tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55646120518382422682024-02-07T22:41:42.699+01:00The Traveling Teacher~The Misadventures of an American Teacher Abroad~Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733803757673036822noreply@blogger.comBlogger138125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5564612051838242268.post-3867582828937546242012-10-03T12:12:00.000+02:002012-10-03T12:12:14.092+02:00The Traveling Teacher is moving....After 4 years at this site, I am moving my blog!<br />
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Please find me at....<br />
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<a href="http://scienceteachertravels.weebly.com/"><span style="font-size: x-large;">http://scienceteachertravels.weebly.com</span></a><br />
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Click <a href="http://scienceteachertravels.weebly.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">HERE</span></a> to get to my new blog!Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733803757673036822noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5564612051838242268.post-69395778064948380422012-07-13T16:49:00.001+02:002012-07-26T22:29:13.508+02:00Galavanting.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, here's what I've figured out. If I am going to live 5,000 miles away from home, I might as well fill my free time with the best trips I can afford. I mean, really, what is the point of living so far away just to sit in my apartment, right? I could have just done that in my house in Colorado waiting for another tree to take it out! </div>
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So, when I found out that my friend Maura and her friend Lisa (now MY friend Lisa too!) were going to come to Europe this summer, I decided to join them for two weeks of their adventure. As Düsseldorf is a fun place to live, but not really that much of a tourist destination (not to mention the weather absolutely sucks there), we decided to meet in Nice, France where we could have some sunshine! My friend and travel buddy, Lauren, also came along as we sweated and laughed our way around the Côte d'Azur!</div>
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We found an inexpensive apartment for a week in a town called Beaulieu-sur-Mer just seven kilometers from Nice. This literally translates to "Beautiful Place by the Sea" and it was indeed. Lauren and I flew from Düsseldorf to Nice before daybreak the day after school let out for the summer. As it had been a rainy mess in Düsseldorf for the previous two weeks, we were über-excited to see the sun! You never know how important sun is when you're living in Colorado because we have it everyday. But, when you move somewhere that is GRAY GRAY GRAY all the time, you really start to appreciate it! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Promenade des Anglais (English Promenade) in Nice.<br />
During the late 1800s, English women would stroll this sidewalk in their<br />
corseted dresses & parasols. Sounds miserable to me! WAY TOO HOT!</td></tr>
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After our Segway tour of Düsseldorf and how much fun it was, Lauren and I decided to try it again in Nice. We still looked equally dorky and laughed equally as much! However, they wouldn't take the Segways off of "turtle mode" so we weren't able to go very fast, which was kind of annoying.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">First.World.Problems.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SEGWAY!<br />
Lauren got me a Segway Tour of Nice for my birthday!<br />
Great birthday present! We're experts now! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Nice's promenade from the top of a hotel.</td></tr>
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In order to be able to have a chair, an umbrella, and a waiter (this IS vacation in the South of France, after all) one must pay to use a private beach. There are free beaches just adjacent to the private ones, but as we had no beach supplies in our suitcases and love us a beach-waiter, we opted for the private.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Kitty Litter Beach" in Beaulieu-sur-Mer, France.<br />
5 minute walk from the apartment we rented.<br />
We called it this because the "sand" was the consistency of kitty litter.<br />
The view made up for that! </td></tr>
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One thing that one notices immediately upon a visit to the South of France is the extreme wealth. This is just not evident at most American beaches I've visited (well, Charleston does has some pretty amazing beach houses!). There are yachts everywhere and though we were at a private beach, teachers are peons in comparison! We decided that this giant yacht below likely belonged to P. Diddy and he was flying back and forth on this helicopter from Brangelina's yacht or something ridiculous like that.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A helicopter landed on a yacht right in front of us!<br />
What? Seriously.<br />
Another life on another planet.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going to dinner in Beaulieu-sur-Mer's harbor.<br />
Four girls. One TINY bathroom.<br />
Getting ready was a long process.</td></tr>
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Each day, we tried to take a small side trip to different small towns along the coast. We became masters of the crazy, wind-all-over-the-coast-so-you-feel-like-puking-while-you-sit-next-to-a-stinky-Frenchman bus because it was only one euro. I can tell you that when you are on a super-crowded bus when it is super hot outside, it doesn't really feel that glamorous to be visiting the South of France. I'm pretty sure that Jay-Z and Beyoncé do not travel via the bus.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Villefranche-sur-Mer, France.<br />
There is a reason all of the cruise ships stop here.<br />
It was utterly charming.</td></tr>
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We spent one day in Monaco/Monte Carlo just to check it out. We saw the palace and the palace guards. Not sure what they are guarding these days and Monaco is just largely a tax shelter for the super rich. We also noticed that every single yacht had the same flag on it no matter what town it was in or where it was docked/floating. So, we began the investigating via smart phones. As it turns out, most people register their yachts to the Cayman Islands. This is because though they have purchased close to a $150 million yacht (OR MORE), they are too cheap/greedy to pay taxes on it. I'm pretty sure they are the 1% of the 1%. Not to politicize- but as it is me writing this, I am obviously going to as that's what I do- but that SERIOUSLY pisses me off.<br />
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On the upside, I won €24 on a 50 cent bet in a slot machine at the Monte Carlo Casino. Yep, I am a pretty high roller. When I was in Monaco during my study abroad experience, my dad and I compared it's cleanliness level to Epcot- meaning, VERY clean. At the time, that was in comparison to France, where people's dogs poo on the sidewalk and they don't clean up after them. However, after living in Germany for a year- Germany wins the clean award- except at like 3 am on Halloween when you're wading through piles and piles of broken glass!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Standing in front of "our" yacht in Monte Carlo.<br />
This is when we discovered that all of these ba-jillion dollar yachts<br />
are registered in the Cayman Islands in order to avoid paying taxes.<br />
Rude.</td></tr>
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In the spring of 1998, I spent a semester at the Université de Nice. Mostly, I traveled and hung out at the beach with my friends, but I did learn a good amount of French because I lived with a French couple. Rue Pertinax was my street and I drug Lauren to see it because I just had to see it through adult eyes. It was never a "good" neighborhood, per se, but it wasn't totally disgusting either. It has taken a downhill turn, for sure! The funniest part to me was that there is now a "Church" of Scientology (L'Église de Scientologie) about three doors down from my old apartment. I just really got a kick out of seeing Dianetiques par L. Ron Hubbard. I wonder if Tom Cruise reads it in French?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The street I lived on in 1998 in Nice, France during my semester abroad.<br />
The neighborhood has become increasingly janky since then.</td></tr>
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I've said it before, but I will say it again. I can really, truly understand why van Gogh freaked out about the light in the South of France after he had lived in gray, rainy Northern Europe his whole life. For the two weeks preceding this trip, I don't think that I had seen the sun even once. We had summer-like weather in May and then went back to rainy grossness. Even the food markets were colorful in France. The light just has a different quality to it in the South of France (kind of like Colorado!) and many artists have flocked there over the years...which has really fed my ridiculous addiction to buying artwork. I managed to only buy one poster on this trip even though Lauren (because she'd been instructed to) threatened me with me life if I bought any posters. There are just so many charming artists that I cannot help myself. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giant outdoor food market in Antibes, France.<br />
Dried fruit of every variety.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin87cvbzeyg_-4j82Vi_Stfb1hJV2cWWpG42XROrCEvgTkwYbCmJJxe3Cg6d0RGIKNO-veWHNgnl3gb6pCqYM76mpjdUK7VuvhK1cqFCSNDBjPKFTse4yynWY7_Umn55DC70VgdJ4e1Pc/s1600/12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin87cvbzeyg_-4j82Vi_Stfb1hJV2cWWpG42XROrCEvgTkwYbCmJJxe3Cg6d0RGIKNO-veWHNgnl3gb6pCqYM76mpjdUK7VuvhK1cqFCSNDBjPKFTse4yynWY7_Umn55DC70VgdJ4e1Pc/s320/12.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There were also olives of every variety.<br />
This is the Mediterranean, after all.</td></tr>
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Each small cove had a different type of sand. On the beaches in Nice, there are rocks (not very comfortable to lay on but when I was 19, we didn't care) and we finally found a gorgeous sandy beach in Cap d'Antibes. Oh, look, again, they had waiters. And, a really nice drinks menu.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-xZE4iUOf0j1ejTfWCCrmkoTWn0LI-f7zw7ijtAt6VXu_1gtptDaVeNxwbJYvoEd4t-ZSsdZ-ZUGb9Igz3AlP4eK9i1GVvZa5SFYqtW-bOun1dmMXO55Jb-VejZjuc-bMiZ6In0UTOk/s1600/13.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-xZE4iUOf0j1ejTfWCCrmkoTWn0LI-f7zw7ijtAt6VXu_1gtptDaVeNxwbJYvoEd4t-ZSsdZ-ZUGb9Igz3AlP4eK9i1GVvZa5SFYqtW-bOun1dmMXO55Jb-VejZjuc-bMiZ6In0UTOk/s320/13.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful sandy beach in Cap d'Antibes.<br />
I was able to actually order and say the words...<br />
"Bring me another Mai Tai!" </td></tr>
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During this trip, it was also my birthday. We celebrated it a few times! One night we had a birthday picnic on the beach- un pique-nique, as they say in French! Sadly, our corkscrew broke off IN the bottle of wine. We stopped a French couple and asked if they had another and the old man got down on his knees, got out his pocket knife, and with expert Frenchness...he thankfully was able to open it for us! Who says that the French aren't totally delightful- especially when it comes to wine- they don't mess around!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">French beach birthday picnic.<br />
Sausage, Olives, Bread, Cheese, Chocolate, Wine, and...<br />
CEREAL.<br />
We were obsessed with a particular French cereal called "Fourées au Lait." </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After a lovely week in France, Lauren flew back to Düsseldorf, then back to NYC and the rest of us went on to Munich- or München- as it is in German. I had a 6:50 am flight and got picked up for the airport at 4 am...always fun. We only had 24 hours in Munich and so we wanted to make the absolute best of it. Fortunately, the German national soccer team was playing (and won that round!) and so we got to be a part of a good, cheering crowd!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH4Lt9Ur9pE6rs1Lh7C0ldLcKNNxLGZGoRw5I5lMxoedGIe94b4YzzDXGGuma1D213YPqr5i_K1XbcmKT8tOeM1TqwsNH_kYEmpYs5nwU-n8ksx_lz6YIoJyDrEfrS6q6BSwqmKbzZuLY/s1600/14.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH4Lt9Ur9pE6rs1Lh7C0ldLcKNNxLGZGoRw5I5lMxoedGIe94b4YzzDXGGuma1D213YPqr5i_K1XbcmKT8tOeM1TqwsNH_kYEmpYs5nwU-n8ksx_lz6YIoJyDrEfrS6q6BSwqmKbzZuLY/s320/14.JPG" width="218" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In front of the Glockenspiel in Munich.<br />
The leis were to support the German soccer team in the Euro Cup.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc27NC5bfEZEMxD-J1UzJ717eJr8na5ef7Kns5IlCe6WlJR6SHBV4kG17-Eqm5G1YpQAy02hTuKaar4kQ7iLHlFen9oPU-Cw5SPmijr6wM_bQ4AAyOPctNCs0HE71bXg6LtXOMuNyX3Qs/s1600/15.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc27NC5bfEZEMxD-J1UzJ717eJr8na5ef7Kns5IlCe6WlJR6SHBV4kG17-Eqm5G1YpQAy02hTuKaar4kQ7iLHlFen9oPU-Cw5SPmijr6wM_bQ4AAyOPctNCs0HE71bXg6LtXOMuNyX3Qs/s320/15.JPG" width="187" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Auf gehts, Deutschland!<br />
Let's go, Germany!<br />
(They lost in the semi-final to Italy. Not to worry though, Italy got clobbered in the final by Spain!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Our only morning in Munich, we were standing having coffee just down the street from our hotel and an entire parade of decorated beer wagons from every brewery in Munich and marching oompa bands suddenly began to go by us! We discovered it was "Munich Beer Day 2012" and we were literally right in the middle of it! It was about 9 am and there were already people in lederhosen drinking beer all around us! HA! As Düsseldorf is not exactly touristy, it was so bizarre being somewhere in Germany where EVERYONE was speaking English and there were tourists everywhere.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn4dLuDoHubsUmF4-ccOfktDwbdcuSS4NwnvbXFEW2LyCBEkrBnQjdg9zRUFd3YIfEPdkwi3baMX_9kdtc_QsRaVgqY1L3cWcvmfnM-3EqZVoCzCuWh1XaoZKKHZGUD8-ans5hJlXa29Y/s1600/16.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn4dLuDoHubsUmF4-ccOfktDwbdcuSS4NwnvbXFEW2LyCBEkrBnQjdg9zRUFd3YIfEPdkwi3baMX_9kdtc_QsRaVgqY1L3cWcvmfnM-3EqZVoCzCuWh1XaoZKKHZGUD8-ans5hJlXa29Y/s320/16.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paulaner beer horses pulling a few barrels! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As another birthday celebration, Maura and Lisa got me a bike tour of Munich. (Segway tour AND bike tour as birthday presents...this was a GREAT birthday year!)! Of course, the bike tour stopped at all of the sites of Munich...most importantly, a giant, typical Bavarian biergarten! What's better for birthday celebrations...giant pretzels and giant beers??<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWPB1oLube7Jirg4KtEQChLL94mrRqAORbq7Q64ZALhrOSGcwdmjnZwIEg2lhQzo-PiMq45SJoY9FVVEdXHR2ObiYcJ3mKmRDRPhPJJI7qKcVtlDGH0bs5z3A0mwY1FCdeClbxR_pCt1o/s1600/17.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWPB1oLube7Jirg4KtEQChLL94mrRqAORbq7Q64ZALhrOSGcwdmjnZwIEg2lhQzo-PiMq45SJoY9FVVEdXHR2ObiYcJ3mKmRDRPhPJJI7qKcVtlDGH0bs5z3A0mwY1FCdeClbxR_pCt1o/s320/17.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birthday lunch at the München Hofbräuhaus!<br />
We did a bike tour that had a stop with giant beers.<br />
The second half of the tour was a bit tricky! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Our next stop was Salzburg, Austria...the birthplace of Mozart and where <i>The Sound of Music</i> was filmed! I cannot lie, taking <i>The Sound of Music</i> tour was a main reason we decided to go to Salzburg. But, as it turned out, it was such a beautiful and interesting place even without the tour- which we did- not to worry!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2j2aDLwbyWHrTtabOGcgg3XwFnjsovR7z5SdBNw00vwtw8adq8x0vPncBLFSvBJqKBc0HWEiX7hmNV-DRdqrjNSHRitTZ3IclujFGYhWzM3X_V7rQVALa0ucUR4G5IYSOz4rh7ORZFYg/s1600/18.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2j2aDLwbyWHrTtabOGcgg3XwFnjsovR7z5SdBNw00vwtw8adq8x0vPncBLFSvBJqKBc0HWEiX7hmNV-DRdqrjNSHRitTZ3IclujFGYhWzM3X_V7rQVALa0ucUR4G5IYSOz4rh7ORZFYg/s320/18.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful downtown Salzburg.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
For my final birthday celebration (#3) we went to an Austrian biergarten, Augustiner, which was started by monks in 1621. It was a beautiful treed area with about 100 outdoor tables of all shapes and sizes and hundreds of indoor tables all in close proximity to a giant screen in order to watch the Euro2012 soccer matches. As Germany was not playing, we opted to sit outside in the nice, cool air. They had ceramic beer mugs, as you can see below, and they were VERY heavy. This, of course, did not stop us from lifting them to our mouths. This was a really fun night as we made friends with some funny Austrians who invited us to sit at their table...this would NEVER happen in Düsseldorf. We all laughed really hard in broken English and German. Basically, what we got from a drunk Austrian mechanic is that we were old enough to be called "Soup Chickens..." you know, the old chickens get made into soup. Glad to know I'm officially old. By the way, he was our age so I don't know he was talking about!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEIVVccN1Zq65xLsBmBnPVl4gh5WOd_r0C1V0sxZTh3CSM2MgvddhNwvggazFdVp07HM6zwT-jZbzg9k75rBpj-h1S-zNyEfUPk6A2M8kK-Y_XH80r5HgJ2dW2zTeauseW-5gd6K-6x04/s1600/19.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEIVVccN1Zq65xLsBmBnPVl4gh5WOd_r0C1V0sxZTh3CSM2MgvddhNwvggazFdVp07HM6zwT-jZbzg9k75rBpj-h1S-zNyEfUPk6A2M8kK-Y_XH80r5HgJ2dW2zTeauseW-5gd6K-6x04/s320/19.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "Soup Chicken" celebrating continued with some weight lifting/beer drinking<br />
in Salzburg, Austria.<br />
We had to watch everyone else for a few minutes to figure out how to even get the beers.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After being woken up by 30 minutes of the loudest church bells on Earth that were evidently IN our room, we embarked upon our <i>Sound of Music</i> Tour! Each bike was named...Maura was Birgitta, Lisa was Louisa, and I was "The Baroness!" On our bikes, there were pictures from the movie zip-tied to the handlebars so that we could compare the sites we were seeing to the sites in the movie. This love of <i>The Sound of Music</i> is completely confounding to Austrians. But, our group was about 30 English, Australian, and American people on a tour that happens twice daily. And, this was the bike tour...the bus tours are even more crowded.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhryTVVwIVvni5AOX5CVeZpHo2FxBJxtxIl6_4RhgeEmTPoD7jDwISqn-56gF6Pee_OkQzUOZWg-DWgEnCKxzwct1acJ3zdA0yB1cHZVsD_HB5rbAwOGH7thGa2zl8uV9380dXH5I0QKUY/s1600/20.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhryTVVwIVvni5AOX5CVeZpHo2FxBJxtxIl6_4RhgeEmTPoD7jDwISqn-56gF6Pee_OkQzUOZWg-DWgEnCKxzwct1acJ3zdA0yB1cHZVsD_HB5rbAwOGH7thGa2zl8uV9380dXH5I0QKUY/s320/20.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our reason for visiting Salzburg, Austria...<br />
The SOUND OF MUSIC bicycle tour!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I think that the best part of our tour was that our guide was completely into taking ridiculous pictures of us. He encouraged us to dance around singing "The Hills are Alive" and so we totally partook because, you know, that's how we roll.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL7ZSJEkleYJJxbxNlpCAgNSTkTRiP_e-tcxS11zAyexZXHBzirX6XtwL8Rz4bZvrLPgj74Z8ElnJ9uTJympwkSZz-zaTsUrO6HUPDWwqyfxujc1ZDppTM69x3fdnyHeuHRRJE4D4voNU/s1600/21.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL7ZSJEkleYJJxbxNlpCAgNSTkTRiP_e-tcxS11zAyexZXHBzirX6XtwL8Rz4bZvrLPgj74Z8ElnJ9uTJympwkSZz-zaTsUrO6HUPDWwqyfxujc1ZDppTM69x3fdnyHeuHRRJE4D4voNU/s400/21.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hills are alive! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This was not in the movie but was pretty cool anyway!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiixxI5NmnJLkes6yZuM7TdCLmbIkiXhqxjuj6kk-ASyekzhcobyrHGrRpIw21JisVSy3RZjyZZvdxQnO2qLpQzocN8NvxjJgWZ1NHcKszfunfSKHCYKMntxiyx3IxdS4CgWQQTn45PGPs/s1600/22.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiixxI5NmnJLkes6yZuM7TdCLmbIkiXhqxjuj6kk-ASyekzhcobyrHGrRpIw21JisVSy3RZjyZZvdxQnO2qLpQzocN8NvxjJgWZ1NHcKszfunfSKHCYKMntxiyx3IxdS4CgWQQTn45PGPs/s320/22.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Bishop's House...or something like that....</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
If you were worried that we didn't sing, you fears are unfounded because OF COURSE we sang while running through this garden.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPwO21GSPers5wnKejFBbJwdvDDj6X8XDxmkFrQfwr3ma-PDq7UeXZciiao8VAmiSdowza_6m4CRW4WAvXOwTGOERK8e7pcLaNTb2dCloi4CD5aPQLv_ylAbKcn4_kOmKmJvzQb5KsaDM/s1600/23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPwO21GSPers5wnKejFBbJwdvDDj6X8XDxmkFrQfwr3ma-PDq7UeXZciiao8VAmiSdowza_6m4CRW4WAvXOwTGOERK8e7pcLaNTb2dCloi4CD5aPQLv_ylAbKcn4_kOmKmJvzQb5KsaDM/s320/23.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting ready to "Do Re Mi" through the park.</td></tr>
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<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinEvoZ7uPtBPY5PCDy70TsjTtjoSoT6KtCpKrP4riozz2-ExPTHkm10QlwxUNKxk9iGg9BOv-lxXkLsQtBz7rxuIzh7-l6UZyMWZ0t5YZeDtg9G0CLgJaww-lNxDzNFKs6-XIZQ0wjkMo/s1600/24.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinEvoZ7uPtBPY5PCDy70TsjTtjoSoT6KtCpKrP4riozz2-ExPTHkm10QlwxUNKxk9iGg9BOv-lxXkLsQtBz7rxuIzh7-l6UZyMWZ0t5YZeDtg9G0CLgJaww-lNxDzNFKs6-XIZQ0wjkMo/s320/24.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When you know the notes to sing, you can sing most anything.<br />
We were going to make dresses out of the curtains in our room, but it was more of a "winter fabric."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Our Austrian friends from the biergarten told us that many Americans mix up Australia and Austria. This caused me physical pain. They said that they've heard people ask where the kangaroos are. If someone is that confused about geography, perhaps they should not be traveling?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJLbaCFmqAoCqd5LumtL4uZF7jRkz83IDPSqQsab4EznY4XYUBKeIQ8knoLwwPN-a8y7t-Y6vVvFB2OFZoy4p3mIClCVvScoLrQ9NHPSGlJpSKJSM5aCHkcNgTUP39D3yVMAP_kporG7w/s1600/25.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJLbaCFmqAoCqd5LumtL4uZF7jRkz83IDPSqQsab4EznY4XYUBKeIQ8knoLwwPN-a8y7t-Y6vVvFB2OFZoy4p3mIClCVvScoLrQ9NHPSGlJpSKJSM5aCHkcNgTUP39D3yVMAP_kporG7w/s320/25.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apparently people confuse Austria & Australia. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjMAFAgtYf3CmmMLF225xV3UQSh-VFeclMA88jyyMTvgcevCJMdWdQiXyOO1Vhtb463yD8nVEqW0xXQ6tqDpnQhGXAVYfBc703fgR693cTh2btTsk7MF7ibR1f71sjFif7rjvIS87UHfc/s1600/26.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjMAFAgtYf3CmmMLF225xV3UQSh-VFeclMA88jyyMTvgcevCJMdWdQiXyOO1Vhtb463yD8nVEqW0xXQ6tqDpnQhGXAVYfBc703fgR693cTh2btTsk7MF7ibR1f71sjFif7rjvIS87UHfc/s320/26.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful Austrian Mountain Views! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We visited a small portion of a marionette museum...I secretly felt like they were all part of <i>Team America: World Police </i>as that is the only puppet-ty thing I've really watched. But, they were super creepy looking. Apparently, in Salzburg, this was a important traditional art form. The creepiness factor did not stop me from having the "Lonely Goatherder" song in my head the whole time in the museum.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipcVH94a209IMADrC6WBz1TUGeiYOlMcOTsUCs8XN9CUmuwDDefFIMWq3bDdRKLvd1gi7aw8FuGxauTM5Zgk4LSWecr4Ul2y7Ab5n7IFnNy1R9vTDJJAMSkEiruI1rnaeMpJL-ceoJmpM/s1600/27.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipcVH94a209IMADrC6WBz1TUGeiYOlMcOTsUCs8XN9CUmuwDDefFIMWq3bDdRKLvd1gi7aw8FuGxauTM5Zgk4LSWecr4Ul2y7Ab5n7IFnNy1R9vTDJJAMSkEiruI1rnaeMpJL-ceoJmpM/s320/27.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">High on a hill was a lonely goat herder.<br />
The entire time we were in Austria, I had the camp song<br />
"Oh, an Austrian went yodeling, on a mountain so high..." in my head!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This was the actual garden where Fraulein Maria and the kids ran around in the movie. It was perfect for some senior pictures!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSCWE9Cc2N4tnpkgpRVWiYEdsOWs5qiPFaNKJm2CD8y-I-1b0q21uB3QuqutnKIarg3GIicDxRS5r3LDK9bHRkebOXFHsg2NfaI4K5kanxHrnPwoazbyanWsfFkqNPSQrJ2Xj1OrqrK0/s1600/28.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSCWE9Cc2N4tnpkgpRVWiYEdsOWs5qiPFaNKJm2CD8y-I-1b0q21uB3QuqutnKIarg3GIicDxRS5r3LDK9bHRkebOXFHsg2NfaI4K5kanxHrnPwoazbyanWsfFkqNPSQrJ2Xj1OrqrK0/s320/28.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Senior picture opportunities abounded.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The bike tour was about 8 miles and we got to see a lot of sites that the bus tour did not show because many of the movie's sites were not on a car-accessible road...bikes only. We became the queens of the bike tours (Segways too, of course!). I might be replacing my love of river cruises with bike tours. I fall asleep less on the bike tours, thankfully!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Fi4wup_vS6J4ujuvi1I0_ULEkpjOWVfnkQ1vufXmYh2AD9TRt7Gt9bi4W4YkMhxCK-LqdeGRn-mmRaFAw3xKVjemrvn-ucwZ4Wv20QDvbxfuYdcjNJwx4xAp5ea7fBGCkdKnx2a7BJY/s1600/29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Fi4wup_vS6J4ujuvi1I0_ULEkpjOWVfnkQ1vufXmYh2AD9TRt7Gt9bi4W4YkMhxCK-LqdeGRn-mmRaFAw3xKVjemrvn-ucwZ4Wv20QDvbxfuYdcjNJwx4xAp5ea7fBGCkdKnx2a7BJY/s320/29.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Do Me Me<br />
Me So So<br />
Ra Fa Fa<br />
La Ti Ti</td></tr>
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After leaving Salzburg, we rented a car and headed for the Deutsche Alpenstrasse- the Germany Alpine Road. Germany has a lot of scenic roads (I did the Deutsche Weinstrasse- German Wine Road- last October) and they live up to their names! We drove through the Bavarian Alps in Germany where I learned that there is a huge difference between Bavarian German and High German, which is spoken in Düsseldorf. I could not understand ANYTHING and they basically sounded like the Swedish Chef on The Muppets to me!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBdH6LRMZ4FQyxL95OBuzOH8YCISHfQZWicPSm6bQwfWwUrgDCoNq-3eeiuEX6Ait_x4bIRo9v_E94D6Cijr0G9Uq7-fzum5ZX-B_j2st9VTRsCnNdzOiA6DByvXCNIRFCdgplM2Kr4AE/s1600/30.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBdH6LRMZ4FQyxL95OBuzOH8YCISHfQZWicPSm6bQwfWwUrgDCoNq-3eeiuEX6Ait_x4bIRo9v_E94D6Cijr0G9Uq7-fzum5ZX-B_j2st9VTRsCnNdzOiA6DByvXCNIRFCdgplM2Kr4AE/s320/30.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adorable Bavarian Alps town.<br />
There were so many that I cannot even remember the name of this one! </td></tr>
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The pull-offs on the side of the road were amazing and we just couldn't resist doing some posed pictures. Driving through the countryside in a foreign country is always an adventure, even with a GPS. On one occasion, we actually drove until the road was closed by a giant pile of dirt (by driving right by a sign in German that we didn't bother to translate to learn that it said the road would be closed) and then did a 30 minute detour which led us back to the EXACT SAME SPOT. We laughed so hard while staring at the pile of dirt the second time that we were all crying.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO5qbGIkZRT_LxGmOgRR8Er6hpz035KWFfQXoazKMmO7xknjoSHxQ8EPfwqrEDR1CY-Ad6NgWFFRoLU2cbozRURHKy9O3tFHpFMJJGuxFdErgb5JeOZT0KN8WxrCYlR0E_tAcTT2L5dNU/s1600/31.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO5qbGIkZRT_LxGmOgRR8Er6hpz035KWFfQXoazKMmO7xknjoSHxQ8EPfwqrEDR1CY-Ad6NgWFFRoLU2cbozRURHKy9O3tFHpFMJJGuxFdErgb5JeOZT0KN8WxrCYlR0E_tAcTT2L5dNU/s320/31.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Random stop along the side of the Deutsche Alpenstrasse (German Alpine Road).</td></tr>
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When I tour around the US (like when I was recently in Estes Park, CO) the touristy crap makes me crazy. But, in foreign countries, I LOVE looking at cheap touristy crap. I rarely actually buy anything but that doesn't stop me from looking at every Chinese-made (probably) souvenir in the store. There were Bavarian hats everywhere. Bavaria has traditions and culture that is unique in Germany (and really, when Americans think of Germany, this is what we think of) and there was never a lack of junk to sift through!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdWakIQvFOXJLgopHhNMSLaYcSqUKUgt415Js2-FsW-OgUcIF25YXM-cssgWK8EOyGxjs3Vcrb6oPaP2cey1Ha6Lr3OiuO_fsHwXHUFDMtohQEEqtSz1CWczxg7jtX1toCUE0PybL9LC8/s1600/32.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdWakIQvFOXJLgopHhNMSLaYcSqUKUgt415Js2-FsW-OgUcIF25YXM-cssgWK8EOyGxjs3Vcrb6oPaP2cey1Ha6Lr3OiuO_fsHwXHUFDMtohQEEqtSz1CWczxg7jtX1toCUE0PybL9LC8/s320/32.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bavarian Babes!</td></tr>
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One of the things that we all really wanted to do was to go to the "Top of Germany" in the mountains. We took a giant gondola to the top of a mountain (it was quite a harrowing ride up and I'm not generally afraid of heights!) and temporarily froze our butts off to enjoy the views over Germany and Austria. We were intermittently actually IN the clouds.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7de5oP9SfM7pmeYTAd9qn1f5saKMM5s_Dp8VcPxa0yd3jl3f7oph3RtAdqFMBUYFDR-goddBVe8asvbPZ5U0fYRwgyelfyLFfi0Pogmrl9Qv_1paOnSne4J87xWhwI0qDYsUTM5eCJWo/s1600/33.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7de5oP9SfM7pmeYTAd9qn1f5saKMM5s_Dp8VcPxa0yd3jl3f7oph3RtAdqFMBUYFDR-goddBVe8asvbPZ5U0fYRwgyelfyLFfi0Pogmrl9Qv_1paOnSne4J87xWhwI0qDYsUTM5eCJWo/s320/33.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The TOP of Germany.<br />
The Zugspitze.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7olITyoWPBufjLXbxQYTdD8acV5wiERNSmnNWGc18e8huUdfLL1FubY5pyKhdWt8Ol_ORTKpqZgQ56gcaLQD-rxYeUHYoRMyDUNCwIPo9bKdbizH_4aiTjDE2XVzy9DoEiAsjJhv9rVA/s1600/34.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7olITyoWPBufjLXbxQYTdD8acV5wiERNSmnNWGc18e8huUdfLL1FubY5pyKhdWt8Ol_ORTKpqZgQ56gcaLQD-rxYeUHYoRMyDUNCwIPo9bKdbizH_4aiTjDE2XVzy9DoEiAsjJhv9rVA/s320/34.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seeing mountain snow in summer made me homesick.<br />
Although, there wasn't even this much snow at Christmastime due to Colorado's drought.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMS9QIGpAw1GxRFOrgwx3h_MgJSVMJrqMeMXTUQVDgFVNQegQqQron0rcP-G7OM5HrR9pChiRF0OuBgHEJiWq_fltzjs60Nt8k0EUnCbtNz2bO8es7aYzG3omYj3Tcu7vvwqyEu85Qhzo/s1600/35.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMS9QIGpAw1GxRFOrgwx3h_MgJSVMJrqMeMXTUQVDgFVNQegQqQron0rcP-G7OM5HrR9pChiRF0OuBgHEJiWq_fltzjs60Nt8k0EUnCbtNz2bO8es7aYzG3omYj3Tcu7vvwqyEu85Qhzo/s320/35.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WAHOO!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSjawt0zpwJParrcmath2sqtzwhq-98aH_LL8Xo3orhw7nliCi41Lkpubing344FSxIFVptgygEZnTuG93dmjEfRRGh0bKnhgv6x8qlcDykcHArXxyzGCBSJHgKJUImuU9rNBw_BNWoCU/s1600/36.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSjawt0zpwJParrcmath2sqtzwhq-98aH_LL8Xo3orhw7nliCi41Lkpubing344FSxIFVptgygEZnTuG93dmjEfRRGh0bKnhgv6x8qlcDykcHArXxyzGCBSJHgKJUImuU9rNBw_BNWoCU/s320/36.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">YIPEE!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6oZ1En8TTzEatGxWqMwwslNvw_OjVadkphvYhr5plCttjhfBINBASzd0E6H1pli_aDeSRSKKwbQqxgoI7D-lJcG3bICWpcVV39Rl_HXY2Aenf4pMhTDFdJMEfI6sqAXL6A42cO0qWa8E/s1600/37.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6oZ1En8TTzEatGxWqMwwslNvw_OjVadkphvYhr5plCttjhfBINBASzd0E6H1pli_aDeSRSKKwbQqxgoI7D-lJcG3bICWpcVV39Rl_HXY2Aenf4pMhTDFdJMEfI6sqAXL6A42cO0qWa8E/s320/37.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">YAHOO!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhuawsJ4vPCbd2WDhf6IGXYpm3seNFb3m9CAI3e-DV4FiPXdNB48sZvrAxYALMJPbfIbmXbfvokoAwtKxUotVRcOa-bh9SIa7yZu8Iqx_Glua_cLBiUMZeVLfb6a1ThMQ4EqK0Jn_Cmz4/s1600/38.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhuawsJ4vPCbd2WDhf6IGXYpm3seNFb3m9CAI3e-DV4FiPXdNB48sZvrAxYALMJPbfIbmXbfvokoAwtKxUotVRcOa-bh9SIa7yZu8Iqx_Glua_cLBiUMZeVLfb6a1ThMQ4EqK0Jn_Cmz4/s320/38.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm seriously cool.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiphtmFuPMaC57kHOvPH6WJrbfH_trebr2xZ5Pt1QcT24oASRMr2Ictn7gaWztAeAe4KlZQkb-M2b5-9JabTsHEnm689sIn3I3Z-yCRmMpyCU4of0WVAhu5hPWQjhKIKbQjgWTpFIrUmiA/s1600/39.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiphtmFuPMaC57kHOvPH6WJrbfH_trebr2xZ5Pt1QcT24oASRMr2Ictn7gaWztAeAe4KlZQkb-M2b5-9JabTsHEnm689sIn3I3Z-yCRmMpyCU4of0WVAhu5hPWQjhKIKbQjgWTpFIrUmiA/s320/39.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More Bavarian mountains. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipZhlaCpdlV-8ZWR8FLbZmnVzV_hKUoNNn-LxdJBx0GlEwTH9_onaGRTK4ExsZl-Mk1Jzs7EaSO0xOxLWCC3AXUFUHEdkb_KIdjMAzX94pKx3FP7S9DgUEq4qD2blcJE6m5aFxemYhPT8/s1600/40.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipZhlaCpdlV-8ZWR8FLbZmnVzV_hKUoNNn-LxdJBx0GlEwTH9_onaGRTK4ExsZl-Mk1Jzs7EaSO0xOxLWCC3AXUFUHEdkb_KIdjMAzX94pKx3FP7S9DgUEq4qD2blcJE6m5aFxemYhPT8/s320/40.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another pull off from the Deutsche Alpenstrasse.<br />
Gorgeous.</td></tr>
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One of the things that one must do when in Bavaria is to visit Neuschwanstein Castle. It is only about 175ish years old and was built by this crazy king who was later dethroned due to his extreme nutiness and money wasting. It is a striking site- obviously Walt Disney thought so because he modeled the Disney castle after it. It wasn't as exciting as it could have been because OF COURSE, it had scaffolding on it, like all sites do when I try to visit them.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-iEewZytbFG55UpDEI9svjc0nofdgfUyZ4baBOQz-jP8rvJYGlJa1RWDHiDySxC2DjaaWEC04e9g4Op9yEXcj0TqbGGRgYpT5TZKstSfncM_5RZsY6Ae9vu3LwH4us5vWrL27xX4pzu4/s1600/41.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-iEewZytbFG55UpDEI9svjc0nofdgfUyZ4baBOQz-jP8rvJYGlJa1RWDHiDySxC2DjaaWEC04e9g4Op9yEXcj0TqbGGRgYpT5TZKstSfncM_5RZsY6Ae9vu3LwH4us5vWrL27xX4pzu4/s320/41.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neuschwanstein Castle.<br />
As you can see, we gave Maura some "Bavarian Milk Maid" hair for our visit! </td></tr>
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From Neuschwanstein Castle, we got on another of Germany's scenic routes- the Romantischer Strasse (Romantic Road) and drove north. The Romantic Road is known for cute towns and it didn't disappoint at all. One of the places we visited was a Medieval fortified village (which sadly, was like 70% destroyed in WWII but rebuilt to look the same!).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0GwEC-RYS2JSHOQBxhbqjkXcjiE5FFpLqtASMFteug9HUgjh9dRcAivHf1dD7XPSfqvlBf6fJN8AqsYjWbxHN41yLes2g8WDX72-UEUzVRF1EjIyFOLYFsk7vQSdP-a2bCnFEu7SYybw/s1600/42.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0GwEC-RYS2JSHOQBxhbqjkXcjiE5FFpLqtASMFteug9HUgjh9dRcAivHf1dD7XPSfqvlBf6fJN8AqsYjWbxHN41yLes2g8WDX72-UEUzVRF1EjIyFOLYFsk7vQSdP-a2bCnFEu7SYybw/s320/42.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rothenburg, Germany.<br />
Just disgustingly cute.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqZpbO8LzU8EdmHkrHnrVz5_njZxksRtkGUljIiVR_Q8cU266rG1FnnX4rMGh_HxgPrHjbB-oW5U7H1RKJ5gQh8zPtztSVfbwZkoPV71LHy0eVNI1fdx9-fPI0STXsDcfL9yaVRwqy3L8/s1600/43.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqZpbO8LzU8EdmHkrHnrVz5_njZxksRtkGUljIiVR_Q8cU266rG1FnnX4rMGh_HxgPrHjbB-oW5U7H1RKJ5gQh8zPtztSVfbwZkoPV71LHy0eVNI1fdx9-fPI0STXsDcfL9yaVRwqy3L8/s320/43.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bierstein Superstore!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjizWzaNsDQOlmrGS7Vn2odhaV7rgCQtinGx0MMaasjdTQ_L5DHTnPQX5LRPrjHDK0vNioZKmESpca9SwFV3NfDk4Yijx5JWB9oyE-z76e_J6DFnr8KW3VpZB-0yqf1X0oowPZFBpryfvw/s1600/44.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjizWzaNsDQOlmrGS7Vn2odhaV7rgCQtinGx0MMaasjdTQ_L5DHTnPQX5LRPrjHDK0vNioZKmESpca9SwFV3NfDk4Yijx5JWB9oyE-z76e_J6DFnr8KW3VpZB-0yqf1X0oowPZFBpryfvw/s320/44.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What a great trip! </td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;">Here's a crazy, driving-on-the-Autobahn without speed limits video from our trip! </span></div>
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After two weeks of a wonderfully fun, funny, constant-laughter trip, I headed back to Düsseldorf while Maura and Lisa continued on their travels. I flew back to Colorado after one night in my new apartment (that's a whole other blog post) and have been on the super-run-around to catch up with people in the short time I'm here. </div>
