Recent Happenings

So, I promised you an update on recent happenings.

Here it comes.

During the week of Thanksgiving (that's American Thanksgiving, which takes place on the fourth Thursday of the month of November, for those of you internationals who weren't sure), I took part in a seminar for area teaching assistants in Düsseldorf. All assistants from the Bezirksregierungen (governmental regions) Düsseldorf and Münster were required to attend. Even though I live a mere 7-minute bus ride from the youth hostel at which we were housed for two nights, I decided to pack up my backpack and camp out there, as well, as I hoped it would provide a good opportunity to meet and network with area colleagues.

And, boy, was I right.

On the first day, we arrived, ate lunch together, then headed to the Landestag, the government building for the state of Nordrhein-Westfalen. There, we were greeted with coffee and about seven different varieties of cake, followed by a presentation by the guy who pays us, a short tour of the building, and a Q&A with the Schulministerin (Minister of Education) of Nordrhein-Westfalen. Really a cool opportunity when I stop to think about it; it's amazing how many things I take for granted here.

My roommates during the seminar,

two Russians and a Brit.

The second day was spent driving around the area, taking a whirlwind of tours, and learning about the industrial history and the continuing consequences thereof of my region, the Ruhrgebiet. We went through a regional museum housed in a former coal washing plant in Essen, visited an outer space exhibit complete with the "world's largest sculpture of the moon" in a former natural gas storage tank (that looks like an 11-story oil drum), and took a night tour of a former blast oven/iron smelting plant.

A few notes on the blast oven plant, since I think it is super interesting and deserves a bit more detail: as mentioned, this tour took place in the dark. We're talking pitch-black dark. Clambering up and down seven stories' worth of slippery metal stairs on the outside of giant old coal ovens in the cold drizzle. Did I mention pitch-black? Oh, except for the bright colored lights that blinded me as I attempted to see the next step in front of me on my way down said slippery metal stairs. That is forgiveable, though, as the light exhibition was designed by the same guy who used to design lighting for Pink Floyd concerts.

Not even the dark side of the moon tonight.

Such a tour would've never flown in the U.S. Not without signing your life away for insurance purposes, anyway.

All in all, though many people whined about the cold and the dark, I thought it was awesome.

After our activities each night, we were given free time to socialize, eat dinner, wander around the city, et cetera. This proved to be a great time to get to know people better. We spent the first night wandering around the Christmas markets and dining in a fantastic Lebanese restaurant. The night capped with a large group of assistants meeting in an Irish pub for a drink. The second night, we were exhausted after all the running around, but I still managed to eat pizza for dinner with my Russian roommates, then had a later-night drink at the hostel with one of them.

Enjoying Glühwein at the Christmas markets

with four Spaniards, an American, a Brit, and a Russian.

After a discussion about our experience thus far and a city tour (oh yay, of my own city) the next day, the seminar ended, but the three days really did help give me a better perspective on my time here. I met a lot of great people who live in the area and who are going through similar emotions and experiences as I am. I have determined since then to really step up my efforts in reaching out, being friendly, and making opportunities for myself, not just waiting for them to come to me.

I am attempting to get more involved in my school, by volunteering to take on parts of classes and even entire lessons to teach. This week, I am presenting a short bit on Thanksgiving (as my eighth graders have been studying Pilgrim/Native American history, and I wasn't at school during Thanksgiving week). Next week, I'll be doing a whole section on 9/11 conspiracies for my grade 13ers.

In my social life, I am also trying to push myself a bit past comfort. On Thursday, I went to Oberhausen to visit a friend/colleague, Alicia, and we had a great afternoon wandering the giant American-style mall and watching "The Big Bang Theory". (Didn't accomplish any Christmas shopping, but I've never been good at planning ahead in that area.) On Friday, my friend/colleague Katherine came to visit from Dortmund, and we spent the afternoon eating pasta, knitting, and watching Home Alone 2. (Man, I love holiday movies.) Saturday evening, I accompanied my friend Marine to an international dinner one of her friends was hosting in Aachen. I am so glad I went - I was able to enjoy raclette (see last paragraph under link) with a group consisting of four Germans, a Frenchie, a Portuguese, a Brit and a South African, and an Algerian. English, German, and French were spoken freely around the table, and not only did I understand all the conversations, I was even able to help translate some of them!

I think life here is getting better, or at least, I can say that I'm starting to develop a comfortable network and routine. Although it's a shame, in a way, that I'll be uprooting and relocating again in a few short months, I am trying to constantly remind myself that this really is potentially a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and the things that I take for granted (like people from so many different countries being all in one place at one time) are really quite unique and cool.

Taking control of my own happiness

Hello all,

I know I fell off the face of the blogging world again for the last month. My sincere apologies for that. It's just hard for me to blog unless I'm in the right mood, and the last month was definitely a personal challenge for me.

Living in Germany is still a challenge for me, I've gotta say. It does seem to be getting slowly better, though, which is a relief. I guess I had expected that, along with the Fulbright, such a prestigious award, or so I'm told, I would gain all sorts of wonderful and impressive professional knowledge and experience.

Au contraire, my friends. This experience in Germany has been and is going to be a nearly completely personal growth adventure, I'm quite certain. I've been experiencing a lot of loneliness, and not for any good reason, really. I've met a few wonderful people, my environment is quite all right... I'm just somehow not content here. I don't feel very necessary in my job (though the kids and my colleagues are all lovely), there have been some unnecessary and ridiculous issues with one roommate in particular (though the others, and even the problem one are very sweet and friendly and great), and I just miss home. I miss my social network, the friends and family with whom I have spent so many hours and with whom I feel so comfortable.

I've started realizing that part of it may perhaps be the fact that I am in a massive urban area, and maybe I am just not cut out to live in such a place. At the beginning of last week, I took part in a three-day seminar with foreign language assistants from the Düsseldorf area. We went to museums and such highlighting the highly-industrial nature of this region, and I had the good fortune to meet a lot of great people who all live near me. Thank god. However, I'll save the details for another post (which I promise to write before another month goes by), and get to my point. During one of our tours, I went up to an observation deck on top of a former natural gas storage tank, 11 stories high. I was amazed to realize that, for as far as the eye can see in every direction, there are people and highways and buildings and huge industrial plants. One of the tour guides mentioned that my region is known for the way one can go from one city to another to another and never realize quite which city he's in, as they all just touch and blend into each other.

