Wills and Kate (or the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as we should probably now call them) have had their big day; the UK has partied and celebrated with them (the biggest display of British patriotism I have ever seen); and the sun has been shining for an amazing amount of the last 2 weeks - must be time to go back to Deutschland!
However, bank holiday Sunday + travelling by train = one very long journey... Damn flights over the weekend being so expensive. Also, someone forgot to memo Germany that bank holidays should be celebrated even if they happen to fall on a weekend - back to work Monday it is then!
Saturday, 30 April 2011
Monday, 25 April 2011
Easter
I probably should have updated this sooner as I've already been back in the UK for about 10 days, but just for memories sake, here's a quick little Easter update.
I got back last week safe and sound, and on time. In fact, after catching 4 trains, I only had a total of about 10 minutes of delays - impressive. So much less stressful than at Christmas! I also had far too many kilos of luggage and consequently some slightly sore muscles the next day... Steps up onto the Eurostar are not friendly.
England has been sunny, and a lot sunnier than I expected. Yey for early summer spreading across from the continent! Just a shame that the one day it chose not to be sunny was yesterday (Easter Sunday) morning at around sunrise time. Being up at 4.30am would be a lot less painful if we actually got to see the sun one year, and not just a sky full of clouds gradually getting lighter! Still, there's always next year....
So, all that is left to say is a (belated) "Frohe Ostern"!
I got back last week safe and sound, and on time. In fact, after catching 4 trains, I only had a total of about 10 minutes of delays - impressive. So much less stressful than at Christmas! I also had far too many kilos of luggage and consequently some slightly sore muscles the next day... Steps up onto the Eurostar are not friendly.
England has been sunny, and a lot sunnier than I expected. Yey for early summer spreading across from the continent! Just a shame that the one day it chose not to be sunny was yesterday (Easter Sunday) morning at around sunrise time. Being up at 4.30am would be a lot less painful if we actually got to see the sun one year, and not just a sky full of clouds gradually getting lighter! Still, there's always next year....
So, all that is left to say is a (belated) "Frohe Ostern"!
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| Marzipan chicks - a productive afternoon me thinks |
Monday, 11 April 2011
Blue skies and sunshine ♫
And yet another day of glorious sunshine after a very sunny week. Who knew it could reach 24° in April? Perfect. Shame the sun is apparently taking some leave and letting spring return tomorrow. Still, can't complain!
So, school... Well after a (many) timetable hiccup(s) last Tuesday, I sat in on a Klasse 9 lesson and learned that the English language has 4 ways of forming the future tense depending on the context - who knew? (For the keen beans among you: 'going to' future, 'will' future, simple present, and present progressive).
This week is the Abi* students' last week in school, so apparently they are coming in 'verkleidet' / dressed up every day, each day a new theme ... today appeared to be something along the lines of awards ceremony / suit get up. They are also selling waffles in the break times raising money for, well I'm not quite sure what - probably some sort of leaving party, which, as they blasted out music through some big speakers, turned the corridors into more of a club than a school! Cue some of the older teachers returning to the staffroom mumbling and grumbling utterances of dissatisfaction about something they could do nothing about.
I also briefly met one of the teachers accompanying the English exchange this morning - apparently they were off to Fantasialand today. Took me right back to being about 11 years old...
This long weekend also involved a trip on the Seilbahn (cable cars across the Rhein), some sitting by the Rhein and Dora's birthday celebrations. Whilst sitting at the Rhein we watched an owner play fetch with his dog, using a bottle top ... and were also asked if we wanted to be part of the audience for a quiz show on WDR. I had to decline, although bonus points for the woman still approaching us auf Deutsch even though she had heard us speaking English. Dora's birthday meal, despite being at an Argentinean restaurant, proved to be very German - when the menu says steak, it means steak, just steak. Nice to see a whole collection of Leeds people though (plus others!).
Easter is now a coming, so trees like the one below (taken from the internet, I decided that stopping to take photos outside people's homes probably isn't a good idea!) and lots of painted boiled eggs are springing up all over. Plenty of Lindt / Milka chocolate bunnies have also appeared in shops, but no creme eggs or mini eggs - consuming as many of those as possible will have to wait until next week. Homeward bound on Friday!
You may remember me saying back when "Wills and Kate" first announced their engagement, and then the wedding date, that Germany didn't really get it. Well, they probably still don't but that hasn't stopped wedding fever reaching the media here. The local newspaper even has a countdown for the number of days left to go... Oh dear.
