Apple wine, beer, pretzels, nutella. And popcorn.

This weekend was a bit crazy. It was the Museumsuferfest aka Museum embankment festival. The Main was covered in booths with goods to buy and a lot of food and drinks to consume. The weather mostly behaved and so I had a lot of fun wandering the river with friends and checking out a couple museums. My friend Susanne and I left school at 2:30 and headed straight to the first museum on the list, which was closed because of reconstruction. It was really hot and humid so we headed into the next museum down the river - the Communication Museum. My favorite part of this museum was seeing the SOS Morse code papers from when the Titanic was going down. That was pretty cool. We also went to the Dom museum, and the Shirn Museum, which was showing stuff about secret societies aka a bunch of weird stuff we didn't understand. After that we met up with some other friends and wandered the market - bought some funny monster key chains and chocolate popcorn - my favorite!!!! Then we headed to where we were meeting the crew to do the bierbike. There was 16 of us and it was a crazy evening biking through the city, singing/yelling out songs that our DJ was playing, drinking the apple wine/beer being served by one of the heads of the school, and dancing on the bike. It was quite fun. And ridiculous. More embarrassing pictures to come soon I am sure. After that adventure we wandered through Altsachsenhausen to a couple bars and then Sarah and I stayed over at Jess's.

I woke up at 6:20AM and decided it looked beautiful outside and I would bike home. Well, this is where things went wrong. Jess lives above a restaurant. In order to get into her place you enter through a door into a tiny room where there is another door to go into the restaurant or one other to go upstairs to where the tenants in the building live. I head down the stairs and out the tenant door. I try to open the door to go outside and it is locked. The restaurant door is locked. The tenant door is locked. I have no key. I start digging in my purse for my cell phone to call Sarah to tell her to come get me. I can't find my phone. I left it upstairs. I am stuck in a 6'x 4' room. Two of the doors are solid metal and the one to outside has a window that has the glass that you can't really see straight through. I knock on all doors to no avail for about 10 minutes. Then I'm over that so I just sit on the floor and decide I'm going to take a nap till someone comes out on their way for a run/walk/to go to church/to save me. Five minutes I'm thinking - no this is stupid. So I get back up and start banging a little harder on each door in turn. Then I search through my bag again - still no phone. I try my own keys in all the different doors and none of them will turn. I try to swipe all of the cards I have in my wallet - hey it works in movies. Didn't happen. Then I sit back down. Eyes closed for about 10 minutes. Nope, I won't have it! I get back up and start calling out (at intervals) in English and German "Help," "I'm locked in a room with three doors," "I'm stuck in the entrance of this stupid building," and "My friend lives here and didn't tell me I needed a key to get out." Not a peep is heard anywhere, except from me. My knuckles start to hurt so I switch to banging on the doors. I sit down and eat some rice cakes and the rest of the delicious green olives. I get up and start banging and hollering again. Eventually I spy a guy outside and start banging real hard and he comes over, tries to open the door and says "It's locked" and then walks away. REALLY?!!?!?!?!?!? Bad karma coming his way. Maybe a half hour later, after I have enjoyed leaning against the window watching buses pass by (remember I can barely see out this window because of the weird glass), another person walk by and I catch their attention. They ask me about five time how in the world I have got myself in the situation I am in and I explain multiple times (yelling, because apparently the door is very thick and hard to hear through) that I stayed the night at a friends and then got stuck in this entryway and left my phone upstairs. And no I do not have their numbers. I ask him to yell up at the windows Jessica and he backs away from the door and very quietly says "Jessica" and then comes back to tell me the windows are all closed. I know the windows are opened - they are just covered by shades so they look closed. Apparently, this is not translated. Then he asks me how I got stuck in their again. I mean really mister, I can't explain it any other way! A couple minutes later he brings over a person who happens to be a lady who has come to clean the Restaurant and low and behold she has a key and I am out of the panic room I have been stuck in for, after we check her watch, two hours. I ring the bell up to Jess's place (why didn't I just tell the people to do that for me before, don't ask), they let me in. I get upstairs and Jess & Sarah ask me where I went. Well, since saying goodbye to you Sarah, I have been stuck downstairs in a cell for two hours.

The rest of my Sunday went much better, with a picnic on the river w/ some new friends and many skype calls. I was ready to pass out at 5:30PM. Hopefully next weekend goes smoother.