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Next weekend I am heading to Chicago for a girls' weekend with some old friends! Can't wait! </div>
<br /></div>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733803757673036822noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5564612051838242268.post-28666968063233481222012-06-06T21:14:00.000+02:002012-06-06T21:23:30.025+02:00Stolperstein...a way to remember.Stolperstein is the German word meaning "stumbling block," "obstacle," or "something in the way." Stolperstein has now taken on the meaning of being a small plaque in the sidewalk. These plaques commemorate the former homes of victims of the Holocaust. They demarcate where Jews (and sometimes where other ethnic groups who were also persecuted) lived and were taken by the Nazis.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiveBfAb7-5vjAQ55HY4sq7k-sRv1twnlEq8m5wwj9nGbXJRLbbb3SHhQgq48K_k4WLBr1aOkh4YXD3vgmxGi_dx9Vdogua-cw120xzTwUIWC_YMGlVnvblBZUEX_fMiR6b_ZRRFXeLXI/s1600/IMG_1136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiveBfAb7-5vjAQ55HY4sq7k-sRv1twnlEq8m5wwj9nGbXJRLbbb3SHhQgq48K_k4WLBr1aOkh4YXD3vgmxGi_dx9Vdogua-cw120xzTwUIWC_YMGlVnvblBZUEX_fMiR6b_ZRRFXeLXI/s320/IMG_1136.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here lived<br />
KARL JUNG<br />
born 1912<br />
Interned 1939<br />
Gurs (concentration camp in Southwestern France)<br />
Killed 20.2.1943 in<br />
Dachau</td></tr>
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Today I went on a walking tour of Düsseldorf with the 8th grade Humanities classes. They have been studying the Holocaust and each group visited different parts of the city. It was a torrential downpour during most of the trip and we had to take a temporary and warm Starbucks break. But, the kids (and I) were really moved.<br />
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Many of the Stolperstein are in front of what are now businesses and some are still apartment buildings. They specifically marked where people lived and were taken. We spent a long time discussing how sickeningly scary it would be and what it would be like to be a neighbor of someone who was just taken from their life in such a sudden manner.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN6n6DC9kKGGX84ruT4iIf7v11O9BftCKLNQsr22goLHiUeARPabNXfuRkeFPiY2dyqS3nSgzpRQ8umad2g4laZztvjyjOr2uEAsodDv_1xJlNr4f8hAqT2yBn4HLr6mQHyRpVtVKHa0A/s1600/IMG_1133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN6n6DC9kKGGX84ruT4iIf7v11O9BftCKLNQsr22goLHiUeARPabNXfuRkeFPiY2dyqS3nSgzpRQ8umad2g4laZztvjyjOr2uEAsodDv_1xJlNr4f8hAqT2yBn4HLr6mQHyRpVtVKHa0A/s320/IMG_1133.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here lived<br />
Franz Anselm<br />
Cohen-Altmann<br />
Born 1905<br />
Deported 1942, Died in Izbica, Poland</td></tr>
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The kids placed flowers at each of the plaques. The language on the plaques is very plain. It states that they were murdered, as truly was the case.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiibMTM_O8y0-QzT-XntG_Qv-y1b91gbI3kZ8kCB6OmlJTHT7z4xeQweibWYcZb215u2ZNkysLqByNVhx6_Ab5mV7tdnHLVAZtB8m_Uu_jtttXPT9_xpZK0SuPEe8-645UticMliP4kxwU/s1600/IMG_1143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiibMTM_O8y0-QzT-XntG_Qv-y1b91gbI3kZ8kCB6OmlJTHT7z4xeQweibWYcZb215u2ZNkysLqByNVhx6_Ab5mV7tdnHLVAZtB8m_Uu_jtttXPT9_xpZK0SuPEe8-645UticMliP4kxwU/s320/IMG_1143.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We inferred that this was a married couple.<br />
Alfred & Meta Meyerstein<br />
Deported 1941<br />
Murdered in Minsk</td></tr>
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The next one was especially sad. This was likely a mother and daughter. And, the fact that it said they were "reported" (<i>auswiesen</i>) lead us to believe that they were hiding but then found out and later murdered in Treblinka in Poland. This was in front of an apartment building that is still an apartment building. It is right along the Rhein River and one can assume this was likely a very expensive area to live then, just as it is now- given that it is water-front property. Pescha was only around 15 when she died and given that her neighbors just down the street were taken in 1933, we inferred that they were possible in hiding for five years.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz-Q6UZaU-9X0Dha_vz0BJrHt_Uf0m86HwgKQoLN5JluFdc6nWwTlMJORvtMZRoFqHZdQUX61O_HuD15BkSq85y5HjMAizSQSAQhfw1jOywhGqVNZ4v9zyv-Wkt5CVb083wd7ZPANkSvk/s1600/IMG_1147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz-Q6UZaU-9X0Dha_vz0BJrHt_Uf0m86HwgKQoLN5JluFdc6nWwTlMJORvtMZRoFqHZdQUX61O_HuD15BkSq85y5HjMAizSQSAQhfw1jOywhGqVNZ4v9zyv-Wkt5CVb083wd7ZPANkSvk/s320/IMG_1147.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reisel Laja & Pescha Birnbach<br />
Reported 28.10.1938<br />
Taken to a Ghetto<br />
Murdered June 1942 in Treblinka</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB12-6a81Wi78I9__kubHKzaiXD8T46vOQ7oYTmyCnKuXCRDylP9xHUDbTXf1rwOnTn8aKLlMEp-ntgXEgkgWFz3yBr-v_QT_lRYow56zi-_oxCUySofBzZmDFEwhksNtSxm9helPysP0/s1600/IMG_1144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB12-6a81Wi78I9__kubHKzaiXD8T46vOQ7oYTmyCnKuXCRDylP9xHUDbTXf1rwOnTn8aKLlMEp-ntgXEgkgWFz3yBr-v_QT_lRYow56zi-_oxCUySofBzZmDFEwhksNtSxm9helPysP0/s320/IMG_1144.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small but significant.</td></tr>
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At each Stolperstein, our directions were to look at the building and infer what it must have been before the war compared to now.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh22MD-MYX0sj8C7js9ClVFJLFNAX87_xwQfzBqpP5DOzl3T6dVSTZeWb-M2oEJQTAfRTH1cmO43r978fNKHhrKLPhJRFmIaG-UfYl0wn7JANGvo0yAjZWXXW5YrtLvdaQaq97xnQu4RqQ/s1600/IMG_1153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh22MD-MYX0sj8C7js9ClVFJLFNAX87_xwQfzBqpP5DOzl3T6dVSTZeWb-M2oEJQTAfRTH1cmO43r978fNKHhrKLPhJRFmIaG-UfYl0wn7JANGvo0yAjZWXXW5YrtLvdaQaq97xnQu4RqQ/s320/IMG_1153.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can imagine people looking out that bay window as the people they'd been hiding were taken.</td></tr>
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These plaques are small and only provide an outline of information. But, they help us remember. They put a name and a place to someone's life that would otherwise be forgotten. It makes me so sad and at the same time makes me glad that we are still speaking those names and still remembering- the victims deserve at least this.<br />
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Just earlier this week there was an NPR story about Stolperstein.</div>
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Click <a href="http://www.npr.org/2012/05/31/153943491/stumbling-upon-miniature-memorials-to-nazi-victims" target="_blank">here</a> to read/listen.</div>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733803757673036822noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5564612051838242268.post-56256954844581368272012-06-04T22:33:00.000+02:002012-06-04T22:33:21.983+02:00The mundane and the fun...an update from The Traveling Teacher<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I've done no blogging since spring break but have had lots of fun. If you are friends with me on Facebook, you've probably seen some of these pictures but for my non-FB people, I was encouraged by my friend Kir (who IS a FB person now!) to not let my blog go! </div>
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So, here's a little slice of life from The Traveling Teacher....</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvuL0pS7PDSFxs456hRGdMGa-CWUSHAXG2ryVFPzwRH-Cv_SBFL47CMHJHlad_BI17yv7QbtZyl-isQexMhD1ROtdyLq0UEdMyg7HUsIbGbd4QLnIfcpIdtDeGdVtHOk5Ofq5yTmBk4_8/s1600/IMG_0853.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvuL0pS7PDSFxs456hRGdMGa-CWUSHAXG2ryVFPzwRH-Cv_SBFL47CMHJHlad_BI17yv7QbtZyl-isQexMhD1ROtdyLq0UEdMyg7HUsIbGbd4QLnIfcpIdtDeGdVtHOk5Ofq5yTmBk4_8/s320/IMG_0853.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My cousins from Denmark, The Lauritzen Family, came to visit me at the end of April.<br />
We spent a day at the Cologne cathedral...the Kölner Dom...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjytpD45yLJmYoloNOFnOBehneCpjAdq7xHHqmaKIig95infpr4-hD1k3djk5sIvbOA0rVhEBvuVV8qrqjqHvAM3j2B3rQrewXsRY2sKL9pq8NKPBUKaVP3fI5S_AndHTVJ66bwmobYf8M/s1600/P1020863.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjytpD45yLJmYoloNOFnOBehneCpjAdq7xHHqmaKIig95infpr4-hD1k3djk5sIvbOA0rVhEBvuVV8qrqjqHvAM3j2B3rQrewXsRY2sKL9pq8NKPBUKaVP3fI5S_AndHTVJ66bwmobYf8M/s320/P1020863.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The short American-Dane mut (and Irish, German, & Welsh) with the purebred tall Danes!</td></tr>
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For three days, I attended a conference entitled "Making Thinking Visible" at the International School of Amsterdam through Harvard's Project Zero. It fed my love of teacher-geekiness and renewed me. I've really missed my professional development network through PEBC since I left Colorado so it was great to feel some of that here...and...there was a PEBC staff developer from Denver there so that was really really exciting! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMaqtZgWuR9yluNmh3zHW7h-khwao-BtehJbUpbY3Hl_StprUUo81W1PfjynyBB1BzG20hp5-vJoFaGknDnFKj0YWnFOtdcgJll4q-fcQTTbSJSgKs0BuCXQX_E_pkr3K7nGiN8_g882M/s1600/IMG_0881.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMaqtZgWuR9yluNmh3zHW7h-khwao-BtehJbUpbY3Hl_StprUUo81W1PfjynyBB1BzG20hp5-vJoFaGknDnFKj0YWnFOtdcgJll4q-fcQTTbSJSgKs0BuCXQX_E_pkr3K7nGiN8_g882M/s320/IMG_0881.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The whole conference! </td></tr>
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There has also been some nice spring weather (for a change...although right now it is 48F and rainy. BRRR!) and so my friends The Brydens rented a car for a few weekends! One sunny Sunday we went to an old grain mill that has been converted in a biergarten. Germany is NOT lacking in biergartens! We chilled in the sun and played Frisbee. It was wonderful!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAYnBZxZyImeAEZMSAq8LMwgOo96yzrzz1sk07HRq57Ce4Or4Mk67LrZenRCeJ2rNPGipX-7fDOflY8kHufrCbsIvabdgMf_03hyvDHDaBSfWniWvepfRujFDyOt6QrNkg1A-WAt6N43U/s1600/IMG_1002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAYnBZxZyImeAEZMSAq8LMwgOo96yzrzz1sk07HRq57Ce4Or4Mk67LrZenRCeJ2rNPGipX-7fDOflY8kHufrCbsIvabdgMf_03hyvDHDaBSfWniWvepfRujFDyOt6QrNkg1A-WAt6N43U/s320/IMG_1002.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Auermühle. Another reason to enjoy Deutschland!</td></tr>
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My school hosts an international festival every spring. The parents organize the whole thing and it is a large community event. It is a fundraiser and a celebration of the fact that we have over 40 countries represented at our school. Each country (or region as is the case for Scandinavia) has their own booth with tradition food and drink. There is also a full day of traditional (and not so traditional) performances by the kids, parents, and even some teachers.</div>
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At the Scandinavian station, one could order meatballs, herring, schnapps, or schnapps with a song! My friend Nina and I chose "schnapps with a song" and they plunked down two Viking helmets on us! Then, they proceeded to pour all of the parents (Swedish mostly) in the vicinity a shot of Aquavit and then sang us a Swedish drinking song wherein we all took a shot together! This was an amazing day (and not just because of the food and drinks) but because it really is a unique experience to be part of an international community. I got veklempt at the parade of flags! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SKOL!!!!<br />
Sadly, the American "traditional costume" is lacking.<br />
Most of the Americans were wearing July 4th t-shirts from Old Navy like me.<br />
Next year, we decided we should just invent our own national costume so we can be cool like everyone else.<br />
Notice: Nina is wearing a traditional Bavarian dirdl (Sp? A St. Pauli girl dress!).</td></tr>
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We had a three day weekend (same weekend as Memorial Day in the US but for a Catholic holiday...don't know which one) a few weekends ago and so a few of us did a day long bike ride down the Rhein River. Our first stop was at Benrather Schloss which just means Benrath Castle. It was a lovely day weather-wise and company-wise with lots of laughs and some very sore butts the next day as we were on bikes for about 7 or so hours that day. We got lost a few times and following the river takes quite a bit longer than riding directly to somewhere!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Benrather Schloss. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking the bike ferry to Zons, a cute medieval town.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riding along the Rhein.</td></tr>
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Another weekend The Brydens rented a car and we went to a castle called Schloss Burg. It is in the Wupper River Valley...or Wupperthal. It was another gorgeous day and there was a chairlift that went up and down the mountain from the town to the castle. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hugh in his typically orange apparel. Pretty sure he was Dutch in a past life.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barbara and I are just chilling on the chairlift bench.<br />
Düsseldorf is SO flat because it is on the Rhein floodplain and<br />
so whenever you leave the immediate area, it is shocking to see all the hills again!</td></tr>
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One of the hardest parts (besides living so far away from home) about teaching abroad is the high turnover rate of staff. You make friends and then they move on or you move on. The upside is that you get to make lots of new friends and have lots of coming/going parties! This year's leaving staff organized a Segway tour around Düsseldorf. This was one of the most fun things I have ever done and it is going to require a great deal of restraint to not take a Segway tour every time I go somewhere now. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Segway tours are my new boat cruises.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just chillin' on my Seg...</td></tr>
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So, that's that. A quick update on my happenings for the last 7 or so weeks. I have a week and a half of school left and then I fly to Nice, France with Lauren to meet my friend Maura (from South Kakalaki) and her friend (soon to be my friend too, I hope!) Lisa. Then, Lisa, Maura, and I will fly to Münich and tour the Bavarian Alps. Most importantly, we're going to Salzburg, Austria to do the Sound of Music tour! WAHOO!!!<br />
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I am ready for the school year to be over but the speed with which this year flew by is a very positive sign. I have had a great year (if I can just get through this last round of report cards!) and am looking forward to another great year at my new school. It will be nice to NOT be a new person for the first time in two years. AND, I am moving to a new apartment next week which is much closer to actual commerce and no longer in a retirement village! Hopefully, that will be my last house move for a bit. I've moved every year for the last three. At least I don't have to deal with furniture this time since I am taking only clothes and personal items and selling all my furniture to the new occupant of my current place.<br />
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So, off to bed to prepare for another day of report card writing. These narrative report cards are a killer.<br />
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Ciao, mes amis!</div>
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<br /></div>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733803757673036822noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5564612051838242268.post-90449023015172636882012-04-17T21:29:00.000+02:002012-04-17T21:40:16.450+02:00Spring Break!It is just starting to hit me (don't ask me how, after 8 years of this) that teachers have an awesome schedule. We work our buns off when school is in session, and do a lot of work during summer break too, but now that I can actually afford to take vacations, I can compare the amount of time I have off to those with normal jobs and I feel badly for them. Two weeks of vacation per year sucks. I have 14. Delightful.<br />
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Not to rub it in or anything but it is pretty much awesome. </div>
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And, now that I am living in Europe, I don't have to travel far to get places that are worth seeing for a few days. I mean, don't get me wrong, Ogallala, Nebraska is great, but I don't know if I'd want to vacation there for more time than it takes to fill up the tank with gas, buy a diet coke, and use the bathroom. I use that example because it is about 4 hours from Fort Collins and with a less-than four hour drive from Düsseldorf, I was in Bruges, Belgium taking a boat cruise around a medieval city. I don't think I will ever get used to things being so close together here. And, the interesting thing for Americans (and likely Australians since things are so vast there too) is that when you cross the border, everything changes because, duh, you're in another country.<br />
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Driving from Belgium to Holland, there is a distinct change in the type of surfacing on the highway even. The different countries use different fonts on their road signs. Just small things, really, until you get out of the car and realize that people are speaking an entirely different language than they were the last time you stopped for gas.<br />
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For our first week of spring break, my friends Keith and Lauren and I road tripped across Northern France to see my French family from my days o' umemployment at La Crochardière (the name of their manor). It was the equivalent distance of driving from Denver to Omaha which cracked me up. They couldn't believe we would drive that far and I think back to all of the times Courtney and I have driven back and forth to see each other just for the weekend without even a thought. They'd really freak at the thought of some of my East Coaster friends driving back East from Colorado fairly regularly. We just think of distances differently in the US, especially in the Midwest and West.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVQ0gyYgvwWK7QaLY4quYA5RP9GObhOZ2I4_zUfalEtxXFAEOdaKkBlC6yjQ-GyjjbZMM_SqOqINFf2vredl9Pm9VUJrkKes8BcjUIEH_vb-EsRKJLg0-X52r9dRiIGsJFXkGzXp3mFOE/s1600/IMG_0424.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVQ0gyYgvwWK7QaLY4quYA5RP9GObhOZ2I4_zUfalEtxXFAEOdaKkBlC6yjQ-GyjjbZMM_SqOqINFf2vredl9Pm9VUJrkKes8BcjUIEH_vb-EsRKJLg0-X52r9dRiIGsJFXkGzXp3mFOE/s200/IMG_0424.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The DJ/Copilot</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzrknLtBc1cnRAWleBb3YvgIDRx2RB9Y0IZuz-X2foC0i83jfvvt34kxA8yV1z6uA-Uxmx-5FYXefJtGyoAu2NOZn1T0gFx6pjnERSLn5krLGFyn1odsYFUot_N2u8jFkxYJv9LEusEMg/s1600/IMG_0427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzrknLtBc1cnRAWleBb3YvgIDRx2RB9Y0IZuz-X2foC0i83jfvvt34kxA8yV1z6uA-Uxmx-5FYXefJtGyoAu2NOZn1T0gFx6pjnERSLn5krLGFyn1odsYFUot_N2u8jFkxYJv9LEusEMg/s200/IMG_0427.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lounger in the back.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKst4efTqR8KD2TcXwTdXj3QqF3Og3zvN9RbzR9tDbnAK0KRroD22AtW1AW_0WmUKmFUR4_4CoytgZ61pMDSpLGWCwIsoUkzSl-fqIJeqt-JvjRzjE7inkzOLwEEqiqyLlCfQ1x9wu3FU/s1600/IMG_0422.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKst4efTqR8KD2TcXwTdXj3QqF3Og3zvN9RbzR9tDbnAK0KRroD22AtW1AW_0WmUKmFUR4_4CoytgZ61pMDSpLGWCwIsoUkzSl-fqIJeqt-JvjRzjE7inkzOLwEEqiqyLlCfQ1x9wu3FU/s200/IMG_0422.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Captain! </td></tr>
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Our drive took about 9 hours and three stops at McDonald's (MacDo) in France for coffee, delicious ICY diet coke, and a dependably clean bathroom. We sang, danced, and laughed like fake French people (haw haw haw) while we pretended to smoke and acted with ennui. Great drive. I forgot how much I love a good road trip.<br />
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We stayed in the rental cottage at the manor as they had guests in the Bed & Breakfast while we were there. They have done SO much work to the property and it was quite nice. If anyone wants to go stay there, just let me know, it is very reasonably priced for a week and was very relaxing.</div>
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We started our tourist days at the crack of noon after a nice lie-in (as the Brits say) and relaxed coffee drinking. We visited the French supermarket everyday and I did cook for the family a few times. Since last year, Steven, the older son in the family, has started cooking so he and I baked cookies together. There was minimal whining over the food I prepared because nobody tried to make anyone eat things they didn't want to. So, if you're wondering if they are still more or less living off of yogurt with lots of sugar on it, the answer is undoubtedly...YES. But, guess what, NOT MY PROBLEM and I don't have to be there for every meal. It was great to see them. A week (while my friends were there for me to play with) was the perfect amount of time to visit and I'll definitely go back.</div>
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As our big days for being tourists began at noon, we only did one thing per day. Delightful. Very relaxing.</div>
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Day 1 was Mont Saint Michel. I ran into one of my students while there! Small world!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieC98zmek5OxWaM-H-8xzRXjo4hKbnkIZiGfAxbZLyOkPKLN-X7Z4GJ7JI8PIxesExVJVD4I_ESLWtq_WKWfMHnjGaEP40rAI-OKh1-HWGiIIRdEBu_M_dUb-jJHiQD1vFrQJ5SaTj3wQ/s1600/IMG_0452_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieC98zmek5OxWaM-H-8xzRXjo4hKbnkIZiGfAxbZLyOkPKLN-X7Z4GJ7JI8PIxesExVJVD4I_ESLWtq_WKWfMHnjGaEP40rAI-OKh1-HWGiIIRdEBu_M_dUb-jJHiQD1vFrQJ5SaTj3wQ/s320/IMG_0452_2.JPG" width="281" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A beautiful day for our visit to Mt. St. Michel<br />
See my last year's blog post on it if you want any additional info.</td></tr>
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Day 2 was Saint Malo & Dinard. We were lucky to have lovely sunshine even if it was chilly. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "pool" at Saint Malo.<br />
The squared-off area fills up with water during high tide.<br />
The water was a bit cold for swimming, it is the English Channel after all.</td></tr>
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Day 3 was Mont Dol & Dol-de-Bretagne, the town next to La Crochardière. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lauren and Keith were great indulgers of my picture-taking antics.<br />
SO MUCH FUN!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1VmdLvebeBYV14cvfleQ5MGGVDoMBseIRB-kPNsaWhJBLSycVIDeu0_Yy4CcBBsRLZtPQCcFQ8PFxidb2raiYSGwYRmjGAWeB31lYoNldCWV4TgpMPBMw-v_OL27s52VF7Qd5JhS2XME/s1600/IMG_0561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1VmdLvebeBYV14cvfleQ5MGGVDoMBseIRB-kPNsaWhJBLSycVIDeu0_Yy4CcBBsRLZtPQCcFQ8PFxidb2raiYSGwYRmjGAWeB31lYoNldCWV4TgpMPBMw-v_OL27s52VF7Qd5JhS2XME/s320/IMG_0561.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peggy, the lonely donkey, still lonely as ever and braying all day long.<br />
Lauren really liked Peggy's bangs.</td></tr>
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Day 3 was Cap Fréhel. Beautiful. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxxancJRLzHrqUASGA5uanlm-CqCalJ1_L5ExAI5n7utlHmip3uqp_PixIj94bRPgt3ccEtNrOY96lLU6VcGNbZowKuGBxitA9ptrSXR02UJemosBzPvRtzsTR7k97SGNBASxWO8Hbfew/s1600/Cap+Frehel.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxxancJRLzHrqUASGA5uanlm-CqCalJ1_L5ExAI5n7utlHmip3uqp_PixIj94bRPgt3ccEtNrOY96lLU6VcGNbZowKuGBxitA9ptrSXR02UJemosBzPvRtzsTR7k97SGNBASxWO8Hbfew/s320/Cap+Frehel.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of these lighthouses was built by Louis XIV.<br />
Well, not <u>actually</u> by him...his minions. </td></tr>
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We also did a few errands that I can easily do in France because I can actually communicate with people unlike in Germany. It was really wonderful to be in France for this reason. I asked for everything possible in public places and made small talk chit chat with people because I could. Keith also speaks French so it was nice to have a good reference when I didn't know a word. Between the two of us, we were like a whole person speaking French. Compared to my German skills, I feel like I could write a doctoral dissertation in French. But, compare French skills with English skills, I'm still just directly above a special needs chimpanzee. At any rate, France is a familiar place to me now and it was really nice to be there. I know what to expect and things are not a giant guessing game all of the time. There's a lot to be said for that! </div>
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Our trip ended at the World War I site of Vimy Ridge, France. This is a large monument managed and operated by the Canadians to commemorate the sacrifice of over 20,000 Canadians during World War I. So, for the first time in my life, I went to Canada, eh! It was a very moving memorial and we were able to tour the tunnels and trenches from the war that have been preserved. I realized that I basically know nothing about WWI as my history classes always got stuck on the minutiae of battles in the American Civil War. Keith is Canadian so he was able to explain a lot of the history of the Canadian involvement in the war as I am an idiot American and know nothing. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha8Yrpovzn3MS9Jr6sykuhBHe0h_145pzjLUWgdflefXWugzUARxArCCD0UYrsW7xNwmjtj7BmT9HmLKoHn51BBhdjdiNJiursgYrCA36ls9eoRxHwvMXiEgtO9KcMN6DL2rUXDD5WVGI/s1600/IMG_0594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha8Yrpovzn3MS9Jr6sykuhBHe0h_145pzjLUWgdflefXWugzUARxArCCD0UYrsW7xNwmjtj7BmT9HmLKoHn51BBhdjdiNJiursgYrCA36ls9eoRxHwvMXiEgtO9KcMN6DL2rUXDD5WVGI/s320/IMG_0594.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The monument dedicated to all of the lost/unknown Canadian soldiers.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5X6fZge8SwnSOkWMzD83sJtHxdiCeSFGFiZwuy_5TAH_aYz9l8_OkRkBIM13xNgCjSHT2P3b0cyum_aHgNuqaYKOJGoCkQvuP52_PC62TSXWUbpaS_qlm96lcSSRlh0TJWV8KQTXq4aw/s1600/IMG_0598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5X6fZge8SwnSOkWMzD83sJtHxdiCeSFGFiZwuy_5TAH_aYz9l8_OkRkBIM13xNgCjSHT2P3b0cyum_aHgNuqaYKOJGoCkQvuP52_PC62TSXWUbpaS_qlm96lcSSRlh0TJWV8KQTXq4aw/s320/IMG_0598.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Canada, right inside of France.<br />
The American sites in Normandy are the same idea.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHzpz7Mlc1zCRfwjX5EDIDcq4sEww0gT_k1ir7WcGMtbFFhSzXYnmy1PioiKSQCsSisFMLhNQKn-dIpfM82btVsTJiA_2zWXCSx-Y4ZzSgdPPKY9Z4atGnO9yusm-I1Mf4ZadE4yi1td4/s1600/IMG_0599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHzpz7Mlc1zCRfwjX5EDIDcq4sEww0gT_k1ir7WcGMtbFFhSzXYnmy1PioiKSQCsSisFMLhNQKn-dIpfM82btVsTJiA_2zWXCSx-Y4ZzSgdPPKY9Z4atGnO9yusm-I1Mf4ZadE4yi1td4/s320/IMG_0599.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As you can see, there are still undetonated explosives.<br />
Scary.<br />
We were there almost 95 years later. We missed the anniversary by 3 days.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxiHYSFKhp5tKlxRLzTop87A3186elbUmrfZcvTimwNsbfRT4Ua1J-QgGVfxtYQGgjW2RZ5kdsP5mUWlI08lXmGKeB6nEBwt80bKktRTdP9pCwDJvY0Rj9YeqvJnY-NOwHEX4nNMJO2HU/s1600/IMG_0610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxiHYSFKhp5tKlxRLzTop87A3186elbUmrfZcvTimwNsbfRT4Ua1J-QgGVfxtYQGgjW2RZ5kdsP5mUWlI08lXmGKeB6nEBwt80bKktRTdP9pCwDJvY0Rj9YeqvJnY-NOwHEX4nNMJO2HU/s320/IMG_0610.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of the old trenches.<br />
I learned that they formed a North-South line through Europe almost 500 miles long.<br />
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This was a wonderful trip. I miss it now that I am back at work. I was a bit sad being back in Germany since my communication with anyone was ended again. The day after we got back I arrived at a restaurant before my friends, tried to speak French, panicked, and ran out. My brain does it automatically. It is my go-to foreign language. </div>
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(Quick aside...when Natalie and I were in Paris last year, she kept speaking Spanish (her go-to language) but thinking it was French...really funny!)</div>
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Perhaps another entry later about the rest of spring break with my cousin and her husband, but I don't want to rub it in. Here are three picture highlights.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDTfKHZbgS7QSnwbU_wvjfQvk4Cw1GG5iB3hpJx6ftDMTxvLWKqThmODIwsD_36pXL_wkOyo_bqxTLMIxaAiZZWR4SjnQOBwjed5jYgUUkVzvuzx1_DAvTXeru-DPDUtFH_isclscZR3Q/s1600/IMG_0702.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDTfKHZbgS7QSnwbU_wvjfQvk4Cw1GG5iB3hpJx6ftDMTxvLWKqThmODIwsD_36pXL_wkOyo_bqxTLMIxaAiZZWR4SjnQOBwjed5jYgUUkVzvuzx1_DAvTXeru-DPDUtFH_isclscZR3Q/s320/IMG_0702.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tulip fields in Holland.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0X6n7pAx6AUC1l9D2JdQY_1hgdhnSP2IUD150MITAu9wUr_IBTI_iK6mFZxW9TMNfadGe_8A7II5I-yLLJh2p3JcDYXiZQc4B5FhfeXcxxX5Ppl4PdnkP_2Pwg3FzqwzJ9YhU421h0EM/s1600/IMG_0779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0X6n7pAx6AUC1l9D2JdQY_1hgdhnSP2IUD150MITAu9wUr_IBTI_iK6mFZxW9TMNfadGe_8A7II5I-yLLJh2p3JcDYXiZQc4B5FhfeXcxxX5Ppl4PdnkP_2Pwg3FzqwzJ9YhU421h0EM/s320/IMG_0779.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kinderdijk. UNESCO World Heritage Site in Holland.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8_quBtOVAon2dPhmZBmhIxSL6WwrYhLhctkWnx0L1MbO4slqiZwSVKIvxVTW7JR9sO2nA9SDNm2IZXrfBkZo7pcZEZ8t-YPpOGFFV5Iebi6xu4QoerRXG_XiOGQvEkAfuEF5g9_-3ab0/s1600/IMG_0836.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8_quBtOVAon2dPhmZBmhIxSL6WwrYhLhctkWnx0L1MbO4slqiZwSVKIvxVTW7JR9sO2nA9SDNm2IZXrfBkZo7pcZEZ8t-YPpOGFFV5Iebi6xu4QoerRXG_XiOGQvEkAfuEF5g9_-3ab0/s320/IMG_0836.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gent, Belgium.<br />
Adorable.</td></tr>
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So that's that. No more trips until summer. My cousins from Denmarkia are coming to visit next weekend and then I am going to a work thing in Amsterdam. One day of it is at the van Gogh Museum. Not gonna lie, pretty excited about that! </div>
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Just chugging through the remainder of the school year! Year 2 promises to be exciting as well!</div>
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</div>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733803757673036822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5564612051838242268.post-40973591939585023682012-03-13T22:14:00.001+01:002012-03-13T22:14:47.131+01:00International School? Seriously.Just a quick post...<br />
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I had such an international school experience today...this just doesn't happen in other situations (at least in my reality).<br />
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I was a participant in a meeting with a parent today where there was a chain of communication I've never before experienced. It went like this...<br />
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<span style="color: red;">Turkish Father---Turkish/German Interpreter----German Speaking Teacher---Me</span></div>
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I've had many parent meetings where there was an interpreter involved, but never one with the intermediary step. </div>
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It was kind of cool. Knowing we were all working for the good of the kid regardless of the language spoken. Neat.</div>
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<span style="color: red;"><br /></span></div>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733803757673036822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5564612051838242268.post-11869055426945718142012-03-11T11:25:00.000+01:002012-03-11T11:25:05.847+01:00EB...The European BoxoutImagine that you have arrived somewhere really early in anticipation that you'll be first in line and first in. Could be a concert you're waiting to enter or just something simple like waiting for a bus or train. In your mind, you figure that if you're first in line, you'll be one of the first people into the event. Many people line up behind you and are also patiently waiting.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPtdb1kuX75X7Iji3zM_AvbdLIy-QO8xyIFTDq1UeH7IuPBdNRdEcaUyLVpkuk2NHqDFFcbdNqlpo_53fuA2aKVh5oMawhnI6I8nvBGiv6H1InB-4gk5daNqVRYDYsWc0ClJqjDvVeqRw/s1600/AAA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPtdb1kuX75X7Iji3zM_AvbdLIy-QO8xyIFTDq1UeH7IuPBdNRdEcaUyLVpkuk2NHqDFFcbdNqlpo_53fuA2aKVh5oMawhnI6I8nvBGiv6H1InB-4gk5daNqVRYDYsWc0ClJqjDvVeqRw/s400/AAA.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The American/British way of entering an event or train.<br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.itp.net/images/content/582151/article/7398-queue_article.jpg</span></td></tr>
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The doors open and you feel that you are moving toward the door. You don't feel anyone pushing you, it seems that the whole line is moving together. There is definitely forward motion and as you approach the door, you look around and though you were first, you are now the last person standing outside. You've just gotten the European Boxout.<br />
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I first learned about the European Boxout when I was 19 and studying at the University of Nice. Everyday, my American friends and I would wait to take the city bus to school (and by everyday, I mean the days we bothered to go to class instead of the beach). We would arrive in plenty of time and as the bus pulled up, we'd barely even make it on. What it really indicates is a cultural difference (I am not judging, just pointing out a difference) that is easily misinterpreted.<br />
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Americans and British, in general, are liner-uppers or 'queue-ers' as the Brits would say. We have been culturally trained to wait our turn and file onto or into something one after the other. If you jump in front of someone in a line, there will be social consequences in the form of dirty looks, tongue clicks, or even a choice comment made in your direction. Not so in Germany and France (I cannot speak for other countries because I haven't lived in them, but from what my friends who've lived around Europe say, it is a continent-wide generalization).<br />
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Back when I was living in Nice, France in 1998, we named this the European Boxout. It feels like a secret sports move where you are doing some sort of blocking and unless you've been introduced to this move since birth, you just can't do it. Now, after living in Europe for a chunk of time, you'd think I would be used to it and know that I have to be ready and be aware and not allow myself to suddenly be at the back of the line. But, it is a cultural thing that is so small and so subtle that I just can't figure it out. I am ALWAYS suddenly at the back of the line, no matter what. Even when I am standing in a line with other people where we laugh and joke about the European Boxout when it is about to happen, we are suddenly boxed out and at the end of a line.<br />
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I once asked a French woman about this and she said that she and her French friends thought it was HILARIOUS that the Americans and the British would just stand there and wait and then glare at her as they somehow ended up at the end of the line!<br />
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Living in another country, when you eliminate the language barrier, doesn't seem that different. People are just going about their lives, working, schooling, shopping, sporting, etc. But, the little things are what really make the biggest difference!Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733803757673036822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5564612051838242268.post-55288083238737930602012-03-04T11:05:00.000+01:002012-03-04T11:05:48.927+01:00Flashers? No! Flash Mob!Last night I participated in a "Flash Mob" with staff members at a fundraiser for my school's sister school in Tanzania. First of all, I've never imagined that schools exist where you raise money for someone other than yourselves to use in your own school. This sure is different than selling magazines so we can have a Literacy Coach at my former school. ISD has had a partnership with a school in Tanzania for twenty years and each year a team of ISD students go there to work on projects. Last night's event raised almost €10,000. What? I know.<div>