* Abi, short for Abitur - the German equivalent of A-levels
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| Bergisch Gladbach (Hebborn) in the sunshine |
So, school... Well after a (many) timetable hiccup(s) last Tuesday, I sat in on a Klasse 9 lesson and learned that the English language has 4 ways of forming the future tense depending on the context - who knew? (For the keen beans among you: 'going to' future, 'will' future, simple present, and present progressive).
This week is the Abi* students' last week in school, so apparently they are coming in 'verkleidet' / dressed up every day, each day a new theme ... today appeared to be something along the lines of awards ceremony / suit get up. They are also selling waffles in the break times raising money for, well I'm not quite sure what - probably some sort of leaving party, which, as they blasted out music through some big speakers, turned the corridors into more of a club than a school! Cue some of the older teachers returning to the staffroom mumbling and grumbling utterances of dissatisfaction about something they could do nothing about.
I also briefly met one of the teachers accompanying the English exchange this morning - apparently they were off to Fantasialand today. Took me right back to being about 11 years old...
This long weekend also involved a trip on the Seilbahn (cable cars across the Rhein), some sitting by the Rhein and Dora's birthday celebrations. Whilst sitting at the Rhein we watched an owner play fetch with his dog, using a bottle top ... and were also asked if we wanted to be part of the audience for a quiz show on WDR. I had to decline, although bonus points for the woman still approaching us auf Deutsch even though she had heard us speaking English. Dora's birthday meal, despite being at an Argentinean restaurant, proved to be very German - when the menu says steak, it means steak, just steak. Nice to see a whole collection of Leeds people though (plus others!).
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| One view from the Seilbahn, looking over the Rheinpark towards the Dom |
Easter is now a coming, so trees like the one below (taken from the internet, I decided that stopping to take photos outside people's homes probably isn't a good idea!) and lots of painted boiled eggs are springing up all over. Plenty of Lindt / Milka chocolate bunnies have also appeared in shops, but no creme eggs or mini eggs - consuming as many of those as possible will have to wait until next week. Homeward bound on Friday!
 |
| Ostereier |
You may remember me saying back when "Wills and Kate" first announced their engagement, and then the wedding date, that Germany didn't really get it. Well, they probably still don't but that hasn't stopped wedding fever reaching the media here. The local newspaper even has a countdown for the number of days left to go... Oh dear.
* Abi, short for Abitur - the German equivalent of A-levels
Monday, 4 April 2011
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)
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.
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)
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| Kölner Dom - Cologne Cathedral |
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| The Rhein glistening in the sunlight |
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| Our view whilst lazying the park |
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| A pretty little daisy |
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.
Friday, 1 April 2011
Der Superfrühling kommt
These are the wise words of yesterday's weatherman. Our summery weather may have temporarily taken a break (it rained a lot of yesterday and is definitely grey and drizzly today) but according to those 'in the know' the "super Spring" weather will be returning over the weekend, with temperatures reaching up to around 24° - ich kann kaum warten! What is even better, is the "Grill-Wetter" chart they've produced especially, ie. the weather forecast measured in barbecues!
In other somewhat sad news, the semester ticket expired yesterday, meaning that once more we now have to pay for our travel again - shocking. €207 (or some such amount) for 6 months free travel was soo worth it. Thank you kindly Universität zu Köln.
My timetable for my last 6 and a half weeks at school :'( has now been sorted, and my 4-day weekends are set to stay! Plus I get to keep my friendly year 12 Leistungskurs class whose lessons always involve a bit of blagging as they know a hell of a lot more about the UK / America than I do.
Also, having done a little bit of tidying up etc, I have begun to realise just how much stuff I've managed to acquire out here ... thank goodness for travelling home by train at Easter - hello no weight limit!
Finally, word of the week: dämlich, meaning daft.
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| Bergisch Gladbach is in the West, just underneath the edge of 3 sausages. |
Dear Germany,
if your weather forecasters are right and you pull this one off, I will officially forgive the 6 continuous weeks of snow and all those sub -5/10° days we endured back in Winter.
In other somewhat sad news, the semester ticket expired yesterday, meaning that once more we now have to pay for our travel again - shocking. €207 (or some such amount) for 6 months free travel was soo worth it. Thank you kindly Universität zu Köln.
My timetable for my last 6 and a half weeks at school :'( has now been sorted, and my 4-day weekends are set to stay! Plus I get to keep my friendly year 12 Leistungskurs class whose lessons always involve a bit of blagging as they know a hell of a lot more about the UK / America than I do.
Also, having done a little bit of tidying up etc, I have begun to realise just how much stuff I've managed to acquire out here ... thank goodness for travelling home by train at Easter - hello no weight limit!