There are naked people in the park.

Staff BBQ - Kicking the ball around.

Surprisingly, I haven't been through my favorite Grüneberg Park that often yet. Today, on my bike ride home from the bus stop, I went through Grüneberg after hitting up the Rewe for some groceries. As I am passing through the park I look around and there to my right, not that far away, is a nice man all splayed out hoping to get a suntan. Naked. This should not be shocking to me, as I know the park and that this area often has naked people laying out when the weather is nice, but clearly I have been in the States for a while and am not used to seeing a lot of naked adults lying about. Not 20 minutes after I got home it started storming and thundering like crazy and looked like it was 8PM outside (besides the crazy bright lightning) so I can only imagine what happened to all those lovely naked people. :)

Walk in the forest next to the school!

The school is huge.

I have been having such a great time here. I can't believe it has already been over a month since I got here. And, as I have said, I am so at home. The family is like my family so it is easy for me to feel right at home. Work has been crazy. Three days a week I do not get home till almost 8PM. I can't say enough how much I like the people I work with. They are so fabulous. Every Friday two people bring treats for the rest of the staff. Every week there has been a BBQ/Volleyball game. This weekend we are going on the beer bike around the city. I have a trip planned with one of the other TA's to Belgium in a couple weeks. There is a group of us going to Heidelberg on my birthday to watch fireworks. I adore some of the kids that I get to teach and work with two amazing teachers. I am so fascinated by how well they can teach!

Kayleen is going to have a baby any second and I am so excited. I'm sad to be missing out on the birth of her first baby girl, but I am still so stoked to meet her over skype. Yay for me becoming a crazy auntie!!!!

Not too much to report besides the daily grind. Worked a house warming party last weekend - was fun to cut rocks with the kids. Walked around the town and went to my favorite restaurants/shops. Swimming this weekend if the weather behaves.

Don't forget to write me.

The kids aren't allowed to go on the grass yet. Proves to be a problem when kicking balls around...

I've survived (almost) the whole week!

It has been one crazy week! I will try to wrap it up without writing a book.

Monday I met all the 2nd graders that I will be helping and boy were they great! Seb and I have a class of 22 students. He is a fabulous teacher and is great at getting everyone to behave. Of course there are a few that like to misbehave, but all in all we have a great class. The schedules are a bit crazy and basically I am at the school till 6PM three days a week. School is from 8:45-3:45 and then I help out with afternoon care three days a week. On Monday I will be helping out with the choir for an hour (maybe playing piano?!) and Tuesdays I am going to start a gymnastics club for an hour. Yipee! I wish we had trampolines... Oh well. The club will start next week I believe.

The first day of school for the Reception class (Kindergarten but not) is a HUGE deal in Germany. The kids (ages 4-5) come to school with their parents for an assembly where the heads talk and then they kiddos come to the classroom for only an hour and then go back home. They all bring a special cone shaped container with them filled with goodies to celebrate their first day. Well... Maybe 3 of the 22 little ones speaks any English. The rest ONLY understand German. We are only teaching in English. This creates some problems. We had one girl who cried her eyes out the entire time and another clinging to his mother. Another cried periodically. Eventually I started saying a few things to some of the distraught kids in German and then they realized that I was not some scary monster but someone they could communicate with. A little. Lindsay is fabulous and exaggerates all her movements to try and help the kids understand what she is wanting them to do. We sing songs, we dance, we color, paint, play with cars, play in a sand pit (in the classroom!), and try to keep everyone happy. Day 2 for the kids went great - only one or two cried the whole day! Yipee! Some definitely surprised me with how quickly they warmed up. We have a couple trouble makers but really they are all adorable (I really like the trouble makers for some reason) and just love attention - wealthy parents sometimes means the kids just don't get enough attention since their parents are so career focused.We have some snugglers, some hand holders, and some students who really try and comfort the others who are upset. It's so freaking adorable.

Grade 2 I barely spent time in yesterday and today I spent a little more fun. You really start to appreciate the fact that they understand English and can speak some English as well. Today I got to help in math (love math!!!) and basically just walk around the classroom so far helping students who have questions.

I am the only American. Weird! There are a lot of Canadians and the rest are basically German. They are all fabulous teachers and I am so lucky to be working with them all.