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Also, it is interesting to work at a private school (especially one in Germany) where everyone can drink alcohol in the school building. A huge part of this event- called Tanzania Night- is the donation and purchased consumption of mass quantities of alcohol on behalf of the parent attendees...makes their purse-strings a bit looser apparently!<br /><br />Anyway, a group of teachers, organized by the delightful, Tina Post, an English teacher (who I apparently stalk since I live in her old apartment and will be moving into her current apartment in June!) organized us, choreographed and taught us a dance in painstaking detail since we're not exactly a group of dancers! </div>
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So, here are a few photos from the night. I'll post the link to the video at the end. It won't let me embed it because it is a private video so you have to just click the link.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8M5GMdBeoJkfDNpwku8am7zOAwu4NkawwV-4TplKeT6uBurG6XQiX0AlSGqe6PKVLytNV_VjCDty0LpJ8y3LkteEAQ0USJl45XgzMYC07xU2ehEG74f4Hwd0fz9aG8Ddz2cC5VeJ9SA4/s1600/Flash+Mob+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8M5GMdBeoJkfDNpwku8am7zOAwu4NkawwV-4TplKeT6uBurG6XQiX0AlSGqe6PKVLytNV_VjCDty0LpJ8y3LkteEAQ0USJl45XgzMYC07xU2ehEG74f4Hwd0fz9aG8Ddz2cC5VeJ9SA4/s400/Flash+Mob+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making an ass of myself since 1978.<br />(Thanks Camp Chief Ouray...you really helped that along!)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUr6qWyGlrSLhbm97H3h69j0Hwf5wn6m-AVe_EuFkQPGq9EQ0_ErUUCrlMgPd4751jHZ7GojCvOniEjdYAa0fmwzjkFSMT8vHg2N-I7n-uxN-dL6l9MR0SrWrHBEM7AucZQwmljLSEWZI/s1600/Flash+Mob+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUr6qWyGlrSLhbm97H3h69j0Hwf5wn6m-AVe_EuFkQPGq9EQ0_ErUUCrlMgPd4751jHZ7GojCvOniEjdYAa0fmwzjkFSMT8vHg2N-I7n-uxN-dL6l9MR0SrWrHBEM7AucZQwmljLSEWZI/s400/Flash+Mob+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What fun colleagues!<br />I work at a great place!</td></tr>
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Click <span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnW7P6U08aw&sns=em" target="_blank">here</a></span> to see the full dance video!</div>
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</div>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733803757673036822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5564612051838242268.post-82092147467631430742012-02-26T16:13:00.001+01:002012-02-26T16:13:39.938+01:00A trip to Big Parrot, Giant Cockatiel, no wait...GRAN CANARIA<br />
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">I have just returned from a great, relaxing, and sunny week in Gran Canaria, Spain. The Canary Islands are off the west coast of Africa, but belong to Spain. Click <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Gran+Canaria,+San+Bartolom%C3%A9,+Espa%C3%B1a&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=27.916767,-15.556641&spn=44.417645,72.861328&sll=27.916767,-15.545654&sspn=5.657759,9.107666&oq=San+Bartalome+Gran+Canaria&hnear=San+Bartolom%C3%A9+de+Tirajana,+Palmas,+Canary+Islands,+Spain&t=m&z=4" target="_blank">here</a> for a quick map. If you are wondering, (and why wouldn't you be) they are called the Canary Islands because they found a lot of wild dogs here at some point...canine...get it? I think the bird was named after the island. Although, we saw only pigeons and seagulls while we were here. </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Oh, and one duck with small pox or something, (see picture). </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRcp6QQarxr4v8MuC29VlgIXzTdDMRObt45_SvWDt5WvMY5TQkf5005YNe1fvT_e0ttsxGt4JnKarmYyUhS0Y98z6VwPO1R3FA2oxvc0IEqyZrDXro0RPYRlVgfYyJ8a9RHLBdAApVk1c/s1600/IMG_0241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRcp6QQarxr4v8MuC29VlgIXzTdDMRObt45_SvWDt5WvMY5TQkf5005YNe1fvT_e0ttsxGt4JnKarmYyUhS0Y98z6VwPO1R3FA2oxvc0IEqyZrDXro0RPYRlVgfYyJ8a9RHLBdAApVk1c/s320/IMG_0241.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small Pox Duck<br />But, where are the canaries?</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">According to Wikipedia, the Canaries were mentioned even by the Greeks and the Egyptians so there have been people here for quite awhile. They are all volcanically formed and hilariously, the guide on a tour we did, tried to tell us that there was a new island rising up out of the ocean and it would be here in 2-4 years. Not sure how that's going to work but keep paying attention to the news because apparently geologic time is greatly sped up here. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixeRGpGmB2mQHsJ4GnjokCryaUYysPpL-KN9Jx4SSGlzpwuDJq5X4hT7XfRcbMjnVFZ6uqx7S6NlrhLwSo2y4Ahgwj1JEMjgHDQxsBNlnjsRxdF2e1rLg6q7CbnCvc7ZMFIwHL1wLIfV8/s1600/IMG_0165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixeRGpGmB2mQHsJ4GnjokCryaUYysPpL-KN9Jx4SSGlzpwuDJq5X4hT7XfRcbMjnVFZ6uqx7S6NlrhLwSo2y4Ahgwj1JEMjgHDQxsBNlnjsRxdF2e1rLg6q7CbnCvc7ZMFIwHL1wLIfV8/s320/IMG_0165.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First view of the island from the plane!</td></tr>
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<div class="p1">
There are also a lot of plant species endemic to the island and we got to see a few really cool looking cacti and one species of pine trees that are found nowhere else on earth. The guide tried to tell us that they are the only species of trees on earth that have an adaptation to protect their trunks from fire but I am such a natural resource nerd and remember my forest ecology...so I nerdily laughed to myself that in fact the Ponderosa Pine (and probably others) have that same adaptation...an insulated cambium layer...yeah, see, I am REALLY nerdy (although I am hoping that Dawn, Katie, and Rachel read this and NRRT laugh along with me!). (As an aside, I always make fun of my friend Sandy for being a bird nerd, but let's be honest, I love plants and that is pretty darn nerdy as well.) </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj47pXKgs-TGBS4VBK7azIsImd9FD7NsMVkMR1wl-JXGa2iC-3VrzpBgekQzhWhhKqx4zVMttN7njJEpWEFTMBrTrHokbm3pTtyt1S3dyY5WSVF00fM-U23eiovWX1EviXJ564h8J-ekF8/s1600/IMG_0226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj47pXKgs-TGBS4VBK7azIsImd9FD7NsMVkMR1wl-JXGa2iC-3VrzpBgekQzhWhhKqx4zVMttN7njJEpWEFTMBrTrHokbm3pTtyt1S3dyY5WSVF00fM-U23eiovWX1EviXJ564h8J-ekF8/s320/IMG_0226.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Be careful of those spines!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOmkaUHKSe7diZMntI66FM0p3brOM8VKvGp9j6_vU6hkD1Bz9b2rGUfuKcWMZ2PZg7A30FFqWDDXwad4tmA01XUmFPQaSJwx2c8fkUAGlIhaJyXm4dNsT-Wwa7_EIKn2pXGncFKU_HDf8/s1600/IMG_0227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOmkaUHKSe7diZMntI66FM0p3brOM8VKvGp9j6_vU6hkD1Bz9b2rGUfuKcWMZ2PZg7A30FFqWDDXwad4tmA01XUmFPQaSJwx2c8fkUAGlIhaJyXm4dNsT-Wwa7_EIKn2pXGncFKU_HDf8/s320/IMG_0227.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">¡Ay! Eso me duele el dedo!</td></tr>
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<div class="p1">
Our flight was a charter with a travel agency like you would do to Mexico or something in the US. And so, we were able to fly directly to Gran Canaria instead of having a layover somewhere. So, really, we left Germany at 7am, had a four and a half hour flight, and were standing in our hotel lobby with our complimentary champagne by noon- not too shabby. </div>
<div class="p2">
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<div class="p1">
Our room wasn't quite ready when we got there and so we were just chilling in the "snack bar" and found out that there were all sorts of frou frou drinks available to us as part of our all-inclusive package. I have never been on a trip like this before (I am not counting India because though that trip was completely paid for, catered, and we stayed in really nice hotels, it was work-related and we were not just sitting by the pool all day!) where you just hang out and do nothing if you choose (which we chose!). I'm not complaining in any way, I have had the opportunity to do lots of cool things, but this is my first "all inclusive" vacation at a resort as I've never been to Mexico or anything. Usually, my beach vacays are to Charleston, SC, which is always SUPER fun but sadly, Maura doesn't wait on me hand and foot (I may have to now reconsider our friendship!). </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ikuNFRDyuGg7tShE-Aqx-19I5O32MCNhABUrRZT_1N2moAyihkvIv2j_18HFNECQDwXRm06geOQnEezDi8LvsxFeS02cOvxkaXYw1WukUc_DmOc7sRdigHvzfZSH7tnx19QRknfctlw/s1600/IMG_0059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ikuNFRDyuGg7tShE-Aqx-19I5O32MCNhABUrRZT_1N2moAyihkvIv2j_18HFNECQDwXRm06geOQnEezDi8LvsxFeS02cOvxkaXYw1WukUc_DmOc7sRdigHvzfZSH7tnx19QRknfctlw/s320/IMG_0059.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from our room. It was worth the extra €45 to have a view!</td></tr>
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<div class="p1">
So, we've spent the last 7 days just chilling by the pool and swilling drinks while we made sure to reapply our sunscreen as much as necessary. I am a freak about getting sunburned after all those times in my life where my first day on a vacation, I get fried and then the rest of the trip is miserable. So, with my American-purchased SPF 50, I worked hard to not get a sunburn...first world problems. I relistened to a David Sedaris book and was the freaky girl laughing hysterically to herself without anything in front of me...so I looked extra weird as Lauren slept in the chair next to me. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoNqOj2TyAZi3LTOxnCbtlnDiT3Og0g-fkqocCmReoDhpH3-o_A7FQ6pV2K-LLM1vNgJLI2CDryOcfUSLjHfUo_Be4X9y8AaXER5tjLAKRJzZd6h5I1WFw45AOP_c0fnWjGiXdDhs_kKc/s1600/IMAG0090-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoNqOj2TyAZi3LTOxnCbtlnDiT3Og0g-fkqocCmReoDhpH3-o_A7FQ6pV2K-LLM1vNgJLI2CDryOcfUSLjHfUo_Be4X9y8AaXER5tjLAKRJzZd6h5I1WFw45AOP_c0fnWjGiXdDhs_kKc/s320/IMAG0090-1.jpg" width="241" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I WILL be outside, even it is a bit chilly.<br />Not to worry, this only happened one day!</td></tr>
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<div class="p1">
The food was really good, we especially loved breakfast and I was able to have my favorite morning tradition...a drinks smorgasbord of diet coke, coffee, and a water. They even had ICE CUBES so Lauren and I made ourselves glass after glass of ice water. AND...there was a diet coke fountain so that made my vacation just that much better. We played a game at breakfast called "guess the British" by seeing who was eating baked beans for breakfast. Though I do enjoy this some days, I've noticed people eating plate after plate of beans and black pudding (reminder: black pudding is BLOOD SAUSAGE and I won some last year in England at the meat raffle! Yep, the meat raffle! I just couldn't stomach it and watching people load up on it- is just gross to me. I can't be culturally sensitive to this one!) </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKXEKApDazjW-jdLxCTeyRJB4n-kxe4E5t-CJxzarw-b27pxEhaQYFlccTjfCz0tCnujIPe3h0mfN25CvgN1iR74-9xbPog9-pPMLajOzRnAUmLfYDU6_bJvTYzqoYSF_VE_RGBV46fJ8/s1600/IMG_0197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKXEKApDazjW-jdLxCTeyRJB4n-kxe4E5t-CJxzarw-b27pxEhaQYFlccTjfCz0tCnujIPe3h0mfN25CvgN1iR74-9xbPog9-pPMLajOzRnAUmLfYDU6_bJvTYzqoYSF_VE_RGBV46fJ8/s320/IMG_0197.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was a lunch drinks smorgasbord...beer, water, diet coke.<br />I did this at every meal. Lauren joined in too!</td></tr>
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<div class="p2">
They also had stacks and stacks of Manchego cheese...the best cheese ever. So, needless to say (I basically have already said it) we did not miss a meal! As I did no research before coming on this trip, I wasn't sure what else there was to do here. I almost got my fill of just laying around...almost. The landscape is very interesting. It is very desert-like and reminds me of New Mexico or Arizona but next to an ocean. There is little vegetation and on the manicured areas, there are palm trees and ornate cacti. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQFHcePzPMvgIqtDNCipbU_PuuHHZL8wM2izV5h73ODNWes159I7eU7oSbaCEH-5Y5oVvW87RPtJOsLPJT1OJWKkKJqlwl4ViWCs-PgdBQbQgb2m9LKOxoroAfL6Ktcq42vjfnMyWxgGQ/s1600/IMG_0284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQFHcePzPMvgIqtDNCipbU_PuuHHZL8wM2izV5h73ODNWes159I7eU7oSbaCEH-5Y5oVvW87RPtJOsLPJT1OJWKkKJqlwl4ViWCs-PgdBQbQgb2m9LKOxoroAfL6Ktcq42vjfnMyWxgGQ/s320/IMG_0284.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some interesting desert plants with some, very obviously, volcanic rock.<br />The science teacher in me comes out on trips like this.<br />This island would have been a PERFECT place for a good geology field trip.</td></tr>
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<div class="p2">
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<div class="p1">
The first night there was a Flamenco show and the other nights there were acrobats, crappy lounge singers, or something. We were basically on like a cruise for 70 year olds, but I was totally fine with that as I was just ready to relax. The last night there was a Lionel Ritchie cover singer. HA HA HA HA! Seriously? We laughed so hard about that one and made sure to check it out since I do have (an entirely fake) obsession with Lionel. I had some books on my coffee table that had been retired from the CBMS library about Lionel. They were always a really amusing conversation starter when people came over to my house in Fort Collins.</div>
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<div class="p1">
Well, as the week progressed, the cruise-ship-like entertainment worsened and once every single night called for audience participation, we skipped out. We have made some delightful British friends from the Isle of Man (where they speak Manx and have those Manx cats- the ones without tails) and so we chatted and got drinks with them after our dinners were over. I have to say that besides the baked beans for breakfast, the Brits are also given away by their crazy-intense sunburns. Now, maybe if I had lived in a cloudy, grey place my whole life too, I would go a bit nuts in the sun when I actually got to see it...but...it cannot be fun to spend your entire vacation charbroiled and red. The Germans seem to put on sunscreen while the Brits just get more lobster-like by the day. You can tell how long people have been here by how red they really are. Hilarious and I am glad for them that they have a good national healthcare system to deal with all of their impending skin cancer removals! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg_XeXLeBAPPhAJhSFS4uTJKXPFHh7X1K2ARtPAqjJA7osCYWru_LQzAnl7klzRUP9kuBexbjcUMwXd3mpU2r9V-K0TNAam1ubj4YC1oyhYZdn8EgfUwNcs2-i27CEQNO1dM1ELGCCLM4/s1600/IMG_0196.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg_XeXLeBAPPhAJhSFS4uTJKXPFHh7X1K2ARtPAqjJA7osCYWru_LQzAnl7klzRUP9kuBexbjcUMwXd3mpU2r9V-K0TNAam1ubj4YC1oyhYZdn8EgfUwNcs2-i27CEQNO1dM1ELGCCLM4/s320/IMG_0196.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trip to the sand dunes at Maspalomas. </td></tr>
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<div class="p2">
We had two "away from the hotel" adventures as we were purposely as lazy as humanly possible this week. We REALLY committed the deadly sin of sloth and did a DAMN good job of it. There were naps a-plenty, inside and outside. But, our first excursion was to the nearby town of Maspalomas where there are large sand dunes right at the edge of the ocean. This was just a quick trip and worth it because the views of the mountains while you're standing on a beach are pretty darn cool.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdsPFS7W0NITps_mQfcAp_H8hvR0UhCmWSylUCEL91OBsftEqF8AFV8MLLn-i18MVxUUZj_w9dc2L-iGi4dgEUdeIvWSfOR6ZGoVOg0FsGkM40Sc41SWgNNRWCxR1_R2lYEAymkw6VDbU/s1600/IMG_0201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdsPFS7W0NITps_mQfcAp_H8hvR0UhCmWSylUCEL91OBsftEqF8AFV8MLLn-i18MVxUUZj_w9dc2L-iGi4dgEUdeIvWSfOR6ZGoVOg0FsGkM40Sc41SWgNNRWCxR1_R2lYEAymkw6VDbU/s320/IMG_0201.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The adventure continues..."Jeep" Safari</td></tr>
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<div class="p2">
Our next excursion was a full-day "jeep safari" which was really a Toyota Land Cruiser without a roof. We sat in the way back on side-facing seats across from a young Belgian couple who we inevitably made friends with after bouncing around in a dusty "jeep" for 8 hours together. This tour drove us up into the mountains which actually made me extremely homesick because it looked so much like the American West...especially the clear blue sky. Clear blue sky is definitely missing from Northern Europe most of the time. I know that I have said this before but I can completely relate to Van Gogh and how he FLIPPED OUT upon seeing sunshine since it is so super grey in northern Europe. I think I'd flip out too if I'd never seen that kind of blue sky and then was thrust into it. I kind of freak now but only because I know what I'm missing. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJwrp9Odf7AwB8pdpJB6EMULbdC-gRizPDJp91ZowjKBdn8rmJkRnwbJts7FjYFsTaMkrpznLWyQVQhL2DAhqt8X-np_Ybja7aCcxHFbgn5OgSlaSEpG5YNoDLVpy-ftdfoylLPIFGUKY/s1600/IMG_0288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJwrp9Odf7AwB8pdpJB6EMULbdC-gRizPDJp91ZowjKBdn8rmJkRnwbJts7FjYFsTaMkrpznLWyQVQhL2DAhqt8X-np_Ybja7aCcxHFbgn5OgSlaSEpG5YNoDLVpy-ftdfoylLPIFGUKY/s320/IMG_0288.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If this picture was closer up, you could see that we are completely covered in dust.</td></tr>
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<div class="p1">
The roads were really windy and so we were pretty much nauseous the entire trip but it was still really fun. We saw many beautiful villages full of white stucco houses and red Spanish tile roofs (wait, do you think that is why they are called SPANISH tile? HA!). We got to visit some natural areas and then we stopped for lunch at a CAMEL PARK! Again, according to Wikipedia, camels are native to the area of Africa near the Canary Islands so they have been found there for a long time. Lauren had already ridden a camel to the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt and thought that this camel ride would be a let-down after that (I'm sure it would have been!)...but I love camels and think they are seriously cute and funny so I will take any opportunity I can, even though they are quite smelly. There was also a baby camel named Nestor in the pen and it was so incredibly cute. I couldn't shake the feeling though that I was riding a Ton-Ton in Star Wars!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhepJ-7q3s_G4iR0OU2bbb-EGq8DRr4Ix6WDfTMoNRT5N15nLEltTtR5cEupnVte06-F6pBKEONIL0A_3Ni93NuXc1E26Zywj1Z3MTt7dM_4ZaQK1B-ZJcIdAoJgQzXkNIENcB9WwnODTM/s1600/IMG_0062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhepJ-7q3s_G4iR0OU2bbb-EGq8DRr4Ix6WDfTMoNRT5N15nLEltTtR5cEupnVte06-F6pBKEONIL0A_3Ni93NuXc1E26Zywj1Z3MTt7dM_4ZaQK1B-ZJcIdAoJgQzXkNIENcB9WwnODTM/s320/IMG_0062.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">YEEHAW!!!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY4Xmj9lxycMKlj7k6wUbPQbWEjvmlMkV2ACd9rU0m2RXaCl-2mRlW_eEf5lrr1Z_Me0f3pF1cbYrlxvD-bBAF5mseSJX1r5nfNgjh_sjuEOIWuQzU868MZDbQ3achV4cdHojXm8rFRWc/s1600/IMG_0267.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY4Xmj9lxycMKlj7k6wUbPQbWEjvmlMkV2ACd9rU0m2RXaCl-2mRlW_eEf5lrr1Z_Me0f3pF1cbYrlxvD-bBAF5mseSJX1r5nfNgjh_sjuEOIWuQzU868MZDbQ3achV4cdHojXm8rFRWc/s320/IMG_0267.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After the short ride, the camels all got super dolled up!<br /> It was Friday, after all!<br />(Or wait, maybe this was just the sign for the Women's Restroom!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr2gSg-MCg0SEjzqM4L3ZmAyzP9DF6ELywfxzZzPwWzn1vd1TEB-F0X6XammDBAe1GNCE5A3gX9tJtwNDm_8ZO3jvNBTaJqCk9BjmfblIyL3aPe6cyw574hcL_MtiQF4nMFTwpw8lqlN8/s1600/IMAG0101-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr2gSg-MCg0SEjzqM4L3ZmAyzP9DF6ELywfxzZzPwWzn1vd1TEB-F0X6XammDBAe1GNCE5A3gX9tJtwNDm_8ZO3jvNBTaJqCk9BjmfblIyL3aPe6cyw574hcL_MtiQF4nMFTwpw8lqlN8/s320/IMAG0101-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh Nestor, you are so cute.<br />Nestor loved people and loved having her ears scratched! .</td></tr>
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<div class="p1">
Then, after lunch, the "off-roading" portion began. I've driven on roads similar to these roads in the mountains of Colorado- rocky, dusty, and narrow- but never at the speed at which we were doing it! It was a really good thing that I wasn't driving, otherwise the off-roading experience would have been done at about 10 miles per hour and it wouldn't have been nearly as exciting. It was like being on a really dirty, bumpy roller coaster and also reminded me a lot of sitting in the back of the school bus as a child and cheering and laughing when we went over bumps. You couldn't help but wildly giggle the entire time. We got progressively dirtier as the time passed and our driver (who would get out a sociology textbook and highlight it at every stop!) had the right idea by pulling a neck gator over his whole face to protect himself from the dust...although he did totally look like a bank robber and so that made us laugh even that much harder because we felt like a getaway car! </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyeDK9S0Ezs03BvNgsMMwZSwTv6rXt7BzqnyK-C8Ddxo6jZA0PkIUPVN2wmzO-ez7_Y_0mmngOnsVDYtmycquHjimsWEqKFCrCHN9ZvHe0BjldRUo88xxvkBVjl-yWFDGGhRwpyxnoXKk/s1600/IMG_0269.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyeDK9S0Ezs03BvNgsMMwZSwTv6rXt7BzqnyK-C8Ddxo6jZA0PkIUPVN2wmzO-ez7_Y_0mmngOnsVDYtmycquHjimsWEqKFCrCHN9ZvHe0BjldRUo88xxvkBVjl-yWFDGGhRwpyxnoXKk/s320/IMG_0269.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Driver of the "getaway car" or just of the tour.<br />He had to spare his lungs and eyes because he was doing homework at every single stop!</td></tr>
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They allowed us to get out a few times and talked to us about the plant life of the area. The variety of cactus species was amazing and also very beautiful. It was so nice to be in a different landscape than what I am used to. Also, being an island with mountains, the climate is extremely varied and depending on the direction that a slope might face, the vegetation and the look are completely different. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJkZjvfe_KIrHjMUoOV-aBM14-cTvbRqFpS4YTYyHMIS_j0VdYEpWAr2AG_dwN23aMF41x9Y0FYaSAhgImO02Izn6eZHD8Xr1TuPkoeOp2L5sjEn03-9I2IBVvypl77zHftPLciCZWlZg/s1600/IMG_0280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJkZjvfe_KIrHjMUoOV-aBM14-cTvbRqFpS4YTYyHMIS_j0VdYEpWAr2AG_dwN23aMF41x9Y0FYaSAhgImO02Izn6eZHD8Xr1TuPkoeOp2L5sjEn03-9I2IBVvypl77zHftPLciCZWlZg/s320/IMG_0280.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Candelabra Cactus. I thought it looked more like Churros.<br />Mmmmm, churros.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="p2">
This vacation was well worth the money, in fact, I spent less than I normally would on a week's trip when you factor in airfare, food, and hotel, and it was great to see the sun and relax. I recommend the Canary Islands to anyone who wants a dry air (important to me now that I lived in Damp-ville), blue sky vacation where you can be slothy and drink lots of umbrella drinks. Delightful.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_3-kj96sasHXOFuKFUJb5xtHBvBVjuu6iiBJip_dlQNER686a_7eJuR8x0GaGlbZQYF9KYh8XvaZRhydGBelO8lZ5NTz2kY-IPIZz_NLTIRCgvnce2w5aLb9F4n0N5gSs5DEfaZQ5lB8/s1600/IMG_0292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_3-kj96sasHXOFuKFUJb5xtHBvBVjuu6iiBJip_dlQNER686a_7eJuR8x0GaGlbZQYF9KYh8XvaZRhydGBelO8lZ5NTz2kY-IPIZz_NLTIRCgvnce2w5aLb9F4n0N5gSs5DEfaZQ5lB8/s320/IMG_0292.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roof-top bar at our hotel. </td></tr>
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Now I have to get back to the "real life" of teaching. I have a new colleague starting on Monday who will be teaching the same thing as me, so that will be fun and interesting. And, I can countdown to my next trip...a road trip to France with my friends Lauren and Keith to visit the family with whom I lived last year in only 5 weeks! I really enjoy the school schedule with the shorter summer and more frequent breaks throughout the year...there is always something on the horizon to look forward to! And, I love me a good road trip. </div>
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<br /></div>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733803757673036822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5564612051838242268.post-52048309562927900402012-01-29T18:56:00.000+01:002012-01-29T18:57:53.042+01:00Professional development...not so professional poetry...This weekend I attended the Association of German International Schools (AGIS) Conference in Hanover, Germany. It was a lot of fun getting to meet more of my colleagues and making connections with teachers around Germany in the other international schools. We had a lot of great professional and not-so-professional conversations and laughed all weekend.<br />
<br />
My friend (and teacher twin), Lauren, and I presented about using critical thinking strategies in formative and summative assessment. In went well and we were even given an offer to present for a technology company's annual meeting in September in Berlin! WAHOO!<br />
<br />
On Saturday night, they had a dinner for everyone and then asked each person or group of people, to write a little something about the AGIS conference for the 10th anniversary of the organization. They suggested limericks or haikus. Well, to be honest, the minute I hear the word limerick, I think of...<br />
<br />
<i>There once was a girl from Nantucket....</i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
So, I wrote it down as our first line and as you'll see, our poem just degenerated from there. The organizers read it out to the whole conference and as we had "anonymously" submitted it, we weren't too known for the composition except by our own ISD colleagues!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisDcDpRrgSB7hp2-QO9Q-lkTXG24ok0uIOwEfpEGhXeGJSFix8pX5dJlI5mcv65rTZnTj2env1GzBL6Xym8ffGemGkF06ec0wFWlBKnod0yIBpYcBVEk8I9QATPtC7nUpuGQfgsaGxT20/s1600/Merlot.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisDcDpRrgSB7hp2-QO9Q-lkTXG24ok0uIOwEfpEGhXeGJSFix8pX5dJlI5mcv65rTZnTj2env1GzBL6Xym8ffGemGkF06ec0wFWlBKnod0yIBpYcBVEk8I9QATPtC7nUpuGQfgsaGxT20/s400/Merlot.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">None of this is actually true...by the way.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
**I must quickly explain that my Nana used to work at a really fancy restaurant and people would come in and order Merlot and pronounce is as Mer-lett or Mer-LOTT. I had just told Lauren this story on the train to Hanover and she busted out the word Mer-LOTT to rhyme with A LOT!...this is similar to calling Filet Mignon as Fill-lett Mig-Nann.***Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733803757673036822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5564612051838242268.post-43357147266350608542012-01-23T22:10:00.000+01:002012-01-23T22:10:53.957+01:00Awkward Emergencies...A few weeks ago, my friend Kendra had a blog post about awkward moments.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Click <a href="http://xfitmama-imeanbusiness.blogspot.com/2012/01/awkward-moments-live-here.html">here</a> to read it because it is super funny. </div>
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But, on that note...I have to add one of my own that JUST happened but it was so uncomfortably awkward that it warrants immediately writing about it.<br />
<br />
I was just finishing up some school work and went into my kitchen to make some tea when I noticed that my kitchen sink was completely full with <span style="color: #073763;">dark blue water</span>. Like that color. It was close to 9 pm and I wasn't sure what to do. So, I did what I always do in house emergencies...I called my mom. She suggested plunging so I tried. But, the water just kept getting higher and I was freaking out. I turned off the washing machine just in case it was that. (By the way, washing machines in Germany are often in the kitchen. Mine is directly next to the kitchen sink and was well into hour two of one load. Yes, you read that correctly...hour two for one load.)<br />
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Next, I called my friend Keith because he has lived in Germany for 7 years and knows what to do in most situations. He told me to go get my Hausmeister (which is like a building superintendent). As I was talking to him the water started getting higher and higher. I was taking my coffee pot and filling it with icky blue water (it was the first large receptacle I could think to grab) and then dumping it in the toilet so that I wouldn't have water spilling all over my kitchen.<br />
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I scrambled to put on my shoes and started to run out the door. BUT WAIT! I can't just run out the door. I have no idea how to say BLUE WATER IS FILLING UP MY KITCHEN SINK! IT IS STARTING TO OVERFLOW EVERYWHERE in German. I can get as far as <i>Ich habe ein gross problem</i>....I have a big problem...and then I can't explain the actual problem. So, while I can hear the water starting to go down the side of the cabinet, I was trying to google translate and write down as fast as I could so I would be able to explain when I got to his door.<br />
<br />
The Hausmeister lives in the building next door. So, I ran (after waiting in my super slow elevator...it takes a full minute to go down 7 flights...I should have taken the stairs!) to the building next door in my complex where my Hausmeister lives. I rang his buzzer and of course the minute he says hello, I start speaking French. HA! My brain went right to it. I couldn't even remember to say "<i>Herr Hausmeister</i>," I said, "<i>Monsieur Hausmeister</i>."<br />
<br />
So, I waited about two minutes for him to come to the door and showed him my quickly scribbled note. He's in his late 70s- I would guess- so was probably not really prepared to suddenly run next door. We went to my building and entered the elevator. Now, here's where it was <b>super</b> awkward. It is a tiny elevator, it is slow, and I can only say things in German like <i>Was kostet der Drucker?</i> which means "How much does the printer cost?" which unfortunately was not the right sentence for this situation! We both just awkwardly stared at the wall of the elevator until I tried to act out what was happening in my apartment with my arms and very broken German. Yeah...like that helped.<br />
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The water had gone down a little bit when we got into my apartment (YAY) but he was able to plunge it enough to get it to go down. I opened the stopped washing machine and took out the soaking wet clothes, and what do you know...blue water filled the bottom of the washer. Something plumbing-wise is backed up between the washer and the sink. But, why the hell was the water blue? I was washing nothing blue except for a pair of old jeans that I had washed like 50 times.<br />
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So, now my soaking wet clothes are hanging on the line on the balcony. And, given Germany's damp climate, they'll be dry sometime next week. I was being proactive and washing my favorite jeans tonight so that they'd be dry by the weekend. Yes, that is the kind of pre-planning one must do when one doesn't own a dryer in a damp climate. Once they stop dripping I can hang them next to the radiator (which, btw, was not working until this morning when it miraculously decided to work and heated the room up to a billion degrees...Celsius...this is Germany!) and they'll dry in like two days instead of five.<br />
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But, through all this, (<i>all</i><b style="font-style: italic;"> </b>this, as if I have just been through a trauma...I'm a bit dramatic), the thing that i like the best is that I can call a landlord to fix things. I do not have to try to deal with it on my own. It made me, once again, glad that I no longer own a home. I just don't think I am cut out for home ownership...too many things go wrong that I don't know how to manage. I <b>love</b> that I can call someone tomorrow and have someone else pay to have things fixed. Delightful.<br />
<br />
So, there it is. My awkward, google-translated "emergency." I'm laughing to myself about what a dumb-ass I am at German as I write this. I wonder how long it will take in my brain until French is not my automatic go-to foreign language?<br />
<br />
Well, until then, at least I've got google translate. <br />
<br />Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733803757673036822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5564612051838242268.post-10057709375093360532012-01-15T20:28:00.002+01:002012-01-15T20:28:48.998+01:002011: Life lessons from a crazy year.<div class="p1">
Out of all of my adult years, 2011 was probably the most random so far. Over the course of the year, I lived in 4 countries, spent 8 months unemployed, and had some pretty cool adventures. Reflecting back, I learned a lot. Below are some pictures and the "lessons" I learned. </div>
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<b>Lesson: You can turn anything into a French tarte with a little egg, cheese, and cream. (Hey...I didn't say these lessons were going to be profound.) </b></div>
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I started the year with a three month stay with a family in France “teaching” them English. Mostly, I became their friend, cook, nanny, space-taker-upper, and errand runner. It was a really fun time and as my blog indicated at the time, made me realize the true importance of Love and Logic in parenting and teaching.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxa906TywaRp6ma6AMfO5JBpZbfU3V1PFsal0Q3g4oOdvrbBipsSkTmRJUNGqmjBZ73HYXfbN5V-An8AmmGu-3-EuL2udQBSRW8fzHHZLaEFZrmiEE-2odWG8zp96SayUNLKOYfuBjW5A/s1600/IMG_2412_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxa906TywaRp6ma6AMfO5JBpZbfU3V1PFsal0Q3g4oOdvrbBipsSkTmRJUNGqmjBZ73HYXfbN5V-An8AmmGu-3-EuL2udQBSRW8fzHHZLaEFZrmiEE-2odWG8zp96SayUNLKOYfuBjW5A/s200/IMG_2412_2.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Louaisil Family. My "French Family" for three months.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWqc_HleDHAkEYgnoOcnhmyjoIsNcyqzjVsKj6vvLAsn_rI1tv6Mud-rnXLuqW3LxvvmA-c8VIwnHVTAO6w9D7_3MeZc4m-_1S2Yk7czWjMr0G9IVM_ZY3AmAE9VpdyP29S0d-7d0jIog/s1600/IMG_1966.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWqc_HleDHAkEYgnoOcnhmyjoIsNcyqzjVsKj6vvLAsn_rI1tv6Mud-rnXLuqW3LxvvmA-c8VIwnHVTAO6w9D7_3MeZc4m-_1S2Yk7czWjMr0G9IVM_ZY3AmAE9VpdyP29S0d-7d0jIog/s200/IMG_1966.JPG" width="157" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I learned a lot trying to teach English as a second language.<br />
Sang lots of songs and realized a lot of idiosyncrasies in American pronunciation when teaching to people who had studied British English in school.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil5je3g7D1Rto4omhNjLs4NXGYHuPxPcPEx_TPMZPCgm9CWyafbSwdMqqmdC5XoCrphr5EI0wI7uKuQJPg5072vcpRwHTpiStvOYozFc6cIiBKA5riPFT89QKznI-deBmja0RP12M0Nbo/s1600/IMG_2163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil5je3g7D1Rto4omhNjLs4NXGYHuPxPcPEx_TPMZPCgm9CWyafbSwdMqqmdC5XoCrphr5EI0wI7uKuQJPg5072vcpRwHTpiStvOYozFc6cIiBKA5riPFT89QKznI-deBmja0RP12M0Nbo/s200/IMG_2163.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I spent a lot of my time in France baking and cooking for the family.<br />
The boys, Steven & Léo had a MAJOR sweet tooth. <br />
They LOVED my American sugar cookies for Valentine's Day.</td></tr>
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<div class="p1">
<b>Lesson: Make choices you feel good about when you can. </b></div>
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In January, I attended a job fair and got to make the decision between a job in Kuwait or a job in Germany and as I’ve said before, the option with pork and alcohol prevailed and I moved to Germany. The job fair was a refreshing change because everyone there spoke my “teacher language.” After teaching in England last year, I was ready to quit being a teacher. So, going to a place where they understood me really renewed my hope that I could be a teacher again. Not wanting to be a teacher made me a little (a lot) lost. It is part of who I am. Being told everyday that I was so bad at it also made me think that it wasn’t for me. Fortunately, I’ve managed over the last few months to “uninternalize” my horrible teaching reviews and to regain my self-efficacy in the classroom. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq5zNVjldOIjvJcpVK5-nkW2Y83YlHYAv9W3UmbgaTuFitVmr3h5OdQI4dRfqdnsNb7ztdMPrhMHc52I3XUu4lWjwHOcYXFjzakYt4WssIT3cY_wtGE2EVdxe17VdG7xprMAhQ6WQBrZc/s1600/01202011048_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq5zNVjldOIjvJcpVK5-nkW2Y83YlHYAv9W3UmbgaTuFitVmr3h5OdQI4dRfqdnsNb7ztdMPrhMHc52I3XUu4lWjwHOcYXFjzakYt4WssIT3cY_wtGE2EVdxe17VdG7xprMAhQ6WQBrZc/s200/01202011048_2.jpg" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A quick afternoon layover in Paris on my way to the JOB FAIR that changed my life.</td></tr>