I was somehow shocked to learn this. I guess I'd just never considered it before. I knew that, every morning, when I wake up, I get to clear green gunk from my throat and figured it was due to air pollution. I also knew that it bothered me a bit that there is really nowhere quiet and green and "wild" feeling around me. Seeing and hearing about the unending people, though, I really started to think. When I flew to France a few weeks ago (oh, yeah, I flew to France a few weeks ago... I'll speak more about that in a future post, as well), I was nose-to-the-window, trying to inhale the view of green plots of farmland and sparse villages. I also felt very content in Lyon, a city with lots of open, quiet spaces. It didn't occur to me until after I left that perhaps all this is telling me that I'm just not a super-urban girl.

In a conversation with my friend Megan a month or so ago, I relayed some of my feelings about being here, and she asked me , "So, are you going to stick it out all the way, then?" This question actually shocked me. I had never, ever considered giving up and just going home. I could. It is always a possibility. I won't, though. My aunt Kim told me one day that she has always been proud of me for pushing through everything I've ever taken on. These words mean a lot to me, and I guess I'm just that kind of person; I signed up for this, and I'm going to finish it, no matter what it takes.

Besides, through talking with my peers, it is likely not just Germany that is screwing with my head, but also my phase in life. It sounds like a lot of my fellow 2010 graduates are feeling just as lost as I am, not knowing what's in their futures or which direction to even aim. As my wonderful Romain brought up, I could be feeling the exact same that I am now, even if I were at home.

So, I'll stick it out. And, as my friend Mary in Aachen posted on Facebook, it's time to take control of my own happiness.

God, I love my friends. So much wisdom packed into such lovely people.

Fall Break and Back to School

I apologize, dear readers, for my extended absence from the blogging world. You'd think with two weeks of vacation, I'd find time to write more, but, luckily, my time was filled rather nicely with real-world activity.

Last I wrote, it was the middle of the week in my first week of fall break. I was stressed to the limit with a lack of funds, after which there was a small roommate misunderstanding that left me in tears, just wanting to go home. Not to fear, the roommate thing was not a big deal; it's just always a challenge living with other people. Now, try putting four girls from three different continents, two of them being sisters in one apartment. I count my blessings; it could be worse.

In fact, I adore them. Thus far (knock on wood), we haven't even had a girly blow-out. I'm very lucky to have found this place.

During the first weekend of my break, a couple of colleagues of mine from the Fulbright ETA program came to visit me in Düsseldorf. It was a huge relief meeting up with them and being able to talk with them. It turns out that I am far from being the only person with the strange moodswings and hangups about being in Germany. I feel better just knowing that I'm not the only one going through these weird emotions.

Mary (above) and Emily (below) were lovely guests in the city of
Düsseldorf, even buying me a fantastic German lunch of Schnitzel,
Pommes, and Düsseldorfer Altbier, as well as some Glühwein on the
riverfront. "We Fulbrighters have to stick together," they said, and it's
so heartening in confusing times to hear words like that.

Throughout the second week of fall break, my friend and colleague Becky, who is stationed in Göttingen, came to visit. I promise to add more photos and details about that trip in the near future. We had a lovely week filled with great food and good sightseeing. We visited K21, a modern art museum in Düsseldorf - a place I likely would not have seen on my own. (I'm still not sure how a 50-gallon aquarium half-filled with water and two floating basketballs is art, but it was still a good - and free! - time). We had a fairy-tale moment walking up to Schloss (castle) Benrath, a pink baroque castle in the southeast of Düsseldorf, after which we found a tiny, adorable, and cheap Italian eatery. We did a lot of walking and shopping around the Altstadt, and we took a day's excursion to Köln, which is only a 30-minute train ride from Düsseldorf. At the end of her trip, we decided to go out in the Altstadt, which ended up in us trying a new club - that happened to be filled with all people who looked to be over 30. Not super comfortable. (No offense, over-30s... just not my scene yet.) I somehow managed to drop/lose my cell phone, which is a bummer, but hopefully eBay will pull through for me. The most irritating part of that whole deal is that I was completely sober. Boo.

After Becky left, I was exhausted, but I had already agreed to drive with Felix and Sascha, friends from Frankfurt, to a party hosted by my friend Esther in Bielefeld. I wishy-washed back and forth about whether I wanted to go or not (I was running on very little sleep from the week and especially from the night before), but finally decided, following the words of someone near and dear to me: if I don't do it, I'll probably regret it later. So, at 10 pm on Saturday night, I hopped in Sascha's car and made the 2-hour drive to Bielefeld, to arrive and enjoy a senior-citizen-themed party. It ended up being a blast - great conversation and dancing with lots of German students dressed up in grey hair, suspenders, and frumpy dresses.

And, of course, we woke up on Sunday only to find Sascha's car completely boxed in, with a car parked behind him. After much honking and consternation, I suggested we move the trailer parked next to him and shimmy it out. Sascha got extremely frustrated, but I told him to trust Felix and me, and we guided him out. It only took an hour. :/ After some Burger King, we made our way back to Düsseldorf, and I spent the rest of the day attempting to stay awake so that I would sleep through the night.

I went back to school this week, as usual, and it's really nice to be back in some sort of regular schedule. One thing I am learning about myself during this experience (I knew it before, but now I'm positive of it) is that I need a schedule of sorts - timely goals - to keep my sanity in check. Starting next week, I'll be getting more into real teaching, taking part in a politics unit with my 9th graders and giving some short presentations with my 11th graders.

I also am finally registered on the university and have my Semesterticket, which means free public transportation throughout the state of Nordrhein-Westfalen. Thank god. This also means I can make fun little weekend trips to lots of colleagues in the area! Really looking forward to that. I'm taking one class, Düsseldorfer city history and culture, and I'm really enjoying it. I officially tested at a C1 language level, which is advanced. There is only one level higher.

Even more gratifying, though, is my and others' realization that my German language skills have improved immensely. Before even taking the language placement test, I attended one session of the Düsseldorf history class. I told my professor I wasn't registered yet, as I hadn't taken the test, and he said, "Don't worry... you're at the right level [class]." Upon going back to the class last week, I was the only person to have (mostly) fully read the assigned text and to have actually understood it all. And, I didn't think it was that challenging! Additionally, it's crazy to think that, six years ago, when I first knew Esther in the U.S., we spoke only English together and I knew hardly a word of German. Now, we only speak German with each other!

I still have my crazy ups and downs here in Germany. Each day comes with its own intense moments of homesickness and content moments of clarity and happiness. I know now, though, that this experience, while not going to be easy, is going to be a challenge that is worth getting through. I feel like I'm learning a lot about myself, which I hope to keep in mind during my next steps and incorporate in my life, wherever I may end up.

Pleite

Well, now I can add another new experience to my list: being broke.

It's funny how knowing you only have 50 Euros to get you through until you get paid can make you sick to your stomach.

It'd sure be nice if I knew when I get paid.

(Mom, if you're reading this, don't get overworried. Check your e-mail.)