Met up with "The Women" this week for Sushi night at Charlotte's. Marlene and baby were not there but Adriana was in town (she moved to London) and Ning was there also along with a new friend from Mexico. I was starving by the time I got there and was so stuffed when I left. I love sushi. Ning was saying that maybe this weekend we should go to the famous thermal spa nearby. We'll see! I drove her new MINI after dinner. Sooo cute. Got to get me one of those! :)

Trip 1 may be planned - yipee!! Amsterdam! This weekend I'll tour some of the newbies around town to my favorite spots on bike trails and in the city. Maybe some hiking? We shall see...

love and miss

I would like my schedule please.

Last Mexican Supper :(

I know this will be hard for some of you to believe, but I stayed out till 5AM on Saturday night. Who's proud?! Gosh it was torture for a couple of hours but the company was great and then I got my second wind. I do know that I am definitely not a night owl though! My goodness. I was with Brittany (replacement au pair) and friend Jörg and Katherine for a bit. We hung out on the Ziel - got creeped out by a guy literally sniffing at Jörg's leg. I'm enjoying drinking in public again. It's so much nicer to just go to the store, buy a bottle of whatever (or chocolate), and then chill outside and people watch. Made some new friends. . .

Jörg has given me his old bike! So that is just AWESOME. It's a boy bike and I always feel like I am racing around on it super speedy like. It's fun. :)

I work with some fabulous people! The Canadians are a hoot and a holler and the Germans are also grand. The school is HUGE. Sadly, we found out we can't play on the grass until Spring most likely so that it can root itself. This week we have been working on setting up our respective classrooms and the teaching assistants (me) have been getting our schedules all worked out. I can officially tell you when I have to be at school now! Yay! I still don't know what holiday camps I will be working but hopefully that will all be sorted out by Friday. HOPEFULLY. There are some pushy ones who are making this a little more difficult... I made the mistake of playing the piano in the music classroom and then the music teacher decided I was recruited to play the piano for her choir. She through out some big names and talked about the kids singing at the Opera house and how I MUST help! So she is going to give me some piano music. Ummm... I am not my mother. I can not play the piano like that! Oy. We will see what happens with that. She also decided that I needed to be in a choir?? What am I getting myself into!!?? I also am going to be baking maybe every week with the reception class (yay!), doing a gymnastics club (if only we had some trampolines...), and then one more afternoon care time slot. I am NOT working in the mornings as I was scheduled to do as I am a push over and let the Mother's have the mornings. So. I am helping almost 50/50 in a second grade class and a reception class (think Kindergarten). And one random 3rd grade science class. What I will be doing is up to the teachers and I to figure out together. The teachers I work with are the cream of the crop. The 2nd grade teacher (German cutie) is in charge of the whole school basically as well so he has a lot on his shoulders. The reception teacher (darling Canadian) is in charge of all reception classes. I'm with the bigwigs. :)

I saw my friend Charlotte yesterday! We went and picked up her daughter at her care place. I can't believe how big she has gotten! I guess she is 8 months older... I think she totally remembers me because she was giving me all smiles and snuggled right into me. Yay! She is such a precious little girl. I think she is going to be a little confused for awhile since all of "the women" have different native languages i.e. we are talking to her in German, French, English, Polish, Spanish, and Chinese. Ha!

READ THE BOOKS AND GO SEE THE MOVIE DAD.

Going to my first Germany family this weekend to celebrate Johanna and Ben's birthdays! Yipeeee! So excited to see them!!!!!!!!!


School starts next week. I'll bring out the camera soon so for now these few pics from NYC will have to suffice... If you want more e-mail me and I'll send you the link to the rest.

Ready, set, go!

 I left my camera cord at home and have failed to go to a shop to look for one like it yet so no pictures yet. Although I could use my phone. Hmm.. Next time!

Orientation has begun and there are about 20 new people who I will be working with at Phorms! I'm pretty excited. The newbies include mostly Canadians, Germans, and Americans with a few outliers from England, Indonesia and Poland. The Steinbach campus is really beautiful and they sure have a lot of work to get done on the new grounds before school starts on the 8th. Today we learned about using Smart Boards, which is the reinvented chalkboard/whiteboard computer. It's pretty cool. Reminds me of KidPix but you get to use your hands to add/subtract from what is on the board. Fun fun advanced technology! As of now I will be a teaching assistant for a Kindergarten class and a 2nd grade class and I also have asked to help out in the Library. Not sure yet about living situation - I will probably stay here at the house through August and maybe find my own place in September.

