Is datt nit schön?

Or, translated from Kölsch to Hochdeutsch: ist das nicht schön?

And from German to English: isn't it lovely?

That, it certainly was. With highs of 24° and glorious sunshine all day long Germany delivered its promised 'super spring' weather. Beautiful. However, after an afternoon in the park, I now have the sunburn to prove it - doh!

Some photos for you, just to prove how sunny it was :)
(Click to enlarge)

Kölner Dom - Cologne Cathedral

The Rhein glistening in the sunlight

Our view whilst lazying the park

A pretty little daisy

Today, too, was a good day. I met three new classes, whose names I have already instantly forgotten, and discovered a whole new staffroom kitted out with a dishwasher and everything.

I'll choose just a couple of highlights...

I began the day with Klasse 7 who I'll be taking in small groups for conversation practise. Having been talking about topics such as favourite films and plans for the Easter holidays etc. I regretted encouraging them to also ask me questions when one lad, out of the blue but in all seriousness, came out with: "What do you think about Fukushima?" Well that brought the mood down!

After what has become a fairly standard introduction procedure to my new Klasse 5 (the first year of secondary school, aged 9/10) - their teacher pretending that I don't speak any German and getting them to try and find out who I am - I went to move to the side of the room to wait until it was time to take my part of the lesson. Unfortunately there was no free chair nearby - the only one I could see being on the exact opposite corner of the classroom - so I simply just moved and stood by the window.

Meanwhile, unbeknown to me or their teacher, some of the lads had spotted that I was chairless, so without saying anything, the lad next to the only spare chair got up and carried it up to the front for me. When he then received praise for being so kind, one of the other lads a little further away indignantly, and incessantly, exclaimed that in actual fact it had initially been his idea. As their teacher quizzed him as to why that was so important, he started to blush. So naturally she teased him a little further - turns out I've got myself a little admirer! In her words: "aww, how sweet"!

Mondays could easily become my favourite day of the week.