I was sitting relatively pretty up until today. I was a bit concerned about making rent next month, as rent is due on November 3, and I have no idea when I will get paid. We were told our first payment deposit could take from 4-8 weeks. My eight-week mark will be the first Friday in November. However, I had a few hundred dollars left as a little cushion in my American bank account. I've been living frugally, but still enjoying fresh produce and the occasional 1,25€ frozen salmon filet.

As of this afternoon, that bank account will also be depleted.

The good news first? I finally have been accepted as a student at Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf. Why this has been so important to achieve? My school is a 40+ minute commute from my apartment. If I paid the public transportation fees daily, that would cost me 9€ per day. A monthly ticket would cost me around 80€ per month. Those are prices I just can't afford.

Your next question may be how I have been affording these costs until now. Well... let's just say I haven't. And the two times there were controllers checking tickets on my trains and buses, I got lucky.

As a student, I only have to pay a 216,92€ fee one time per semester. This gets me a student ID, which doubles as a fully functional public transportation ticket within the entire state of Nordrhein-Westfalen. It will be good until the middle of next March.

You can certainly see why being a student in Germany is so important to me.

And, this brings me back to how I went from comfortable to a little freaked out in one day. After playing paperwork shuffle and office-visit-and-e-mail-tag with a worker in the International Office at the university for literally the entire past month, I finally received an e-mail this morning informing me that I have been accepted as a student at HHUD. To matriculate, I simply need to drop by a Mr. Ponce de Leon's office (yes, that apparently really is his name, which is awesome) on Friday morning, and bring proof of health insurance, a self-addressed, stamped envelope in which my student ID will be mailed to me, and a receipt proving I've paid my Sozialbeitrag, or student fees.

I don't want to push the German bureaucracy by delaying my matriculation any longer. To matriculate, I need to pay this fee. To get my Semesterticket ASAP for the public transportation, I need to pay this fee ASAP. I also can't afford to get caught mid-Schwarzfahrt ("black ride") on my way to or from school. The fine for that is a minimum of 40€. In the interest of self-preservation and legality, let it be said that I'm not saying I do that... I'm just sayin'. Y'know.

That leaves me with 50,54€ in cash assets until I get paid. Minus a 1,45€ stamp for my self-addressed, stamped envelope. Yes, I counted.

Come on, Pädagogischer Austauschdienst... don't let me down now.

Thoughts on thoughts

I finally feel like I'm starting to fall into life here and figure out where I fit. Tomorrow, next week, I may not feel the same, but tonight is comforting.

Beginning today, I have a two-and-a-half week Herbstferien, a fall vacation. German school schedules are far different from America's; instead of having school nearly straight through from August or September until May or June, Germans begin school in August and go into July. Within the school year are three major breaks in addition to the roughly one-month-long summer break. Each of the three breaks is two weeks long - big tests are generally scheduled right before the break. In my opinion, this is a superior school schedule to America's; the vacation times break up the year and keep students from getting too bogged down, and no one needs a three month summer break. Students get bored, and the entire fall semester back is spent in review, attempting to refresh students on material already learned.

Interestingly, Obama is looking to change that a bit.

Anyway, I now have two and a half weeks stretching ahead of me. No meetings, no commitments, no work... and still no money. Still no payment. Even the fact that, when I do receive my stipend, it will be for over two months of backpay, is not very consoling, as most of those Euros already have someone's name on them. (Digression: check out that amazing sentence: four commas. Yikes.)

So, what does one do with two weeks and limited resources? My plan: walk. Discover Düsseldorf. Cook meals. Take long baths. Research my future. Attempt to finally goddamn get registered at the university. (This process is getting really old.)

Life is already looking better than a week ago. Deciding to approach this experience from a different angle has already made a difference. My days are quiet... much, much quieter than I am used to. A typical day involves a maximum of 5-6 hours of work (pre- and proceeded by a nearly one-hour commute). I am back home no later than 3 pm. From there, I walk four blocks to Karolingerplatz, an adorable, colorful area full of cute shops. I buy groceries for the day, walk home, catch up with things online and prepare for the next day at school. Around 6:30, I meet with my Irish friend Adriana, and we walk around the city for 1-2 hours. I come back home, make a nice dinner, talk with my roommates, and sleep. When I don't work, the routine is similar, except I get a stretched-out breakfast and often have to come up with a goal to accomplish that gets me out of my house and walking somewhere.

These goals are silly: Buy pink eyeshadow. Buy scissors. Find the nearest gym. Create posters advertising my English tutoring skills. The next day, go to a university and attempt to figure out the official process for hanging up said posters. Silly, small goals, but, as stated, things that get me up, moving, showered, dressed, and out of the house. Things that get me walking and moving and keeping my sanity. Things that actually can take quite a bit of time when you slow them down and make them into individual goals, rather than throwing them on your Wal-Mart shopping list and trying to fill your cart during your 30-minute lunch break and still make it back to work/class on time.

I am still learning here. I'm remembering the importance of slowing down, of enjoying every moment. I'm learning how to give my life meaning, how to develop my own self-drive and not just tumble through someone else's time constraints. I'm realizing the importance of physical health and how it seriously impacts mental and emotional health.

For the first time tonight, I just laid in bed and thought. I didn't realize I was doing it. I had planned to meet up with other teachers-in-training from my school and have a drink in the Altstadt tonight (such an interesting German custom... more on that in the future), but, an hour before leaving my house, I felt exhausted with a persistent sinus headache. I gracefully bowed out, worried that I may be screwing up a good opportunity to better know my colleagues and peers. And, maybe I did. But, the following four hours of evening have not been boring, as expected.

I sat with my computer in front of my face for much of my evening, idly browsing for entertainment. What I realized, though, was that the computer was just a front. What I really spent my evening doing was meditating, though not formally or mindfully. For the first time, I was content to just be and think. Reflect on my life at this point. Surprisingly, my thoughts came rather clearly, but they did not upset me. Arguably, my uncertainty about many elements of my present and future could get me rather worked up (and usually do when I consciously cogitate upon them), but this time, my brain just watched and processed.

In my hectic American life, this was not a skill I used to cherish. Only in the past few years, through personal experiences as well as exposure to some Eastern religious ideas, have I begun to think about the benefit of a simpler, quieter, slower-paced life. Now, I actually have the opportunity to start practicing.

Wilkommen Russland!

According to my blog stats, I can now claim one more country (and entire continent) in my readership!

Welcome, Russia!

Readjustment

Written on Saturday, October 2, 2010, morning.

As I sit here on my birthday, sipping peppermint tea and waiting for my roommates to get the hell out of the bathroom so I can take a long, hot bath, I reflect on my present and my future.