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<b>Lesson: Surround yourself with positive people. (Alternative wording: There are grumps everywhere...stay away from them!) </b></div>
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My new school is not perfect, but I’ve come to realize that nowhere is and that I need to find the people who share my passion, my philosophy, and devote my energy to them instead of trying to fight the people with whom I don’t see eye to eye. This was something that I had figured out how to do at CBMS, but I’d lost sight of. I’m working on it.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6zx4wJiJCJeeyIAidJ6FqxXoShzYB_rSLtwD6epnhV1WqbaAleHEJJNBGlLAdXsaDM6Y99CvjoUet9Jd84WBTGtJt6xKth3n4xj4_qJvrSXXKq4Li7ej2Vfmjqfy5CL-nraSqy0fHD5o/s1600/IMG_2449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6zx4wJiJCJeeyIAidJ6FqxXoShzYB_rSLtwD6epnhV1WqbaAleHEJJNBGlLAdXsaDM6Y99CvjoUet9Jd84WBTGtJt6xKth3n4xj4_qJvrSXXKq4Li7ej2Vfmjqfy5CL-nraSqy0fHD5o/s200/IMG_2449.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The results of the job fair.<br />
It was "on a wing & a prayer" then but feels like home now!</td></tr>
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<b>Lesson: Unless I win the lottery, I need to have a job at least just for entertainment purposes. </b></div>
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At the beginning of April, I headed back to Chesham (or “Crapham” as I like to call it) where I awaited my various visitors. My first visitors were my parents and we had a really fun time around England. There's a reason I've turned out to be such a nerd...it is inherited! We read a lot of history while on our trip AND even downloaded a 2-hour National Geographic video on Stonehenge to watch the night before our visit. Though it was so much fun having people visit, the times in between were some of the hardest. I was unemployed, in a small, absolute shit-hole town with no car and no money, and I was living with a roommate in a 500 square feet flat who had canceled our internet and tv while I was in France. I had many, many, many visits to the public library and spent many-a-day in Starbucks using their free internet. I also took extremely long walks pretty much everyday. One would think that it would be fun to just have endless time to do nothing but when you’re by yourself in a foreign country and can’t spend any money, it just isn’t.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh5Kg58IaOP7FApYTShkt3VCKK1NvP4D852CXJ-Pjou-CnkeLNCzYD-upmSeRzxpT2_5jDULdWezHj0LKYIBvl-tSxqIhMzBmsYNxb_27r9WXxnVRDnqi2tZzDPoDMqV3ZbkpuJcWrFZI/s1600/IMG_0113_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh5Kg58IaOP7FApYTShkt3VCKK1NvP4D852CXJ-Pjou-CnkeLNCzYD-upmSeRzxpT2_5jDULdWezHj0LKYIBvl-tSxqIhMzBmsYNxb_27r9WXxnVRDnqi2tZzDPoDMqV3ZbkpuJcWrFZI/s200/IMG_0113_2.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My parents came to visit and we managed not to back our car into Stonehenge like the Griswolds.</td></tr>
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<div class="p1">
<b>Lesson: It is possible to have a sore face from laughing too much.</b></div>
<div class="p1">
But, in between the down times, I had three amazing trips with friends! Nicole came to visit and we traveled to the Scottish Highlands and then walked our legs off in London. We laughed so hard and so much that a few times, our guide told us that we were not allowed to laugh on the bus anymore! Scotland was beautiful and Nicole and I were perfect travel partners due to our extreme nerdiness for things like Tudor history and the other English/Scottish monarchs and conflicts. We took every available audio tour and thought it was funny that we could reference historical events and people from watching “The Tudors” on Showtime. I will definitely never forget “divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived.” (Those are the fates of the six wives of Henry VIII!!)</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Scottish Highlands with Nicole. Isle of Skye.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYiIHPFR47biN9OoR3FxljPaedAKd7OV3eP9_95QgMkKRtqazh50mwMf1UaCO80ghd-SzacVBlrhetlm6ZHQKY27lP6C4V9rxZz4-sXNCpQ67APj7w_yd0tTrEwpstsLDUfuX8K3EIPU/s1600/IMG_2860.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYiIHPFR47biN9OoR3FxljPaedAKd7OV3eP9_95QgMkKRtqazh50mwMf1UaCO80ghd-SzacVBlrhetlm6ZHQKY27lP6C4V9rxZz4-sXNCpQ67APj7w_yd0tTrEwpstsLDUfuX8K3EIPU/s200/IMG_2860.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"The Highlander" Castle.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trafalgar Square. One of my favorite views of London.</td></tr>
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Gordon was my next visitor. We rented a car and drove around England and Wales. Gordon's family immigrated from Wales to Pennsylvania and his grandmother's church songs are even still sung in Welch. It was a beautiful country and we had a great time jetting around in our Fiat "Panda" rental car. Gordon drove. I was too chickenshit to drive on the the other side of the road but I am an awesome navigator (especially with the GPS really doing the work!). We didn't have a super-specific itinerary and would often just see something in the book, set the GPS for it and drive there. Most entertaining for us was trying to decipher the Welch language. I'll never forget the word "araf" which means "slow." It is painted on all of the roads since most of them were windy and one-car wide. A few times we had to back down a road because another car/tractor was coming the other way and it was too narrow to pass.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tinturn Abbey in Wales with Gordon. <br />
This isn't on the "Top 100 Places to See Before You Die" Lists but it should be.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicvDDA9KRMLXqRamn0BW1ntOF_vbKGlOv-88-n9Z4NEu7ZMBlk2YWVuGC2olR-6h45sg-muqye4nxdwrxnP3K5IjlY3h-hA1Q4Kpu_NtVqW6XkN2pltf3ZHkqm-mDJuXts9UO-Y6nStaE/s1600/IMG_0199.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicvDDA9KRMLXqRamn0BW1ntOF_vbKGlOv-88-n9Z4NEu7ZMBlk2YWVuGC2olR-6h45sg-muqye4nxdwrxnP3K5IjlY3h-hA1Q4Kpu_NtVqW6XkN2pltf3ZHkqm-mDJuXts9UO-Y6nStaE/s200/IMG_0199.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Welsh Castle with Welsh Man. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA5K6I98nBqhebKSH_dVKIBIftzewVdVGf0uqJE6WMtNbGy6pTZqibCV2LEl-ICkbWy2WMEGQor0sp9Mc_axRFJQCEtkDuLfvdHhllaGJPbCr3ATyfkdjVTtFsRRcWHJ26H26V8sIP2Ic/s1600/IMG_0249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA5K6I98nBqhebKSH_dVKIBIftzewVdVGf0uqJE6WMtNbGy6pTZqibCV2LEl-ICkbWy2WMEGQor0sp9Mc_axRFJQCEtkDuLfvdHhllaGJPbCr3ATyfkdjVTtFsRRcWHJ26H26V8sIP2Ic/s200/IMG_0249.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">London! THE picture.</td></tr>
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My last visitor was Natalie. We were power tourists like I've never seen. We saw more in five days in London and Paris than most people see in several weeks. My favorite part of our whole trip was sitting at sidewalk cafés in Paris and looking at each other every few minutes saying, "OH MY GOD. WE ARE IN PARIS!" I've been before several times, but it <b>never</b> gets old and being there with Natalie awesome. We also learned a mini-lesson while there...<b>we are not fine dining people.</b> We spent a lot of money eating at a very fancy restaurant and realized that we're much more suited to a baguette, a wheel o' brie, and une bouteille de vin! We also laughed really hard every single day. All day. Even the trip home on the plane was fun. Literally, even single minute of this trip (even while we were sleeping) was fun.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE_FcR7mnDzFYiiEZjw4snVD-uPdY3k_qdX1qYlvKGOCc1zm8qo_Dhipc-hVxyWLP44p9Pz86errktg-bR1Gx_nFF2Klo2mMK3CoZykMkNTj28wM3DbgBuEJRFNwgpTRaeWChkOqowaBM/s1600/DSCN1183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE_FcR7mnDzFYiiEZjw4snVD-uPdY3k_qdX1qYlvKGOCc1zm8qo_Dhipc-hVxyWLP44p9Pz86errktg-bR1Gx_nFF2Klo2mMK3CoZykMkNTj28wM3DbgBuEJRFNwgpTRaeWChkOqowaBM/s200/DSCN1183.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I made Nat do it too!<br />
We had SO much fun on our trip!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eiffel Tower at night with Natalie.</td></tr>
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<b>Lesson: Colorado rocks.</b><br />
I went home to Colorado for the summer. It was needed (for one thing, I was unemployed and poor). But, being away makes you appreciate what you've left. Besides the people, which is obviously the number one reason it is hard living elsewhere, there are aspects of Colorado that I just didn't appreciate enough when I lived there. <b>The sunshine is just different in Colorado</b>. You never know how much you need the 300 days of sunshine until you live in a really cloudy, high-latitude place and it gets dark in the middle of the afternoon and doesn't get light until well after 8 am for several months at a time. Yes, the summer days are longer in Northern Europe, but it isn't worth it for the super short winter days, if you ask me. <b>Damp, raininess sucks.</b> I think I could live in rainy England or Germany my whole life and never stop complaining about the weather after living the majority of my 33 years in Colorado. It was funny teaching about the seasons in a place that has so little seasonal variation.<br />
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In my Colorado memories, the quality of the sunlight is different depending on what time of year the memory occurred. When I think of CSU homecoming or football games, I think of how the light is in Fort Collins in the fall when the leaves are all yellow. In summer memories, I think about the sun being directly above filtering through the trees in Old Town Fort Collins (specifically the trees that used to perch above my house that were so tenuously held up that sometimes I wanted to sleep in a ski helmet lest one of them bisect my house!). This is not something that I can relate to after two years in Northern Europe. Isn't it that Jonie Mitchell song that says, "you don't know what you've got 'til it is gone!" It is true. I've never been one to have moods affected by the seasons...but, duh, I kind of doubt that problem even exists in Colorado.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJJLXjhMjGuU46EEsozkKNuJJUZx-KjoZ8xtCQVi-fuGwHAEBjqW-19seLnRlCrahTejDiYOkpFn1uFpDKtU3E7id35rZBqgBtJxtKSONo7d_swzdBvHwkVRTHw04cI2qCr4fdw706BaQ/s1600/IMG_0438.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJJLXjhMjGuU46EEsozkKNuJJUZx-KjoZ8xtCQVi-fuGwHAEBjqW-19seLnRlCrahTejDiYOkpFn1uFpDKtU3E7id35rZBqgBtJxtKSONo7d_swzdBvHwkVRTHw04cI2qCr4fdw706BaQ/s200/IMG_0438.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Summer with family and friends!<br />
German restaurant the night before leaving for Germany.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz_snD4IceCydDdPQcEOz3G83-zBf7nNPw7V7BgDm2UfjVX1lgO7kV6S262I9JuwcgV_cBCSKTRMj0CVM4lnxGBlOh6eaFAOR3Ty2rgYeNHb9j_77vrXjH1OVrFExiZcYpC9NU36p-5Cc/s1600/Court+Meg.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz_snD4IceCydDdPQcEOz3G83-zBf7nNPw7V7BgDm2UfjVX1lgO7kV6S262I9JuwcgV_cBCSKTRMj0CVM4lnxGBlOh6eaFAOR3Ty2rgYeNHb9j_77vrXjH1OVrFExiZcYpC9NU36p-5Cc/s200/Court+Meg.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtney, Megan, and I had some fun times!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGPcxou4SbCmztZsM69_crE0q3yHQIlMbtem1TmMi-EC_0ITGQFSof7YeehnRJdxvFZFtY1lCrzi5C1KudhlTfQ34cruRjmrsV6ZuC4U4taXvPs2N4lEFLYq2Wo-ia17xO9Z7zzXaieyA/s1600/IMG_0492.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGPcxou4SbCmztZsM69_crE0q3yHQIlMbtem1TmMi-EC_0ITGQFSof7YeehnRJdxvFZFtY1lCrzi5C1KudhlTfQ34cruRjmrsV6ZuC4U4taXvPs2N4lEFLYq2Wo-ia17xO9Z7zzXaieyA/s200/IMG_0492.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Tiger Girls!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge8rev9Citw92TpVneBX3YLbjc_eGrkw1rgShkeVxRt_mL5I73SnMRVjr0YyEnKuPOSQW_9tvYVmQ9QyC9bhyS5-Sz7MnauPEAmVBabDcCs8f6yfXSyJOF5jrugZfl71H7UP2FoK-xeAg/s1600/IMG_0016_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge8rev9Citw92TpVneBX3YLbjc_eGrkw1rgShkeVxRt_mL5I73SnMRVjr0YyEnKuPOSQW_9tvYVmQ9QyC9bhyS5-Sz7MnauPEAmVBabDcCs8f6yfXSyJOF5jrugZfl71H7UP2FoK-xeAg/s200/IMG_0016_2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Painted with Mom.</td></tr>
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<b>Lesson: I have a lot of crap/Mexican food sucks in Europe.</b><br />
Moving to Germany was like leaving for college all over again in terms of getting all of my junk there. I had shipped three boxes from England and checked 3, 50-lb. suitcases and had two extremely heavy carry-on bags. Each time someone comes to visit me and each time I go home and come back to Europe, I have to pack and repack my bags in order to get everything I want back with me. This is a combined lesson because a lot of the stuff I bring over are ingredients for making Mexican food...specifically lots of green chilis. One would think that one could live without them, but one would be wrong. It is worth it to have all of this luggage each time, because truly, I just can't give up Mexican food for dinner on a regular basis. Sounds trite, I know. But, sometimes, you just have to do what you have to do.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb0Rlz6VE6dCkesOJ8FD8C0uz1_KO0WUQ86E3NdiYwjlT6IsaZmLSJhpIUxSv9G9wPZ050psyjBfO0niLdU3H9gqS9hvH4NIs5mg0H9Hgdm_1KX-D-ZNyZaKMkYsD91FXMB-NKN7ELO6M/s1600/IMG_0505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb0Rlz6VE6dCkesOJ8FD8C0uz1_KO0WUQ86E3NdiYwjlT6IsaZmLSJhpIUxSv9G9wPZ050psyjBfO0niLdU3H9gqS9hvH4NIs5mg0H9Hgdm_1KX-D-ZNyZaKMkYsD91FXMB-NKN7ELO6M/s200/IMG_0505.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moving to Germany.<br />
What you can't see is that the plane could barely get in the air due to my immense amount of luggage.</td></tr>
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<b>Lesson: The socio-economic status of middle schoolers is irrelevant to their need for relationship-driven classroom management. </b><br />
At my school in England, I was not allowed to take the time to set up my classroom rituals and routines the way that I know is important. In finding a new school, this is something I continuously asked about during interviews. So, when school started this year, I spent the first week and a half in the exact same way that I did at CBMS. My school now has a completely different population than CBMS in pretty much every way imaginable, except for one thing...they are still all middle school-aged kids. The kids at my new school have responded extremely well to all of the expectations we set at the beginning of the year. Love and Logic works on them the same way it works on any other kids I've met. Because I was allowed to take the time to do this, my job is fun again. The other day I was just sitting working in my room between classes and realized that I am having so much fun again as a teacher. I know that there are many extraneous factors that contribute to that fact, but being allowed to do things the way I know they should be done makes a huge difference. We have fun in my class, me included. That's a good feeling. (Sidenote: I believe even more now in the book <u>Drive</u> by Daniel Pink. He says that people need autonomy in order to be motivated. I am a walking example of this. When I had extremely limited autonomy in how I did things in my English school, my levels of motivation and self-efficacy plummeted. If you haven't read it, you should.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLTU1j1hCfLnk_jxPou5cdBwkDe8O05P_h69ERXs_8F9s8oDGAHgGDP254_1fteiVjlJHFrQSgKVRZHMXfBIEaOzMIeNo8FO2rGtApd436q5s40jOE7-rcO7TnYhh60tsRBSjj0IqPnwU/s1600/IMG_0519.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLTU1j1hCfLnk_jxPou5cdBwkDe8O05P_h69ERXs_8F9s8oDGAHgGDP254_1fteiVjlJHFrQSgKVRZHMXfBIEaOzMIeNo8FO2rGtApd436q5s40jOE7-rcO7TnYhh60tsRBSjj0IqPnwU/s200/IMG_0519.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poster-maker in my living room.<br />
Classroom management is important no matter who you teach!</td></tr>
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<b>Lesson:</b> <b>Metacognition is important. </b><br />
I've talked so much about this before that I won't belabor it again now. But, I have learned again and again that being able to name how/why/in what ways you are thinking is really important. More than ever, I believe that kids need to be good critical thinkers...especially when you consider that the entire internet is basically in our pockets now with smart phones. Kids need to be good information sifters. Humans need to be good information sifters.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtwV-TgQ8ye4wiekmM2gukIEEhJf7qxun0OltLlRkOLRn0LvQPmLFU3HawgAB-O1c5_k3QvibH0k0NxmIBuYwn80rVmqYAP4ngETGbzyS5DCEVRbKytg2b0zoWFTCEokzYYWJKqZHL-Uc/s1600/IMG_0574.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtwV-TgQ8ye4wiekmM2gukIEEhJf7qxun0OltLlRkOLRn0LvQPmLFU3HawgAB-O1c5_k3QvibH0k0NxmIBuYwn80rVmqYAP4ngETGbzyS5DCEVRbKytg2b0zoWFTCEokzYYWJKqZHL-Uc/s200/IMG_0574.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teaching "The Thinking Strategies" to my new students.</td></tr>
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<b>Lesson: Sometimes the simplest things are the most important. </b><br />
There are many many contexts where that last lesson can be applied but I'm sticking with my own classroom for the purpose of today. I learned a new "Thinking Routine"this year for helping kids construct scientific explanations and it has literally changed the way I structure almost every assignment. It is the crux of what science is about. How I've managed to get through seven other years of teaching without doing this is now beyond me. Giving kids (or adults) a specific framework in which to put their thinking really allows them to understand content instead of getting lost in format. Because kids are getting so good at using this framework, we can really focus on their claims and how scientists use evidence to create theories. (I sure could have used this in the past when I had parents come in and tell me that a) they didn't want me to teach about global warming because they "didn't believe in it in their family" or b) they wanted me to teach evolution as only a "theory." I could have given them a lesson in this thinking routine so that they could understand that I WAS TEACHING EVOLUTION AS A THEORY...a SCIENTIFIC THEORY BASED ON EVIDENCE!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisqc_Kg9BN7rlKjiTW4SLnWQEiOvOIPVcAVExdGDGx6sIgvr-OOwb7RdHr4SB0_uqcidZFvoAl9ouUA7kVpyLvvezeTRFlfNVIaG1UMKYubJTdVCSpuPJlqEvmY7kvZsakPIxzzoubVaY/s1600/IMG_0826.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisqc_Kg9BN7rlKjiTW4SLnWQEiOvOIPVcAVExdGDGx6sIgvr-OOwb7RdHr4SB0_uqcidZFvoAl9ouUA7kVpyLvvezeTRFlfNVIaG1UMKYubJTdVCSpuPJlqEvmY7kvZsakPIxzzoubVaY/s200/IMG_0826.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "Thinking Routine" that has changed my teaching.<br />
I'm a teacher dork no matter where I live.</td></tr>
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<b>Lesson: If your family is far away, create a new one.</b><div>
I have made some really great friends since moving to Düsseldorf. Living in a foreign country where you don't speak the language is sometimes quite hard (don't get me started on how I now view the plight of immigrants to America...that is another post...but I've gained some serious empathy for them while living here!). Having new friends with which to laugh, commiserate, drink wine, etc. makes all the difference.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv5piGmFGg_YzapKEXJ6O6MoKnkLnve3OIBkIBdcy0Aq7kEuz7QZFFrc7Thrua3RlJdvqToXEanJvotJYCOJRRGV5KT4vP_aMsSD2ezcIVwciUVUj2rx9PflUyX23o2A0uIsJ1Rmff5Yw/s1600/IMG_0512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv5piGmFGg_YzapKEXJ6O6MoKnkLnve3OIBkIBdcy0Aq7kEuz7QZFFrc7Thrua3RlJdvqToXEanJvotJYCOJRRGV5KT4vP_aMsSD2ezcIVwciUVUj2rx9PflUyX23o2A0uIsJ1Rmff5Yw/s200/IMG_0512.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Düsseldorf "Family," the Brydens.<br />
Thanks to Rachel Larimore for connecting us! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPlk90eQCkzWq-mvExBnntZsOhO2pUubNl4RuRiCUlIO4ZyCCly7WzNz7Mc5R79x4fokhj8hl7FbB0ongrmf_9PDvGBdRX7MWfZ7SxevHmDn9zRqGMIMA7nz3L-_SdCElQbeDeQstDaD0/s1600/Lauren.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPlk90eQCkzWq-mvExBnntZsOhO2pUubNl4RuRiCUlIO4ZyCCly7WzNz7Mc5R79x4fokhj8hl7FbB0ongrmf_9PDvGBdRX7MWfZ7SxevHmDn9zRqGMIMA7nz3L-_SdCElQbeDeQstDaD0/s200/Lauren.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dressed up for the Christmas party.<br />My very own Linda Richman. Lauren from Long Island.<br />I'll give you a topic. The peanut is neither a pea nor a nut. Discuss.<br />Ralph Finnes is spelled as neither Rafe nor Fines. Discuss.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Yd3Mk1RPdQXPIHK6nyZdA7A2hgTtsaN0qXk941OQTeWLPCQfVlEK5J6eflkYOgbnuDRj-g-DHSrlGFMQC_8AwOr2BbNfFA0sm1Q9644MmCTTpsDCMh2oTL2NLmAGNBQ9ZVgPVA6YAnE/s1600/IMG_0788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Yd3Mk1RPdQXPIHK6nyZdA7A2hgTtsaN0qXk941OQTeWLPCQfVlEK5J6eflkYOgbnuDRj-g-DHSrlGFMQC_8AwOr2BbNfFA0sm1Q9644MmCTTpsDCMh2oTL2NLmAGNBQ9ZVgPVA6YAnE/s200/IMG_0788.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I found costume-loving friends here too!<br />
YAY! Can't wait for Carnival in February!</td></tr>
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<b>Lesson: There is a gene for silliness in my family and it goes back many generations.</b></div>
<div>
I had another fun visit with my parents this fall when they came to Germany. I also got to go to Denmark twice to visit my cousins there. Every visit to Denmark is so much fun because we laugh so much. Every trip with my parents is also a lot of fun! This time I took them to Amsterdam and we discovered the small town in Germany from which my mom's side immigrated.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGbQ2YvXj9k3TYuuvQt9VFm4HjgOVyn138z81kIXnNAvlv4M0RPougon6C3ehlKJE4mD2cjyY9T4btv8SfZljzVS1rs9S_Lp9ECsoMm3qD53oumpyTfMScQf-nC_r5vn3MpDJlAJKDt7k/s1600/IMG_0707_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGbQ2YvXj9k3TYuuvQt9VFm4HjgOVyn138z81kIXnNAvlv4M0RPougon6C3ehlKJE4mD2cjyY9T4btv8SfZljzVS1rs9S_Lp9ECsoMm3qD53oumpyTfMScQf-nC_r5vn3MpDJlAJKDt7k/s200/IMG_0707_2.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I will not lie. It is pretty cool to do things like this.<br />
I had one foot in Germany and one in France!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOGk7S_VFFrfl3MpJb26jUM2nDimAX887Azm5W_dF01SiX784p9BbpsN3nBygW433jEv7LK0XFzOdYiy-jEE-pl5xAetVzRkRtoCOQaH1Dw-VRlWiT2HpfCvW5nvu740fFUqusl9VWGH4/s1600/IMG_0769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOGk7S_VFFrfl3MpJb26jUM2nDimAX887Azm5W_dF01SiX784p9BbpsN3nBygW433jEv7LK0XFzOdYiy-jEE-pl5xAetVzRkRtoCOQaH1Dw-VRlWiT2HpfCvW5nvu740fFUqusl9VWGH4/s200/IMG_0769.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Parents visited again.<br />
Weather was great.<br />
Beer was cold.<br />
Great time!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH1JKP0HlD8VuMvizKEVuy5zh6Nx8kNphmOP97_oiPosyZuk6pXhorcPddpM1j3q6KhOe-bn9wCekeaMzEcLY3IQMx96_80tpDByFwk_axGn6AUJr9iJ2HVj3-p1U1dLniE4ZHaKHjOKM/s1600/IMG_0748.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH1JKP0HlD8VuMvizKEVuy5zh6Nx8kNphmOP97_oiPosyZuk6pXhorcPddpM1j3q6KhOe-bn9wCekeaMzEcLY3IQMx96_80tpDByFwk_axGn6AUJr9iJ2HVj3-p1U1dLniE4ZHaKHjOKM/s200/IMG_0748.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mosel River. Such a great trip!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA9pg0EBr4qPTj7Xw6S2oXqZAmkX6OahOZQMZYSKLwiBantjwg2b9MblhONlUJL2avY-tWs3PT1enA_neC2lHYjtFgBITe_v1vrOOeurGMNZPwpQWsW_GSNBpjft2xaI7GXqYfMT2lEwI/s1600/IMG_0780.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA9pg0EBr4qPTj7Xw6S2oXqZAmkX6OahOZQMZYSKLwiBantjwg2b9MblhONlUJL2avY-tWs3PT1enA_neC2lHYjtFgBITe_v1vrOOeurGMNZPwpQWsW_GSNBpjft2xaI7GXqYfMT2lEwI/s200/IMG_0780.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My parents are ALWAYS willing to do the dorky tourist pictures.<br />
Makes traveling with them just so much fun!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQnDRzb-A2RYo53Oqy2mfwEmEEmQE9RhqJD9jOG6RLdr9KbOVXeKdEm6PNH3rHCaAETv7uIRkj3sExe6AMpbYRVyZZ2Yb3wgbOBWfDREOg6OaB_YiCGuA4tIAhxpixUk2euJ94wEth3g4/s1600/IMG_0820.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQnDRzb-A2RYo53Oqy2mfwEmEEmQE9RhqJD9jOG6RLdr9KbOVXeKdEm6PNH3rHCaAETv7uIRkj3sExe6AMpbYRVyZZ2Yb3wgbOBWfDREOg6OaB_YiCGuA4tIAhxpixUk2euJ94wEth3g4/s200/IMG_0820.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Got to visit my AWESOME Danish cousins twice this year!<br />
Terese & Nina are obviously related to me due to their love of ridiculous pictures.</td></tr>
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<b>Lesson:</b> <b>Given enough time and effort, even an Easy Bake Oven can create Thanksgiving dinner.</b><br />
<b>(And see lesson about creating your own family when your's is far away!) </b><br />
Everyone likes stuffing their face on Thanksgiving...even if it is your first one because you aren't American (or Canadian!). Everyone learns pretty quickly. I may not have made as many side dishes as I normally would, but I am DAMN proud of that enormous meal in my ridiculously tiny oven.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfnMjKNT_uZpK3ER7xFpMCqixjZlpJlrZJI8UauQzxGup93-OCezhHzSe6rsdsqNunNheneC63gBA2p2WGPqRHRKJTDYdokRiz9xzqza4fLY-GvO_WeDwUM2tIIpzn4UtvsFgVU4oTD5w/s1600/IMG_0854.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfnMjKNT_uZpK3ER7xFpMCqixjZlpJlrZJI8UauQzxGup93-OCezhHzSe6rsdsqNunNheneC63gBA2p2WGPqRHRKJTDYdokRiz9xzqza4fLY-GvO_WeDwUM2tIIpzn4UtvsFgVU4oTD5w/s200/IMG_0854.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with friends cooked in an Easy Bake oven.<br />
International crowd for my current international life.</td></tr>
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<b>Lesson: Christmas lights and mulled wine can really take the sting out of a short, Northern European winter day.</b><br />
Experiencing German Christmas Markets was one of the main highlights of living here so far. And, since being back from Christmas vacation, the streets in downtown Düsseldorf feel empty and sad without the stands of yummy treats, warm glühwein, and cutesy items for sale.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCN4p4RTY3GEFIkGri0BHYEvlNwivS6VuvVHEija2VFsORgQ_hsVqSEDdJyDdXw1gTe7XZuGO0-KqGrI039tTgoQDWjzlP3Svyi1QW_17OTWj3FqChZNgfY3ODSM6rTC1Tb09hW-QpS1I/s1600/IMG_0935.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCN4p4RTY3GEFIkGri0BHYEvlNwivS6VuvVHEija2VFsORgQ_hsVqSEDdJyDdXw1gTe7XZuGO0-KqGrI039tTgoQDWjzlP3Svyi1QW_17OTWj3FqChZNgfY3ODSM6rTC1Tb09hW-QpS1I/s200/IMG_0935.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas Markets in Germany have been one of the highlights of living here.</td></tr>
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<br />
So there you have it. 2011 in a nutshell. I wouldn't say that I made any super-amazing, profound, Earth-shattering discoveries, but overall, it was a pretty good year.<br />
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2012. New year. New experiences. Pretty exciting prospects. </div>
</div>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733803757673036822noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5564612051838242268.post-17854597602158466962011-12-18T21:18:00.000+01:002011-12-18T21:18:41.050+01:00Frohe Weihnachten! Markets, Parties, & Glühwein...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Before I talk about the super fun Christmas Markets, I must finally post a few pictures from Thanksgiving. It was an international Thanksgiving to go with my current position at an international school. We had 7 Americans (it was OUR holiday, after all), 2 Spaniards, 1 German, and 2 Canadians. We laughed a lot and it was one of my most fun Thanksgivings ever. My cooking skills were put to the test because my oven is so incredibly small.<br />
<br />
I precooked turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce and then stuffed them inside a pastry shell (store-bought because I'm not a masochist!) to make Turkey Wellington. It was really delicious and a pretty good idea for leftovers (or the main meal if you cook in an easy-bake oven!).<br />
<br />
So, here are a few pictures from our 'Merican Thanksgiving. Our biggest issue was not enough chairs. Fortunately, right before the dinner began, there was a random chair out in the hallway of my apartment building. Ask and ye shall receive, right? HA!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt9W1wKZD7GySQMX_vUeQM6haizbKWrveTsPzeD7Y7sX1Jyc626DsS_Tk-o1bomRsh2p4Kf-TRspG3ttwaNSwcwDemtzN7AiQQ3cRR0CVcg0X8sj0u1jW-beIxH5uw6JQSe2IWvNoH0HU/s1600/IMG_0849.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt9W1wKZD7GySQMX_vUeQM6haizbKWrveTsPzeD7Y7sX1Jyc626DsS_Tk-o1bomRsh2p4Kf-TRspG3ttwaNSwcwDemtzN7AiQQ3cRR0CVcg0X8sj0u1jW-beIxH5uw6JQSe2IWvNoH0HU/s320/IMG_0849.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lauren working on the mashed potatoes. No messing up the manicure!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK5IINAX9S1Gb3rq3Dq81bYpFwbqHgz86SHE1RIasOE8RtRy4FD0sMU8yi2PFUlrkjQzkzwm-s6YLfXZQwPuwjCfwa_95EYVR-ODtwMtHpVKnAKzP3ljkXZMNrwkT0oBe_jbpI4ljY0nk/s1600/IMG_0850.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK5IINAX9S1Gb3rq3Dq81bYpFwbqHgz86SHE1RIasOE8RtRy4FD0sMU8yi2PFUlrkjQzkzwm-s6YLfXZQwPuwjCfwa_95EYVR-ODtwMtHpVKnAKzP3ljkXZMNrwkT0oBe_jbpI4ljY0nk/s320/IMG_0850.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The German version of my Thanksgiving Wellington before cooking.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTJVh0XcTGsFYt7wTiUAM1O29rL5VVgrZablRYctDgbpgq9bhVFCMMCB7t6roB4xxpzjDDoAo8w-Xt0GNMcHDPBRqHRpWL1ttqw4a6xd6Ti9UjH-vzceS55917JBjJmmA3xnqPXG-_nTQ/s1600/IMG_0852.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTJVh0XcTGsFYt7wTiUAM1O29rL5VVgrZablRYctDgbpgq9bhVFCMMCB7t6roB4xxpzjDDoAo8w-Xt0GNMcHDPBRqHRpWL1ttqw4a6xd6Ti9UjH-vzceS55917JBjJmmA3xnqPXG-_nTQ/s320/IMG_0852.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The American Version. Was pretty good. Still needed gravy though!<br />This was my first time making gravy! Didn't even have to call my parents for guidance...just a quick pre-cooking phone call! Pretty proud of myself! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj84uTHwff1sxjiayrhsdlLBcltS54_thoKVlKMWUG3kyqs1mC2RxPNaeH8FONZRNlLIFJdc3laLHaPLcfXXcvQJgnRYvu-lRlYNou8ds-VqQ2_-094LOP6-1z6QCetdN1ADbQYXXSzJA0/s1600/IMG_0855.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj84uTHwff1sxjiayrhsdlLBcltS54_thoKVlKMWUG3kyqs1mC2RxPNaeH8FONZRNlLIFJdc3laLHaPLcfXXcvQJgnRYvu-lRlYNou8ds-VqQ2_-094LOP6-1z6QCetdN1ADbQYXXSzJA0/s320/IMG_0855.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our lovely international party!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVEJu-uHfHylhauO9tvp8NpllqvfWdLGJrxIO1M5GbQrxwmrioQxPq19hcqbESsRzpQgYAgSbt68ziDSFojdcFaxcXlE0ykHNFGbNB4zxKrlBwZPDZ2bVVmRNLN8psVwkx-vUuFd2RFvA/s1600/IMG_0856.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVEJu-uHfHylhauO9tvp8NpllqvfWdLGJrxIO1M5GbQrxwmrioQxPq19hcqbESsRzpQgYAgSbt68ziDSFojdcFaxcXlE0ykHNFGbNB4zxKrlBwZPDZ2bVVmRNLN8psVwkx-vUuFd2RFvA/s320/IMG_0856.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dessert begins and the laughs continue. <br />I love this picture since something must have been REALLY funny!</td></tr>
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The last month in Germany has been quite delightful, once the narrative report cards were done. I will admit that I have had complete ADHD since they were due and have been only mildly focused on my job since then. Instead, I have entertained myself with trips to the Weihnachts Markt...the Christmas Markets.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHv6-pS1ujJEsPnFC2NFgHhpKji2CDP-JnsjGKSjiAsaVydfZxTYQgO93oTvuII22Q0hDtvhqqauY24zewLF_5AEOvDYzNWgVv30SPrj5E1ZEQb_bcEg1w_G2YjG6FYaV7faUM3n8rK2w/s1600/Baum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHv6-pS1ujJEsPnFC2NFgHhpKji2CDP-JnsjGKSjiAsaVydfZxTYQgO93oTvuII22Q0hDtvhqqauY24zewLF_5AEOvDYzNWgVv30SPrj5E1ZEQb_bcEg1w_G2YjG6FYaV7faUM3n8rK2w/s320/Baum.jpg" width="241" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lighting of the tree back in November.</td></tr>
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Glühwein is mulled red or white wine. It is delicious, especially when a bit of Amaretto is added. Standing out in the cold is so much better with a mug of glühwein in your hand! I am really going to miss them after Christmas is over since it is so fun to just pop downtown and walk through the lights with a mug of glühwein.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQcx4xoZzzIzJa7J1scavYRhQnDSqk2wjTUc0q8bqpsAVuU6gLHXrDj1ml9HpeDL4tCLsF5QbJ_fSOIwBV2cxwUi8F-4vMQi0h-p3itqgKKsqf8hOj5b3WuBnYHFr4jpqd-i1CWXdUArs/s1600/IMG_0925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQcx4xoZzzIzJa7J1scavYRhQnDSqk2wjTUc0q8bqpsAVuU6gLHXrDj1ml9HpeDL4tCLsF5QbJ_fSOIwBV2cxwUi8F-4vMQi0h-p3itqgKKsqf8hOj5b3WuBnYHFr4jpqd-i1CWXdUArs/s320/IMG_0925.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everything is lit up for Christmas.<br />This sign says "Welcome to the Old Town." <br />Not too different from downtown Fort Collins when you get right down to it!<br />(Big difference...Fort Collins wasn't blown to pieces in WW2!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiahcpgrBKpfmxEIxm7NnvLLuU2RT1m9FCZwN6eOPRSZELUWU2yF2GFSnazffqCs5Qn40aSLj1poXwnJAgN6wBr_1iIOPtgPBtHvMmexvEZOcbtz1WzfNX4HQKlhRbvw2jcH2K93azvGUg/s1600/IMG_0929.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiahcpgrBKpfmxEIxm7NnvLLuU2RT1m9FCZwN6eOPRSZELUWU2yF2GFSnazffqCs5Qn40aSLj1poXwnJAgN6wBr_1iIOPtgPBtHvMmexvEZOcbtz1WzfNX4HQKlhRbvw2jcH2K93azvGUg/s320/IMG_0929.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Light that hangs all over the "blue" Christmas market.<br />All of the stalls are lit in blue at this market.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUfrfX25ubrKoc4S3jlztLhjlcHfDcujFuYuOcjcCx28Fz8QS6gVbRj-dAJy3WFQabmZCoJIBe405egN5Fml5dImroy5MK4GC7itxJR8YLMlbKTlXh0zbCPsSOy50avcxfcGyZGj5ifOk/s1600/IMG_0927.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUfrfX25ubrKoc4S3jlztLhjlcHfDcujFuYuOcjcCx28Fz8QS6gVbRj-dAJy3WFQabmZCoJIBe405egN5Fml5dImroy5MK4GC7itxJR8YLMlbKTlXh0zbCPsSOy50avcxfcGyZGj5ifOk/s320/IMG_0927.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beautiful lights of one of the markets right in downtown Düsseldorf.</td></tr>
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The markets go from the last weekend in November all the way through to Christmas. <div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_xHZRGrEnPyYhdgEiuzmF0NeZmURY-H-L82He5pmaVljdEdUHLDmk1BBzjw44nKVdW574hA6HtCMIWhL399iXodt1cO63AQAAo6py7L4_AhLMOJHoxNEmy0O53FTfkGf1m40ariNkzTw/s1600/IMG_0848.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_xHZRGrEnPyYhdgEiuzmF0NeZmURY-H-L82He5pmaVljdEdUHLDmk1BBzjw44nKVdW574hA6HtCMIWhL399iXodt1cO63AQAAo6py7L4_AhLMOJHoxNEmy0O53FTfkGf1m40ariNkzTw/s320/IMG_0848.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drinking from a boot with Lauren!<br />PS- I got about 7 inches cut off my hair a few days after this.<br />No more braids for me!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG9S_QjKDfa-k9vZcp_7ghvZUuMqy_k6hRqTh0uwWSmQUtGBTVMxEeq8WAMIEPvCRAk6tITIQzpnjj7Xn7Qcem_Wne61AoMTQjxlKOYCBvX0NFz-1JI4PDh7Mjlp5JAHuVqWz8wH6PqEY/s1600/Takayo+and+Tina.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG9S_QjKDfa-k9vZcp_7ghvZUuMqy_k6hRqTh0uwWSmQUtGBTVMxEeq8WAMIEPvCRAk6tITIQzpnjj7Xn7Qcem_Wne61AoMTQjxlKOYCBvX0NFz-1JI4PDh7Mjlp5JAHuVqWz8wH6PqEY/s320/Takayo+and+Tina.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Opening night of the markets with Takayo and Tina.<br />After a few of these glühwein, one feels the need to do some teeth brushing since it is quite sweet!</td></tr>
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Besides the glühwein, I love just walking around and seeing all of the crafty stuff for sale. I'm not religious but I sure love Christmas decorations. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKNV7q-LehhmZA-PjgD84C-MAA4mbGAzeEJrvKSDAw8cPwkWGRonQKE9fzaE-70O19GAiizHGT06AEYIkZAC2QUU6LAjxK33Xf9JbUQuJ8oiHbbrJtHRyD4C4cC-6vkE7KwqYLvzGeff0/s1600/IMG_0930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKNV7q-LehhmZA-PjgD84C-MAA4mbGAzeEJrvKSDAw8cPwkWGRonQKE9fzaE-70O19GAiizHGT06AEYIkZAC2QUU6LAjxK33Xf9JbUQuJ8oiHbbrJtHRyD4C4cC-6vkE7KwqYLvzGeff0/s320/IMG_0930.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">German village replicas. So cute!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf4CNkXgES1Q4dO7jz1RIYw5lSLZaSnawWdPL6FNGeekffoR3nH2ph-s91d_4054bACerLipi-Ep2bBixNatbkYvwHg8eHmRoYpewmRjpkJnt8X_BJ-imSSSmj80DAMkb4kG2TKKId4Gk/s1600/IMG_0931.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf4CNkXgES1Q4dO7jz1RIYw5lSLZaSnawWdPL6FNGeekffoR3nH2ph-s91d_4054bACerLipi-Ep2bBixNatbkYvwHg8eHmRoYpewmRjpkJnt8X_BJ-imSSSmj80DAMkb4kG2TKKId4Gk/s320/IMG_0931.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frohe Weihnachten means Merry Christmas in German!<br /></td></tr>
