Fond Farewell, Fabulous Future

Hello again, loved ones! Another year has passed without much written, and yet again I am promising myself that I will be more diligent in my postings. What a year it has been! Part of why I've neglected my blog is because I've chosen to channel most of my energy into my work. This year I had an opportunity to teach with Frankfurt International School (FIS), an excellent institution for concept driven learning. It is an International Baccalaureate (IB) school, and I was on the Wiesbaden Campus (FISW) which offers the Primary Years Program (PYP). This is a model of student centered teaching; the entire program, from pre-primary to 5th grade, teaches 6 Transdisciplinary Theme Units. The teachers plan together before each unit to incorporate math, science, social studies, language (both in English and German), PE, music, art, library and technology into the theme and lesson plans. It's a wonderful program that I am so grateful I was selected to learn, but took much time and effort. Check out the animation I made to help explain some of the PYP: http://goanimate.com/videos/0HjZq1Dz6h20
At first it was daunting - so much was new and I had to pick it up fairly quickly. I was lucky to have 16 amazing students and many fantastic colleagues to help me along. The year was far from perfect, one of the MOST challenging of my career, but I learned SO much! I still have room to grow, and I've decided to stay with the PYP because I think it rocks. Sadly, my campus is small, and there is usually only one class per grade level. That's actually why I received this opportunity - they happened to have a double 5th grade this year and needed an extra teacher, so I signed on for the year. Because it IS such a wonderful school, no one ever really wants to leave! The ones that do generally go on parental leave or retire. It has to be a pretty irresistible offer to convince people to move on...
So at the end of this year there were no open 5th grade positions, and next year's 5th grade has only one class, with the irreplaceable Mrs. AB, who was my co-teacher this year. What to do? Apply to other IB PYP schools, of course! After much deliberation, I have chosen to accept an offer from American International School of Abu Dhabi (AISA for short), in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). I'm excited for my ne w adventure! I will be on a team of FIVE 5th teachers - I intend to learn as much as I can from my new colleagues, as I did at FISW. I start at my new school August 17th. Wish me luck!!!
My year in pictures (since my last post):
September

Axe throwing at a Highland Games Festival

Cousins Kiara and John visited, I tagged along as Kyle showed us around Heidelberg

With my Cousin Kyle in Heidelberg

October

Volksfest in Stuttgart

Kurbisfest (pumpkin fest) in Ludwigsberg

How to enjoy a sunny Sunday afternoon in October

November

The Girls at Weinnachtsmarkt in Wiesbaden

My friend Andy joined me at the Weinnachtsmarkt in Mainz

Enjoying some Gluewein

December

Family!

Home for Christmas

Glamour Girls

We're all together for the FIRST time in 3 years!!!

January

The Great Dames placed 2nd at Trivia Night!

Come On SeaHawks!

February

My buddy Brett watching the SuperBowl with me when most everyone else in Germany is asleep!

Fasching 'Flower Power' Party (I went as a bee)

One of my colleagues brought a juicer in to work for her birthday celebration!

March

My German hockey team - it felt SO good to be back on the ice!

Celebrating Greg's Birthday with Beer

Frühlingsfest in Stuttgart

April

Andy took me on a carriage ride around Central Park - pretty special for my first visit to NYC

Fun in Philadelphia

Being crowned In Atlantic City

May

Weinwanderung near Wiesbaden

Enjoying life!

Visiting Belguim

June

Ph experiment with my students

Climbing

Celebrating the start of my Summer!

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My German Anniversary!!!

Well, I have officially been living in Germany for a year now, and what a year it's been. I've learned a lot, grown in my profession, met some incredible people and made a few awesome friends. I've visited a bit of Europe and am looking forward to new adventures!