At present, I realize that Cyndi Lauper is great morning-after-celebrating music.

The transition back to Deutschland has been a lot rockier and more mentally and emotionally challenging than I ever anticipated. In fact, I did not really anticipate a tough readjustment. I knew I would miss home, and I knew that it would be harder to meet people this time around, but I had no idea to what extent.

The past four weeks here have been full of ups and downs... more downs than ups. That’s not to say that I’m crying and depressed all the time – rather, I’m realizing that getting adjusted to one social group and one way of life, then tearing yourself away from it and starting over gets more difficult the older one gets. (Or, at least, this seems true for me.) When I left my parents’ home for college, I was nothing but excited. When I left for Germany the first time, I prepared hectically for six months in advance, flying around in a flurry of nervous Vorbereitung.

This time, I avoided thinking about leaving until I had to start preparing. I signed the documents and promptly avoided searching for an apartment until a month before takeoff. I didn’t pack until a few days before. I refused to think about the reality of leaving and just floated along, preparing, but not absorbing what it all meant.

I arrived in Germany, had a whirlwind of various lodgings, and finally settled into an apartment. Düsseldorf is fantastic, my job is incredible, my roommates are wonderful. And, yet, I find myself missing home. It’s not that I’d rather be there. It’s not that I’m pining. I just seem, on at least one evening a week, to have no control over my emotions.

Is this growing up? I’m not sure that I like it. Still, this struggle seems important.

After a conversation with a very close and wise friend of mine, I realized that I need this time in Germany, not to have a fun, crazy year of little responsibility and lots of traveling and spontaneous living, but rather, to figure out some more about myself. Instead of focusing on my greatly narrowed geographically-near social network and my inability to enjoy the nightlife as I once did, it’s time to look at my life through a different lens.

Being here, geographically but not communicatively isolated from many people dear to me gives me the opportunity to focus (nearly) solely on me. To assess my life and the way I live. To prepare myself delicious, healthy meals and pamper my body. To wander the city and further alone, reflecting instead of passively absorbing stimulation and entertainment. To make some decisions about my future, post-this-time-in-Germany.

To realize that I have a huge network of people who care. People whom I may only have met once or with whom I was at one time acquainted, but who reach out, who care, and who provide support, no matter where I am in my life or in the world.

To realize how small the world is. Already, I’ve met with two fellow students from Universität Trier who studied abroad at the same time as I. They are also both in the Düsseldorf area, one studying here for the next two years.

I’m starting to assess my future, to try to figure out where I want to guide my life. I know and accept that I can’t control every aspect of it, and I rather like it that way. I don’t want to aim for one job, for one future. I’ve always enjoyed the feeling of anticipation, of not knowing what exactly is coming.

What I can control, to some extent, is in what direction I aim my goals. I am, at least at this point, fairly certain that I want to spend a bit more time in the Twin Cities. I want to continue my education, though I’m not sure to what end. I want to learn more about languages and cultures and communication, and also about natural body care, health care, and living. There are some interesting post-bachelor programs at the U into which I want to look more deeply.

What I do want, overall:

• to be happy

• to be healthy

• to spend great times with those dear to me

I don't think that's too much to hope for.

Also

Hey guys... I see you creeping on my blog. Leave a comment once in awhile, let me know you're here! Thanks for reading. :)

Starting to find my place

No, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. Though I am proud to say that I'm still in the once-a-week update schedule. Go me.

Work

This past week was the second week of my Hospitationsphase at my school. This means that I have spent the last two weeks just visiting and observing various classes, to discover which teachers and classes I with whom I would enjoy working.

The Hospitationsphase has been nice; it was a smooth ease into getting to know the school, my colleagues, and the overall feeling of the students. However, it's been getting bit frustrating, just sitting around, smiling a lot and explaining that my name is Amanda, I'm from the U.S.A., and no, I have not met Barack Obama. There really hasn't been a lot of use of my brain. However, in the past few days, I've worked with some great teachers who have immediately welcomed me into their classes and allowed me to team teach and lead the class all on my own, right off the bat. One of the teachers in particular wants to meet with me once a week and discuss how I can take over a grade 13 class all by myself for a particular amount of time each week.

In summary, it's getting exciting. At first, I thought I'd be best suited to grades 7-11, those grades right in the middle of the Gymnasium, or German high school, as they had enough knowledge of English to hold decent conversations, yet could use more input. The grades 5 and 6 are so young, are new at English, and are so energetic. The 12s and 13s are already working with texts like Emma Lazarus's The New Colossus and Walt Whitman's Pioneers! O Pioneers! Scary.

As it turns out, though, I made myself a schedule with a mix of grades, from 5 all the way through 13. The older classes will be a challenge to keep up with, while the younger ones I've found are just adorable and excited and a breath of fresh air. They are a challenge in themselves in just figuring out ways to keep them engaged and attentive and not bouncing off the walls.

Ironically enough, for someone who didn't have a whole lot of interest in teaching this age group, I've found myself lately thinking, "It wouldn't be such a bad profession..."

Bureaucracy

I took the day off on Wednesday to attempt to register at the university... again. Long story short: foiled... again. Apparently my Sprachpartnerin is only there Mondays through Thursdays from 9 to noon... but not this Wednesday. Come back tomorrow. Well, some of us work, and 9 to noon tend to be particularly popular working hours. Guess I'll try back next week... again.

On another note, supposedly I will receive my PIN-number for my bank card today. It'd be nice to actually be able to use the bank account I so effortlessly opened.

As for my legal residence permit, I finally had a chance to get to the Ausländerbehörde today. I took my number, expecting to wait behind quite a queue. Surprisingly, it wasn't even a ten-minute wait. I entered the office of a loud, but rather kind woman and explained that I am a Fulbright Stipendiatin, and I need my Aufenthaltserlaubnis. She asked me a few questions... and made an appointment for me to return on October 26. At 7:30 am.

So, I guess that'll have to wait a bit, too. At least I have an appointment. And my tourist visa doesn't expire until December 1. Thank goodness for good German-American relations.

Social Life

I fell apart to a friend last week - it was the typical culture-adjustment, just-need-to-collapse-for-a-few-minutes sort of thing. I knew this time around would be harder than last time - that I wouldn't have the cushy automatic living space, automatic help with bureaucracy, and automatic group of friends that is a benefit of studying abroad.

The living space, however, was resolved (and, thank goodness, as I've heard of some Fulbrighters who are still searching), and the bureaucracy goes slowly, but I was fully expecting that and still have time. As for the social life aspect of being alone in a foreign country... well, I guess I wasn't completely braced for that. As I was having a pre-leaving freak out back in Minnesota, a good friend told me that it seemed I'd just become very comfortable in my situation, and I needed to let go of that.