Going to Eichstätt next weekend to celebrate Johanna and Benjamins birthdays! Yipee!!! Can't wait to see all my lovely Schödel's. Other then that fabulous trip I haven't planned anything else yet. Surprised? I am! Maybe after I get my first paycheck things will change. Hahaha.

I've finished most of my administrative tasks this week. I'm feeling very grateful that I already know the area and can also speak German, as many of the newbies that are native English speakers don't speak German AND don't know the area so they have a lot more new information coming at them than I do. Today I worked out my tax number papers and so the last thing to do is my visa, which will hopefully be all sorted out on Friday morning. Still need to figure out my phone situation (I think ATT is wanting to make me pay lots of money for my data plan even though I won't be using it...) and also getting a bike, although I may borrow one for a couple months from a friend and then use the "au pair" bike once Brittany heads home in October.

Love being back in this house with the family. It's so much fun having the kiddos around. And having Brittany here too.

Finished book two of the Hunger Games and am a third of the way through the last book. I don't want to put it down!!

Two of the Canadians are going to the Harry Potter movie tonight. I think I'm going to be just fine. ;)

Back again...

I'm here! Safe and sound a just a little bit tired. Here is an overview of the last week.

Had an AMAZING going away party that my parents hosted (thank you, I am forever grateful) at Bridgeport Brew Pub. Loved seeing you all before I headed out. Next morning, up super early for my flight to NYC to visit Amy! Bought a kindle - super excited about it! Already finished The Hunger Games and on to the next book. Amy lives in such an amazing area and I had fun going on two different tours. I did a tour of Soho/Little Italy/Chinatown, but it was mostly about the architecture of the area. Then another day I did a tour of downtown aka Battery Park (took the Staten Island Ferry to get a good look at the Statue of Liberty), Ground Zero (I definitely teared up. So sad.), and Wall Street (used to actually be a wall there). I had no idea how HUGE Manhattan is. I forced Amy to bike around Central Park with me. She is half a block from the Park. Lucky girl! We went and saw Harry Potter at midnight with one of her friends who sobbed/whimpered the entire movie which helped me ebb my own tears as I giggled at her. Loved the movie! In front of us was part of the cast of War Horse so Amy and her friend were freaking out. Not really knowledgeable in the Broadway arena I didn't recognize the people, but turns out one was in Gossip Girl so I kind of knew him. :) Another night Amy and I went and saw the Broadway show Anything Goes. It was good! Funny characters. After Amy got everyone's signatures on her Play Bill and took some pictures with a few cast members. Next time I go see a show on Broadway it will be to see Amy.

Took a bus down to Baltimore (only $17!) to stay with the Granny and PopPop. LOVE seeing them . My wonderful Aunt Marcia and Uncle Sheldon came over for dinner the first night. It's always great to catch up with them. It's as if I saw them yesterday. I met up with Katie (my au pair friend from last year!) who is working in Baltimore. It was so great seeing her and reminiscing about some funny happenings in Frankfurt and also to hear what she has been up to since we headed back to the States.  Wednesday morning I accompanied Granny to her friends house where she gets together with some girlfriends and does a water aerobics class. That was fun! I think I've had enough sun though from walking all day long around NYC where it was 90 degrees aka 15 degrees too hot for me.