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You can see why I love going to the markets so much! And, these were only the ones in Düsseldorf! They are literally everywhere. But, I am not very motivated to walk around the outdoor markets when it is really rainy...the Colorado in me hates rain so I didn't quite make it to another town...there's always next year.<div>
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Last weekend, our school had the annual Christmas party. WOW! Working at a private school sure is different! The party was at a ballroom at the Radisson hotel. Basically, it was like going to someone's wedding but without a wedding. It was great fun and we all danced the night away to pretty much the worst band of all time...or the best band if you like cheesy, terrible musics from the 70s & 80s. Or, it would have been perfect music for the third wedding of two people in their mid-50s! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeKv-IpNkgpEhH2j68pRgvIIjWLNlKpzg4mK1Ez7WVhVWjSDbiHdlk99iVguP1HTybJBDWi5uLfe-NQn7NgqAvSA5fBGl4chY07yLb-fDHRbezgiyujglPhuOgADYeiB_MpSFIC0fyPm0/s1600/IMG_0913.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeKv-IpNkgpEhH2j68pRgvIIjWLNlKpzg4mK1Ez7WVhVWjSDbiHdlk99iVguP1HTybJBDWi5uLfe-NQn7NgqAvSA5fBGl4chY07yLb-fDHRbezgiyujglPhuOgADYeiB_MpSFIC0fyPm0/s320/IMG_0913.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another occasion to wear my favorite dress!<br />Our "office" Christmas party!<br /></td></tr>
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So now, I have 2.5 days of school left. I fly back to the good 'ole USA on Thursday. I cannot wait for some free diet coke refills that are filled with ICE! Last weekend we went to the movies and my giant drink had no ice. I think that I could live in Europe for the rest of my life and never get over the lack of ice in drinks! <div>
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Of course, I am SUPER excited to see my family and some of my friends. It will be a short trip home but I'm really looking forward to it!<br /><div>
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</div>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733803757673036822noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5564612051838242268.post-66513149152037462052011-11-30T22:25:00.001+01:002011-11-30T22:29:00.350+01:00Evil Narrative Report Cards Lead to Blog Post Thievery!I've gotten home from school at about 9pm every week day for the last two weeks due to my school's requirement for narrative report cards. This means that after I have graded the kids' work (sometimes multiple times due to revisions), I have to write several paragraphs about each kids' achievement level toward the standards. Ugh.<div>
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Anyway, not to belabor. But, it is time consuming.</div>
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It was also Thanksgiving. I had 14 people over for dinner on Saturday and basically prepared a Thanksgiving dinner (modified creatively) in an extra large Easy Bake Oven.</div>
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I haven't had time to blog about it. But, my friend Barbara wrote about it on her blog...so I invite you to read her blog entry so I don't have to write one! </div>
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Please click <a href="http://brydenblabbing.blogspot.com/2011/11/thanksgiving.html">here</a> to read it!</div>
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Some day soon (after Friday) I will have time to create my own blog and not have to mooch off others'. Counting down the minutes!</div>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733803757673036822noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5564612051838242268.post-20181583305914796282011-11-15T21:32:00.001+01:002011-11-15T22:30:31.053+01:00Trip to Denmarkia to visit my Denmarkian relatives...or wait, maybe they're Dutch?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQRu7GRXdLRHz0NwwdkT9ZztolbsspAghhVoJWmqhyphenhyphenZ41nf6XOk_9njqIWyGLHT6PhspLkl7JenKmJiQKHXkIkoLstcWPigNL7jxbVWAL85YBeeCO2S3-h0xwkkTGv9ztAJQPr3jdQueA/s1600/IMG_0819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQRu7GRXdLRHz0NwwdkT9ZztolbsspAghhVoJWmqhyphenhyphenZ41nf6XOk_9njqIWyGLHT6PhspLkl7JenKmJiQKHXkIkoLstcWPigNL7jxbVWAL85YBeeCO2S3-h0xwkkTGv9ztAJQPr3jdQueA/s320/IMG_0819.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You might think that Copenhagen (Kobenhavn in Denmarkian) is the capital...<br />but nope, it is Kebabenhavn...or maybe that is just a kebab stand! HA!</td></tr>
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This past weekend, I traveled to Denmark again to see my cousins who live there, the Lauritzens. As always, we had a really fun time with lots of laughs! It has been a long time since I'd seen them all in the same place because Terese was studying in Massachusetts when I was visiting this past April. I saw her in June in Colorado but this trip was fun because everyone was together.<br />
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Both Nina Camilla (19) and Terese (16) have spent a year of high school in the US. While there, people always asked them if they were from Denmarkia and if they spoke Denmarkian. Or, they just thought that they were Dutch! So, all weekend, we made references to this.<br />
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The weekend started with a little craziness...as I was on my way to the airport (I take a tram and then a bus and the whole trip is like 25 minutes), I realized halfway there that I didn't have my passport. AAH! I jumped back on the tram and then literally ran as fast as I could in clogs with a rolling suitcase back to my apartment. I grabbed a taxi back to the airport and made it to my flight with about 15 minutes to spare. But, the kicker was...NOBODY CHECKED MY PASSPORT or asked me for any form of identification at all since I'd checked in online. All that panicking was for naught! At least I only live 10 minutes by car from the airport! This seems to be a constant problem for me as the last two times I've left Germany, I have forgotten my passport.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip_o18R5nX7xznMHVvtnrVI_xik8j5vd_yTabNZY_8vl-hwvG16PCFueXM4_PBn8X1KWETsLJunbZl4vGJnlIEoQsWiibnf0eYTy4epdJL_YniKxWH9zQOTApORm6wKY5dE8vZCaOWiwM/s1600/IMG_0820.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip_o18R5nX7xznMHVvtnrVI_xik8j5vd_yTabNZY_8vl-hwvG16PCFueXM4_PBn8X1KWETsLJunbZl4vGJnlIEoQsWiibnf0eYTy4epdJL_YniKxWH9zQOTApORm6wKY5dE8vZCaOWiwM/s320/IMG_0820.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A selection of Grecian/Roman noses! (And two Denmarkian ones!)<br />Terese (left) and Nina Camilla (right)</td></tr>
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On Saturday we went into Copenhagen and went to an art museum that is owned by Carlsberg brewery. Since my cousin, Lisbeth, works for Carlsberg, we mostly got in for free. They were having a Gaugin exhibit (not pictured above, obviously) which was pretty cool to see. Gaugin certainly got around the island circuit and after going to the Van Gogh museum, it was fun to see more works of Gaugin. Apparently the two of them were friends and had had a fight when Van Gogh cut off his ear. Gaugin was so freaked out by the craziness that he left and that was the end of them living and working together in Arles, France. Our favorite on Saturday was a painting by Gaugin that had a pooping pig. We're obviously very sophisticated art aficionados.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVZh2VXT27sfxj5IZSoTKqNiIfmmjndiSkHYhNH0-PcAinR9gANy0lV2Gv5rNlovz97lUw5USvKQIf-tJCr6IfC09bw7zjgQVQbIQh0LjbqK9o_2JvxQJBcII08czTaYnaftnxHBQpDF4/s1600/IMG_0822.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVZh2VXT27sfxj5IZSoTKqNiIfmmjndiSkHYhNH0-PcAinR9gANy0lV2Gv5rNlovz97lUw5USvKQIf-tJCr6IfC09bw7zjgQVQbIQh0LjbqK9o_2JvxQJBcII08czTaYnaftnxHBQpDF4/s320/IMG_0822.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the Queen's horses. He was in love with Nina and worked his head over the<br />bars so she could pet him.</td></tr>
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After the museum, we also walked by the Queen's Stables. These were all beautiful (and huge) horses used for fancy-schmancy ceremonies. Copenhagen is such an enjoyably bike-friendly city. There are bike lanes everywhere that are SAFE and divided from the rest of the sidewalk and from the street. It is possible to be a bike commuter without the constant fear of vehicular manslaughter, which is excellent. Düsseldorf has some bike lanes, but in the downtown area, there aren't any and you have to be willing to ride with cars and trams, which I am not.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfHYQnFBaAtKZ9ArDniLoDPWvLLiEjl3Q4PheG6mwFjeGrIylr8Xdd4y2pgSqjAyF3Tst-_3GePyW8DCm5Dt2pxTKaF5EOqAi973jFA84xWkJYgOzN2lIBnnxLbnCE3QP0bgDdFSwUDuc/s1600/IMG_0823.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfHYQnFBaAtKZ9ArDniLoDPWvLLiEjl3Q4PheG6mwFjeGrIylr8Xdd4y2pgSqjAyF3Tst-_3GePyW8DCm5Dt2pxTKaF5EOqAi973jFA84xWkJYgOzN2lIBnnxLbnCE3QP0bgDdFSwUDuc/s320/IMG_0823.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roskilde Cathedral.<br />All of the Danish Royals for the last 1000 or so years are buried in here.</td></tr>
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The Lauritzens actually live about 30 miles outside of Copenhagen in a town called Roskilde. It is right on the fjord and their house has a view of the water and only about a five minute walk down to the edge. We went for a walk in the morning and it was very cold but still pretty sunny! Roskilde is also home to a very famous viking ship museum and so there is always a bustle of activity at the water's edge. For pictures of that, please see my last blog post about Denmark. Click <a href="http://scienceteachertravels.blogspot.com/2011/04/dutch-no-danish.html">here</a> to read it!<br />
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I cannot lie. I love that I am only an hour's flight from visiting Denmark. It took less time to fly to see them than it does for me to fly from Denver to Omaha. I just can't get over that. Maybe someday I will, but for now, it is still a completely amazing and awesome novelty to get out of a car, plane, train in another country and you're IN ANOTHER COUNTRY! My logical brain understands it, but the rest of me does not.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi10NR1F7OHkFbl4kzUFFrAwYTuCvW3RTauqP778TKGzT_yDn4tW0ULno-8UlAOdKyRp0ROVKAqNSK43AvT9vO7KcpFBxrNm35KGVqVZeVVrPi235kFO2PPucXcONgRqsNYOgjfZd3rPCQ/s1600/IMG_0824.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi10NR1F7OHkFbl4kzUFFrAwYTuCvW3RTauqP778TKGzT_yDn4tW0ULno-8UlAOdKyRp0ROVKAqNSK43AvT9vO7KcpFBxrNm35KGVqVZeVVrPi235kFO2PPucXcONgRqsNYOgjfZd3rPCQ/s320/IMG_0824.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shout out to the Viking heritage!<br />I've been informed that I'm a bad Viking descendant because I don't like pickled herring.<br />That's okay. I really like pillaging so maybe that can make up for it!</td></tr>
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It was a great weekend! I can't wait to visit again...and it is so easy and cheap that I likely will! They will be coming to Germany next though so I'm looking forward to hosting!<br />
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And now for a wee bit o' teacher talk...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsOIqaDoTfTqUTLdDqd2c-C0-TgFxDXwYgpa9CAXvTh3V6YC1G2Nw3C1897pkYLApZFhU5GkWRiP1IIakhLoJdYOxgbaswrMZslwakOH1p5PfjqAeHX4IflSelc8UsESN4oggIEM-1DEs/s1600/Book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsOIqaDoTfTqUTLdDqd2c-C0-TgFxDXwYgpa9CAXvTh3V6YC1G2Nw3C1897pkYLApZFhU5GkWRiP1IIakhLoJdYOxgbaswrMZslwakOH1p5PfjqAeHX4IflSelc8UsESN4oggIEM-1DEs/s320/Book.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you are a science teacher or you know a science teacher...GET THIS BOOK!</td></tr>
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My friend Melissa Botteicher, a PEBC staff developer and science instructional coach, recommended this book to me and I've been blown away by it. It is so simple- teach kids a framework (or Thinking Routine, if you will) to talk about their scientific discoveries. Practice using the framework. Have kids' evaluate each other's use of the framework. Create/construct understanding around the framework. And then, step back and watch as kids become so much more sophisticated in their scientific reasoning skills. In ONE WEEK since I've taught this, I have seen improvement. <div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxJtv5XP8LVtwH3hAPH395Xc1BrLz3PjGIjXqiZcQKk5TS8EMAAMJlNCUeBaqcrfbUs_k0bq38rRhLdmjJTkNrCHwCD5DZ58HlK_uWuxxcXW6-JbeYWyg2akVNk_pWksz7P9JYBbkw2h4/s1600/IMG_0826.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxJtv5XP8LVtwH3hAPH395Xc1BrLz3PjGIjXqiZcQKk5TS8EMAAMJlNCUeBaqcrfbUs_k0bq38rRhLdmjJTkNrCHwCD5DZ58HlK_uWuxxcXW6-JbeYWyg2akVNk_pWksz7P9JYBbkw2h4/s320/IMG_0826.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My "anchor charts" for using this thinking routine.</td></tr>
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This framework takes out the "well, I watched this tv show about blabbetty blah and so I know that blabbety blah is true," and forces kids to really evaluate data they've collected. I want to throw this framework in the face of the evolution haters but because it is so based on evidence, reasoning, and logic they probably won't understand it anyway! They'll just keep quoting their "scientifical" evidence**. </div>
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**(For those who don't know, a mom of a student a few years ago tried to "convince" me that there is no "scientifical" evidence for climate change and that they don't believe in it in their family and therefore I shouldn't talk about it in my class. I responded with the fact that I would be teaching evolution in a few weeks too. She said that as long as I don't teach it as fact and only a "theory." I reminded her that gravity is also a "theory" and we've put people in space based on that "theory." Ah, religious nutballs. Good times.)**</div>
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Anyway, I'm really looking forward to seeing how my kids' grow as scientists using this framework. If Danny Birmingham is reading this, tell the author (he meets with him weekly at Michigan State) that I would like to thank him! You could also show him my anchor charts, I wouldn't be sad!</div>
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I've got about 1 million papers to grade and report cards to write (significantly longer process when there are no numbers involved and everything is a narrative!) so I should end this!</div>
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Christmas is right around the corner and I'll be back in Colorado soon! Can't wait to see everyone!</div>
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<br /></div>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733803757673036822noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5564612051838242268.post-79537357768297332982011-10-30T18:01:00.000+01:002011-10-30T21:26:07.033+01:00A Visit from the Parental Units...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This week my parents came to visit in Düsseldorf and we did a mini-road trip of the Mosel Wine Region, our little homeland town, Langenfeld, and a short excursion to Amsterdam. It was a really fun week and with a little help from my parents, my apartment is starting to look less like somebody else's leftover junk and more like my own place! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoLgMR3Uxx_Mz7piTR8hClFf0QmYMRw760NS3y32No6BJ4Vb7_hXNe8xeC_n9pP25zDjVZ7yyO3dCFguB_7AgkCMq7i_PppDRdf8P3Z14DASdNVuWriE6lOe95L3Y93tJea-kT7Og4uP0/s1600/IMG_0011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoLgMR3Uxx_Mz7piTR8hClFf0QmYMRw760NS3y32No6BJ4Vb7_hXNe8xeC_n9pP25zDjVZ7yyO3dCFguB_7AgkCMq7i_PppDRdf8P3Z14DASdNVuWriE6lOe95L3Y93tJea-kT7Og4uP0/s320/IMG_0011.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marv and me in front of Jan Wellem in the Düsseldorf Marktplatz. It was COLD!<br />
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We then took off for the Mosel River Region in our rental car. I'm definitely getting the hang of the German Autobahn and think I got into the 90 mph region this time. Our car was a stick shift this trip (automatic last time) and I was nervous that I was going to be stalling my way through Germany. Turns out I only stalled twice and it was within 20 seconds of each other after I'd already been driving for a few days.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Parents on the Mosel.</td></tr>
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But, not surprisingly, for how much we all like wine, our relatives emigrated from just down the of another major German wine region...the Mosel Valley. It was beautiful and sunny and full of delicious Halbtrocken Riesling (Half-Dry, that means...I'm fully a wine snob at this point...but would drink out of a box if necessary, so not too snobby!). I bought another 12ish bottles of wine and am getting quite desperate to buy a wine rack!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another adorable view of another adorable wine region.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc-psY59au1IGFWR6Z7EojiE94rpcP-a9RuT51TMGiQTjMP4SpfI4v_9olH59UdDpjmAvZf9dkK1cMXEnpu3H-tUUE9Jdb5KW7DnfEfbgO41ebT6jip82tF-shlRaSCMRTJmXOOCdjotY/s1600/IMG_0734.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc-psY59au1IGFWR6Z7EojiE94rpcP-a9RuT51TMGiQTjMP4SpfI4v_9olH59UdDpjmAvZf9dkK1cMXEnpu3H-tUUE9Jdb5KW7DnfEfbgO41ebT6jip82tF-shlRaSCMRTJmXOOCdjotY/s320/IMG_0734.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Berg Eltz. The only part without scaffolding. </td></tr>
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We also got to visit a few castles. But, this was further proof that I actually have a curse. The castle was like 1000 years old or something, but wouldn't you know it, it was covered in scaffolding. What? They couldn't wait a few more weeks until I am not there? It was been standing for 1000 years...surely it could have made it a few more weeks. This is the same thing that happened to me when I went to see the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, the Acropolis in Athens...cursed. Cursed I tell you.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxFZtnarb6Ql6eOqXgrZERlup6uSNRgTJ2kPAfawSNiabxjKja8qBzeDNdNPzlST0bleJN-tjRA6CR_ZeO3AmCt_0oRwbH62UWbirxH9TRKnN7RMsQPoEo85qLatSWjpo9x3U8WOmfs6Q/s1600/IMG_0071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxFZtnarb6Ql6eOqXgrZERlup6uSNRgTJ2kPAfawSNiabxjKja8qBzeDNdNPzlST0bleJN-tjRA6CR_ZeO3AmCt_0oRwbH62UWbirxH9TRKnN7RMsQPoEo85qLatSWjpo9x3U8WOmfs6Q/s320/IMG_0071.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A relative on my mom's side immigrated to Michigan from Langenfeld in the mid-1800s.<br />
It is now a town full of giant vacation homes in the hills. I am pretty sure our illiterate farmer ancestors were not the owners of one of them! It was a twisty, switch-back filled drive to the top of the hill but I did not stall!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBb7tVgx4OcQJyMqtK3M77dtnLO1hvJuuRH7LRkERuXnWniuLMtDydN4Rxe8vHD0jgPm0vDY-NLwDMRx-GOYfzomm_bQ0Z2gtx5LRWqXPqbW06TGtS5_MLvpTI45dOZLriXDOImpmeodw/s1600/IMG_0079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBb7tVgx4OcQJyMqtK3M77dtnLO1hvJuuRH7LRkERuXnWniuLMtDydN4Rxe8vHD0jgPm0vDY-NLwDMRx-GOYfzomm_bQ0Z2gtx5LRWqXPqbW06TGtS5_MLvpTI45dOZLriXDOImpmeodw/s320/IMG_0079.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A few of Langenfeld. Really steep hills everywhere around the town. You can see why a bunch of farmers with huge families had to leave, there just wasn't much farmland to be had.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Catholic Church in Langenfeld. It was not there when the immigration occurred but was quaint and pretty nonetheless. </td></tr>
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There was also a castle down the hill from Langenfeld. This is probably where our family would have worked as poor peasants and not as actual inhabitants of the castle! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBf9vv2Sy89FBc8Jpid31ZRIxEXkOVvK0ZRtrd3_7bZif07hvvo7n_hDRzcVLR219rvOAIVdKCNlLBLg5UpsNY4kywml05ydSNOlN5PHiWvAsTurZD7_c1WZFFfR1-B198ua9Hla4PBM/s1600/IMG_0769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBf9vv2Sy89FBc8Jpid31ZRIxEXkOVvK0ZRtrd3_7bZif07hvvo7n_hDRzcVLR219rvOAIVdKCNlLBLg5UpsNY4kywml05ydSNOlN5PHiWvAsTurZD7_c1WZFFfR1-B198ua9Hla4PBM/s320/IMG_0769.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No scaffolding but also closed for the day randomly.<br />
It is a curse. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
In conjunction with our visit to Langenfeld, we also visited the city of Koblenz. Apparently, Koblenz means "confluence" in Latin and wouldn't you know it...it is the exact spot where the Rhein and the Mosel Rivers come together...a "confluence" if you will. We stayed over night here and spent the morning freezing and walking through the town.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlXzV8Ntb2TZ9GW51UDHKnktFjkBS-3479gXKX7nGOUdoVTiWaHYihTNxPqqQHG_totiv0KsRuuPu3prl6xYwHsqSBp1aCk9NiC5tlwYghFHzjmwIYnTakmpaW_U_JjIpaGmi7h92EFjw/s1600/IMG_0759.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlXzV8Ntb2TZ9GW51UDHKnktFjkBS-3479gXKX7nGOUdoVTiWaHYihTNxPqqQHG_totiv0KsRuuPu3prl6xYwHsqSBp1aCk9NiC5tlwYghFHzjmwIYnTakmpaW_U_JjIpaGmi7h92EFjw/s320/IMG_0759.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This monument is at the "Corner of Germany" where the two rivers come together. </td></tr>
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</div>
With the heat blasting, we drove back to Düsseldorf. I had asked that we devote one day with the rental car to making large purchases that I cannot manage on the tram. I needed to buy a ton of stuff at IKEA. I've never actually set foot in an IKEA until now and I am sold. I can see why people were camping out at the one in Denver before it opened. They have EVERYTHING and it is seriously easy to spend a lot of money there. I got all new kitchen stuff so that I didn't feel like I was living in a college apartment anymore and also finally got some curtains which my mom then spent about 6 hours hemming so that they would fit my windows! (THANKS!!!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7jN61XS-J0glfVmN9cRfEhgtXkncNv8pP-hBPZvW7rPkJr1IocGymJpar_dICZiENIULBSMD7cjSAbakM9jiyDUwkYap6hMhyphenhyphenxE5Uq4b6ls-NqAEiwfzKZErFh3H85BD9dS2cOVe1gA/s1600/IMG_0102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7jN61XS-J0glfVmN9cRfEhgtXkncNv8pP-hBPZvW7rPkJr1IocGymJpar_dICZiENIULBSMD7cjSAbakM9jiyDUwkYap6hMhyphenhyphenxE5Uq4b6ls-NqAEiwfzKZErFh3H85BD9dS2cOVe1gA/s320/IMG_0102.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My friend Chris was not nearly as excited about IKEA as I was. <br />
I love how organized it is...so much better than American Furniture Warehouse in Colorado because you don't have to see every item at the same time, making it way less overwhelming. Plus, they serve meatballs in the snack bar....take that Jake Jabs. (This will only make sense to Colorado people!)</td></tr>
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We spent the day getting lost in downtown Düsseldorf, even with the GPS as I am not accustomed to driving around here. I'm much better on foot, buses, and trams. It was actually pretty stressful having to drive around downtown because I am forever scared of sharing the lane with trams. My house looks much better now though thanks to all of this scary downtown driving. And, when I have Thanksgiving at my house, people will be able to use matching silverware AND plates. Yahoo!<br />
<br />
Our next adventure was a 2.5 hour train ride to Amsterdam...or Hamsterdam as a partially-illiterate, stoner 8th grader whom I used to teach, called it. He told us that school wasn't important because he was going to move to Hamsterdam and sell weed. Good luck, buddy. The law is changing and only Dutch citizens will be able to buy it. And here I thought that he'd might have actually made it there...NOT. (His dad also liked to remind me in some super tactful, but regularly sent emails that his tax dollars paid my salary. I wanted to remind him that my tax dollars paid for drug prevention programs that were obviously not working either.)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOw5GjcbIkYPc8kmoonYQgPzlWce_vEOxBWxSuAmas3zClXThgcWq46tqOrJV342VHtBsRSQyCn0vom7RqvN36xWEsGS1F5IqN1aE9uP1wVNuq-zQ2utxQt7rlp7WJ00GFJTXvTccpE0I/s1600/IMG_0132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOw5GjcbIkYPc8kmoonYQgPzlWce_vEOxBWxSuAmas3zClXThgcWq46tqOrJV342VHtBsRSQyCn0vom7RqvN36xWEsGS1F5IqN1aE9uP1wVNuq-zQ2utxQt7rlp7WJ00GFJTXvTccpE0I/s320/IMG_0132.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yay for sun! This is the first trip here where I've seen blue sky!<br />
You can totally understand why Van Gogh freaked out the first time he went to the South of France and saw the sun!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJNEmz-1QeF4P9Qns847nIh9PWKrTAKDXh_bzKgvnJBAhSh2mffXi0HE76hyphenhyphenxKqvLWhAoANuQHo8YfGLKxiNcbZMuo5K2QRcOuQBVzFbgW71-a9vflRNQ8tWWgTEt8rkW6hMRpr-MX4nQ/s1600/IMG_0775.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJNEmz-1QeF4P9Qns847nIh9PWKrTAKDXh_bzKgvnJBAhSh2mffXi0HE76hyphenhyphenxKqvLWhAoANuQHo8YfGLKxiNcbZMuo5K2QRcOuQBVzFbgW71-a9vflRNQ8tWWgTEt8rkW6hMRpr-MX4nQ/s320/IMG_0775.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I LOVE THIS CITY!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We had a great time in Amsterdam, stayed at a wonderful hotel, ate delicious sandwiches (twice from the same place they were so good) and went out for AMAZING Indonesian food with my friend Jonathan who lives there. I could totally live there. We did all the typical stuff...Anne Frank House Museum, Van Gogh museum, canal walks, and of course, a canal boat tour (where, as usual, I fell asleep just for a quick second....it is just so warm and rocks you, I cannot help myself.).<br />
<br />
And, most importantly...WE FOUND THE SHOE!!!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs6kEpzpufYnp_GqLxCCsMvorSEVcwUKwh2HJ-tqmhDsiZjHhx2bWcPRhN17ljrQ2_YjJrNO_Lf3dasUKaGxLaJ5ePj0RAKn__FkM7C3wBPzcv1vcvnZQIW2Db8drMv5AhHv20L3LawlA/s1600/IMG_0780.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs6kEpzpufYnp_GqLxCCsMvorSEVcwUKwh2HJ-tqmhDsiZjHhx2bWcPRhN17ljrQ2_YjJrNO_Lf3dasUKaGxLaJ5ePj0RAKn__FkM7C3wBPzcv1vcvnZQIW2Db8drMv5AhHv20L3LawlA/s320/IMG_0780.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It is so dorkily touristy but WHO CARES! It is so fun!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Amsterdam is such a great city. I've been three times in the last year and would go back tomorrow (but annoyingly, I have to go to work instead!).<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr89x24bJUfAqbz_D04vdMFSsd6c2NGtM1g1RDr3hI20lC2YAbHVqZw936_KH2R1z-Bv60pZRugRIAkPp0Leq14x3yUuDnoqRbrbVGslLZsUSeR9KxRGGhOcdah79MkBhMCLIQnwyYPMo/s1600/IMG_0152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr89x24bJUfAqbz_D04vdMFSsd6c2NGtM1g1RDr3hI20lC2YAbHVqZw936_KH2R1z-Bv60pZRugRIAkPp0Leq14x3yUuDnoqRbrbVGslLZsUSeR9KxRGGhOcdah79MkBhMCLIQnwyYPMo/s320/IMG_0152.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice hat.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhywPGWfZb4etTYnjwvoMWSE3a8GPLp0meqPXK-s59uaV5kcSwCHAxtdQxsbO4KMVv9zqS8TukndA5e24TfVZzKpQJWJIwX7R33glTYSyPD_dPqASYlIp7ZRrh0nrWP-Oh_LAXoS_BnBLI/s1600/IMG_0154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhywPGWfZb4etTYnjwvoMWSE3a8GPLp0meqPXK-s59uaV5kcSwCHAxtdQxsbO4KMVv9zqS8TukndA5e24TfVZzKpQJWJIwX7R33glTYSyPD_dPqASYlIp7ZRrh0nrWP-Oh_LAXoS_BnBLI/s320/IMG_0154.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Swansons also LOVE cheese.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbApE5N5BARZtUtnE_cFo4YhKqbUlhNTo-F8FTj2mVnigmODJ_Ump-29H_sZhPk9kHeK159rw2acyeEYWWKTjPoEIuzfNyrxi9KXGvbk8gFor73bSbWHWnhRiX9yxBUm2trYoQpjDHIAQ/s1600/IMG_0781.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbApE5N5BARZtUtnE_cFo4YhKqbUlhNTo-F8FTj2mVnigmODJ_Ump-29H_sZhPk9kHeK159rw2acyeEYWWKTjPoEIuzfNyrxi9KXGvbk8gFor73bSbWHWnhRiX9yxBUm2trYoQpjDHIAQ/s320/IMG_0781.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dutch Milkmaids are We! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMRCdA8oWi4REnGjPWgD27RjwlY50op-xRkN02nbu3s2jXxgQ483m9xN9Vh-kT5sb3U4REMn2WA9AzIqBwZdFd89fus1tOl-UluUvw3rDVZhJ3-l3hMNNxhmxKI8LjAlRXnwh6o6vGsXM/s1600/IMG_0147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMRCdA8oWi4REnGjPWgD27RjwlY50op-xRkN02nbu3s2jXxgQ483m9xN9Vh-kT5sb3U4REMn2WA9AzIqBwZdFd89fus1tOl-UluUvw3rDVZhJ3-l3hMNNxhmxKI8LjAlRXnwh6o6vGsXM/s320/IMG_0147.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our new shoes. They just don't pack well, though.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCofGAW2QvYudIqm6A0TuWwfcHvVHYjEaxurt5h-n84erSymT0_uZiTX206UFeqqPy1QvfhUbNeW18JJZBO7KOEeM-4_g-dVUtotfSFgcYmeLJ49STomiYad205KdK6dJzAFdFZp7yCEE/s1600/IMG_0161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCofGAW2QvYudIqm6A0TuWwfcHvVHYjEaxurt5h-n84erSymT0_uZiTX206UFeqqPy1QvfhUbNeW18JJZBO7KOEeM-4_g-dVUtotfSFgcYmeLJ49STomiYad205KdK6dJzAFdFZp7yCEE/s320/IMG_0161.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">$10,000 Delft Tulip Vase. I bought three.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKGtoAHQNquRY45S4nJjDtn-O6XTDn7MzTVwjM_Jn70PGNwYDbAEYWO6bkklofbkQug4WovcRdGyhgAfYg7OcodMBegCaQg19QLDqetrqZFt6qoAwflhKOaVHGHME-R1e_Fd4JF93vOno/s1600/IMG_0176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKGtoAHQNquRY45S4nJjDtn-O6XTDn7MzTVwjM_Jn70PGNwYDbAEYWO6bkklofbkQug4WovcRdGyhgAfYg7OcodMBegCaQg19QLDqetrqZFt6qoAwflhKOaVHGHME-R1e_Fd4JF93vOno/s320/IMG_0176.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dutch Mini-Van.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTlueb0IjmmMfnUM7h7MgXMl7IQqFaKn9ZyvbNp0GbZJWSzajeSaThtd4BF6CddRdQ5ycUEd8E0__vFFloGa1mIIwzCqftZGhZ7U_PG8g_vj8icdJcOPrIeP3MDhN-DNhDA1soEvp0ndg/s1600/IMG_0184.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTlueb0IjmmMfnUM7h7MgXMl7IQqFaKn9ZyvbNp0GbZJWSzajeSaThtd4BF6CddRdQ5ycUEd8E0__vFFloGa1mIIwzCqftZGhZ7U_PG8g_vj8icdJcOPrIeP3MDhN-DNhDA1soEvp0ndg/s320/IMG_0184.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SUNFLOWERS! Van Gogh needed some meds...badly. Who knows if his painting would have been as good, but he might have lived a bit longer. Poor guy. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm2jA9cW1pGoVi3W_rvE7fsl8_mUiZPpLe-Z436qZ79tJi19RGwQNKqJGcl7XfBWrgerEov-pAYpMzReN4ht4nKYdB84jouNfJ9NH3ggklk0D92O0frwrS4IMzIryPyW2Lz72RwumePT8/s1600/IMG_0777.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm2jA9cW1pGoVi3W_rvE7fsl8_mUiZPpLe-Z436qZ79tJi19RGwQNKqJGcl7XfBWrgerEov-pAYpMzReN4ht4nKYdB84jouNfJ9NH3ggklk0D92O0frwrS4IMzIryPyW2Lz72RwumePT8/s320/IMG_0777.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheap Heineken at our fave sandwich shop. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_rTsSl7704nSd-CjMzRu0fQHp92mHfUxlLSlGfSXBMmH6mN5xc7-CpTiZVtg4TlfcBa8W_kQ8jZbM7vSse_CgFVzMvu85y5qeXEo9ub5l3As1KSc827SliSKQonrJpH_WEVGfaoqvRk/s1600/IMG_0778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_rTsSl7704nSd-CjMzRu0fQHp92mHfUxlLSlGfSXBMmH6mN5xc7-CpTiZVtg4TlfcBa8W_kQ8jZbM7vSse_CgFVzMvu85y5qeXEo9ub5l3As1KSc827SliSKQonrJpH_WEVGfaoqvRk/s320/IMG_0778.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My dad and I have eaten Magnums across Europe. THEY ARE THE SHIT.<br />
They are also probably a billion calories. We didn't eat any on this trip. Sad day. I'd have to run a few miles before and after. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTnN9LmOymRWsVHrAivoVC_4OG4BgIfJhZsvs_x56_kUGm6vBbIWrtqNLg70xLnhD2SFv0SHkevIt9JyCYtw6yEUIH5oi7CjFjY_MSH-wmXs5G2vE8YlE4voTt4aPgJz86tjoE5vgTObA/s1600/IMG_0785.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTnN9LmOymRWsVHrAivoVC_4OG4BgIfJhZsvs_x56_kUGm6vBbIWrtqNLg70xLnhD2SFv0SHkevIt9JyCYtw6yEUIH5oi7CjFjY_MSH-wmXs5G2vE8YlE4voTt4aPgJz86tjoE5vgTObA/s320/IMG_0785.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you thought I was a wine snob now...I'm not. Plastic cups still do it for us!<br />
We did bring our own bottle on the train, though! Always thinking.<br />
Score again for Germany!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It was a great trip. We had a fun time and I'm looking forward to Christmas break when we go skiing in Vail. Oh, my life is rough!</div>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733803757673036822noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5564612051838242268.post-24534340221554285032011-10-03T19:37:00.000+02:002011-10-03T19:57:18.672+02:00Deutsche Weinstrasse...German Wine Road!This weekend was a three-dayer thanks to it being German Reunification Day...meaning...the day East/West Germany came back together in 1990. Four of us girls from school, (Lauren, Rhonda, Kendra, and I) went on a road trip to the Deutsche Weinstrasse- the German Wine Road.<br />
<br />
The Wine Road is a 50 km stretch of road in southwestern Germany where there are hundreds of wineries and vineyards as far as the eyes can see. We were incredibly lucky and had AMAZING weather. It was cloudless and 75 (don't ask for the Celsius, I don't know!) the whole weekend with low humidity. PERFECT.<br />
<br />
We rented a car and so I got to drive on the Autobahn this weekend. It wasn't really that exciting to tell you the truth. Maybe if I had a really nice car that was really smooth at 100 mph then I would like it. But, our rental car was a Chevy Cruze, there were four of us and we had about 40 full wine bottles in the trunk...not exactly optimum conditions for driving without a speed limit. For me, it was more stressful than fun as the Germans I encountered were massive tail-gaters, non-turn signal users, and there was often traffic that would stop rather suddenly. I guess next time I will have to rent a really expensive, fancy car in order to take full advantage. Driving in Düsseldorf in the dark on Friday night was probably the most stressful part of the drive as there are construction projects, trams, bikes, and many pedestrians everywhere and I don't know where I am going even with a GPS! But, now that I've rented a car once, it won't be so bad in the future. It makes me feel like an independent, real person unlike last year in England where I was too chicken-shit to drive and also I didn't have easy access to renting a car anyway.<br />
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Being that it is 2011 and who doesn't like to be connected, we had plenty of technology with us!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbslSr9DiTpU_BhsUZQp-Mm7-cwJuF4TpUZGhupPgXygo5z7me2OIsxriERGy9ZP7obD1b6uOXaYFgBMnUIrRbsaRcG0hYr9Q76IjioK5qOff6vSf_86FpOKus7G2U1AneDfeEmB6neGI/s1600/Technology.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbslSr9DiTpU_BhsUZQp-Mm7-cwJuF4TpUZGhupPgXygo5z7me2OIsxriERGy9ZP7obD1b6uOXaYFgBMnUIrRbsaRcG0hYr9Q76IjioK5qOff6vSf_86FpOKus7G2U1AneDfeEmB6neGI/s320/Technology.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two i-pads, one kindle, 4 digital cameras, 3 smart phones, 3 ipods, a GPS, and a good 'ol-fashioned road atlas got us through Germany! Guide book....schmide book! </td></tr>
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<br />
There are bike paths and walking paths everywhere in the area. We could just walk right into the vineyards, and so, of course, we did!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiLuBw3O0M1bUH_MyuxIDQq7oESXz5RtpDdXkot0X97AQSwXo528wiTxhwND3Z5GOxCFflemfzt5wm5W-uRAdCKYQhNwivBebyM7qL6nNkUAVZx2SwdMZ2dDdwcGcBu8AqUk695ZE1w0g/s1600/IMG_0670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiLuBw3O0M1bUH_MyuxIDQq7oESXz5RtpDdXkot0X97AQSwXo528wiTxhwND3Z5GOxCFflemfzt5wm5W-uRAdCKYQhNwivBebyM7qL6nNkUAVZx2SwdMZ2dDdwcGcBu8AqUk695ZE1w0g/s320/IMG_0670.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Creeping through the grape vines!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic5FZ9yzWvEdl1GiTkAZ4wwFpftbLh6uLgvO-yDGS1MWml4pssg5jBwfE43DkQR4dKiBHXZ3moh5rhX6A02PqSSZd7ecPyN87ES7PDnNxLd7cBxPegW2S7D2JUDX5iT51DYNk0U1zSzIA/s1600/IMG_0678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic5FZ9yzWvEdl1GiTkAZ4wwFpftbLh6uLgvO-yDGS1MWml4pssg5jBwfE43DkQR4dKiBHXZ3moh5rhX6A02PqSSZd7ecPyN87ES7PDnNxLd7cBxPegW2S7D2JUDX5iT51DYNk0U1zSzIA/s320/IMG_0678.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There were still a few grapes left of the vines. Yummy!</td></tr>
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There were some delicious food options too! The traditional food for this time of year while tasting wine is called a Zwiebeln Kuche....which is basically like a piece of bacon/onion quiche. It was delicious and very cheap everywhere! But, most excitingly, there was Black Forest Cake and lots of it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGl9-jp-MS5m5y7m-5bYWY1uAcSIPnyar0r_hw-ZJJvS29Ytd97Ffm7tInmltRrGeA1LRQZQiLObp8wjH0BA7s-qqw672C3mfjzFYgL-kZAWHGPtET5sLTl5k-KXAkByKzdNAppFUyR9I/s1600/IMG_0642.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGl9-jp-MS5m5y7m-5bYWY1uAcSIPnyar0r_hw-ZJJvS29Ytd97Ffm7tInmltRrGeA1LRQZQiLObp8wjH0BA7s-qqw672C3mfjzFYgL-kZAWHGPtET5sLTl5k-KXAkByKzdNAppFUyR9I/s320/IMG_0642.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before....</td></tr>