He was completely correct. One of the strangest and hardest stumbling blocks to crawl over has been attempting to build something of a social network here in Düsseldorf. I don't have that friend whom I can call to just go grab coffee, I don't have that group who'll go out on the town.

Once I realized that this is what I am missing from my life, however, I spent an entire afternoon searching out expat groups in Düsseldorf and e-mailing fellow ETAs in the area. The response has been positive. On Saturday, I met with an Irish girl who was a fellow exchange student in Trier. She is currently working in Düsseldorf, and, though she's leaving in a week, she introduced me to a co-worker, an Irish lass my age who lives only four blocks from me. She invited me to dinner at her place, after which we went out on the town together. It's a mutual happiness that we've found each other, as we're both new to the area. On Wednesday, the weather was beautiful, and I randomly e-mailed a Kiwi with whom I was going to meet on Saturday. We ended up grabbing ice cream and walking around the Altstadt. This afternoon, I'm to meet with an Irish guy in the Altstadt, and tomorrow night, a British girl invited me to her place for drinks before going out. Slowly but surely, I think I'm making connections and finding mutual support.

Apartment

My roommates are incredible, and my apartment is beautiful. I live with two sisters from Bolivia, whose father is deutsch, so they are able to legally live here and attend university. They've been here for 4 and 6 years respectively and are great inspirations in working on language skills. When they got here, they knew no German, and now they both speak better than I do.

Oh, and one of them was Miss Bolivia 2001. Just sayin'.

The other roommate is a younger woman from a small town in Germany. All of them are great, happy, outgoing, and kind people. Between Esther's parents, who kindly hosted me for about two weeks when I first arrived, and my roommates, I have more furniture in my room than I had in my last two apartments in the TC. Really, I have no reason to buy any room furnishings... though, I couldn't help visiting IKEA and picking up a €3,99 lamp, some extra hangers, and a brand new feather pillow, just because. (Strangely, IKEA has a very comforting, homey feel to it... and they serve hotdogs. Real, American hotdogs. Good to know.)

I'm sure I will still buy some more furnishings, as ten months in a foreign land can seem long when you're craving more light for your desk/work area or hate your bedspread. I'll happily pay €20 for a cute duvet cover (which will also NOT be silky... man, that stuff makes you sweat!). However, that said, not knowing when your paycheck will arrive really makes you aware of your spending habits. I'm very proud of the fact that I've managed to cling on to a nice little nest egg (which will magically disappear come October rent time). I also have been impressed with my own self-control and my ability to shop, admire, and accurately assess if it's a need or a want, or if I could sleep on it for a few days and see if I really want it. Not that I've ever been overly frivolous with money... I just feel really good knowing that I have a super thrifty side, too.

Look, Ma - I'm (sort of) all grown up! (Kind of.)

The Pied Pedophile

Also, for those of you Hamliners (or Hamline supporters) who have always wondered about our creepy Piper mascot, here is the story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, as written by a fellow Fulbright ETA in Hannover.

True story.

LOCK UP YOUR CHILDREN! IT'S HIM!

Adventures in Babysitting Bureaucracy

Due to the delightful language of my contract as an English Teaching Assistant in Germany, I am allowed (almost required) to take one full day a week away from the school for my own time. I chose Fridays. (Who wouldn't?)

Thus, today, I had the privilege of sleeping in. Because I am now old and my body is used to getting up at ridiculous o'clock every morning, I slept in until the beautiful hour of 8:30 am.

This means that I can Skype with friends at 1:30 am Minnesota time, while they are still going strong. One Pro for the list, I guess.

All was well, though, as I still have a list of bureaucratic crap to get through. I had intended to go to the Ausländeramt of the city of Düsseldorf (for you Anglophiles, that is the Alien Registration Office) to wait in line and attempt to convince officials that I would be a gracious and appreciative recipient of a visa that would allow me to legally live in Germany until next July.

Following such an adventure, I planned to find the Akademisches Ausländsamt on the university and attempt to persuade them to let me register as a student without making me pay tuition. I'm told that Fulbrighters often are exempted from tuition fees, though we still pay the 200€ student fee... which I will happily pay, as it allows me free public transportation throughout the entire state of Nordrhein-Westfalen until the end of next March.

Of course, being Germany, both offices closed at 1:00 pm and 12:00 noon today, respectively. Furthermore, the university office closes at noon every day. As a productive member of society, this does not work well with my schedule.

So, I decided that the visa could wait; after all, my American passport gives me tourist status for three months, so another week won't hurt. I hopped on my bike, praying not to get lost, and set off for the uni. Turns out, it's a mere 8-minute bicycle ride from my apartment. Beautiful, really. I found the correct building without a problem and headed in, rehearsing my words in my head.

"Hi, my name is Amanda. I'm a Fulbright grantee in Düsseldorf until next July, and I would like to register as a student at the university."

But, alas. Germany has foiled me again. I explained my request to staff members, only to be told that my particular person only has office hours from 9 am - 12 pm Monday through Thursday. And, she'll be out until next Wednesday. Come back then.

Germany: 1.
Amanda: 0.

Umziehung und Arbeit

An update for yoooou, though I'm exhausted, so it's going to be short and not very interesting. (Though I'm certainly not implying that my daily activities are ever interesting.)

Today was my second day at the school. For the first two weeks, I'm taking part in my Hospitationsphase, which means that I am visiting and observing various classes to see which classes and students I enjoy and would like to be a part of for the entire semester or year. (But I'm pretty sure I've already explained this.)

So far, everything is going great. (Minus the fact that I took the wrong train this morning and was twenty minutes late to school. Hey, who makes a route that goes in a CIRCLE? This makes the end destinations the same. Awfully hard in that case to figure out which direction you should take the train, in my opinion.) The students are all surprisingly well-behaved (possibly because I'm a new person?), and my colleagues are all super friendly. I even attended a Lehrerkonferenz today, in which the entire faculty had a meeting about important things.

Speaking of important, I've only been in Düsseldorf for about five days, and I already have seven keys. This includes a key that opens pretty much all doors in the school, and one for the teachers' room. As Andrew said, that's something I should put on a résumé. I feel exceedingly privileged. And kind of old.

Yesterday, I moved into my apartment. I'm not completely in yet, as one of my roommates is on vacation in Spain, and it is her former room that I will be moving into. Thus, I'm currently based in the living room/her future room until she returns on Friday.

My life overall, though, is awesome. I finally have a home base, I'm making and eating real food again (not just bread, noodles, and cheese), and I like my school. Time is already going fast, which is both a blessing and a bit scary.

Life is good.