Finally, word of the week: dämlich, meaning daft.
Monday, 28 March 2011
Monday morning fail
Only Monday mornings could begin like this: firstly I managed to paper cut (well, slice) my thumb on a pile of photocopies; next I was woken from my somewhat dazed walk across the school to a group of lads from my class calling "hallo, Frau Groves, hallo? wir haben 604" aka. we had a room change which somehow they knew about and I didn't; and lastly I had to then face this class, my least favourite class of all, most of whom were not up for cooperating with me today. Fun. So glad it was my last lesson with them!
Monday then carried on its slightly bizarre manner when my middle two lessons were cancelled as years 9-12 were all to go to the hall to watch the Oberstufe's theatre play. Faced with the alternative of another hour and a half sat in the staffroom feigning busyness, I went along with. However, despite trying my best, I can safely say that I did not understand what on earth 'Der nackte Wahnsinn' was about - and not just because it was auf Deutsch, though that didn't help. Most bizarre play ever.
Still, it's lovely and sunny again now, and yesterday's afternoon at the 'beach' (well, a stony 'beach' along the banks of the Rhein in picturesque Kaiserswerth anyhow) was lovely. Now just to face my new 'speaking AG' tomorrow... (and my one out of three cancelled lessons).
Monday then carried on its slightly bizarre manner when my middle two lessons were cancelled as years 9-12 were all to go to the hall to watch the Oberstufe's theatre play. Faced with the alternative of another hour and a half sat in the staffroom feigning busyness, I went along with. However, despite trying my best, I can safely say that I did not understand what on earth 'Der nackte Wahnsinn' was about - and not just because it was auf Deutsch, though that didn't help. Most bizarre play ever.
Still, it's lovely and sunny again now, and yesterday's afternoon at the 'beach' (well, a stony 'beach' along the banks of the Rhein in picturesque Kaiserswerth anyhow) was lovely. Now just to face my new 'speaking AG' tomorrow... (and my one out of three cancelled lessons).
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| Kaiserswerth |
Friday, 25 March 2011
Sunburnt in March
That's got to be a new record. Not badly burnt you must understand, just that slight level of pink that you don't notice until it stings a little in the shower - oops! Hello strap marks.
Still, that is a sign of just how amazing the weather has been this week :) Sitting in the sunshine alongside the Rhine eating ice cream is a way of spending my afternoon that I will never ever tire of. Summer weather in March, and afternoons free to enjoy it - who can complain?
Another win for Cologne is the cupcake cafe we ventured to today. Not only did we get to nom a delicious cupcake (I challenge anyone to eat two in one sitting), we also discovered a whole new Stadtteil, with a whole new selection of shops, of which miraculously only one was an H&M (compared to the 5 in the city centre!). Plus I still don't understand quite how our meandering brought us right back into the middle of the city, but it did, magic.
Also noteworthy is that I actually worked all of my timetabled hours this week, not a single lesson was cancelled. Next week however, is my last one on this timetable before a quick change for my last 6 or so weeks of school left here :'( It also brings the (somewhat late) start of 'my' English speaking AG... ie. an after school conversation group, organised by another English teacher on my behalf (just as well she's friendly!) for able students in classes 8 and 9. Hence, on Tuesday afternoon, somewhere between 0 and 15 students should be turning up to voluntarily speak English....
Still, that is a sign of just how amazing the weather has been this week :) Sitting in the sunshine alongside the Rhine eating ice cream is a way of spending my afternoon that I will never ever tire of. Summer weather in March, and afternoons free to enjoy it - who can complain?
Another win for Cologne is the cupcake cafe we ventured to today. Not only did we get to nom a delicious cupcake (I challenge anyone to eat two in one sitting), we also discovered a whole new Stadtteil, with a whole new selection of shops, of which miraculously only one was an H&M (compared to the 5 in the city centre!). Plus I still don't understand quite how our meandering brought us right back into the middle of the city, but it did, magic.
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| "Dornröschen" - Sleeping Beauty |
Also noteworthy is that I actually worked all of my timetabled hours this week, not a single lesson was cancelled. Next week however, is my last one on this timetable before a quick change for my last 6 or so weeks of school left here :'( It also brings the (somewhat late) start of 'my' English speaking AG... ie. an after school conversation group, organised by another English teacher on my behalf (just as well she's friendly!) for able students in classes 8 and 9. Hence, on Tuesday afternoon, somewhere between 0 and 15 students should be turning up to voluntarily speak English....
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