The airport was quite eventful. Granny and PopPop were kind enough to drive me all the way out to Dulles in traffic. At the airport I had no problem checking in. I had to pay a little extra for my MASSIVE bag that just weighed 65lbs. I head to security. I'm going through security when a few things go... differently than planned. First, they have a new system at Dulles where you have to stand sideways and get scanned by a machine that makes sure you haven't hid anything dangers in your ribs, etc. That was interesting. I pass that test. As I'm chatting up the agent I'm asked "Is this your bag mam." Oh no. Yes that is my carry on bag. "Is this your bag also mam." Oh dear. Yes that is my purse. So nice man goes through my bags and pulls out the Sunflower Seed Butter and Almond Butter from TJ's that my Granny insisted I bring with me. "I'm sorry mam, you can't bring pastes on the plane." So, of course I ask him if he wants to eat them because my Granny will be most upset if these get thrown in the garbage. Nope he can't. So option number 2: go outside of security and scarf down as much as I can before throwing it away. I'm escorted outside of security with all my stuff and start chowing down. Yes, hello people, I am just eating some PB - stop staring. After I've gotten through 4 celery sticks, 3 carrot sticks and probably 1/2 cup of Almond Butter another security officer comes up to me and tells me how I can't bring them on the plane because pastes are the same consistency of bombs or some crazy story like that. I offer him the containers and he says I should just check my carry on bag so I don't have to throw out the containers. Genius - why didn't I think of that before I stuffed myself?! So I go back upstairs. WELL turns out my carry on bag is only allowed to weigh 6kilos and it weighs 13kilos so the lady who checked me in is going to get in trouble for not weighing my carry on in the first place. Oh geez. So I'm feeling guilty for getting her in trouble, full from eating so much so fast, and weary about leaving in the first place. Thankfully, I am not charged for that bag - amazing that I get to check in 2 bags without any charge! Well, except the overage fee. I try to pass it off with my computer but the nice people tell me no, I need to take out my lap top and carry it. Ugh. So heavy. I get back to security - the (very cute) guy checking my passport laughs at me. I put my lap top in a container with my shoes - no bueno. "Sorry mam but that needs to be in a container on its on." Can I do nothing right?!!? I know the drill now with the scanner so I get through that fine. Finally make it to my gate and realize I only have 30 minutes to call the people I promised to call before boarding the plane. AHH! Well, I make it on the plane and am seated in the exit row - YAY for extra leg room! I sleep on and off for that 5 hr flight to Iceland. In Iceland I change over to my next plane with only one funny comment from the Passport checking police. "How long are you going to be here?" 2 years. "Do you have a visa?" Not yet, but I'm in the process of getting it. "Don't forget." OOK. Sleep on the 3 hour flight to Frankfurt where the kiddos and Brittany pick me up. Emily and Oscar made me a sign that says "Welcome Home Cara." Tender! And that is how I feel, like I've come home. Strange how I feel so at home in so many places. Andrea gets home tonight from a trip so I haven't seen her yet and Phillip gets home on Monday. Brittany made yummy soup last night and so we ate and chatted. Kids spent the night at a friends. I crashed at 9PM, but woke up in the middle of the night and tossed and turned for a couple of hours. BOO. Caught up with the cleaning lady, Vale, this morning. She is so darn sweet. Then I went to meet with a HR person who told me all the administrative things I need to get done ASAP. I registered as a citizen, got my visa pictures taken, and turned in my info to get my bank account. Orientation starts on Monday. OH I found out I'm not in at the city campus like I thought but am at the Steinbach campus. So now I need to figure out how I'll be getting around, where I'm going to live if/when I get an apartment. Hm.

I'm so tired. I can't believe I'm back. Just like when I went home, I feel like I never left! So strange.

I love you family and friends and miss your faces. Thank goodness we can still Skype - sign up and e-mail me your name! My phone has skype on it too which is sweeeet.

Home Sweet Home?

I have already been home for over a month and a half. I can't believe it. Sadly, I have only spoken German probably two or three times since being home. I have written a bit of German in emails to friends, but not much. Not enough. I miss Frankfurt, my kiddos there, the family, my German family, my friends, and being able to get everywhere I wanted to be by walking or by biking. I do not miss the cold which has again contaminated Frankfurt - it's freezing there! But I'm sad to be missing out on playing in the snow with Emily and Oscar. I have visited so many friends since being home, which has been really wonderful. It makes my next decision harder to make. I am working as a PA to family friends, which I love - organizing is right up my ally. I'm meeting with some people in the International Office at PSU next month. I'm interviewing with a school in Frankfurt in February. And yet I still want to go to Thailand, South America, Spain, Hungry, Turkey, and back to Greece and Australia. Thankfully I still have time.

I've been living with Bethany. That is a blessing and a curse as she is a bit... picky. I love the location because then I am closer to a lot of my friends, but further from others. We had a holiday party there last week and it was a lot of fun - especially watching Bethany belt out Christmas songs when we did Karaoke.

Took Amy to the doctor's today so they could remove the 4 screws in her feet. Yuck. Now I just want to bake some goodies.

Still have 5 Milka bars left... look at me go!