Dining with Dutcher

Dear Readers,

I am pleased to announce to you my authorship in a second blog.

My dear friend, Haeyoon, who has personally experienced the frustrations of attempting to cook in the processed-cheese-less, condensed-soup-less, any-sort-of-spice-less country of Germany, has revamped her cooking blog for the year. Topic: how to keep Amanda from starving by providing delicious, cheap recipes modified for the Deutschland.

My part in this blog, in addition to having the pleasure of receiving and testing the recipes (and getting my name in the title... hells yes), is to issue Haeyoon a weekly recipe challenge, so that she does not bore of her task.

I now present to you:

Dining with Dutcher.

Postadresse!

Hey all. My mailing address will be as follows. Letters and packages herzlich wilkommen; they make my heart fuzzy!

For every letter I receive, a reply is guaranteed!

Amanda Dutcher
Erasmusstraße 15
40223 Düsseldorf
Germany

P.S. For future reference, my address is also listed in the sidebar. -->

First day of school!

So, school is back in session, and I'm about to experience it from the other side.

I had my first day at my school today, and it was a great experience! Really, it was a very long day, as I got up early in the morning and became an official citizen of Düsseldorf, complete with my own German bank account. In Germany, if you rent or live somewhere, you are required to register with the city as an Einwohner, or citizen. Then, every time you move or obtain another living space, you are required to reregister. When I leave, I will have to ausmelden, or essentially "log out" from the city. Unregister, if you will.

The registration process was really rather painless, though, I must say. The governmental offices were easy to find, being very near the train station (which I did not realize until I was already there), the wait was short, and the person who registered me was very friendly. I then got a little welcome box full of Düsseldorf pamphlets and info... and tea. Hmm. I'll take it!

I then went to a nearby Sparkasse, where I effectively set up my own student checking account. In Germany, checking accounts have monthly fees - unless one is a student. Luckily, the man who helped me was very kind and accepted my International Student ID card and allowed me to open a kostenloses Girokonto (free checking account). As he took me through all the paperwork, we also had an interesting conversation on the U.S. government and its role in Europe, particularly Eastern Europe and Turkey. Unfortunately, the conversation was rather one-sided, as Herr Vatim expressed his opinions, and I was not well-informed on the topic. Current foreign politics along with the population of the U.S. are two things that are now on my list to research and about which to inform myself.

I then picked up a mozzarella and tomato on ciabatta (I love the capri sandwiches here... I've been living nearly exclusively on them; hey, at least I'm getting some fruit/veggies!) and made my way to my school, which will be about a 40-minute commute for me, once I am in my new place. A bit far, yes, but I am very happy at the moment with my location in the city. Furthermore, I find public transportation interesting, and as long as I don't have to drive, I don't mind taking the train and bus to work and back each day. I am also planning on becoming a university student here in Düsseldorf, which will provide me with a 200€ Semesterticket that is good on all public transportation in the entire state of North Rhine-Westphalia until the end of next March. Rock on. Being a student in Europe has so many perks!

My school.

I arrived at the school without problem, having been met at the bus stop by Hedi, the tutor and support for all language assistants in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. We took care of some official paperwork, which will allow me to get paid as soon as possible (always good). She then introduced me to a number of teachers and showed me around the school. I was then passed on to two of the English teachers with whom I will be working, and we created a schedule for my Hospitationsphase, which will commence next week. For two weeks, I will observe classes of all levels from grades 5 to 13 and with various teachers, after which I will decide upon a fixed schedule for a certain period of time.

The front foyer, facing outward, of Dietrich-Bonhoeffer-Gymnasium.

All of this took place in the teacher's lounge, which is an interesting and wonderful place in Germany. I will tell you more about this in a future post.

The main stairwell in my school, which is organized into a square with an interior yard.

All in all, my first formal day on the job was a great experience, and I am very excited to get into the swing of things at my school.

Me, happy.

Orientation breakdown

Orientation

I have arrived back from Haus Altenberg, a former cloister and current youth center outside of Köln, Germany with a head full of information, a bag full of paperwork, lungs full of crud, and a bunch of new friends.

The entrance to the Hof, or yard, inside Haus Altenberg

I must admit that I hadn't very high expectations about the orientation before I left. I was not super excited to hang out with a huge group of Americans and attend sessions beginning with breakfast at 8 am. The last scheduled activities for each day began after dinner, around 7:30 each night.

And what a huge group of Americans it turned out to be. I arrived at the Kölner Hauptbahnhof around 3:00 pm, a half hour before we were supposed to meet to board buses to Haus Altenberg. As I walked toward the meeting point, all I could hear surrounding me was English. It was almost sickening to hear so many loud Americans with their piles of luggage. I stepped outside only to encounter another massive group of Americans. I'm talking groups of 60 or more. I stood by the train station entrance, observing, and happened upon a kindred spirit, a fellow English assistant from Britain. We shared our doubts and skepticism about the upcoming week before getting swept in the crowd to the buses.

As it turned out, we needed three huge coach buses, one a double-decker, to transport the 160 American Fulbrighters + about 40 Brits, Aussies, and New Zealanders to Haus Altenberg, a little gem of a 13th-century church hidden in green hills. Admittedly, it didn't take long to change my attitude about the orientation. Set in a beautiful place, it didn't seem so overwhelming.

The 13th-century cathedral from the outside of the cloister.

At our greeting session, we were told that we'd be locked in to the cloister at night (more to keep others out) and that alcohol was not allowed anywhere on the premises... except, they had made an exception for us, and there would be beer and wine for sale every night. How German. Plus, what a great way to motivate young Americans to get through the day.

Where we socialized (networked? ...and drank) each night.

Overall, it was a great experience. We truly did get up for breakfast each morning at 8 am and spent the entire day attempting to absorb oodles of official information as well as tips for teaching. Fulbrighters, as a rule, have little to no experience teaching, so it was much like a crash course in Lehramt.

On the first full day, we were divided into groups, with whom we created a simulated lesson. On the second day, we had to teach our lesson to "classes" of our peers. The lesson had to be an actual hour long and incorporate good teaching techniques. It was a challenge and scary at first, but it was honestly a blast to execute. I feel much better and more confident going into my school and teaching, and I'm excited (though still a bit scared) to create my own lessons and have people actually listening to me and engaging. (Hopefully these high schoolers will engage... or at least some of them.)

New friends who were members of my group and "class".

The one unfortunate part is that I taught a simulated lesson for Grundschüler, or elementary students. I am personally teaching at a middle/high school. Ironically, our group was the only one in our "class" to have nearly exclusively rave reviews, and many of my peers commented on how well-suited I would be teaching young students. I guess we'll see if I can up it a few levels. :/

The ride back to Köln was unfortunately a dreary, rainy busy ride starting at 7:30 am. I nearly lost my breakfast, but a short train ride back to Düsseldorf and a few hours of sleep have put me back right, I believe.