I apologize for abandoning my blog and losing contact at the beginning of this year. My world was quite a bit crazy and it's taken this long to get back on my feet. I'll try to sum it up for you.  Just after the new year, when I was happily teaching my adorable 2nd graders English, math & science, as well as math and science to my wonderful 5th & 6th grade, one of my colleagues was inexplicably let go. It was unfortunate for MANY reasons, one of which was when I was asked to take over his upper classes: 7th-10th science & 9-10th math.  I was hesitant, as half of those classes are outside my certification; but I love math & science, I wanted to be a team player, and I was promised assistance. Sadly, it required that I no longer teach 2nd grade. Instead I devoted ALL my energy to my new classes. Well, it didn't progress as smoothly as hoped. I spent many long hours trying to serve my students' needs, but to be honest I was not the right person for the task.  I did my job to the best of my ability, and spread myself too thin doing so.  Additionally, the school lost other amazing teachers and was operating on a skeleton crew - less than optimal learning conditions.  Due to some additional challenges, I had to move out of the teacher house I had been renting a room at on fairly short notice.  Fortunately the FABULOUS friends I've made came to my rescue, helped me move, and patiently waited until the perfect opportunity landed at my feet thanks to the networking of my cousins. I was happy in Heidelberg for the final 3 months of my last contract, despite the hectic hours coordinating classes at school.

I am happy to report that, through an incredible stroke of luck, I landed my dream job! I am now living in Wiesbaden, teaching 5th grade Language, Science, Social Studies and Maths at Frankfurt International School's Wiesbaden campus in Naurod. This is such a spectacular opportunity for me because the school teaches the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program curriculum, which aligns closely with my personal teaching philosophy! The instructors are every bit as high caliber as my colleagues at my last school.  The bonus is that this school has a wealth of resources and support.  I am impressed and delighted each day as I learn and grow; my students are about to finish our first week together and I am looking forward to an epic year with them.  I count my blessings everyday.    
I am grateful for your love and support! I would not feel successful, and indeed may not have survived this past year without the enduring encouragement I have received from those special people in my life.  I hope you know who you are, but just in case, here's a shout out to some of you whom I appreciate more than I can express (in no particular order): Kyle, Angela, Eric, Greg, Suzanne, Harper, Illia, Sina, Sebastian, Catherine, Kathryn, Melek, Ingvar, Alicia, Jeremy, Chris, Trek, Sean, Bogdan, Louise, Charlie, Trish, Mike, Andrea, Michael, Michale, Isaac, Bridget, Patrick, Casey, Chase, Justin, Marci, Angie, and Israel. This is in no way a comprehensive list, and many more helped me through this year, but to the ones listed, I am most grateful.  I always love you and if you ever need anything from me, I hope you never hesitate to ask!

New Year Adventures!

Happy new year, friends and loved ones!  I hope your holiday was marvelous.  Mine was a wonderful adventure!  Israel and I had initially intended to welcome the new year in Paris, but due to the staggering costs of visiting that city during the holidays, we opted for a different locale.  My super smart cousin Kyle told me that he'd read Amsterdam was the place to be December 31st.

So we chose to travel north on his recommendation, and are so glad we did!  As Israel works the night shift, and we wanted to get an early start, I drove and he rested.  We arrived at the Ibis Hotel West just before dinner.  We had a snack, then he slept while I ventured down town to pick up our I AMsterdam passes.

This little red card was a wonderful investment - if you are planning to travel to Amsterdam, I highly recommend it!  http://www.iamsterdam.com/en-GB/experience/deals/i-amsterdam-city-card  We opted for the 48hr pass, which allowed us free access to public transportation and admittance to most museums for a free or reduced rate, and random freebies around the city for 48 hours!

When I returned to the Ibis, we went for dinner and then headed downtown to explore. There was so much to see!  When midnight came, we were near the docks and watched a fantastic fireworks display.  But that wasn't all.  As we continued to wander, fireworks were lighting off all over the city.  Over the red light district there was a dueling display, as if two separate parties were competing for the best show - spectacular!

Sadly, our phones ran out of juice, so we were unable to record our own footage, but this is a taste of what we witnessed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqgqrusHxpk  So, if you're wondering where to go next year, try the Netherlands!

Because we covered a lot of ground, a sleeping injury in Israel's foot was aggravated, to the point that he could not put any weight on it the next day.  I left him resting as I ventured out to find him ibuprofen (he had already consumed the last of his supply), and see a bit of the city for myself!  I was on a mission to find a sweater that looked cute on me.  Sadly, my mission failed, but I still saw interesting things.