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<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl71S6Up3asnyX-I3Y1UR7fugsj-kwVKEjSxz04FLXCgl92Yb0gulJLOIaYWfqEZ4GQf4OhEj22I9XFS-dRpKPY0WyfamHO5ZpNnzzKJ8RgaSToZDBQrlv9X4A5fYPM0AblEVePoDeAhQ/s1600/IMG_0643.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl71S6Up3asnyX-I3Y1UR7fugsj-kwVKEjSxz04FLXCgl92Yb0gulJLOIaYWfqEZ4GQf4OhEj22I9XFS-dRpKPY0WyfamHO5ZpNnzzKJ8RgaSToZDBQrlv9X4A5fYPM0AblEVePoDeAhQ/s320/IMG_0643.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Twenty seconds later...<br />
All for only 1€!!!</td></tr>
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Now, I have passed by the world's largest ball of twine in Kansas before but if you want to find the world's largest wine barrel, you will not find it in Napa! Instead, it is right along the Deutsche Weinstrasse!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnBFLQDFZ6D01-397iNeQVEMhvPpUgE7aIu-pXRRsyBRSBaO8Hg2DzuLai2i2a_ZHjrvwpTRFVLOLVfRJXieVAoOo9Rg3fvsUNxK7REX2OR-pvJQC1sQfX9OgRjH00oQUomvxCqvpaHxQ/s1600/IMG_0647.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnBFLQDFZ6D01-397iNeQVEMhvPpUgE7aIu-pXRRsyBRSBaO8Hg2DzuLai2i2a_ZHjrvwpTRFVLOLVfRJXieVAoOo9Rg3fvsUNxK7REX2OR-pvJQC1sQfX9OgRjH00oQUomvxCqvpaHxQ/s320/IMG_0647.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I feel like our car's trunk was actually carrying this much wine! At least that is what it felt like when I tried to "step on it" while on the Autobahn. The lack of pick up might have had to do with the cake we consumed too! </td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Weinstrasse's best wine (at least in our opinion) was a Halbtrocken (half-dry) Reisling. We visited a castle and sat in the sun on the castle's patio enjoying a glass of it. It was one of those moments that really made you feel lucky to live in such an interesting, new place (and made you wish you'd worn more sunblock!)!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSighS53W_N2JuriY8a1pou5DvHHRu38VEmvaRXrOpYJ4_RlWQrbLTfOpQw0IyeAORp_3JPFPKsgsa6ITYyJN116kCUb8gggZAzwyBPMd0anIzwuhAMxxRwwffiqXQBZ8Uf6zn9AEuVsU/s1600/Lauren.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSighS53W_N2JuriY8a1pou5DvHHRu38VEmvaRXrOpYJ4_RlWQrbLTfOpQw0IyeAORp_3JPFPKsgsa6ITYyJN116kCUb8gggZAzwyBPMd0anIzwuhAMxxRwwffiqXQBZ8Uf6zn9AEuVsU/s320/Lauren.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lauren with our new favorite wine. <br />
Castle walls, delicious wine, gorgeous weather, and amazing scenery. <br />
Great weekend!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2yOqqvJMz98SPD2kSVzxjh1nGwHGY-x2cQnUqRlHaIqBUrgQCrt8kxpiGDaUDGqOD9ZQfGTG0kwd9iM9xdSCOpRZ0-v5ROzlFspW0QCg2BxMy7HvEBi37EZmrV9LlZEiwtFxR76mg_pw/s1600/Wine+Tasting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2yOqqvJMz98SPD2kSVzxjh1nGwHGY-x2cQnUqRlHaIqBUrgQCrt8kxpiGDaUDGqOD9ZQfGTG0kwd9iM9xdSCOpRZ0-v5ROzlFspW0QCg2BxMy7HvEBi37EZmrV9LlZEiwtFxR76mg_pw/s320/Wine+Tasting.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yum.</td></tr>
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There was also another way to get around the Weinstrasse...a wine-o chairlift. Being a skier, I sure do love chairlifts! We didn't even get to ride it but I am obsessed with the sign for it. When you don't speak German (well, I know about 60 words now), you often just figure things out from the picture or you watch to see what everyone else is doing!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiveVWUgLSo5CPppq3YA4R0RkPXpQGg4kLsZOy6x6EuYazYstXc8A_bnC_s4BE-B483579fVobckMTwOx2-f5z-JuBsqkeqmP0SrkHFwzx0dBwhofXzj6ahKh_zB2a8pFdKMQM0nZ08f_E/s1600/IMG_0694.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiveVWUgLSo5CPppq3YA4R0RkPXpQGg4kLsZOy6x6EuYazYstXc8A_bnC_s4BE-B483579fVobckMTwOx2-f5z-JuBsqkeqmP0SrkHFwzx0dBwhofXzj6ahKh_zB2a8pFdKMQM0nZ08f_E/s320/IMG_0694.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This picture was easy to guess! A wine-swilling chairlift!<br />
DEEEELIGHTFUL!!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7kpGOu5KbPHtBK7i7f5wdyRdvCQg_E5oS53m16sHPpitqoUWzuUFp4qms1ll1BO4ksifds5iqeJEjiJC0Cnoqe3ljitYvZ2b_1k8woEFjXUDbSjvtAVCMoouq3SelhIjBCSvmq9iZbgs/s1600/IMG_0654.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7kpGOu5KbPHtBK7i7f5wdyRdvCQg_E5oS53m16sHPpitqoUWzuUFp4qms1ll1BO4ksifds5iqeJEjiJC0Cnoqe3ljitYvZ2b_1k8woEFjXUDbSjvtAVCMoouq3SelhIjBCSvmq9iZbgs/s320/IMG_0654.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from the castle was also quite beautiful! Hambacher Schloss- it was called.<br />
We now know that "Schloss" is the German word for castle.<br />
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When my parents were visiting Germany in the 1970s, they were standing about a block from the Rhein River but couldn't see it. They were asking everyone around them "Wo ist der Rhein Flusse?" which means "Where is the Rhein River?" and people were really confused about what they were asking since the river was within spitting distance. So, we now like to ask where things are when we are literally standing right in front of them. "Wo ist der Schloss?" was our question while sitting on the patio of the schloss/castle. Maybe it was the delicious Reisling that made this so especially funny! :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-hNhJenrTYQFQR4scTVhr-YBvEmtqGZEVibASXi0jSAtm9SwQuQvMsdl1lbv8kVcj5YYt_0SQ7TuBmWPVbGXQ8Me1sRCjXPY6rS67kP2aukmzpdNaYe_vBnuTLPtcje-zOuL9m5ULnok/s1600/IMG_0648.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-hNhJenrTYQFQR4scTVhr-YBvEmtqGZEVibASXi0jSAtm9SwQuQvMsdl1lbv8kVcj5YYt_0SQ7TuBmWPVbGXQ8Me1sRCjXPY6rS67kP2aukmzpdNaYe_vBnuTLPtcje-zOuL9m5ULnok/s320/IMG_0648.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The little hike up to the castle. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSlkGeZp4ugzNGr8PW5vbz5pehj92bY83P-3zOgS0ug2Z4y_RsGjUTeg1p_oGRU54Nz2UkO1fzSsyvriY9YdwAKDf74P7cCBR8KTm1tLA-HDFZogD0urMWbJsELFZtlcRx0WX2Or5SEBQ/s1600/IMG_0655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSlkGeZp4ugzNGr8PW5vbz5pehj92bY83P-3zOgS0ug2Z4y_RsGjUTeg1p_oGRU54Nz2UkO1fzSsyvriY9YdwAKDf74P7cCBR8KTm1tLA-HDFZogD0urMWbJsELFZtlcRx0WX2Or5SEBQ/s320/IMG_0655.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remember that I could have been living in Kuwait this year!<br />
I am betting that there are not any Kuwait Wine Roads where they serve bacon-filled snacks!<br />
Score again for the land of pork and alcohol!</td></tr>
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Though the Wine Road was only about 25 miles long, it took us two days to get down it. Part of that was because there were so many little places to stop and part of that was that we didn't plan ahead and get hotels. So, because of that, we had quite a drive to our hotel (and I say "hotel" loosely...we stayed in a boarding house which was like living in the dorms again!). Next time, we'll plan a bit ahead when traveling on one of the biggest travel weekends of the year. So, we spent a long time in the car. But, I always love a good road trip!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu7U6U6ZBe57QmnbjkYZZf7MdNrCfEZHEJZagSrlh1K5EpvbTduUkx0k7yfO0IsMKx5M5RtYpp1I9nuf7-YcD6xN7_-q1SgEcOEG1FPgi_w7e9ODTTwOYbIUiNUcOF9vkpUnaKKJcKheA/s1600/IMG_0687.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu7U6U6ZBe57QmnbjkYZZf7MdNrCfEZHEJZagSrlh1K5EpvbTduUkx0k7yfO0IsMKx5M5RtYpp1I9nuf7-YcD6xN7_-q1SgEcOEG1FPgi_w7e9ODTTwOYbIUiNUcOF9vkpUnaKKJcKheA/s320/IMG_0687.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I like big bottles and I cannot lie. Baby got bottle! (Thanks, UT!)</td></tr>
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Finally, we got to the end of the Wine Road where there is a Wine Gate. The Wine Gate was built in the late 1930s in order to celebrate German wine over French wine. I remember hearing SOMETHING about Germany being a bit overly-patriotic in the late 1930s but I can't seem to remember many details...oh, wait. The Wine Gate is only about 150 feet from the French border.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz1skH-TCfZ_mHnkdYAVq19s0ys9DfsLu-76uFlwqXdjx8Qi0SW8g0C7REFVlI_zrTS8ezg3-NyLGD8MPKgg2ubq5SdA8eFqkYXXZKcm70qHL2vINTHPYKi0itsImERw3OKpbSylrURGg/s1600/IMG_0702.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz1skH-TCfZ_mHnkdYAVq19s0ys9DfsLu-76uFlwqXdjx8Qi0SW8g0C7REFVlI_zrTS8ezg3-NyLGD8MPKgg2ubq5SdA8eFqkYXXZKcm70qHL2vINTHPYKi0itsImERw3OKpbSylrURGg/s320/IMG_0702.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rhonda "coming in for a landing" in front of the Wine Gate.<br />
I know it is blurry but it looks like she fell from the sky and landed right in front of the gate!</td></tr>
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So, because we were within feet of France..(Wo ist France?) we had to go there! And, you can't say you've gone somewhere (according to my cousin Terese in Denmark) unless you've had ice cream there. So, we hopped across the border and had a McFlurry! We were tempted to also order "Le Big Mac" but just being able to say "Le Big Mac" wasn't worth actually ordering one!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoIRdvnr1RQ67KI6tY0aTVpY1D4uKN1RmSVrY7LNdFbKfTzczo20uk7SaZbf8eO52SDbCV2bL0pb5jWXmwUcCPxUk_tnbfLoxTt1WedFPe6BTmA8m2zperEjDSvFQZD4_31QdBoCcXjUY/s1600/IMG_0707_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoIRdvnr1RQ67KI6tY0aTVpY1D4uKN1RmSVrY7LNdFbKfTzczo20uk7SaZbf8eO52SDbCV2bL0pb5jWXmwUcCPxUk_tnbfLoxTt1WedFPe6BTmA8m2zperEjDSvFQZD4_31QdBoCcXjUY/s320/IMG_0707_2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Standing on the Germany/France border.<br />
"Ich bin in Deutschland" and "Je suis en France" on the other side!<br />
In two countries at once! <br />
That's a first for me (although I've been in 4 states at once!)!</td></tr>
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Last night we stayed in Heidelberg because it was the closest hotel we could find. Heidelberg was about an hour from the end of the wine road and about 3 hours from Düsseldorf. Today we visited Heidelberg Schloss. It was very pretty and at the top of a giant staircase...that's okay, we needed to work off the cake, wine, and McFlurrys!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb_UEVez2dzbu_fkoJM988GXHJ-mu5WamWGMTz13mf4cVXR85qP9DRt8bpbPeIhOx4ekqQmUn9PTxqS07aok695ftIoaNleplrOmTArVLFkBOMD0lYl9Bx4woMv2lLC8ZMpggsZGj9lys/s1600/IMG_0713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb_UEVez2dzbu_fkoJM988GXHJ-mu5WamWGMTz13mf4cVXR85qP9DRt8bpbPeIhOx4ekqQmUn9PTxqS07aok695ftIoaNleplrOmTArVLFkBOMD0lYl9Bx4woMv2lLC8ZMpggsZGj9lys/s320/IMG_0713.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from Heidelberg Schloss.</td></tr>
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We, again, cracked ourselves up "looking for" the castle while standing directly in front of it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOQQSztAVm1hlTguSkSs4tR_tSQ18qKonoIiEzLQ0Djoz3Tr-um5p0ELbDlgk-p0eLUQHdqGolxYEhZ19vHHT8zV0jq2CEFfDia6SF_Uy9cungCE4Gm3vF00oaGlAwNT-6cCj6z2gbKXo/s1600/IMG_0722.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOQQSztAVm1hlTguSkSs4tR_tSQ18qKonoIiEzLQ0Djoz3Tr-um5p0ELbDlgk-p0eLUQHdqGolxYEhZ19vHHT8zV0jq2CEFfDia6SF_Uy9cungCE4Gm3vF00oaGlAwNT-6cCj6z2gbKXo/s320/IMG_0722.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The French blew up the castle in the 1600s and it hasn't been the same since!</td></tr>
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This was such a fantastic weekend. When you get into the daily rut of school, workout, dinner, laundry, etc. (Notice that house cleaning is not on that list because I GOT A CLEANER!!!) I forget why I am living so far away from everyone I love when I'm just going through my routine. I like to remind myself why I'm living so far away by having the kind of weekend I just had.<br />
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If you're keeping score...and I am...<br />
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<b>Score</b>: Last year- 0 This year- + 1 million.<br />
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<b>Next up</b>: Parentals visit in three weeks! I can't wait!!<br />
<br />Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733803757673036822noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5564612051838242268.post-84507145439168635632011-09-25T11:15:00.000+02:002011-09-25T11:18:32.187+02:00Ich bin käse....It has been a few weeks since my last post and I have been busy, traveling, sick, and busy again. I have started my just over six hours of German classes per week and not getting home until 9 two nights per week is making the weeks go quite fast. I am glad I didn't have to go to graduate classes much during the weeks I was teaching otherwise I might not have ever finished my master's degree.<br />
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German class is going well and is actually really fun! It is fun being like a kid again and learning something for the first time. Usually when I go to professional development stuff in education, it is very cerebral... so it is fun doing something that is just basic. Don't get me wrong, basic does not equal easy!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCzt_fH7Am2lhfQJzcEMKAzEG4cN7pL3en32N7eySVZL_GFk2T22S5uPoMFY_i6Xfn9UiJtbJUS0JarGOKIvq7VFdCg0dpe9lBICKkTS6LUO1n5-eUdoz-CDzw-YZt5cN_GTZU_ucMeuA/s1600/german+class" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCzt_fH7Am2lhfQJzcEMKAzEG4cN7pL3en32N7eySVZL_GFk2T22S5uPoMFY_i6Xfn9UiJtbJUS0JarGOKIvq7VFdCg0dpe9lBICKkTS6LUO1n5-eUdoz-CDzw-YZt5cN_GTZU_ucMeuA/s320/german+class" width="241" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To learn the alphabet, we had to dictate words to each other and spell them. After a long day of teaching and a few hours of German class, the spelling words degenerated into silliness. Brain fry = reversion to 7th grade. But, let's be honest, I'm never far off!</td></tr>
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German grammar is not easy! And, there are more articles and pronouns than I know what to do with! I don't think this will be my last German class if I really want to learn the language! Just like when I was in Spain and we thought it was hilarious to ask "How is the bathroom?" instead of "Where is the bathroom?" we have gotten stuck on nonsensical phrases like <i>Ich bin käse </i>which means...I am cheese. But, it lets us practice the ä which is different from a regular a. Anyway, generally, by the end of the 3 hours and 20 minutes class after a long work day, I am delirious and a bit silly.<br />
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The class is through an adult/continuing education program offered by the city. It will go until December so I should have a decent foundation by the end of the semester. At least, hopefully, I will be able to speak to waiters and the check-out people at the grocery store without just staring blankly at them all the time. There are people from all over the world in my class, mostly business people who would like to learn German for work. There are also two teenage boys in the class with faux-hawks who talk the entire time. They don't speak English so our teacher warnings (there are six of us from school in the class of 22) fall on deaf ears. The German teacher told them to go home the other day. Ugh. But, comical nonetheless.<br />
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In other news...<br />
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Last weekend I went to Holland with my friend Rhonda (Canadian but taught in Norway the last three years!). We went to Rotterdam on Friday after school on the train. It took just over two hours to get there. Her aunt and uncle from Canada were there for work so we met up with them. In actuality, even though we stayed in Rotterdam, we spent the whole weekend in Amsterdam which is only a 40 minute local train ride away. It was a super fun weekend (except poor Rhonda got a wicked cold which I now have!).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpiDuSLC9B4AHSOeWHND0SCICsHpMHb30XuNDouhlMLm-4zuphziYyC_C9rvzLHzTEvhIeLbjXw58TuV6yeVh5OXaQNDt7yoPJK_J3uQXVQa94V956wE5h7KQPgdl2_WFNu_81jEM3H30/s1600/In+the+shoe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpiDuSLC9B4AHSOeWHND0SCICsHpMHb30XuNDouhlMLm-4zuphziYyC_C9rvzLHzTEvhIeLbjXw58TuV6yeVh5OXaQNDt7yoPJK_J3uQXVQa94V956wE5h7KQPgdl2_WFNu_81jEM3H30/s320/In+the+shoe.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OF COURSE WE FOUND THE SHOE!!!<br />
(My mom and dad will be visiting the shoe in October...so stay tuned!!!)</td></tr>
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I love Amsterdam (and not for the reasons everyone always jumps to) because it is a beautiful city. The canals and 400 year old canal houses are just gorgeous. Every single house is unique and I love watching people fly safely around on their bikes because there are bike lanes everywhere! We mostly just walked around but did take a canal tour. You know me, can't stay away from river/canal/harbor cruises. Actually, I wouldn't have done it again in Amsterdam had I not been with people who'd never been there. Don't worry, I will do another one when my parents come to visit next month!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdKGVAThoaeb-yQnFwHu8ffwKTLqwZyEi-SXw4qPbeTmNO4fsz8Hh77dpGkwb7E7y1fYIDzPWYa1zsUWFaO0a2v6m97Z1grH9iQKJvrX3E_tgPxCPjUxxIO2dF6fPVtg-tsejrRGEkeDI/s1600/amsterdam.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdKGVAThoaeb-yQnFwHu8ffwKTLqwZyEi-SXw4qPbeTmNO4fsz8Hh77dpGkwb7E7y1fYIDzPWYa1zsUWFaO0a2v6m97Z1grH9iQKJvrX3E_tgPxCPjUxxIO2dF6fPVtg-tsejrRGEkeDI/s320/amsterdam.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was the perfect scene of Amsterdam. Bikes, canal boat visible through the rungs, and canal houses in the background. So interesting...except when you have to carry 900 pounds of luggage up the winding staircase like I did last year when Courtney and I were in Amsterdam. We'd had the bright idea that it would be better to share one huge bag instead of two small ones. Wasn't such a bright idea! </td></tr>
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Amsterdam and a weekend in Holland was also an opportunity to go on a carb bender! Except for a few beers here and there, I hadn't eaten sugar, potatoes, bread, rice, pasta, etc. for the last 9 weeks. The upside is that all of my clothes fit again and I got to tighten my belt a notch. The downside is that I live in Europe where there is SO MUCH deliciousness everywhere! So, I gave myself the weekend off and we started the minute we got to the train station!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFKlTCuPKn9MoCpOkSYjpcxO3VnJLle7zLdoNm4fYxbNoErWb4eQK4iyIPNykKrnOorgkBk9WMCxyDqDDDkoy9-rZg51Zhqng4tqjv8wkkBdeVsspOqwra_1kBEkgIhMEwjzB1NWWl1N8/s1600/carb+fest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFKlTCuPKn9MoCpOkSYjpcxO3VnJLle7zLdoNm4fYxbNoErWb4eQK4iyIPNykKrnOorgkBk9WMCxyDqDDDkoy9-rZg51Zhqng4tqjv8wkkBdeVsspOqwra_1kBEkgIhMEwjzB1NWWl1N8/s320/carb+fest.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They sell these delicious pretzels everywhere (brezel in German) and yes, I am drinking a Czech Budvar...I think where we ripped off Budweiser! I just like Pilsner, it has nothing to do with the label. </td></tr>
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The other reason for the bender when going to Holland is the BITTERBALLEN! They are deliciously fried balls of deliciousness. There is no other way to describe them, really. They are some sort of meat stew which is then deep fried and you dip them in mustard. I went ape-y for them last year when I was in Amsterdam with Courtney and I decided that being able to stuff my face with them was a good workout goal to keep me motivated over the last few weeks. I wish I could be motivated by things like good health, etc. but no, fried food is what does it for me!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7gtJV6luB8qkfESKXe258Df0iY8a756smKlf2iow_YvNEzFRGhNEmWdH9l_Sgx9aWSMljjA69UTVwhQ5FVpaAwvLUzWzeV5YUePpF58ZH-Q1QRLKrv0D12HVSaPgt9m54DBJkNHevKUQ/s1600/IMG_0630.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7gtJV6luB8qkfESKXe258Df0iY8a756smKlf2iow_YvNEzFRGhNEmWdH9l_Sgx9aWSMljjA69UTVwhQ5FVpaAwvLUzWzeV5YUePpF58ZH-Q1QRLKrv0D12HVSaPgt9m54DBJkNHevKUQ/s320/IMG_0630.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rhonda with some beers and bitterballen. (I think the beers are Belgian but hey...Belgium is close!)</td></tr>
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Amsterdam also has delightful small shops that are open on Sundays...unlike everything in Germany. There is no such thing as a relaxing Saturday because all errands have to be done on Saturdays as everything is closed (including grocery stores) on Sundays. In Holland, everything is still open so we spent most of Sunday shopping in the tiny streets of Amsterdam. Shopping however, was preceded by a viewing of the Canada vs. France World Cup Rugby match. Rhonda is a big rugby fan (and player) and so we met up with a friend of a friend in Amsterdam for some morning rugby watching at an Irish Pub. Cappuccinos instead of beers.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXqZDRA39wTPcNNBIibYL6YEuOlDeQiyAjGatAqnZm6EGL-Le4ECtI3GDUQddv5tPawkWVeLuTPC4psJNqH323CbemTRwU5a9SWMqlbinSOyly0_J2wLhzUjxpoRbT7bxBYsBQ-WDRqYM/s1600/shoes" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXqZDRA39wTPcNNBIibYL6YEuOlDeQiyAjGatAqnZm6EGL-Le4ECtI3GDUQddv5tPawkWVeLuTPC4psJNqH323CbemTRwU5a9SWMqlbinSOyly0_J2wLhzUjxpoRbT7bxBYsBQ-WDRqYM/s320/shoes" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A men's shoe store. Not in Colorado anymore. </td></tr>
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This weekend wasn't quite as eventful as I ran a lot of errands. Not having a car makes errands take a lot longer. I don't miss having a car most of the time, but for carrying groceries, or a quick trip somewhere, it would be nice sometimes. Yesterday we ventured to a store called Obi which is like Home Depot because I really need some new curtains and some other stuff for my apartment. It took two trams and a bus ride to get there but we found it eventually.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFBBMY_rpSbwFR3YJRdFCKoMCLzALAJpleLblyolTVgwU8Ec1iZNHDVi26pSatVxcNjZTKnanqguX7UQMXvRi7jGmmivgsqCbdfA2vGGbcrLJ55-SQJWo4I80hsZ76JzGG91PgpAxabGU/s1600/Home+depot" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFBBMY_rpSbwFR3YJRdFCKoMCLzALAJpleLblyolTVgwU8Ec1iZNHDVi26pSatVxcNjZTKnanqguX7UQMXvRi7jGmmivgsqCbdfA2vGGbcrLJ55-SQJWo4I80hsZ76JzGG91PgpAxabGU/s320/Home+depot" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Obi = Germany's version of Home Depot. It is even orange!<br />
My favorite part? They had the German equivalent of Depot Dogs....Bratwurst! </td></tr>
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A lot of debacles and hilariousness often ensue when trying to buy things in a foreign country where you don't speak the language. There was a fair amount of sign language and pointing to buy some screws and don't even get me started on the curtain situation. That was WAY beyond my German vocabulary. Unless the German phrases needed are "What is your name? Where are you from? What languages do you speak? and What do you do for work?" then I am at a loss in most situations!<br />
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School is still going well. I still really like it there. And, speaking of, I need to end this post so I can do a little work...AND...study! I have a German test tomorrow! YIKES!!!Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733803757673036822noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5564612051838242268.post-89631704675705000492011-09-11T18:37:00.000+02:002011-09-11T18:37:55.805+02:00Beware..extreme teacher talk coming at ya!If you are one of my new ISD colleagues reading this, I am afraid you are about to see the extent of my teacher geekiness springing forth. If you've been reading my blog for awhile (or taught with me) none of this extreme dorkiness will come as a surprise. But, in my defense, I know a few people reading this are my twins in teacher nerd-ness!<br />
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As I try to get all of the IBMYP (reminder...that means International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program) stuff straight in my head, I am really continuing to ponder and mull over the importance of making things visible for kids. This is something I have been working on for the last few years in my instructional practice...I mean, really, on the Tiger Team, we were known as the poster makers around the school. We were all obsessed with our word walls and "anchor charts" and managed to fill every available space by the end of the school year.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEOBfFk06ye1lDYgJ5xErqiswLBxh2fEunqn58bELihUdzz6Kp-leRxPit9BSc3trCKmJhtV9mVmtPIw4rw_XfzzZWGO7i3rEHZgiYZaBjAJpTS1tuptKFAxtxqWuM7TteWCbQg3ERtwA/s1600/IMG_0573.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEOBfFk06ye1lDYgJ5xErqiswLBxh2fEunqn58bELihUdzz6Kp-leRxPit9BSc3trCKmJhtV9mVmtPIw4rw_XfzzZWGO7i3rEHZgiYZaBjAJpTS1tuptKFAxtxqWuM7TteWCbQg3ERtwA/s320/IMG_0573.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My basic "anchor charts" are the same in this school as they were at CBMS. I've developed a little system for the beginning of the year that when given the time, I will ALWAYS follow. I wasn't allowed to follow this last year and I paid for it dearly with classroom management issues and by the number of times I was called a bitch by students! </td></tr>
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Two summers ago I went to an institute called "Building Intellectual Character" that was focused around routines for thinking in the classroom. The institute was facilitated by Ron Ritchhart from Harvard's Project Zero who also has a book entitled "Building Intellectual Character." His latest book, and a heavy focus of the institute was on "Making Thinking Visible" which obviously, I (along with many teachers at CBMS, but especially the Tigers) had already bought into- as evidenced by the constant poster making. However, now, with the MYP, I am really starting to click with how entirely important that truly is.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitCNpFJLsvMcmDzFoylmTufBo1LVCtxTc9JScHBZNTmj5LhMb9L6E8fjjd5w-cUswr2GjDjO-jEoU3Fn9en-gUS7le1f7UfAY0lbVJYgMH6q8F1oP9Cz_OA1i4B_VKi6f7C2yU3rw_3ow/s1600/IMG_0575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitCNpFJLsvMcmDzFoylmTufBo1LVCtxTc9JScHBZNTmj5LhMb9L6E8fjjd5w-cUswr2GjDjO-jEoU3Fn9en-gUS7le1f7UfAY0lbVJYgMH6q8F1oP9Cz_OA1i4B_VKi6f7C2yU3rw_3ow/s320/IMG_0575.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here are the beginnings of my implementation of "Making Thinking Visible." These are posters for each "Thinking Routine" that we have learned so far. After having my 8th graders write "Headlines" about the layers of the earth, I was EXTREMELY glad that I had taken the time to really teach the routine. "Start slow to go fast," is always true yet I am surprised every time for some reason!</td></tr>
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The MYP at an international school is a different animal than in a regular public school. For starters, we do not have a mandated curriculum from a governing agency and therefore we are all curriculum designers (to which I say YAY because this is something I really enjoy but to some people, it totally sucks!) and our curriculum is a very dynamic thing. We are not able to just plan something (I know that public school teachers cannot do this either) and then do it year after year after year. The concept of "backwards design" is really taking on a whole new meaning to me and I am seeing how critically important well-planned assessment is to even beginning a unit. Because, how can you start a "journey" if you have no idea where you are trying to go?<br />
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But I digress...or do I?<br />
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There is so much thinking that goes into the planning of a unit. There are a lot more parameters to plan around than I have been used to. For example, at CBMS, I looked at the content I was required to teach and I developed my units (with backwards design) around that content. But in the MYP, there are about a million (or at least it feels like it) considerations to make. For example, not only do I have to plan around a unit question, and a well-planned assessment, now I also have to think about my Area of Interaction as a lens for the unit, but also what the "significant concept" is that can link to any content area, and what "approaches to learning" I am also going to embed and use as a lens for the unit. See how complicated it is? It is a very muddy and muddled process but I am getting lots of practice.<br />
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Oh look, I digressed (is that the past of digress or is there some other form of the word that I am forgetting) again...but I'm coming back to my original point, I swear...<br />
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So my point is this...if we want kids to understand all this (and ourselves), I think that making it visual for them is absolutely critical. They are expected to be able to speak about their experiences with the Areas of Interactions in depth by the time they finish the MYP program in 10th grade. But, how can this happen if it is all muddled up in their teachers' heads, let alone in their own? So, for the last few weeks, I have been doing a lot of thinking about how to un-muddle for all involved parties. And, guess what I came up with? POSTERS!!! (You could probably guess, I love them!) We are not talking about the kind of posters you can buy in a teacher store or at Target, but those that I work really hard to make myself.<br />
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And, I have been thinking a lot about how to arrange things in the best way to make it clearer for kids. I spent a few hours the other day getting things put up, and then today, had a different idea that was precipitated by a bunch of ideas kids were having, and I had to unstaple and redo things.<br />
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Here's my current thinking...as of today....<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1vIhIog8A9dwBJhyphenhyphenzJOSbvv8DqHJIG5bZRzTxfVCwYVR-0Xzo29tOHrjM9ucxNAu5b-H1H5NNvRJ867V3f3r51Ol3JBb9KsiwlQNZMn8fZTZhJbqyvatx2mEpDJktNquxE4-l9KuVgco/s1600/IMG_0594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1vIhIog8A9dwBJhyphenhyphenzJOSbvv8DqHJIG5bZRzTxfVCwYVR-0Xzo29tOHrjM9ucxNAu5b-H1H5NNvRJ867V3f3r51Ol3JBb9KsiwlQNZMn8fZTZhJbqyvatx2mEpDJktNquxE4-l9KuVgco/s320/IMG_0594.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This will likely change. However, I want to give a shout-out to Lesli Cochran and Natalie Dudley at CBMS who always had chart paper with their unit questions where they continuously had kids reflect on their current thinking in regards to the questions. AND, they added to it all the time throughout the unit- so I stole their idea! We've only been doing this unit for a few class periods, but already small bits of thinking were starting to happen. The kids told me that we needed another section for "Interesting Facts" and "Questions We Now Have." Kids are smart.</td></tr>
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This post has taken me a few weeks to actually write. In the time since I started it, I have been thinking even more how important visual representations are. I have noticed my students starting to use the boards themselves and in my 8th grade class, we have had to add thinking on an almost-daily basis. Through inquiry, we just continue to ask more and more questions!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzf4pHRIMATFvdNfNpa9OyA5C4iSjmzaejo8uer0E2wsy8jElyLZ7qVoauVnZfNxeh7rN0WpeRVQ56nkAo3URiCAMjzXtP37N6Pv-hLcW5IgxStCsUfWJJwl5xkLT_F_98nf3MHWeOb4U/s1600/IMAG0008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzf4pHRIMATFvdNfNpa9OyA5C4iSjmzaejo8uer0E2wsy8jElyLZ7qVoauVnZfNxeh7rN0WpeRVQ56nkAo3URiCAMjzXtP37N6Pv-hLcW5IgxStCsUfWJJwl5xkLT_F_98nf3MHWeOb4U/s320/IMAG0008.jpg" width="241" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The more we learn, the more questions we have! And then, in the midst of our study of the earth, specifically regarding earthquakes, there was a 4.4 earthquake in Düsseldorf the other night! The kids came to school extremely excited about it!</td></tr>
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Even though I have been an inquiry-based teacher for awhile, I am really starting to think about it differently through the way that I am structuring units this year. We have been using the summative assessments to drive the entire unit. I introduced the assessment tasks on the first day of the units so that kids can realize that everything we do and learn is related to answering our big unit questions and completing our culminating tasks. I feel like the kids are more engaged and also it has a relevance to them that I haven't seen before when I have structured things differently.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQcw8LIYSjv7KuGUiGo-XoC-7OwjoNMemE5T_pZxo3KLbz04XpTUyBtiE4Y55KkR2PtPWSUA3KY8ES_MONaTitSGspOCPevjxM1GuEKTXtz5MOOGtepfron7SOtLPlG7MsWYlMPpfg4nk/s1600/IMG_0588.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQcw8LIYSjv7KuGUiGo-XoC-7OwjoNMemE5T_pZxo3KLbz04XpTUyBtiE4Y55KkR2PtPWSUA3KY8ES_MONaTitSGspOCPevjxM1GuEKTXtz5MOOGtepfron7SOtLPlG7MsWYlMPpfg4nk/s320/IMG_0588.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inquiry in progress! I have been using lots of web-based text sources that I bookmark for the kids in advance! The best part of that is that they are interactive AND kids who don't speak English proficiently, can read about the science content in their native language!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As you can read, I am really enjoying getting to be a reflective practitioner again. I am able to actually reflect on my lessons and have the time to spend planning them in a quality way (unlike last year!). To be perfectly honest, I am really having a great time being a teacher again! YAY! That is a really good feeling after the soul-crushing year I had last year (dramatic? yes.).<br />
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I also now realize that I cannot have a classroom that doesn't know the language of the "Thinking Strategies." They have become such a big part of my daily instruction that even though I was worried that they would be just "ONE MORE THING" for the kids to know (in MYP we have lots of lists that the kids have to be aware of!), I realized that I cannot teach without them. I am not necessarily teaching them specifically for a whole unit, but when a kid uses one, I name it for them and I walk over to the posters and we look at how their thinking fit with one of the thinking words. I think this is the best intro I can have so far...merely naming it for them.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLj6tv07KcbS2F-wEQarrxF3MVahHuujxhIkSaP6WwzFz1V0MLxY_c9hpCXQWnZTjusLlVIg_wqJuG3hLHrYbGiqzzwuplU2U-92SXXBlqxeEt8GCtV2dYTzP_YTDWIYKpckPgYC15hOk/s1600/IMG_0574.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLj6tv07KcbS2F-wEQarrxF3MVahHuujxhIkSaP6WwzFz1V0MLxY_c9hpCXQWnZTjusLlVIg_wqJuG3hLHrYbGiqzzwuplU2U-92SXXBlqxeEt8GCtV2dYTzP_YTDWIYKpckPgYC15hOk/s320/IMG_0574.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What can I say? They have just become part of who I am as a teacher.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
If you want to hear a podcast that has forever sold me on naming thinking for kids....here's a link....<br />
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<a href="http://www.radiolab.org/2010/aug/09/">"Words" Podcast from RadioLab</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a><br />
On a fun note!<br />
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I have been on two field trips in the last two weeks with the 8th grade...bowling and canoeing. Bowling was pretty standard but canoeing was a definite adventure!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbZI_GI7o3XRhGpg5q-l-TJfk1bfm5fPp1U_wlUwhwbKSStZAhzCXQVixyuLEtMUfGqjNT5nuV-kMagvW-MH5kF3j9yrb4RWOBWqKI0-YmitYCcTe6mN4fH3Y6UJbr15A86xnRYKQ5jBI/s1600/IMG_0617.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbZI_GI7o3XRhGpg5q-l-TJfk1bfm5fPp1U_wlUwhwbKSStZAhzCXQVixyuLEtMUfGqjNT5nuV-kMagvW-MH5kF3j9yrb4RWOBWqKI0-YmitYCcTe6mN4fH3Y6UJbr15A86xnRYKQ5jBI/s320/IMG_0617.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The weather held until we were getting on the bus to go home! Lucky us!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUKOKkQCz8_MaDZ7PPfWO2K-_23mJ9klwaBXoj-6ujWxhaYTbxKjV5tC5Xe0iH8ZPjQEulIPBoKAwSeSTeQhB66JnizKQq7yOFc3lSSgWREyBuWS5QkKbATXq2Q66hhu0RnTMk0l7UCtA/s1600/IMG_0623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUKOKkQCz8_MaDZ7PPfWO2K-_23mJ9klwaBXoj-6ujWxhaYTbxKjV5tC5Xe0iH8ZPjQEulIPBoKAwSeSTeQhB66JnizKQq7yOFc3lSSgWREyBuWS5QkKbATXq2Q66hhu0RnTMk0l7UCtA/s320/IMG_0623.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, the kids are perpendicular to the river! They had some steering issues! It was pretty hilarious but nobody flipped their canoe- shocking for 8th graders!</td></tr>
