost as if they expect learning to take place from me to them. Amazingly, some of my students don't understand the idea that if they turn all their work in, it doesn't automatically qualify them for an A. Umm.. hello.... you turned in crap work. I mean it would have been better for you to just put your name on the piece of paper and leave the rest of it blank. That isn't even the best part though, after I tell them there grade and they ask me why it is so low even when they had turned everything in, I explain to them that there grade has not been quality. THey then get frustrated with me like it was my fault for their grade. Weird. Parent teacher conferences are this week, and I expect some upset parents coming and talking to me, especially once grades are mailed home. It so funny too, because I tell my class, turn something in. I can't give you a grade if you don't give me something. And still they turn in nothing, and to top it off, they then expect me to give them make up work or extra credit.. NOT happening :D
On a positive note, my research continues to go well, and I think my kids are really enjoying the kinesthetic movement lessons. I know that they are more excited about that is for sure. Today for example, I had taught the difference between social classes by teaching the proper upper class line dance, followed by the polka, a social dance typically known for the lower classes. It was awesome! I think my kids really understood what concept I was trying to get across, and I think also they just love getting up and moving around. I hope that my project turns out well. It is going to be kind of intense these next couple of weeks :)
So, I went to Munich this past weekend and walked everywhere. We went to Olympic Park and Allianz Arena. And it was awesome. I am pretty sure that just by standing in the same place where Mark Spitz won his seven gold medals, that I automatically became a better swimmer. We tried to be as pro-American in that building as possible and I don't know if our German counterpart were too happy with that. I mean it has to be pretty embarrassing to get your butt kicked in every major swimming event by the same guy. After Olympic Park, we went to the BMW museum, and saw some really expensive cars something like... oh... 85,000 EUROS. You know something I could totally afford on a teacher's salary... Afterwards we chilled and watched a soccer game in a sports pub which was an awesome time.
On Sunday, we made our way to Dacchu and it was one of the more sobering experiences that I have had in a while. We basically made our way through the concentration camp and I couldn't count the number of time I was blown away by what happened. I mean some of the thing done to the Jewish and Russian prisoners were just plain sickening. Just to give you somewhat an idea of what was going on there, the camp was built to only hold 6000 "prisoners" nearly 300,000 went through Dacchu to different camps. When it was liberated, U.S. troops were shocked to find nearly 30,000 prisoners living in this confinement. I took a lot of pictures that I hope to use in my classroom in the future, but I couldn't believe some of the stuff that was being done.
On a lighter note, I have finally realized how much I hate Doners (Dooners). Doner are basically a stuffed sandwich. You would think this would be a prized food, but I am so sick of this stuffed half sandwiches. Well hate might be a strong word, and I keep eating them in hopes that I will someday find one that I enjoy immensely. Haven't found that yet. They are freaking terrible. And its funny because now my roommates make fun of me for it, but I am sorry, I can only take so much more of these. My new mission is to try and find a new German based food and see if that doesn't change my idea. So far not good. :)
Please keep in your prayers! Specifically for God to physical protect me :) I miss you and love you all! And I will continue to keep you in my prayers. I will leave you with pictures from Munich... USA! USA!
Hey everyone!
Sorry it has been so long, but school has gotten insane lately! I am officially looking down the home stretch, so that is really exciting. And God has been totally rocking my life. I have had such an awesome experience over here but it has been really stressful. I feel like Truman has basically forgotten that they have interns in Germany right now. Maybe that will change down the line as we have a few more professors coming to observe our experience over here, but frankly, I don't believe it.
The following weekend, I visited Berlin and went to my first professional soccer game! Go Heretha BSC! It was incredible! Hertha was in fourth place and was playing the first place team from Hoppheim (Sp? I know its wrong), so this game actually mattered and the stadium was completely filled. I can't even describe the energy coming from the stadium. And when they scored a goal to go up 1-0, WOW. I literally thought Olympic Park was coming down. It was nothing like an football game in the states, no artificial sound, just 78,000 people chanting and singing for their team. It was awesome! We sat in the 6th row down with the soccer crazies and it was by far the coolest sports experience I have ever had. We had some drunk German fan if we were just enjoying the game, but my buddy David told him in German that he was a Hertha BSC fan and he bled white and blue. The guy pours him a beer, and says to him, "we bleed together" and goes back to singing and chanting... I have never been more impressed or scared in my life.
Also really cool was that the team plays at the stadium where Jesse Owens single handedly beat Nazi Germany in track and field. Now Jesse Owens has some sentimental value to me because he was my first history report ever and frankly I am super impressed with his accomplishments in the 1936 Olympics. It was pretty cool to see the place where Jesse Owens said "up yours Nazi Germany" and took home all the gold that he did.
During the day, we went and saw Checkpoint Charlie, and the Berlin wall, and it was really incredible to see how close we were to war here in Germany. I never realized that they had a tank confrontation and were basically at a high noon showdown daring the other person to draw first. I really admire the soldiers on both sides for not getting an itchy trigger finger and starting world war III. Being at the Berlin Wall also reminds you of the extent of the Cold War. It was an awesome time, and Berlin seriously must be like New York, because that city never sleeps. (Although I have never been to New York... maybe that will come along later)
School has been challenging, but I have decided that I am no longer going to let that stress me out as much. I am going to give the kids my best effort, and if they want to get a great education from me, then they will accept it. I hope they do take it. Psychology has been going way better than expected and I am having a lot of fun learning along with them, although they will never know it. We are talking about conditioning, and I have been telling them that I have been conditioning them from day one, and if they can figure out what it is, I will stop it. So far they haven't figured it out yet, but it is basically the way I operate class, turn on the lights, the know notes are over... turn off the lights...notes start up. And it is quite funny. I also used the Office clip of Jim conditioning Dwight to show them what classical conditioning is... they thought it was hilarious.
I miss you all so much, but like I said, I am definitely in the home strech! Keep praying for me, as I am finishing up my classes at Truman, and my classes here in Germany. :) I miss you and love you all, and I leave you with pictures from the Checkpoint Charlie, Dacchu, where the now infamous line "work will set you free" as you enter the gate, and the soccer game at Hertha BSC. Love you all!