The day off did the trick for Israel, and with the next day we were able to see some sights!  After a hearty breakfast, we set out for the Hermitage Amsterdam, a satellite of the original Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg.  It was very interesting!  My favorite exhibit was one about how astronauts returning from space develop an interesting propensity for creating art.

We then were total tourists, taking photos with the giant I AMsterdam display, wandered through another museum (literally, the street goes right through it), and learned about distillation at the House of Bols.  We intended to take a night canal cruise ride, but the line was over an hour long so we put it off in favor of taking in more sights.

Our final day in Amsterdam was a bit gray and drizzly, but that didn't slow us down!  We visited the Van Gogh Museum, and through the art scavenger hunt (admittedly designed for children), I deepened my appreciation for the Dutch artist's work.

My favorite exhibit here, was actually the restoration and authentication exhibit, where electron microscopes were set up to get a VERY close view of Van Gogh's work - super interesting.  I guess that's the nerd in me coming out!

We were impressed by the Heineken experience - up close and personal with beer brewing experts.  We were even able to 'help the brewer', which was of course my favorite part.  Oh - bonus: I earned an extra sample of beer by answering a question from our beer tasting instructor!

The Heineken Experience was MUCH larger than we thought it would be, and we were famished as well as exhausted by the end, so after a quick Chinese dinner, we headed back to Germany!

School started back up with a brand new schedule which I really appreciate!  I teach math or science first thing in the morning.  There is also plenty of time to coordinate with other teachers, and one morning or afternoon devoted to just planning for each teacher.  

I am starting a letter/pen pal unit with my students and need examples to show them. Please send me letters, post cards, etc. My address is: Adolf-Loos-Weg 55, 68519 Viernheim Germany.  You may also send me a letter at the school: Walter-Gropius-Allee 3, 68519 Viernheim  Germany. Not only would I LOVE to hear from you, but you'd be REALLY helping me out and I PROMISE you will receive a letter back!   There it is, you are all caught up on my year so far.  Tune in later for more updates!  Tchuss!

Thankful! (The missing blog post - found! But no pictures...)

Hello again, dear friends and family!  It's been far too long since my last post, but I have been very busy with school and extracurricular activities.  So... let me see if I can catch you up on my adventures.  One of my professors from the HU105 program, Susie Bollinger visited her son Zach for Thanksgiving here in Germany.  Not ONLY did I get to visit with her, which was wonderful, but she brought me presents in the form of books to help me nurture academic growth in my students, and her family invited me to join them for a lovely and delicious Thanksgiving feast!  Since our International school has quite a few American students, we were able to enjoy a long weekend, as well as an international pre-Thanksgiving dinner for the staff the weekend before.  I brought Israel, and he was able to finally meet many of the people from my stories about school.

After Thanksgiving weekend, which was a nice little fall break, we headed full throttle into the Christmas Season!  I have had the opportunity to visit several Weihnachtsmarkt, or Christmas Markets in English.  These are wonderful open air markets that serve traditional German winter foods, including the ever popular Gluhwein (a hot spiced wine), wurst, crepes, and flammkuchen (a thin crust pizza).  Nearly every market is beautifully decorated with lights, has a nativity, and large beautiful Weihnachtspyramide, large wooden carousel structures with propellers that rotate, causing the scene within to spin.  The Market vendors sell locally made as well as more exotic wares.  I did purchase myself a pair of finger-less furry gloves that I adore!  Tomorrow the entire school will be visiting Mannheim's Weihnachtsmarkt - it should be a lot of fun!

I broke down and purchased a new pair of ice skates.  Our school is next door to an ice arena, and during the first three weeks of December I get to take my 2nd graders ice skating every Wednesday morning!  There is an ammateur hockey league that plays, and after expressing my interest to join at the local pro-shop, I was given a great deal on my new Eastons.  I'm breaking them in, but it feels SOOOO good to be back on the ice! Now I just need to acquire some gently used hockey gear, and I'll be set!