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I start my intense German classes tomorrow after school! They will be six hours per week until December. I think that maybe I will finally feel like I live in Germany once I start taking German lessons. Right now, because my job is in English and all of my friends are English-speakers, I just don't feel like I am in Germany. I am really looking forward to it! I feel quite inept that I cannot have basic conversations with people in German.<br />
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Next weekend I am heading to Holland with my friend Rhonda. We're going to Rotterdam and Amsterdam just for a quick trip. I have been working out as much as I can so I don't feel guilty about eating delicious bitterballen (fried deliciousness eaten with beer!).<br />
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This was a longun'! Sorry! I haven't written in awhile...mostly just lazy to be perfectly honest! I have been watching Netflix ever since I got my American IP address so my computer is generally occupied doing that!<br />
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Ciao!Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733803757673036822noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5564612051838242268.post-38468645536934170492011-08-21T17:36:00.000+02:002011-08-21T17:58:57.033+02:00Week 1 DONE!This week was my first week at the International School of Düsseldorf, and I have to admit, it was REALLY fun! For someone who has never read my blog before, you will soon see, that I am a huge teacher geek. For those who've known me, this will come as no big surprise. The relief factor is so huge, words cannot even describe it. I was so petrified and stressed out about starting school that even one of my friends here told me that she could see a difference in me after a week because I had chilled out significantly! PHEW!<br />
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It is so great to be at a school again that values my professional opinion in my own classroom and just leaves me alone to do what I need to do! I was able to spend all of my classes this week getting the relationships, rituals, routines, and BID-NESS taken care of that I know, especially as a middle school teacher, are so important to having a good year!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd64vU79gQdnxu5ZfyIV080_16tpAGIV_Bgq7uabMJH0j-NOGKwFg8vVp7eeMWjGgBxwJTCdofDFJIIE5698P1gr5J8x414fD7SXRQQGQEDGqOX67HvF8kQz0FtW0APUmZzcVY7hdrgyk/s1600/IMG_0569.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd64vU79gQdnxu5ZfyIV080_16tpAGIV_Bgq7uabMJH0j-NOGKwFg8vVp7eeMWjGgBxwJTCdofDFJIIE5698P1gr5J8x414fD7SXRQQGQEDGqOX67HvF8kQz0FtW0APUmZzcVY7hdrgyk/s320/IMG_0569.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of this week included teaching "Thinking Routines" and I have decided to make a quick procedural poster for each one that we'll do. So, the next time we do one of them, I can just quickly say the name for it and the kids will know what I mean! This (naming the routines and making posters of them) is something new I am trying this year as I think about making things as transparent as possible for the kids. And, since many of my kids are English Language Learners, this also provides a visual cue for things that might be a bit abstract. I don't put the poster up until we've talked about it and practiced the routine. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>Every day this week as I was getting excited about things and sharing my excitement with people, they would say "Welcome to an international school!" For example:<br />
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1. My largest class has 21 students. (Yep. You read that correctly. WHAT? I know.)<br />
2. My kids ALL (and I mean ALL) say thank you when I hand them a paper.<br />
3. Our cafeteria has a SALAD BAR and the food is actually cooked ON SITE!<br />
4. I have an interactive white board, and asked for a document camera and VOILÀ...there it was!<br />
5. ALL of my kids come with school supplies. (Even markers, scissors, glue, etc.)<br />
6. Almost all of the kids speak AT LEAST three languages and have lived all over the world.<br />
7. Kids seem a bit more accepting of differences because they're all inherently very different given that they are from/have lived all over the world.<br />
8. The average stay at the school for kids is only about 1-3 years so they've all experienced being new and are extremely willing to help out other new kids, more so than I have ever encountered before.<br />
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Does it feel like I am cheating on public education? Yes, yes it does. I feel a little bit ashamed to share all this stuff with people who have had their class sizes increase to ridiculous numbers this year. But, this is what I am doing for at least the next two years, so I'll just apologize in advance if it seems like I am rubbing stuff in...I'm not trying to, just sharing my experience!<br />
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Our schedule is going to be hard for me to get used to from a memory standpoint. I cannot remember which class is coming in next, let alone what I have planned for that hour. I have toyed with about 5 different planning/organizing/documenting systems this week and think that I might have gotten one down. I had planned on trying to do it all in my ipad, but alas, I am a pencil/eraser girl.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvBFAJrZUGajtBBIVyUNaT9t5ErkEvETGxZs74f-ZwGBXAkPXseTHZsm8TNBvsRQXeAisgmSbio3xpTJ0crCOtGBWKyLaxMDIl85nZTZ105kWf0UPJd35tKXMaHgrknv_IbRxM-e0FYcE/s1600/IMG_0572.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvBFAJrZUGajtBBIVyUNaT9t5ErkEvETGxZs74f-ZwGBXAkPXseTHZsm8TNBvsRQXeAisgmSbio3xpTJ0crCOtGBWKyLaxMDIl85nZTZ105kWf0UPJd35tKXMaHgrknv_IbRxM-e0FYcE/s320/IMG_0572.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is my 9-day schedule. Instead of 5 day weeks, we have a 9 day cycle that goes by cycle day instead of week day. The thing that I really like about it is that because the day of the week doesn't matter but the day of the cycle does, I see different groups on the last period of a Friday pretty much every Friday! Ultimately, this seems like it will really improve my instructional capacity.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Now don't get me wrong, it has not been all roses. I am expected to unit plan with some people who are not super happy that our head of department is requiring us to start from scratch this year. I can see why this would irritate someone who has been teaching a long time, but for me, it is nice because I am never good at teaching from someone else's unit/daily plans (hence one of the many reasons that I was always having issues at my English school) and so I like that I am given opportunities to do backwards-design unit plans from the very beginning. I think I've come up with some cool assessment ideas but it is really hard to share them with people who are not constructivist in the same way that I am.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Here's a link to a definition of Constructivism if anyone is wondering what the heck I am talking about....</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.usask.ca/education/coursework/802papers/Skaalid/definition.html">Meaty Definition of Constructivism</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Because I see all teaching/learning through the lens of inquiry, discovery, and constructivism, sometimes I have a hard time (and by sometimes, you will know that I really mean ALWAYS) planning with people who are not this way. I have been tested mentally already and am trying to apply some of my Cognitive Coaching strategies instead of just being a brat (like I would prefer to do though it is not very professional) and throw my hands up while saying "FINE! I'll just do it my own way and don't care what you want to do!" But, we are expected to do things <i>together </i>so I will continue to try. The good thing is though, I am FULLY supported by my head of department (UNLIKE last year...uh...just the thought of her makes smoke come out of my ears) and the school administration seems to think like me about assessment based on the book that they gave us at our staff training. And, just to demonstrate the extent of my nerdiness, you can know that, yes, I already read most of it. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">So, as week two begins, I am trying to actually plan some real content lessons and creating/searching for a lot of resources because I will be teaching some things that I have never taught before. I do have solid amounts of time during the school day to get stuff done (those white boxes on my schedule) so I am really trying to use that time the best that I can.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">And, don't worry...my week wasn't all about school! I have some workout buddies (FOR FREE) at school. A few of us are just moving the tables and doing some Body Combat-esque videos which is perfect for me as I am in the hole about $2 million after having been unemployed for so long. Not sure what my gym situation is going to be but I will wait a bit to figure it out. For now, I am really enjoying the after school workouts and am having almost as much fun doing it as I would at an actual gym! Plus, I don't have to go anywhere.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">This weekend was pretty fun. Our administrators put €400 toward a bar tab at an outdoor café near school so we all went there after school on Friday. Saturday I did some farmer's market shopping, had lunch with my only non-school friends Barbara and Todd, got a pedicure, and went out to dinner with some new friends from school. The weather was DELIGHTFUL (like Southern California) on Saturday so I was out and about outside downtown a lot. Everyone else had similar ideas and it was very busy around town.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSDaf71ibiXwdzkk7f28hEe8xoTzsHDwHYqFCdGcg26SFTeUMru32jaFPPWN9HRX5lyYE4xzteppLmhM4Aqy6kePbyItkSvOQH9zgY-MC84UizFTTm7kiUwvCTvGb5xwJSmGLSR5B5mbo/s1600/IMG_0566.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSDaf71ibiXwdzkk7f28hEe8xoTzsHDwHYqFCdGcg26SFTeUMru32jaFPPWN9HRX5lyYE4xzteppLmhM4Aqy6kePbyItkSvOQH9zgY-MC84UizFTTm7kiUwvCTvGb5xwJSmGLSR5B5mbo/s320/IMG_0566.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was one of several "party bike" options that one can rent to ride around Düsseldorf.<br />
HOW FUN!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">If you want to drink any beer, there are literally options about every 2 inches (I should say centimeters since this is Europe but then it would be 2 inches X 2.54 centimeters = the distance one must travel in Germany to find beer!)!!</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVuG4Lm9f3lotqYuwSYOripA_ZDVt-AcXfpzAceIsq-MLe_LLnUGJ2sK6tRSVT9cZlSsyi-suBm-JIrLySDYdoAm_TfIPmDIbgEXS3LBBKxqNuSpBe5hvva4HoTFPtxzmcfVkS3oyeuUw/s1600/IMG_0567.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVuG4Lm9f3lotqYuwSYOripA_ZDVt-AcXfpzAceIsq-MLe_LLnUGJ2sK6tRSVT9cZlSsyi-suBm-JIrLySDYdoAm_TfIPmDIbgEXS3LBBKxqNuSpBe5hvva4HoTFPtxzmcfVkS3oyeuUw/s320/IMG_0567.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another party bike! My Dutch friends said that is a Dutch invention that has since been banned in Holland because people would get wasted and fall off! If the Dutch are banning something, you know it must be dangerous! I think it still looks pretty fun. This is a bike/bar for about 12 people!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHfP0OJAgvDGeXh4QkQkeT3ZzGqQMw6w6jnPbI8bn8D_7O99xl5Ds0n1zkVEXLPRe_LQyxYCIoIKRmcUhwKRHlgqTQl-lGXgcsbE8GErAbCg8OBa-l6zutERWrRDX0se8VzkadZL5xk80/s1600/IMG_0568.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHfP0OJAgvDGeXh4QkQkeT3ZzGqQMw6w6jnPbI8bn8D_7O99xl5Ds0n1zkVEXLPRe_LQyxYCIoIKRmcUhwKRHlgqTQl-lGXgcsbE8GErAbCg8OBa-l6zutERWrRDX0se8VzkadZL5xk80/s320/IMG_0568.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yesterday, along the Rhein River, there was a random marching band. Hilarious.<br />
Also hilarious is that my phone autocorrects the word "Rhine" to "Rheumatic!"<br />
"Wine on the Rheumatic" doesn't have quite the same ring to it as does "Wine on the Rhine!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Today I have been getting myself prepared for my week through the never-ending doing of laundry and lots of school-related activities. Not having a dryer SUCKS OUT LOUD! I really like my apartment. I can't remember if I have said this yet, but I do. Having my own place again is GLORIOUS! And, apparently, a lot of people here have a cleaner for hardly anything so (WHAT? WHAT?) I am hopefully going to have one too! What's not to like about that?!?<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8JPxpFwGd_Dj_jnbrTa6AZHtOcLrp_wiJyRxlumH9mmBeM2QQtf4zu9ovciTKIU3aYRgcDsym-eSzebuD5rkq9226I2l2klY1_emSZTM0JZHl68NVPvLAqKEEYKAtEKqk4_khhmBYxdE/s1600/IMG_0570.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8JPxpFwGd_Dj_jnbrTa6AZHtOcLrp_wiJyRxlumH9mmBeM2QQtf4zu9ovciTKIU3aYRgcDsym-eSzebuD5rkq9226I2l2klY1_emSZTM0JZHl68NVPvLAqKEEYKAtEKqk4_khhmBYxdE/s320/IMG_0570.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is my room! You will notice the lack of any knick-knacks. That will come later.<br />
I am still working on things like lightbulbs!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxQ7XruQcyYBeEVhmr1m1W44c3be2LAc3nr85a5eN9jqdlRNboWK5IfFYCWH1WO6Ej7etEfxewZTc5MuB_4yNNvXb2xstUW3IqMFQntoBkHXwGPNT590FmE_yuxgE5E-2wCMBjmdSEr4/s1600/IMG_0571.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxQ7XruQcyYBeEVhmr1m1W44c3be2LAc3nr85a5eN9jqdlRNboWK5IfFYCWH1WO6Ej7etEfxewZTc5MuB_4yNNvXb2xstUW3IqMFQntoBkHXwGPNT590FmE_yuxgE5E-2wCMBjmdSEr4/s320/IMG_0571.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have, at least, gotten a few frames and figured out how to print pictures so my house has some personal touches! </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
If you've hung in through this whole post, thank you. I have been really busy during the week but am going to really try to make sure that I get to it on Sundays! I would really appreciate it everyone I know could have a blog so I too can keep up with the minutiae of your life as well!<br />
<br />
To all of my CBMS peeps...I will be thinking about you this week! I still do not like starting a school year (or really working in a school at all) without you! I miss "the gauntlet!!"<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_1980343330"></span><span id="goog_1980343331"></span>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733803757673036822noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5564612051838242268.post-11396718936007773882011-08-14T21:04:00.000+02:002011-08-14T21:04:10.384+02:00Let the fun begin (as if it hasn't already...)!!This was my final week of training before school starts with kids on Tuesday. And, to be perfectly honest, it has been quite fun for a variety of reasons. Now some of those reasons are definitely related to the amount of free booze provided by the school in this final week, but many of the other reasons are related to professional (and not booze related) factors.<br />
<br />
This week we had a guided city tour as part of our training and part of that included a drinking lunch at a nice restaurant downtown. Oh, private school life, how different you are!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNlE9vHDXm0gWk5E-90wn_YtgCj0MveZpMKW2Hkp4sO37wfI-RhRqXLl0lpr0gwvgaCK3Mjt01hNpfhzByM7J3ZwI_SBrywNzd7-vONsWChs8T1_ZntobjLfuqmYSWLV-qLIJggLP2S6g/s1600/IMG_0554.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNlE9vHDXm0gWk5E-90wn_YtgCj0MveZpMKW2Hkp4sO37wfI-RhRqXLl0lpr0gwvgaCK3Mjt01hNpfhzByM7J3ZwI_SBrywNzd7-vONsWChs8T1_ZntobjLfuqmYSWLV-qLIJggLP2S6g/s320/IMG_0554.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teachers don't usually get to do the "drinking lunch" without<br />
going to jail or something...so this one was pretty exciting!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Mostly I have just been hanging around with new teachers since we've only had one day back with the whole staff. There are 30 new people this year between the elementary and the middle/high school and so we've had a large group and gotten to know each other pretty well these last two weeks. The whole school has well over 200 staff members (including support staff, HR, etc.) and so there are obviously a ton of people left for me to meet!<br />
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Here are some other pictures from our city tour. We went up a giant tower (come visit and you too can go up a giant tower in Düsseldorf) and so we got some great views of the city!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwAaas6iY1Ug9v6Gad5GjaEXdK8vv1Ebbz4DJdV6JzLJB9JLW-7Cb9CXxlUQxm_PCl1e_EESAp_tgycnrzd-Z-I6UlfzDBTa41HMKIgYvqsCcRCL-erkABjOAQKpds2oLhLLwXVoouhgo/s1600/IMG_0563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwAaas6iY1Ug9v6Gad5GjaEXdK8vv1Ebbz4DJdV6JzLJB9JLW-7Cb9CXxlUQxm_PCl1e_EESAp_tgycnrzd-Z-I6UlfzDBTa41HMKIgYvqsCcRCL-erkABjOAQKpds2oLhLLwXVoouhgo/s320/IMG_0563.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the giant tower! Fortunately there was an elevator to the top!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOxFYL54EPRAtMeS1eqD4kY5_bAtIj19CFkOSsm6prH0t0j7geXy57ZNu4evLrRisi1pLFEpSQlaYSERyvJst4Jc3_T0K-1Qc6r3-m5DM5i2afaARlR7mpDajaNdiM0bX5dX_zWIlVfII/s1600/IMG_0557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOxFYL54EPRAtMeS1eqD4kY5_bAtIj19CFkOSsm6prH0t0j7geXy57ZNu4evLrRisi1pLFEpSQlaYSERyvJst4Jc3_T0K-1Qc6r3-m5DM5i2afaARlR7mpDajaNdiM0bX5dX_zWIlVfII/s320/IMG_0557.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our tour guide told us how Düsseldorf is a "young city" because it was only founded in the 1200's. <br />
As a North American, this is just hilarious to me. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDfPi5TjloWwMTc1ufgOd6ImA1klt8xp4G9paNm4UJOaAi6BYCGfW9wVTbsa0E25DyuPYyxNHAPecA8h1AfSU71UBhbZoYZ7gwr0CfNoWm0zb0p7qr0HIydtMdhTdyad_a8KWLiV8KJ10/s1600/IMG_0558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDfPi5TjloWwMTc1ufgOd6ImA1klt8xp4G9paNm4UJOaAi6BYCGfW9wVTbsa0E25DyuPYyxNHAPecA8h1AfSU71UBhbZoYZ7gwr0CfNoWm0zb0p7qr0HIydtMdhTdyad_a8KWLiV8KJ10/s320/IMG_0558.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another view of the church that will have a straight steeple only when a "true virgin" gets married there.<br />
It was reconstructed after the war to look this way because this is how it looked before WWII.<br />
The very top was so heavy that the original tower started to twist and since that was part of the church's charm, they reconstructed it this way.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg67no93jV9RBfxLDvcXOFKUvTgA4EUbZRG__G4t6Dq-6zZ0XLaWAv2fiuNXyOye-SbPXNgN4ihLuudEkSn5FmD75vVXUAP6veBl2FXI0N5-mVs0i-lUxl0BRzVlyM8Yg4CRYuWESbOWUU/s1600/IMG_0559.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg67no93jV9RBfxLDvcXOFKUvTgA4EUbZRG__G4t6Dq-6zZ0XLaWAv2fiuNXyOye-SbPXNgN4ihLuudEkSn5FmD75vVXUAP6veBl2FXI0N5-mVs0i-lUxl0BRzVlyM8Yg4CRYuWESbOWUU/s320/IMG_0559.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Düsseldorf is known for cartwheels. Also, hilarious.<br />
It has something to do with men coming back from war (like hundreds of years ago) and all the boys doing cartwheels to celebrate. Nowadays, there is a contest every year that just recently allowed girls to be involved too (that whole "dress" thing got in the way when doing cartwheels apparently until girls were allowed to wear pants!).</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibi9uktGfDkUEjo7ypleYz2bxG9leCX7GwMStV2ijxE6v5lQizvcWMFXc8jOEvCZiVOn0xUBRjJfa2eh0gX3_eiuO62DhP13azTM79xDaE8nq0oldKCtJTebuYsmjNXqKSipJVgtzFUbM/s1600/IMG_0560.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibi9uktGfDkUEjo7ypleYz2bxG9leCX7GwMStV2ijxE6v5lQizvcWMFXc8jOEvCZiVOn0xUBRjJfa2eh0gX3_eiuO62DhP13azTM79xDaE8nq0oldKCtJTebuYsmjNXqKSipJVgtzFUbM/s320/IMG_0560.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the tower.<br />
Düsseldorf's on the Rhein River in case you hadn't picked that up yet.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4rc1AOcPnXBSD-InlKo7pWtzrtnsfVWQbxNDEJyRdToRNx1xVjluxoGTX0wVj7TUlxjfHtCcwOY5SjKscVu0aWVf7T0v3u1bCtZkx6ijVuujdRwnAR1OR_sdg7ZD1D3oMVHhtz91sO6U/s1600/IMG_0561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4rc1AOcPnXBSD-InlKo7pWtzrtnsfVWQbxNDEJyRdToRNx1xVjluxoGTX0wVj7TUlxjfHtCcwOY5SjKscVu0aWVf7T0v3u1bCtZkx6ijVuujdRwnAR1OR_sdg7ZD1D3oMVHhtz91sO6U/s320/IMG_0561.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There are six suspension bridges in this area that are all exactly the same.<br />
The old bridges were blown out during WWII.<br />
85% of the old part of the downtown (the Altstadt) was destroyed because the Americans were right across the river and this whole area of Germany was home to many munitions factories.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCVc5Td84-hUTuh-IVTr_yOTo4OVzO61CDBf9dxp-iXPrcbrRTfmYTj2kqFyTY1VjrsPooc3muhD6f4yWClabKTpH9b8vB4r3gXvlD3c5Lfe4p9VxZMqjE-CK0nkiqkTy5aYvbxyG1AW0/s1600/IMG_0562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCVc5Td84-hUTuh-IVTr_yOTo4OVzO61CDBf9dxp-iXPrcbrRTfmYTj2kqFyTY1VjrsPooc3muhD6f4yWClabKTpH9b8vB4r3gXvlD3c5Lfe4p9VxZMqjE-CK0nkiqkTy5aYvbxyG1AW0/s320/IMG_0562.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The one part of the city that wasn't destroyed at all during the war. This area is called Oberkassel and it is on the opposite side of the river from the rest of the city-- the part of the city where the Americans were launching the bombs into the Altstadt so it was spared. The tram goes right across the bridge in just a few minutes from downtown.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Besides the great city and the great people that I've met so far, I am really enjoying working on curriculum design at my new school. Basically, from what I can tell so far, not a lot was actually written down in terms of a scope and sequence until this year when the department head (whom I love so far!) decided to just get it down on paper for a jumping off point (and we have our IB accreditation this year in January!). The big difference between this school and other places where I've worked is that there is no governing agency prescribing a specific curriculum. There are very (VERY) loose frameworks provided by IB for the Middle Years Programme (grades 6-10 in the International Baccalaureate program which shall henceforth be known as the MYP in my blog) but it is relatively general and centered on the big ideas of science like change, systems, structure/function, etc.<br />
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This is super exciting and scary at the same time. It is about as opposite as you could get from what I was doing last year where the curriculum was prescriptive to the millionth degree. It is also quite different from what I've done in Colorado too, but fortunately I had enough freedom at CBMS that I was able to arrange my units in ways that I thought worked best for my kids, etc. so I am familiar with curriculum design to a degree. Having to plan things for three grade levels basically from scratch (while trying to work with other teachers and reach agreement...always a hard thing) is definitely going to test my skills in curriculum design, but, is also TOTALLY fun and lets me be creative!<br />
<br />
I am so thankful that I have had the opportunity to use Understanding by Design for unit planning where you design the assessments first and then plan for understanding while you work toward those assessments. MYP unit planning is very similar to Understanding by Design but has an additional layer because we have "Areas of Interaction" that are related to everything being internationally minded. The "Areas of Interaction" are like the lens you put on each unit. They are Human Ingenuity, Health & Social Education, Environments, Community & Service, and Approaches to Learning (Metacognition) and this is going to be the super-new aspect of the MYP for me compared to what I've been doing so far in my career. To give an example of how these are used...my first unit for seventh grade is on human reproduction and factors that affect survival of fetuses, babies, and children. So, the Area of Interaction that we will use for this unit will be Health & Social Education and we will look at human reproduction/survival through the idea that different countries have different resources and that these factors often affect survival and health. I am sure that this is similar to "thematic units" that people did in the 80s/90s but the themes are just more broad and every subject area (including art, music, & PE) uses the same ones. I think it is super-cool and it is definitely pushing my skills and challenging me!<br />
<br />
That being said, I do feel a high degree of self-efficacy so far because planning inquiry-based science units is one of my favorite things to do, professional speaking, and I am being supported here by my department head and my MYP coordinator to be creative! I just don't feel like anyone is going to come in to my classroom with a checklist (like last year) and repeatedly tell me how much I suck! I don't feel beat down and overwhelmed like I already did before school started at my English school. I feel like I might actually have a life here! WOO HOO!<br />
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Speaking of that, in about a month, I will begin an intense German class for six hours per week that will go until Christmas. I am going to take it at the adult education center downtown with another teacher from my school, Lauren. I am surviving okay not speaking German but I kind of feel like a jerk that my first question is always "Sprechen Sie English?" While we were getting our cell phones hooked up the other day, the guy in the store was apologizing (who, btw, was named Wayne! "Hi Wayne...Hi!" à la Wayne's World) because he didn't think his English was very good. My friend Lauren and I were embarrassed because we're in Germany and here he was apologizing for not speaking English (which he totally did but everyone always says that they don't speak it well and they they speak it about as well as I do!). I think after three months of six hours/week, I will have a good start and will at least be able to converse on the basics! I have definitely already learned a lot of random words just from being in grocery stores, restaurants, and out and about around town.<br />
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Düsseldorf is turning out to be a great place to live (except the fact that they weren't lying when they said it was referred to as "Drizzledorf" because it sure does rain a lot here!)! There is a huge variety of restaurants of various ethnicities and hilariously, Düsseldorf is a hugely popular area for bachelor/bachelorette parties and so there are always a lot of groups walking around the Altstadt in matching t-shirts. Last night there was a whole group of guys in the Mexican restaurant where we were having a beer who were dressed in Leiderhosen and leather shorts. Awesome.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNd2PmytGqy1dYGDoPJBf7YjDaq31DszUGCpa6lCQ7ElOfI_SM0y2tEFRuim6mrWe4QLP01memRzEZqYcDIjruGUTcSeaSyr_fArhIieixc4EU5NkVb-pUaI1hlgOx57yAqMBmQWQyhA0/s1600/girls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNd2PmytGqy1dYGDoPJBf7YjDaq31DszUGCpa6lCQ7ElOfI_SM0y2tEFRuim6mrWe4QLP01memRzEZqYcDIjruGUTcSeaSyr_fArhIieixc4EU5NkVb-pUaI1hlgOx57yAqMBmQWQyhA0/s320/girls.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rhonda, me, and Lauren. I think that I've already had a better social life here in two weeks then I had in nine months in England. It is just a lot easier to meet people because everyone is in the same boat and is new instead of me being the only new person. We've already had lots of laughs!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>So, the kids start on Tuesday and tomorrow we have a final day of meetings and prep time to begin with kids! I will only meet three of my five groups of kids on the first day but within the first three days will have met everyone! I am nervous and excited but no more so than I am every year at the beginning of the year! I was definitely more nervous last year considering that I was expected to start teaching science on the first day of school whereas here, I am given complete freedom to do what I know needs to be done to build community and establish classroom rituals/routines. That fact alone is a HUGE RELIEF because I know how important and valuable that is and really like being in a school who shares my values. YAY!<br />
<br />
Any education people out there...the school is really focused on assessment and gave us the book "Making Classroom Assessment Work" by Anne Davies. I read the first half and it is excellent and very practical and useful and I totally recommend it!<br />
<br />
So, in a nutshell...having a great time and really psyched for school to get going! But, I still miss everyone (LOTS AND LOTS!) so feel free to Skype with me when you can!<br />
<br />
Tschüss!!! (Bye!)<br />
<br />
P.S.<br />
1. Michelle Bachman. REALLY? REALLY? REALLY?<br />
2. I am obsessed with my ipad because while typing this, I have been streaming NPR and listening to "Prairie Home Companion" and "Wait! Wait! Don't Tell Me!" on KUNC. I realize that I could have done this on my regular computer but it is just so much cooler on Ichabod Pad. (Thanks, Mama!)Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733803757673036822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5564612051838242268.post-79048469789424788172011-08-07T20:36:00.000+02:002011-08-07T21:18:05.261+02:00Here's my new city...Dumbledore...wait, I mean, Düsseldorf...I've been here just over a week. I am having so much fun that I am scared to jinx it by saying so...but I'll risk it...I am having so much fun! People at school speak my teacher language! I am encouraged to plan things that are creative and new and my ideas already feel valued. Again, don't want to jinx anything but I just really am having a great time at school and out and about on the town with my new school friends and with my new out-of-school friends, The Brydens. <span id="goog_948177572"></span><span id="goog_948177573"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0-2THG06UgvaNnNm_KnxheIOZ4rCXb9oemSIPGvZvE3DzFaefeLXNh3r3QZ1jjjRX4dtgFEpuGXTZ6ZYL-Q_J4nOmZzpc-pjtMM-vhNU-6rTV563HjNhNsdXkoRRRUAsSuAoQDfupbQw/s1600/IMG_0512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0-2THG06UgvaNnNm_KnxheIOZ4rCXb9oemSIPGvZvE3DzFaefeLXNh3r3QZ1jjjRX4dtgFEpuGXTZ6ZYL-Q_J4nOmZzpc-pjtMM-vhNU-6rTV563HjNhNsdXkoRRRUAsSuAoQDfupbQw/s320/IMG_0512.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These are my new friends, The Brydens. They rock! They just moved to Düsseldorf<br />
too and we have a mutual friend, Rachel, with whom I spent many a ridiculous night at the Rio or the Pickle Barrel while at undergrad at CSU! Yippee for new friends!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>This week we had orientation at school but a lot of it involved scheduled visits to immigration offices and to the bank so there wasn't a lot of scheduled time every day while at school. So, I've had plenty of time to figure out where things are- except the copy room, which I plan to find tomorrow, and to get acquainted with the various aspects of life at ISD. </div><div><br />
</div><div>I was relieved to find out that I have my own classroom and as soon as I had found that out, I began to prepare myself for the beginning of the year. </div><div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIjz1xX-7ZdzFVM-9b1b4wpMoXnqwgfLAXPjAL4yq5EqFEkZ8TlJu0Rm5B6AfK1ZJM3AIU4F8zj8OaWfR-G_0aUHpzHiRfiWQ93afIRbWYHded_WKhjvNKJGTfWWNbalB3rlaBUFUzmkE/s1600/IMG_0519.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIjz1xX-7ZdzFVM-9b1b4wpMoXnqwgfLAXPjAL4yq5EqFEkZ8TlJu0Rm5B6AfK1ZJM3AIU4F8zj8OaWfR-G_0aUHpzHiRfiWQ93afIRbWYHded_WKhjvNKJGTfWWNbalB3rlaBUFUzmkE/s320/IMG_0519.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anyone who has been in my classroom will know that these<br />
exact posters are essential for me to start the year!<br />
My dad had the idea for me to translate Be Brave, Work Hard, Have Fun into<br />
German to put next to these ones in English and I am totally going to!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>It made me feel productive to make posters like this (and, like coloring, poster making is bizarrely therapeutic) and also I am just so happy that my school values giving me the time to spend building my classroom climate and culture. I will start each year group (I have 6, 7, and 8) exactly the same in terms of setting things up and will worry about differentiating it next year when I already know the kids at the beginning of the year.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I feel like at this school nobody is going to walk through my room with a clipboard and a checklist telling me what a crap teacher I am every third day. Nobody is going to sit down with me and be like, "you need the basics of how to plan a lesson" like they did in my English school. Honestly, I feel a bit like I can just shut my door and do what I have learned through tons of professional development, what is good for kids! Any PEBC related people will be glad to know that my suitcases were packed (really heavy, so thanks!) with books so that I can share good resources with people at my school in terms of literacy! I have found that the elementary teachers here are my peeps in terms of our common values and common professional development. A lot of them have worked with Ron Ritchhart and Project Zero and used the work of Ellin Keene...it makes me excited that I have people to talk to about that kind of stuff! The high school people are more like "high school people" and very subject-area oriented and think I am kind of a silly (but not in a bad way) middle school person...but I DON'T CARE! That is who I am and I am proud that I am good with working with that age of kids, because not everyone is! </div><div><br />
</div><div>I also got my schedule this week. I will have an 8th grade homeroom and then will teach two sections of 6th, two of 7th, and one of 8th grade. The schedule is relatively complicated and we have a 9-day schedule as if there were nine days in a week. So, we go by schedule day and NOT what day of the week it is. For example, just because it is Friday does not mean that it is Day 5. Day 5 would just be whatever day of the actual week it happens to fall on. So, once we do 9 days, we start over to Day 1. I have two or three 50-minute blocks off everyday which is AWESOME so I will be able to actually get lots of work done at school as long as I can keep my socializing under control...which is truly something I have to think about! I was so lucky at CBMS since I was on a team with the people with whom I socialized the most so we had to see each other daily anyway. But, I suppose seeing what is going on in the rest of building will help me with my secret goal of becoming an instructional coach. And, the Asst. Principal told me that once I get settled in here to bring it up because he would like to discuss some options. SWEET!!!</div><div><br />
</div><div>On a social note....</div><div>Here are some pictures from around Düsseldorf from the week!</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicIys74n89rNe1TTCo-rTsCWBjRjL7hCPrS77py0kki_oKk0GJ2zuBmyUsQ8DnaN_9UAYMnEaOJ6_UDl2qo-49ChHKrMH2edPll1trEjcvI7BrMIjmI4ZtYPCJ4j2aPDk_4-gI77YEOxo/s1600/IMG_0517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicIys74n89rNe1TTCo-rTsCWBjRjL7hCPrS77py0kki_oKk0GJ2zuBmyUsQ8DnaN_9UAYMnEaOJ6_UDl2qo-49ChHKrMH2edPll1trEjcvI7BrMIjmI4ZtYPCJ4j2aPDk_4-gI77YEOxo/s320/IMG_0517.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglMlZzyjzg70dUJZI5Du82N4vJBFSnKWqRZXkUyOhj-O9k98Uf0-kG2Jbch3P3-clq3Y4uh_NwLhxvJBiU0wq9jDBvbvet6ZITRvV6n9cbc2NvQFKalLr-E9-KYTV04XUHgSKKDl3p1qE/s1600/IMG_0518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglMlZzyjzg70dUJZI5Du82N4vJBFSnKWqRZXkUyOhj-O9k98Uf0-kG2Jbch3P3-clq3Y4uh_NwLhxvJBiU0wq9jDBvbvet6ZITRvV6n9cbc2NvQFKalLr-E9-KYTV04XUHgSKKDl3p1qE/s320/IMG_0518.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These outfits are for sale at a huge department store downtown!<br />
I might have to buy one, because, really, how can I not?<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Took a river cruise on the Rhein around Düsseldorf (yeah, I know...big surprise, I took another river cruise) and here are some pictures of the city...<br />
