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.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Saturday, September 4, 2010
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:
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:
- Attempted to use phone from last trip to Germany. Because not reloaded in two years, SIM card unreadable.
- 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.)
- 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.
- Trip #2 to the mall: Mobile provider decides to tell me now that I need a passport to purchase a damn SIM card.
- Go back to Felix's and get passport.
- Trip #3 to the mall: Finally successfully obtain SIM card for 15€, and it functions in my phone.
- Go to Media Markt to load money on my phone and find same SIM card for 5€, with no need for a passport.
Friday, September 3, 2010
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.
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.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
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.
Monday, June 21, 2010
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.
- 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.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
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
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
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
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.
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.
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