Three more exciting things happened:  I received an early Christmas gift: a FABULOUS bike.  A beautiful silvery blue, complete with front lights, back lights, and a bell (all required by German law), and bonus LED lights on the wheels and a WORD lock.  How cool is that?!?  Thank-you, Israel! Next: I FINALLY have a cell phone to use while in Germany!  I will work on linking a US number to my German number so you can easily and inexpensively reach me.  In the meantime, if you would like my German number simply message me.  I also use Viber, Skype, and WhatsAp!  And finally - it started snowing!  Briefly, and it didn't stick, but it made me happy none-the-less!

I will continue to post, and hopefully more frequently.  I love and miss you!  Tschuss!!!

Where, Oh Where, Has My Last Post Gone? November ReCap and December in Deutschland

Dearest friends and family, it would seem that my last post never actually posted!  You may have been wondering why I have been so quit, as much too much time has passed since I have written.  So, here is a quick recap of what you would have read, had the post not vanished:

November was wonderful!  I attended a pre-Thanksgiving dinner at the beautiful home of our school directors in Heidelberg.  It was delicious, and Israel was able to meet most of my colleagues and their loved ones, as well as two of my loved ones: Kyle & Angela. 

I was very fortunate to see one of my professors here in Germany, as she was visiting her son and daughter-in-law for Thanksgiving.  Not only did Susie Bollinger give me presents (excellent texts I can use in my teaching over here), but her family invited me to Thanksgiving Dinner which was so yummy! 

To wrap up the month I received an early Christmas present – a beautiful new bike (thanks, mein Liebling)!

 December was full of activity! Germany is famous for it’s Weihnachtsmarkt, or Christmas Markets.  They are fun and festive, with lots of opportunities to buy classic or unique gifts for you loved ones as well as enjoy traditional fare such as Glühwein (hot mulled wine), Lebkuchen (gingerbread), and Bratwurst.  The first one I experienced was in Kaiserslautern with Israel.  It was small and crowded, but we enjoyed the Glühwein, nativity, and bonfire.  We had embarked with the intention of purchasing Christmas gifts, but were a wee bit disappointed in the selection.  However, it was the first week of December, and perhaps not all the venders were ready with their wares.  I visited the Landstuhl Weihnachtsmarkt the next night solo.  I was relieved to find many more booths and handmade craft items!  Then I visited the two in Viernheim, one with my friend and colleague Alicia and the other on my own.  I visited the three Mannheim Weihnachtsmarkts with my students – it is an annual tradition for the school!  Mainz & Trier I experienced with Israel while also visiting UNESCO sites, then strolled through the Heidelberg market with my friends Suzanne, Greg, and their two sweet children.  My final Weihnachtsmarkt adventure was in Essen with Kyle and Angela.  I now feel an overwhelming urge to drink hot wine and eat currywurst whenever I think of these holiday markets!

Mannheim

Heidelberg

Kaiserslautern

Mainz

Trier - look closely, it a symbol from Carcasonne!

UNESCO Site in Trier

Another memorable December activity was ice skating with my 2^nd graders.  For three Wednesdays in December we went skating, I in my new Easton ice skates.  It was so fun, and oh how I miss playing hockey.  Let’s see if the new year finds me again in pads, shooting the puck with my hockey stick!  It’s entirely possible, as the local EisSportHalle is next door to my school, less than a 10minute walk away!!! 

I spent Christmas with my cousin Kyle, his beautiful Angela, and her loving family in Essen, Germany.  I learned to make tamales, which were fabulous, and saw an enormous cathedral in Köln, explored the outskirts of Essen and discovered a hidden well café, where I ate my first German cupcake!  Of course, being the gamer that I am, I may have spread my love of board games around with Christmas gifts of Munchkin & the Settlers of Catan (both in German) to Angela’s two brothers, but they seem to enjoy playing, so I am very content!  I also played Dixit for the first time – quite an interesting and fun little game.  It’s like Balderdash, only with art instead of words.

One more thing I need to mention – I went dancing twice with colleagues at Zapattos, a salsa club in the Mannheim train station!  I look forward to getting my groove on there again, as it was tremendously fun!  I am very blessed to have the wonderful friends, colleagues, and family that support me on my adventures.  Thank-you to you all, I am happier because you are in my life.  Good luck in the New Year! (I will be welcoming it in Amsterdam!)  Tschuss!!!