The church at Haus Altenberg.

Apartment

As for the apartment, I chose the one with three other girls. I signed the lease on Monday before taking off for Haus Altenberg, and they were kind enough to allow me to pay half the security deposit now and half when I receive my first pay. "We all have money issues sometimes," were the words of my new roommate. Amen to that, sister.

No one will be there this weekend, so I will be hopefully moving in next week. Meanwhile, I can save a little money by staying with Esther's family, so it all works out very well.

Work

I start officially at the school tomorrow. It'll be another long day, as I take off for the middle of the city early in the morning to attempt to register myself as a citizen of the city as well as open a German bank account before taking care of some paperwork at the school beginning at noon.

I hope all goes well. Until next time, dear Readers, thanks for keeping in touch.

A quick update, so as not to leave you all hanging...

Today, I pounded the pavement and the tracks and streets of Düsseldorf, searching for a suitable apartment into which I could move. The short version of the story (as I am tired, have a cold, and need to leave for Cologne for nearly four intensive days of orientation training tomorrow) is as follows:

1) 12:00 noon: walked to first showing, very near where I am currently a guest. Cool young guy, very small place. Only a few chairs for furniture. Very cheap, but very far from my work.

2) 2:00 pm: too a bus and a train to second showing, met landlord; great guy. Beautiful place in an old building with some gorgeous renovations happening. Two male roommates, one of whom I met. He is awesome and is a English and Spanish teacher of sorts. Very friendly. VERY expensive rent. In the Japanese quarter of Düsseldorf; cool area.

3) 3:30 pm: took a train way the arse up into the middle of nowhere in northern Düsseldorf. (Ironically, very near my school's suburb.) Met creepy old dude who wanted to rent me a room in a house that smelled like onions. Entire part of the city was beautiful, but very suburban and old-peopley. Guy was creepy. House smelled like onions. I'll pass, thanks.

4) 6:00 pm: come back to Esther's in the middle of rush hour, decide to check e-mail. Received an e-mail from a girl in a 4-person, all-girl apartment that had very much interested me. Encouraged me to come check it out. Called her sister, got an answer, set up a viewing for 7:30.

5) 6:30 pm: rush back out the door to catch a bus and a train to the next place.

6) 7:30 pm: AWESOME apartment. AMAZING roommates. Two sisters from Bolivia, a girl from Germany. Wonderful people. Talkative, my age, fun. Great rent. A deposit that's going to destroy me and leave me with a total bank account sum of $41 to live on until I receive my first paycheck in 6-8 weeks.

***SHAMELESS PLUG***
If anyone out there wants to send me an early birthday (October 2) or Christmas (December 25) gift of money or food or money and food, I would certainly be incredibly grateful and bring you back something awesome.
***END SHAMELESS PLUG***
***IS EMBARRASSED BY SHAMELESS PLUG BUT POOR ENOUGH TO LEAVE IT POSTED***
(I have PayPal, and, as of tomorrow, I will have a mailing address.)

7) 8:10 pm: leave awesome apartment with incredible tenants and head home. Exit train to see that I'd have to wait 40 minutes for a bus. Decide to walk rest of way back to Esther's. Get somewhat lost, but nice Germans help me when I ask for directions.

8) 8:30 pm: Gaga rings forth from my telephone. Awesome Bolivian sister calls me to inform me that they would like me to move in. Arrange lease signing for tomorrow, before I leave for Köln for orientation.

9) Since then: life is good.

10) Apparent to me: Felix's habit of making everything into lists has rubbed off on me.

I likely won't be updating until Thursday again, when I am back in Düsseldorf... getting ready to move into my AWESOME apartment! Until then, dear Readers, I love you all, comments are highly encouraged and rewarded, and have a good night.

Adventures in Communication

How do you like the new design? I figured, new year abroad, new look. Feedback welcome.

Today, I made it to my destination city: Düsseldorf. Esther's parents are gracious enough to let me crash here (and use their Internet until all odd hours of the night) until I find a place. Wonderful as it is (and, trust me, I do not take their hospitality for granted), it will be a great stress off of my mind and a huge sense of relief when I can finally set my bags down in one spot and call a place home. Even if I only call it home for a month, it will be relaxing to stop feeling like an eternal guest.

The search for a telephone was interesting. Felix was kind enough to shuttle me back and forth three separate times to the mall to acquire a mobile connection to the world. Here's the summed-up version:

1. Attempted to use phone from last trip to Germany. Because not reloaded in two years, SIM card unreadable.
   
2. Trip #1 to the mall: Prepaid SIM card I'd chosen to buy does not function in old phone, as phone is SIM locked. Go to Vodafone, where they tell me I'd have to go back to the shop at which it was purchased in Trier to get an unlock code. (I call bullshit, but I digress.)
3. Go back to Felix's and pick up my American phone and Felix's mother's old phone to try. Obtain an unlock code from AT&T, which, together with an Internet tutorial, successfully lead me to unlock my phone.
4. Trip #2 to the mall: Mobile provider decides to tell me now that I need a passport to purchase a damn SIM card.
5. Go back to Felix's and get passport.
6. Trip #3 to the mall: Finally successfully obtain SIM card for 15€, and it functions in my phone.
7. Go to Media Markt to load money on my phone and find same SIM card for 5€, with no need for a passport.

FAIL.

First days in Frankfurt

It's nice to be back in Germany, though there's an awful lot to take care of.

I arrived in Frankfurt yesterday morning at the crack of dawn. The flight went reasonably well, especially considering that my seat got changed and I was placed next to a baby. Luckily, little Joshua was superbly well-behaved; he didn't even cry the entire flight! I didn't get much sleep, as cramped coach conditions and a happy burbling baby weren't conducive to crashing, but, all in all, I have nothing to complain about.

As a sidenote, mad kudos to Dallas/Fort Worth airport. They are clean, easy to navigate, well-decorated, and polite. Thanks for not being Chicago O'Hare.

Felix picked me up at the airport, and we immediately stopped to pick up beer. How German. What I most enjoyed, though, was the breakfast of Brötchen and fresh Leberwurst and Bierschinken. And, yes, Leberwurst = liver wurst. Sooo good. I had forgotten how amazing German bread and sausage is. So many bologna-like substances.

After crashing out for about four hours, I apartment hunted online before heading to a lounge to have a drink with a group of Felix's friends. Overall a good day, though I did have a mini-breakdown in the evening. Like I said, it's great to be back, but it's also strange... I've uprooted my life many times in the past three years, but I always forget that each move is accompanied by emotional turmoil and reacculturation.

On the plus side, life is moving along nicely over here. I head to Düsseldorf tomorrow, where a friend's parents have kindly allowed me to stay with them until I find a more permanent residence. I have two apartment viewings scheduled for Sunday, after which I take off for teaching orientation in Altenberg Monday through Thursday. Friday will be my first day at my school.

This is your German correspondent, signing off for now. Until next time.

Would you be my roommate? Check yes or no.

I finally sent out a first e-mail inquiring about an apartment in Düsseldorf... and got my first rejection.

It's getting to crunch time, ladies and gentlemen, and I need to get my butt in gear and find lodging. Here goes.

Was ist verboten.

I waded through some more of my paperwork this evening. This is what I have discovered thus far:

- I am only required to work 12 hours per week in the school.
- I am not allowed to work in the school more than four days per week. (This is to encourage participation in a university class or other further education.)
- I may not be responsible for courses.
- I may not teach other subjects.
- I may not be a regular substitute teacher.
- I may not correct and grade coursework or homework.
- I may not dole out punishments.
- I may not be responsible for students. This includes field trips.
- I will be receiving ~800€ per month for said work.

So, basically, I'm getting paid to just be there.

My life is awesome.

Homework never ends

I've decided that, by choosing to take part in the Fulbright ETA program, I have effectively created a horrible reality in which I may never be finished feeling like I have homework to complete.

The amount of paperwork, information, and brochures I have had to read so far from Fulbright and other associations with whom I am now affiliated is completely astounding. And overwhelming. Even the Germans admitted it at the end of one of their winding, three page letters. (It really does take them three times longer to say the equivalent of what we would say in English.) I am still wading through documents I received in the mail between one and three weeks ago, trying to absorb information and making giant lists of what I need to accomplish in the next few weeks.

And, still, the mail keeps arriving.

It is exciting, however, that I now know the city and school in which I will spend 10 months of my life. My next steps will be to secure housing and to learn more about my new location and place of employment. I've already been contacted by a teacher from Dietrich-Bonhoeffer, and I'm looking forward to sitting down and composing an e-mail in return, posing questions and thanking her for reaching out to me so early and so warmly.

Until then, you can find me in Minnesota, reading-weary and full of paper cuts and ink stains.

Love, Amanda

As things take shape

Things are rolling along quite smoothly.

About a week ago, I received notification that I will be placed in the Dietrich-Bonhoeffer-Gymnasium, a high school in Ratingen, which is a suburb of Düsseldorf. I've already received a hearty welcome e-mail from the French teacher at the school. (In my last year abroad, I learned not to question the random scattering of languages I find myself required to work with each day.) She gave me some tips on finding an apartment, even going so far as to recommending me to someone who would happily rent to me, no problems, no questions. Nice to have that opportunity.

I also have finally booked my flight to Germany. It came in at a mere $6 under the limit allotted me by the Fulbright Commission. Fabulous. I'll be departing MSP in the morning of September 1, 2010.

Things are really zipping along now. Wow.

Back on track

All right, guys, don't worry. Crisis averted.

Today, I received a very eloquent and kind e-mail from the Germans gently reassuring me that all is well in Fulbrightobtainingland.

"Thanks for letting us know. No, this will not be a problem, but please send it back as soon as you can."

That was the entire e-mail. How German of them. Concise and to the point.

In other news, my tasks for this week involve thoroughly reviewing the 872 days' worth of reading material that accompanied my contract and other correspondence as well as the exciting task of dealing with STA Travel to arrange my travel accommodations. Fulbright provides me with funds for round-trip travel to and from the Deutschland as well as some money for baggage fees, so this time around, my summer paychecks won't be eaten by the Airline Monster.

Hooray for small blessings. And basic monster avoidance skills.

Misadventures in mail

I had an hour of extreme worry this morning.

Upon receiving my final Grant Authorization and contract for the Fulbright, in which I sign my life over to the Fulbright-Kommission Berlin for the period between September 6, 2010 and June 30, 2011, I was horrified to note that the contract should be signed and returned... by two days ago.

Needless to say, I went into minor panic mode, hoping and praying that two days will not affect my status as a Fulbright Grantee. I called my U.S. Fulbright representative as well as called and e-mailed the German Kommission, explaining my dread.

Luckily, my U.S. representative was so kind as to call me immediately back and inform me that I should e-mail the German Kommission my concerns and put the contracts in the mail today. She did not sound overly concerned, and she also forwarded my e-mail with her own note to my Program Officers in Germany. As I scanned the accompanying terms and conditions yet another time, I noted a short paragraph explaining that written extensions could be requested. Here's hoping.

Of course, it didn't help that, upon arrival at the post office, the poor soul in front of me was attempting to send a postage-paid package. The postal worker at the counter reassured him about sending his mail: "Well, usually I just go in on the machine and pretend to do it, then give you a receipt."

Great. Now I feel looooads better.

In other news, I am required to inform you, dear Readers, of this little tidbit releasing Fulbright and the U.S. Department of State from all legal responsibility stemming from my Interweb activities. Consider yourself informed.

This blog is not an official Department of State website or blog, and the views and information presented are my own and do not represent the Fulbright Program or the U.S. Department of State.

And there you have it.

It's all about location.

So, my mom received a letter in the mail yesterday. Our usual routine is for her to photocopy my important mail, then forward it to me. (The copying is an insurance policy in case of faulty USPS.) I knew it would contain part of my location in which I will be placed in Germany next year. The letter was written in German, so it was kind of fun for me to know that my mom would read the letter, but I would still find out where I was before she did.

When I asked her if she could identify any important upcoming dates that I may need to be aware of, however, she started sounding out the first two lines of the letter... which included the location.

So, I guess the surprise is out. The whole situation was amusing, though.

However, I'm happy to know that I'll be placed somewhere within the German state of Nordrhein-Westfalen (North Rhine-Westphalia for you Anglophiles) beginning in September. Here's a map, so you know where to find me. (I'll be in the orangey state on the left.)

And, just for kicks, here's the story my campus newspaper published about me. Apparently I was in disbelief a lot.

My victorious return to Germany!

Welcome back to my blog. I will attempt to resume (hopefully semi-regular) posting here, now that I have some new news about a Dutcher in Deutschland.

I will be returning to Germany from September 2010 through June 2011 through funds granted to me by the American and German Fulbright Commissions in partner with the German Pädagogischer Austauschdienst (Pedagogic Exchange Office). While there, I will assist English teachers in middle and high school classrooms as well as organize extracurricular activities and volunteer in the community.

I don't yet know where I'm placed, but I'm going back!

Hamline University's article on my Fulbright award.