<div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbzT0ep6VUaVoDPCmL2UVtG98d0anrm6Vbnqx98_NAh9_dzwXJ2LpQSKUKt4GdVuz8LHW7dWOiUsv-atH9PKgAmhRO_Ep3RuiT2AX1aRNIFV-ShI-XsY2mQVwLYt8eCrNkfrxPLJ__CUk/s1600/IMG_0527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbzT0ep6VUaVoDPCmL2UVtG98d0anrm6Vbnqx98_NAh9_dzwXJ2LpQSKUKt4GdVuz8LHW7dWOiUsv-atH9PKgAmhRO_Ep3RuiT2AX1aRNIFV-ShI-XsY2mQVwLYt8eCrNkfrxPLJ__CUk/s320/IMG_0527.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1zwxsdNZTP4LWXX6hYtlglTzgg5LWtfuRXlyM-DIp8u-405FbCaUIQ0EkMlJ_gOBrvPWbgGINaBLYGTUovOCVnIvhi5d7VVu9zqanTUR5VhIB5pBIM6QSt1N6eB04vE3chwDa0u0ctNc/s1600/IMG_0530.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1zwxsdNZTP4LWXX6hYtlglTzgg5LWtfuRXlyM-DIp8u-405FbCaUIQ0EkMlJ_gOBrvPWbgGINaBLYGTUovOCVnIvhi5d7VVu9zqanTUR5VhIB5pBIM6QSt1N6eB04vE3chwDa0u0ctNc/s320/IMG_0530.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfjDsPsNqumAEJ3xFCWPSDYuXg74V8fXtaLZ9rJDStJu6ep1i3BynC9EmWhVMpFD_kh6qAZ8CP_e5ABXZOqMu-nCcfTZR_bmzqeHYbEI9wLA7imSPhExkZJmijoBZI35L2VN4ZBVQud5E/s1600/IMG_0531.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfjDsPsNqumAEJ3xFCWPSDYuXg74V8fXtaLZ9rJDStJu6ep1i3BynC9EmWhVMpFD_kh6qAZ8CP_e5ABXZOqMu-nCcfTZR_bmzqeHYbEI9wLA7imSPhExkZJmijoBZI35L2VN4ZBVQud5E/s320/IMG_0531.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My new friend, Rhonda. She is another science teacher in my department<br />
but will teach high school. She's Canadian but taught in Stavanger, Norway for the last three years.<br />
I am trying to not be a snotty American and make fun of Canada like I usually do!! :) Curse you, South Park<br />
for teaching me all those things!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mkI952m4_xJmYkqnpkMKo3mWEhECqGuhR_z4_CwXim6gntki1ee-lhyphenhyphen4jEC9dMeUcDX1ckCPyxmBQ4QxL26seQF8KTX5iuyaHmm9WBhyRdb0kRr8nBOI55c4EG-1rKWB_bT9xwxy-vM/s1600/IMG_0535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mkI952m4_xJmYkqnpkMKo3mWEhECqGuhR_z4_CwXim6gntki1ee-lhyphenhyphen4jEC9dMeUcDX1ckCPyxmBQ4QxL26seQF8KTX5iuyaHmm9WBhyRdb0kRr8nBOI55c4EG-1rKWB_bT9xwxy-vM/s320/IMG_0535.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I liked how this was an old tower and they just build a modern<br />
building right around it!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD_F2-Nj0LL29iuPgMYM-OkZoZ80gCO611ogEvgW5PtXKrXicDrbLbVSRwq9UXr1K8dTUuCMPJ1HEw4Pqh84gQT7kVCXY4yCFUOiMTyye6MiCJG5-SHkfjJ9olkXMDxPIOwkOhV2egdnk/s1600/IMG_0538.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD_F2-Nj0LL29iuPgMYM-OkZoZ80gCO611ogEvgW5PtXKrXicDrbLbVSRwq9UXr1K8dTUuCMPJ1HEw4Pqh84gQT7kVCXY4yCFUOiMTyye6MiCJG5-SHkfjJ9olkXMDxPIOwkOhV2egdnk/s320/IMG_0538.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think that more than saying "I am obsessed with river cruises" what this<br />
cruise actually taught me is that major cities are often built on waterways since<br />
I have now been on cruises in London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Copenhagen. Geography lesson, people!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWawUgpgKcuZLqZKGrAkRUwtPvXb1Y86oTKB8dS_RjfWkvyfug8MJFUboxFiYbmI2vdiEE-QrzIeriG1QDTbG_-D1h9VOVoDz5dyEJ06PeWLHrKdxd3NQN3_uXHfmAjUIIao-ICSrSAl4/s1600/IMG_0539.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWawUgpgKcuZLqZKGrAkRUwtPvXb1Y86oTKB8dS_RjfWkvyfug8MJFUboxFiYbmI2vdiEE-QrzIeriG1QDTbG_-D1h9VOVoDz5dyEJ06PeWLHrKdxd3NQN3_uXHfmAjUIIao-ICSrSAl4/s320/IMG_0539.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It isn't just the picture- the church steeple is a bit crooked.<br />
The legend says that it will be straight only when a "true virgin" gets married there.<br />
HA!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIfxx04Um5VziXncQrCYX4pL0AGTU9VAScLJDVjxXSwJ_VTfdVhYngdypAhmZ-gKNgQUvhIH__KheomOhz39XOD2YGXm8RcbKEqB3oyDCDvTNLk9giY_w6z-Qxp14_Ti2AgDK-_u-8DbA/s1600/IMG_0540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIfxx04Um5VziXncQrCYX4pL0AGTU9VAScLJDVjxXSwJ_VTfdVhYngdypAhmZ-gKNgQUvhIH__KheomOhz39XOD2YGXm8RcbKEqB3oyDCDvTNLk9giY_w6z-Qxp14_Ti2AgDK-_u-8DbA/s320/IMG_0540.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See, still crooked.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdfHGY0dJKB3e5lyvBv62OxU_eNC8GfTjykmq7qQhKTh7viafWQB4l2H6thWSTFTEaaPinzWFylgEnaK4B2Da8E_Ajv5EXLFVYQf0eP2yEAvY88XE92-e_6lPrIJDBuZdOCzlk9Vh3TSc/s1600/IMG_0541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdfHGY0dJKB3e5lyvBv62OxU_eNC8GfTjykmq7qQhKTh7viafWQB4l2H6thWSTFTEaaPinzWFylgEnaK4B2Da8E_Ajv5EXLFVYQf0eP2yEAvY88XE92-e_6lPrIJDBuZdOCzlk9Vh3TSc/s320/IMG_0541.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXtKEPDr1ELNlHbn2h_sxUiaBJgutcrm0DqdWoBGc2OVsT5nppEyVYV7UVrp4CsDBZyQHm74Gjc-lfkrL-1igUIUYFH1ZVH5IbPiaUYErB9F9Ymdc3m2L8vRM5gTj2h3N-ndjkdOSJlyI/s1600/IMG_0542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXtKEPDr1ELNlHbn2h_sxUiaBJgutcrm0DqdWoBGc2OVsT5nppEyVYV7UVrp4CsDBZyQHm74Gjc-lfkrL-1igUIUYFH1ZVH5IbPiaUYErB9F9Ymdc3m2L8vRM5gTj2h3N-ndjkdOSJlyI/s320/IMG_0542.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ-L4MzR-MXVDHUqagf7kClBPPFUpUs46avggycXglC8Lml_qGpS4XJ7EPFG38VZdA7sMkHD-IpF8zJB9BDsJ9GIkCFBAsasI7VAQS1BEZ9eaqz1rtznhCdPXhAaouaii35vNSoGecykc/s1600/IMG_0543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ-L4MzR-MXVDHUqagf7kClBPPFUpUs46avggycXglC8Lml_qGpS4XJ7EPFG38VZdA7sMkHD-IpF8zJB9BDsJ9GIkCFBAsasI7VAQS1BEZ9eaqz1rtznhCdPXhAaouaii35vNSoGecykc/s320/IMG_0543.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsZaDI9uO6h_VqmEu_UGrf3nZNW5e4HonrcZBwwiCIwMfwvGu95HVYlQg5NczVLoIDpZsoE6IPk58kJ5it_X04mleVM3WmaFxXNrDVzqnjPFDcpUI5qvV90BG3JoTnj7Z04OIKeodyDJc/s1600/IMG_0544.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsZaDI9uO6h_VqmEu_UGrf3nZNW5e4HonrcZBwwiCIwMfwvGu95HVYlQg5NczVLoIDpZsoE6IPk58kJ5it_X04mleVM3WmaFxXNrDVzqnjPFDcpUI5qvV90BG3JoTnj7Z04OIKeodyDJc/s320/IMG_0544.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MEAT! I cannot tell you how easy it is to do a low carb diet in Germany (if you can<br />
avoid potatoes and bread because there are lots of delicious choices) because there is A LOT of choice when<br />
it comes to meat! This was a meat case at a street market.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZPbjjjPPGx-ETCpDowDyl1KXMyhEncv2ZxW0Q_T3_tmrEPi9-KGRIayzxtFdoUoKV6GcKOl61slknWEsHQuz2vdQTvSFYC8K_kw9Cs5nv8xQT0THLMZMWSZ7FZBCRzZyxQUniCDX8mA/s1600/IMG_0545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZPbjjjPPGx-ETCpDowDyl1KXMyhEncv2ZxW0Q_T3_tmrEPi9-KGRIayzxtFdoUoKV6GcKOl61slknWEsHQuz2vdQTvSFYC8K_kw9Cs5nv8xQT0THLMZMWSZ7FZBCRzZyxQUniCDX8mA/s320/IMG_0545.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gorgeous and cheap flowers too!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqI8QowElZ4n-Mw7ZkGw1gjGkjcozoX0Zf5X335CaqTqmwLLmVAcmwuKmmjjTkEO89YK_nX6ZZtIeOFKPjNX3go85g1IBQwT2tbjjA-uWRRMkwwy6P_ozfCsPURhhy04NG5Joow4afXdU/s1600/IMG_0546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqI8QowElZ4n-Mw7ZkGw1gjGkjcozoX0Zf5X335CaqTqmwLLmVAcmwuKmmjjTkEO89YK_nX6ZZtIeOFKPjNX3go85g1IBQwT2tbjjA-uWRRMkwwy6P_ozfCsPURhhy04NG5Joow4afXdU/s320/IMG_0546.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bulk foods at the street market. Normally, I will shop a giant American-style<br />
supermarket but on Sundays everything is closed but the street market.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD5iWL0ICrMRtTFq6IipQg5fSH0cuIiFvlcGvBdIfkKv-0d1Pw5HExOjz7RrSnOaGtxhiUpnfzFF9kt7ge4vArTxdm_7SRH1NnRrrmrqMB9yQnvY-hXIypIDxsm9NSYseQRw6xxrZIrlk/s1600/IMG_0547.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD5iWL0ICrMRtTFq6IipQg5fSH0cuIiFvlcGvBdIfkKv-0d1Pw5HExOjz7RrSnOaGtxhiUpnfzFF9kt7ge4vArTxdm_7SRH1NnRrrmrqMB9yQnvY-hXIypIDxsm9NSYseQRw6xxrZIrlk/s320/IMG_0547.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Brat! (Fed the bread to the seagulls...(this message just for Sally....just like we did<br />
when we threw bread out the window driving my janky Plymouth Acclaim across Kansas forever ago!))</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjly0JCbx22nNmBgVeWsV2ckfTyFLUuUhxzCvoOSAGzAUHLzOaGl_MM1BPYMwPxOBChp-AIQmgGilMMOhW2nfySj1jmCkv9pSqcutQygeFp2xaUBT25Zswc9jxUckgwejYSNLuxoOQRWXU/s1600/IMG_0548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjly0JCbx22nNmBgVeWsV2ckfTyFLUuUhxzCvoOSAGzAUHLzOaGl_MM1BPYMwPxOBChp-AIQmgGilMMOhW2nfySj1jmCkv9pSqcutQygeFp2xaUBT25Zswc9jxUckgwejYSNLuxoOQRWXU/s320/IMG_0548.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixCu8BJN3Sfp1jgf-xJ1NiAZ4Jkfhlsy0Go2VIAOePE8pFSW_CmSPz823TC7oBTowLEd5Lx83a7rYvSo9en2xLiNuVjBkr9KBltEy2AcYm-3Q7a5pqTSMo-ndrJZ8sZ36Nv5QTJZCkYYY/s1600/IMG_0549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixCu8BJN3Sfp1jgf-xJ1NiAZ4Jkfhlsy0Go2VIAOePE8pFSW_CmSPz823TC7oBTowLEd5Lx83a7rYvSo9en2xLiNuVjBkr9KBltEy2AcYm-3Q7a5pqTSMo-ndrJZ8sZ36Nv5QTJZCkYYY/s320/IMG_0549.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WINE ON THE RHEIN with Rhonda! Woo hoo!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeqdbjNQA8qN-U4sO-6LuZJDBklRyBc_Nvgs0duJ9NV54f3yMVkW8FTDhyBC4DFfF4y7NW4YNJZ5vYlqhTDETJIzCdl0aKCsjFCQ3OSTVNeETWpro3Pxxd7bj_n_F17a3qQQDMFz8-l7c/s1600/IMG_0550.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeqdbjNQA8qN-U4sO-6LuZJDBklRyBc_Nvgs0duJ9NV54f3yMVkW8FTDhyBC4DFfF4y7NW4YNJZ5vYlqhTDETJIzCdl0aKCsjFCQ3OSTVNeETWpro3Pxxd7bj_n_F17a3qQQDMFz8-l7c/s320/IMG_0550.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">German Wall Street. :) The B means two s's and Strasse means street.<br />
But, this would be pronounced "vall-stasse"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpOB5ZUqLEXVGW-OzwzgKjda0dZSHsyADrBSn68ZZhdDicM-mgx2104pMVF8eob1PjW630RpjCCXKuwfutsHOMhAT6UMdMbC8hBoLWMaYZjSfvRZAvPovyHjbMxcqPLWF-KVKUJuf3l7w/s1600/IMG_0552.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpOB5ZUqLEXVGW-OzwzgKjda0dZSHsyADrBSn68ZZhdDicM-mgx2104pMVF8eob1PjW630RpjCCXKuwfutsHOMhAT6UMdMbC8hBoLWMaYZjSfvRZAvPovyHjbMxcqPLWF-KVKUJuf3l7w/s320/IMG_0552.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There was a wine festival and these were the food options. Delish!<br />
Who doesn't like wine and cheese in the middle of the day on a Sunday! Perfect!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>So, I hope you get some idea of what Dumbledore, I mean, Düsseldorf, looks like! Many parts of the city are very modern because the majority of the city was destroyed by Allied bombing in World War II. Once school starts and I have my classroom set up, I will post some pics of that too!</div></div><div><br />
</div><div>This week we continue with orientation and then kids start on August 16th. I am pretty excited to just get on with it after the last 9 months without a job. Will update again soon!!</div>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733803757673036822noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5564612051838242268.post-19462575759088348202011-08-04T09:17:00.000+02:002011-08-04T09:17:08.683+02:00Return to the working world...Just wanted to write a quick update about my first day of ISD. No kids yet! They start the 16th but today was our first day of training. We have 30 new teachers and so there were lots and lots of names to learn. But, we had a really fun day and I think by the end I know almost everyone's names. The day was loosely scheduled so we had lots of time to just sit around and socialize and get to know each other while filling out paperwork, getting our new email address, etc. I even got the digital pen to my Interactive White Board, which petrifies me completely as I don't even know how to turn it on! I saw some overhead projectors....phew! :)<br />
<br />
I got my keys so I know I am real now! Today I will go do some work in my classroom and get all of my paperwork together to register for my work/residence permit! Thank goodness the school translates all of our forms because I am super lost!<br />
<br />
The school had catered lunch for us and then in the evening, after a three hour break wherein we went to an adorable little cafe on the riverbanks of the Rhein, we had a dinner at an Italian restaurant near school. The dinner was super fun, and as all the teachers I have ever met generally do, the more wine flowed, the louder and sillier the teacher group became! (I know that happens to all people, but I feel like teachers are a special brand of let-loose-ers!)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXE4cR_0USSyv06gwhPNRa_BR1S2XDRcRecwwpieg5p9upjAD4z382Xzy_kKr44nzco5jXSv-uxZA2HKlFdDvPMkby9rmteNRfCJzI_uf3wRF6YGTrZgfH6_CGnzesLSdUfZztPIKwj8s/s1600/IMG_0515.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXE4cR_0USSyv06gwhPNRa_BR1S2XDRcRecwwpieg5p9upjAD4z382Xzy_kKr44nzco5jXSv-uxZA2HKlFdDvPMkby9rmteNRfCJzI_uf3wRF6YGTrZgfH6_CGnzesLSdUfZztPIKwj8s/s320/IMG_0515.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New friends! They have all taught at places around the world before...so fun!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>So, to say it in a nutshell....I am having a great time, love my new apartment, and really like Düsseldorf. It is an easily navigable city without a car and I have found lots of stores, and even went to German yoga earlier this week. After living where I felt so stuck last year, I do not feel that AT ALL! Having a great time and since I know my social-butterfly self...I am going to have to work hard at school to not just spend my off periods chatting and actually being productive!<br />
<br />
I got my schedule and will explain that later...but simply, I have two sections of 6th, two of 7th, and one of 8th grade...and guess what, unlike in my English school, the multiple classes in one grade level get to do the SAME THING...so it won't be how I had to plan something different for every group of kids. It will truly be three preps. YAY!<br />
<br />
Off to "work"...Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733803757673036822noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5564612051838242268.post-741800585897083632011-07-28T20:45:00.000+02:002011-07-28T20:57:50.697+02:00Return of the Traveling Teacher: Arrival in DüsseldorfI AM HERE!<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>I arrived this morning at 6:45 am local time- which is 10:45 pm the night before in Colorado! Needless to say, I am tired having missed a night of sleep entirely. How has my dad been doing this kind of sleep pattern for the last 40 years? JEEZ! I am a wreck today. I guess it doesn't help that the morning before I left, I woke up with a terrible cold! But, despite that, easy travel that was all on time. Denver-Vancouver and then Vancouver-Düsseldorf.</div><div><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7We4Hkp_13lIEve2aGXf0kxv2dc_GO_ZQl9EasRJSJYvzjZmQukfNB4nhRn-adQFD9gTN5bTQKcm0YsC2b0KdKswOQHMeVzvW5-AnxRz7kyBvuIfcJGyavbKTBPNlXpXDZ6flyl9UW5Q/s1600/IMG_0505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7We4Hkp_13lIEve2aGXf0kxv2dc_GO_ZQl9EasRJSJYvzjZmQukfNB4nhRn-adQFD9gTN5bTQKcm0YsC2b0KdKswOQHMeVzvW5-AnxRz7kyBvuIfcJGyavbKTBPNlXpXDZ6flyl9UW5Q/s320/IMG_0505.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It just felt really surreal seeing it written considering how long I've<br />
have been anticipating this move! (Since January!!) What you can't see is that there<br />
are people swilling Molsen and playing hockey under this sign while Maple syrup pours of<br />
the drinking fountains...that's just how it is in Canada.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>I was met at the airport by the admissions counselor from the school, Maire, who is Irish but has lived here for 14 years...international already! She could easily spot me given my overabundance of luggage! I had three large checked bags, a carry-on size suitcase, and a fully stuff backpack! Hey...I am moving...not just visiting and I had to pack my bag full of green chilis because I cannot go without Mexican food like last time! :)</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div>Maire drove me to my apartment and then we lugged all of my suitcases in the elevator. I am on the seventh floor by German counting and the sixth floor by American...either way, it is at the top of the building and I have a pretty good view! Really relieved the elevator is fully functional (there was question about whether it would be under construction) because my three, 50 pound bags would have broken me if I'd had to do the stairs! The school also had put together a welcome tub for me that included toilet paper, paper towels, a little food, coffee, tea, and cleaning supplies...Maire even brought more cleaning supplies later as the fridge is mother-effing disgusting and I am going to need some gloves and a mask to tackle that- which she brought over later! </div><div><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrn9dWrU1295fbeNu7Z1J_g4xLZnZSLKrbsteEcP8mXSXKiUN8LBowt7v8kWvm4GqaJlY66KC_BtBLffFOzvfiyYTOQxZavY7qAeEA_F4gbkNHS144NZ1FC1IcUhkSMkRJ7e4ENuIxVqc/s1600/IMG_0511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrn9dWrU1295fbeNu7Z1J_g4xLZnZSLKrbsteEcP8mXSXKiUN8LBowt7v8kWvm4GqaJlY66KC_BtBLffFOzvfiyYTOQxZavY7qAeEA_F4gbkNHS144NZ1FC1IcUhkSMkRJ7e4ENuIxVqc/s320/IMG_0511.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of the view from my patio! </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>I felt really crappy upon arrival due to the stuffiness of my head and the fact that it was nighttime to my body, so as soon as she left, I slept for a few hours. My one job today was to wake up for the phone/internet guy, which I did. Let me tell you how much empathy I have for immigrants to the US who don't speak English! Fortunately, the housing coordinator at the school set up all the appointments because when he got here we were like a comical mix of sign language and pointing! I would never have had internet if the school hadn't set it up! For those of you out there working with non-English speakers, think about the daily life things that we don't even think about...bank, grocery shopping, etc. I still don't know what my phone number is but my internet works so that's fine! </div><div><br />
</div><div>I don't have any hangers so it will take me a few days to fully unpack. But, what a relief to have my own house again! I am selfish and don't like sharing my space and am really glad to be able to live my life in more than one room! </div><div><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggPoxX2gBlG8rPMuKS_UqjGCCYOPBtD2VwgoZNHGhH5esHlyQGgN-P-aA3gNS53LNgdCUV1B1mIkz_xNH1oQGyocjUYbvarwM_XkgzT3UeL-uRf8rkRB85ydB0R8N0Z1u2HwWCwWIADL8/s1600/IMG_0509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggPoxX2gBlG8rPMuKS_UqjGCCYOPBtD2VwgoZNHGhH5esHlyQGgN-P-aA3gNS53LNgdCUV1B1mIkz_xNH1oQGyocjUYbvarwM_XkgzT3UeL-uRf8rkRB85ydB0R8N0Z1u2HwWCwWIADL8/s320/IMG_0509.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I worked on the bathroom with all of my cute, collapsable Target<br />
containers. I've spent an obscene amount of money at Target (Tar-jay) lately! Ugh.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi2Pt-_k9dmsYUNmOf6nw8xoS-tSv-nViXlPO7qDAplHzuNsupOStpZsQkNDXvBSkW0mMNrZNVDqtMQoWWhUp8Trlq0kAfW0WPtLhHz3QYmnWETexqeqyCbCdojqXq92lP6LmDcXZmh-8/s1600/IMG_0506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi2Pt-_k9dmsYUNmOf6nw8xoS-tSv-nViXlPO7qDAplHzuNsupOStpZsQkNDXvBSkW0mMNrZNVDqtMQoWWhUp8Trlq0kAfW0WPtLhHz3QYmnWETexqeqyCbCdojqXq92lP6LmDcXZmh-8/s320/IMG_0506.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My boxes arrived from England and I trying to decide where to put the paintings my<br />
parents brought over! </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>So that's it for now. I haven't gone anywhere since I arrived because I feel yucky and am really tired. I have been intermittently unpacking and sleeping and rocking out to my new Glee CDs. The answer is, yes, I am a huge dork. Tomorrow night I will be going out to dinner with my new friends Barbara and Todd Bryden (whom I haven't met yet but I know we'll be friends!)! They are friends of one of my CSU friends, Rachel, and she connected us back in March since they just moved here this summer too! I'm really excited for some new friends already! Tomorrow I will venture out to the grocery store which I am sure will be filled with confusing hilarity! Stay tuned! </div>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733803757673036822noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5564612051838242268.post-36264623478546203032011-07-19T05:30:00.000+02:002011-07-19T17:41:33.979+02:00The Tale of the Fastest Summer EverThis summer has absolutely flown by! I have spent many a days just driving back and forth from Denver to Fort Collins to Boulder (in one of my parents' cars like I am in high school, but unlike my car in high school, these can actually go on the highway...phew!). It has been a busy summer and unlike most summers, I haven't gotten to even have ONE DAY just laying around doing nothing!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3xsAtNEjzLvF9O5uw_2ruFj6sDSjeHIBkjpt5RhQG3CDil5SPmjMwUbIeA2ZzypQCz8f9L6a_bWpkjCKIytSKXMmXCto5T1PB4dbOmZ4s0wCQd1xe9MAkgMuUKIdcMdFuWhhm7ojAHXY/s1600/IMG_0030_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3xsAtNEjzLvF9O5uw_2ruFj6sDSjeHIBkjpt5RhQG3CDil5SPmjMwUbIeA2ZzypQCz8f9L6a_bWpkjCKIytSKXMmXCto5T1PB4dbOmZ4s0wCQd1xe9MAkgMuUKIdcMdFuWhhm7ojAHXY/s320/IMG_0030_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The summer began with a visit from my Danish cousin, Terese, and a weekend-long<br />
slumber party with my dear friend, Megan! </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Between visiting friends, going to a family wedding reception in Seattle, a training and a family visit in Atlanta, a trip to the Western Slope of Colorado, a Camp Chief Ouray reunion, a visit from fire-escaping New Mexican friends, many trips to Fort Collins to hang out with The Dudleys, and a million breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and coffees with long lost friends, it has been a great trip home. In fact, it has felt like I never actually left.<br />
<br />
To be honest, after my horrible experience last year, I am just mentally setting the reset button and starting over with my international teaching experience! The best part about coming home, and Colorado will always be home, is that you always feel at home! (Can I use 'home' again in that sentence?). When I was at my training this summer, it didn't even feel like I had worked in England. All of my teacher thinking came straight from CBMS as if I had never left!<br />
<br />
So, here are some pictures from my summer. You'll notice that I spent a lot of time with babies and toddlers. Its what I do! :)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtt5oys1AUlQLAR00hmV34f8ftx0gnpEu8ywThTYxUwSeJASNNNxG3Ie6IVU37lzX1TI1md6YrmCI289QPLnAXoeroYiBjWf9uI3P7etNO6hEhlbrNhj__SLoTbQbDIGUEPxZJYff6Tlg/s1600/IMG_0331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtt5oys1AUlQLAR00hmV34f8ftx0gnpEu8ywThTYxUwSeJASNNNxG3Ie6IVU37lzX1TI1md6YrmCI289QPLnAXoeroYiBjWf9uI3P7etNO6hEhlbrNhj__SLoTbQbDIGUEPxZJYff6Tlg/s320/IMG_0331.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first summer visit was with The Wolff-Barrys...my favorite twins!<br />
Clark & Fawn have not gotten any less hilarious while I was gone...more so, actually! <br />
Four is funny!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8gyP09Pu746PHX176o9-kc4f5eOc6eYdeBK4Tuy75rR2tZ47fQXXeSAx3P0K7bLFUU4isrq0ABEOpNEYN6v0NtUuEZs5T-R6wykEIov23JAg3xoe5wVxEvSs1d-qRfytByi9gOz_FzFk/s1600/IMG_0033_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8gyP09Pu746PHX176o9-kc4f5eOc6eYdeBK4Tuy75rR2tZ47fQXXeSAx3P0K7bLFUU4isrq0ABEOpNEYN6v0NtUuEZs5T-R6wykEIov23JAg3xoe5wVxEvSs1d-qRfytByi9gOz_FzFk/s320/IMG_0033_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now these aren't toddlers!<br />
My nanny, Lori, has the most amazing kids ever...Karolina & Kai!<br />
We zooed it up and I can't wait to spend Christmas with them this year!<br />
<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>After a few initial visits, I headed to Seattle for my cousin Annie's one year anniversary party! Seattle is the coolest place and I was really relieved to be back in cool, Northern European-ish weather after the shocking 90's of Colorado!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVY2-f27Kf58rprRoJlwWUaJjd5-D9l31jYJ_OMH5mFE7wSxTybZd59chOxvhachcdqeicUi3lkKYbrluOnZaNRf1BDt-9DmEPVR2GrNJ1tVljsm55IZO-ay5nMmHIcis7KyxVK-0hhv8/s1600/IMG_0337.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVY2-f27Kf58rprRoJlwWUaJjd5-D9l31jYJ_OMH5mFE7wSxTybZd59chOxvhachcdqeicUi3lkKYbrluOnZaNRf1BDt-9DmEPVR2GrNJ1tVljsm55IZO-ay5nMmHIcis7KyxVK-0hhv8/s320/IMG_0337.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My cousin, Annie, took me out for delicious dim-sum while in Seattle!<br />
We also spent some time with her backyard throwing knives, seriously fun! </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibbYnALMW4oEasUM0lUmqqlBGU9wl-l1sHMwXgGldlAjD5xumaFGQwHLjFAvZuhOCLlVE47WyXFVnFbiAzX9FLnNhsfLsMv3b0rNnmbYnHZCoobMoxsknWx7jmPBC5i84Ow0UygdTTVAk/s1600/IMG_0336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibbYnALMW4oEasUM0lUmqqlBGU9wl-l1sHMwXgGldlAjD5xumaFGQwHLjFAvZuhOCLlVE47WyXFVnFbiAzX9FLnNhsfLsMv3b0rNnmbYnHZCoobMoxsknWx7jmPBC5i84Ow0UygdTTVAk/s320/IMG_0336.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mount Ranier out the window of the plane!<br />
The best part of the summer: I got an iPad and was able to catch up on movies<br />
I missed while on all of my flights! This was worth putting down the movie!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlsJuhRf54dSODgq-8vrOpDCjyRYLs6rFeD43pE1HC_Jh6MfEbyp8UJMMaIWtIG9gpWoBJm17CRrkiQtDgw_ty3_lYVpRbkVHrDsBr2SkE-fPC5n5XzBkh5V1uDVVjUzsrbMOh5fk09ko/s1600/IMG_0005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlsJuhRf54dSODgq-8vrOpDCjyRYLs6rFeD43pE1HC_Jh6MfEbyp8UJMMaIWtIG9gpWoBJm17CRrkiQtDgw_ty3_lYVpRbkVHrDsBr2SkE-fPC5n5XzBkh5V1uDVVjUzsrbMOh5fk09ko/s320/IMG_0005.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My friend Dawn from CSU was able to come to Seattle from Oregon while I was there!<br />
Great to catch up with an old friend and to realize that we haven't changed<br />
much since we met when we were 20!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwubX65C_PczKg_kqlgIdvtgl41e0UmZwQ7wi-Q3As_JNczUgkKpnf6250en-mUmxJM98iUEFO57PmOr9OqFF2tmJuD-MyRk9bWg-4749iPlkuzd-NNPsbXqDQj3HSA6FmIq-MKFSGXEM/s1600/IMG_0338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwubX65C_PczKg_kqlgIdvtgl41e0UmZwQ7wi-Q3As_JNczUgkKpnf6250en-mUmxJM98iUEFO57PmOr9OqFF2tmJuD-MyRk9bWg-4749iPlkuzd-NNPsbXqDQj3HSA6FmIq-MKFSGXEM/s320/IMG_0338.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family dinner in Seattle. My dad's sister and her family live there and hosted me!<br />
We had a great time with plenty of delicious food and wine! Big surprise, huh? </td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO2F4ARRE-qyLeli0qp5M9DknyQ7Rz_JCbN67dHCXAJnbbYHm8yZvxbkqSCPTUH_JqvMPZfgb8XmHPhM9DTzAd2UhLkiRfdQHkQH9xpHmTA5c1RXXO_XR2PBkbXDmqzY4haj64b1gfwbQ/s1600/Liz%252C+Joann%252C+Marilyn.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO2F4ARRE-qyLeli0qp5M9DknyQ7Rz_JCbN67dHCXAJnbbYHm8yZvxbkqSCPTUH_JqvMPZfgb8XmHPhM9DTzAd2UhLkiRfdQHkQH9xpHmTA5c1RXXO_XR2PBkbXDmqzY4haj64b1gfwbQ/s1600/Liz%252C+Joann%252C+Marilyn.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There was a photo booth with props at the party!<br />
My aunts, JoAnn & Marilyn, are always willing to be silly with me!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I had one of the quickest travel turn-arounds I've ever had (enough time for laundry and a little nap) before heading to Atlanta for an International Baccalaureate training at the Atlanta International School. My school in Düsseldorf sent me to the training and the coolest part about it was that the AIS is where the movie "The Blind Side" was filmed! The training was a synthesis of many other professional development experiences that I'd had before, however, IB has a set of vocabulary and principles that were new to me. Most importantly, IB is focused on thinking and application of learning instead of memorization like in my last science department.<br />
<br />
I was able to make some good professional connections with several science teachers from around the US who think like me instructionally and we exchanged information and already sent lots of teacher/student documents back and forth through email. I also met a science teacher from California who will be in Germany this summer so we are planning to get together in Düsseldorf. HOW FUN!<br />
<br />
The other part of my trip to Atlanta was that I was able to spend time with my cousin Brian (we have twin feet but his are giant...or "superior" he would say!) and his girlfriend Ayla, who is awesome! And, I also got to see my cousin Ryan and his wife, Angie. Ryan and Angie have the most hilarious little girl, Abbie.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgww2IhWH0pTgveFbP37tkXbxWOkquW8NPdK0F_grYGRfQMbQ03TbzAwD6Gu4mYDuARTKxYBaPxPXi2qiThcF_tRnmCXIfGc7nGwGoQfW1V72oCM_BaKyo9aVddwu5rp_fXpVRzoIiUFQ4/s1600/IMG_0358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgww2IhWH0pTgveFbP37tkXbxWOkquW8NPdK0F_grYGRfQMbQ03TbzAwD6Gu4mYDuARTKxYBaPxPXi2qiThcF_tRnmCXIfGc7nGwGoQfW1V72oCM_BaKyo9aVddwu5rp_fXpVRzoIiUFQ4/s320/IMG_0358.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Abigail Susan (Abbie, or if you are going to get fully Southern....Abbie Sue)<br />
is an extremely funny kid. I think that there is no doubt that she<br />
is just like her Aunt Cara used to be when she was little!<br />
(Sorry if you are not a family member and you are reading this but my family<br />
will know what I am talking about!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>While I was in Georgia, some enormous fires began burning in New Mexico, the largest in the state's history. The smoke in Taos, where my friends The Murphrees (otherwise known as Shira, J-rod, and Mona) live. The smoke got so bad that they ended up having to flee to Colorado. I had had plans to go to Taos to see them anyway, but instead got to spend a week with them in Colorado. Mona is nine months old and she learned to scream really loudly and hilariously while here.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOOZAz8X3FERN3YP1K2FgkjfMEkxCxVsnHE1HgxrBlCYK8XMM5XgVZtOXptI5OKAxSm1Ny6Hny1eFHbnxhxrOKNOzhbyzgISH-37R0iAzUv9EVVUNU_RiUymp4PTTqEo24QBXDYl7SGsQ/s1600/IMG_0032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOOZAz8X3FERN3YP1K2FgkjfMEkxCxVsnHE1HgxrBlCYK8XMM5XgVZtOXptI5OKAxSm1Ny6Hny1eFHbnxhxrOKNOzhbyzgISH-37R0iAzUv9EVVUNU_RiUymp4PTTqEo24QBXDYl7SGsQ/s320/IMG_0032.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mona & J-rod were playing "lion tamer" with Daddy as the lion.<br />
This induced a lot of really funny baby screaming!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>During part of The Murphree visit, we stayed with The Cloughs (Kirsten, Matt, & Annika). Nothing beats old friends, wine, cheese, and backyard grilling!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYm546uyWLoW5xdrq5h5UMYWzEtoAfzcQyr_lu0vDro1HInNvUwet-hmvYYpJ_MzN7VjUZJR7d3wz8sHMp1ndaNvk6LZ4UkSwxVBQbBPO-1fUpcn7UPC0Zvu2C9tHIaVseNWMe4qmSUQ8/s1600/IMG_0364.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYm546uyWLoW5xdrq5h5UMYWzEtoAfzcQyr_lu0vDro1HInNvUwet-hmvYYpJ_MzN7VjUZJR7d3wz8sHMp1ndaNvk6LZ4UkSwxVBQbBPO-1fUpcn7UPC0Zvu2C9tHIaVseNWMe4qmSUQ8/s320/IMG_0364.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Annika was wearing my empty backpack while we walked<br />
around REI and then saw this bike basket. She<br />
immediately put it on her head! Very logical, of course! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>As I mentioned before, I spent a lot of time driving between Denver, Fort Collins, and Boulder. One of the trips to Boulder involved visiting my friend Carolyn and her new baby, Ellie.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsnExfAXObgpFIhMr82I09jOhfYD9REIoJ7sWGm7Lb0OZV1P765-WKLWnPY_sQId1LCQQK-m6CMLd-ulMROIqL2d7Ad2L-19wISrTnpXgE9QU2tMdMiD238n9FAhH_WZmQCyiNiPLkLHY/s1600/IMG_0369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsnExfAXObgpFIhMr82I09jOhfYD9REIoJ7sWGm7Lb0OZV1P765-WKLWnPY_sQId1LCQQK-m6CMLd-ulMROIqL2d7Ad2L-19wISrTnpXgE9QU2tMdMiD238n9FAhH_WZmQCyiNiPLkLHY/s320/IMG_0369.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carolyn & Baby Ellie!<br />
Carolyn, Ellie, and I went through a few outfits on this day!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>One of the highlights of my summer was seeing Carmen at the Central City Opera with my mom and dad. We decided that operas have to be extra-super dramatic because how boring would an opera be if it was just about clerical work or something? This was the best rendition of a song from Carmen that I could find!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/EDFgtFXfnv0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
My other sojourn this summer was to the Western Slope with my mom to visit one of her oldest friends, Joanie! We visited Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, tasted some Western Slope wine, and fought off the worst mosquitoes of my life while camper-camping on the Grand Mesa. We also got to see some of the best, most amazing wildflowers at around 9,000 feet elevation. I was suddenly shocked when random Latin names would escape my brain and burst forth....<i>Thermopsis divaricarpa, Antennaria parvifolia</i>...AAAAHHH!!! (Thank you, Pingree Park, CSU's mountain campus where I spent the most intense four weeks in 1999...so intense that I still randomly bust out scientific names!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUvJFMSXPQe0l82zJsEoM2LPNjyhN4B1_GP75xTZ5RA6ydC-Nkw4dvLcxCH17dE6ITItPyjBIUaX5GRfUpTCYBuB_-vu_UrJoZltRI3iQNVvlGs0TOUhaa5PHV-5WB3uQ6wuXitRJsxfk/s1600/IMG_0064.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUvJFMSXPQe0l82zJsEoM2LPNjyhN4B1_GP75xTZ5RA6ydC-Nkw4dvLcxCH17dE6ITItPyjBIUaX5GRfUpTCYBuB_-vu_UrJoZltRI3iQNVvlGs0TOUhaa5PHV-5WB3uQ6wuXitRJsxfk/s320/IMG_0064.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joanie, My Mama, and Me at the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park!<br />
AMAZING views! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpP1-KV6obXDmGz_PYMuTI48KEI7KkkIxUuA__8yOvTJDPDZu5Xk49_ViCd9BGdW9A_bhdl9NxbAmTFG__IkffOTsWq7I6ZttCJ-Z40esKygXTHIowvR7AMBOqXvKaeeAvHf8aFf-DNj8/s1600/IMG_0105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpP1-KV6obXDmGz_PYMuTI48KEI7KkkIxUuA__8yOvTJDPDZu5Xk49_ViCd9BGdW9A_bhdl9NxbAmTFG__IkffOTsWq7I6ZttCJ-Z40esKygXTHIowvR7AMBOqXvKaeeAvHf8aFf-DNj8/s320/IMG_0105.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WHAT? Look at these Columbines!<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;"><i>Aquilegia caerulea</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>We had a fun trip although I almost lost my mind from the mosquitoes! Ever since my India trip I have a hard time with bug spray since I pretty much burned my skin off with 100% Deet! And, who knew that Colorado had such amazing wine!<br />
<br />
Everybody knows that I have been a "camp girl" my whole life...having been a camp counselor translated perfectly into being a middle school teacher. So, at the beginning of the summer, Megan and I concocted an idea to have a Camp Chief Ouray 1997 reunion...the last summer we were all there together. Kir and Matt offered to host and it was so fun to catch up with everyone. Although, it was funny to be like, "so, since college, what have you been doing?" since we've all gotten quite old!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgikWRwyxMwYlm1Ynvthdw4VQF-fpcCKloNNHzO3DehVTSDVAHjxThfBW20Odq0OldHWEw7-ZvDUlUfkHLmi84lR5INd_jcp0QFhrQUvDnaSW9g0U8ZvIcC1eE8YtCUiZ7_BH0KZ7G4ocs/s1600/268019_2223546149279_1266489301_32611620_5130365_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgikWRwyxMwYlm1Ynvthdw4VQF-fpcCKloNNHzO3DehVTSDVAHjxThfBW20Odq0OldHWEw7-ZvDUlUfkHLmi84lR5INd_jcp0QFhrQUvDnaSW9g0U8ZvIcC1eE8YtCUiZ7_BH0KZ7G4ocs/s320/268019_2223546149279_1266489301_32611620_5130365_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Campers!<br />
From left to right in the back: Megan, Me, Kir, Matt, Beth, Kevin<br />
In the front: Gina & Justin<br />
We were all counselors at Camp Chief Ouray in 1997 (and most people in other years too!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I have also been hearing about my mom's painting all year and finally got to try some for myself. We went to a place called "Canvas and Cocktails" and through some careful painting instruction, I was able to create my first painting! Having been told by pretty much every art teacher and every seventh grader that I've ever taught, that I am a horrible artist, it was really exciting to create something that might actually be worthy of hanging on the wall (hopefully at Megan's since she said she wanted it!)!!<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSDjy0arFm4qwSZA1lwRmW3ms2lclN63L3SsLThnGn7cesCW5uYuLaqY_4uYyBzWQulaolV-djehHP-C8zWa4FS5s4jPE4XLW5OAU4QjT18FkbefN9pEQaDVCZ3RYGSIo6Sr-B8on2U4/s1600/IMG_0009_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSDjy0arFm4qwSZA1lwRmW3ms2lclN63L3SsLThnGn7cesCW5uYuLaqY_4uYyBzWQulaolV-djehHP-C8zWa4FS5s4jPE4XLW5OAU4QjT18FkbefN9pEQaDVCZ3RYGSIo6Sr-B8on2U4/s320/IMG_0009_2.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The creating begins!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzlP4-XJvALSCe3_7S8ly3Ae9I1wU21OLHUyKW3-9c2-1pGK8r64_qlw_QpBhjsUL2kplxcc8SQLLHGQhcp95TGY_BAZ4Gimq31AUWlWYC-1hDcqlWj87rhSTlvxj8QoO-KB0Dmxqu-Ws/s1600/IMG_0016_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzlP4-XJvALSCe3_7S8ly3Ae9I1wU21OLHUyKW3-9c2-1pGK8r64_qlw_QpBhjsUL2kplxcc8SQLLHGQhcp95TGY_BAZ4Gimq31AUWlWYC-1hDcqlWj87rhSTlvxj8QoO-KB0Dmxqu-Ws/s320/IMG_0016_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The final products! Turned out pretty well!<br />
I almost threw mine at the very end because I totally screwed up one part....<br />
...but the teacher rescued me, like a good teacher, and the worst part turned into my favorite part!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
And lastly, when I wasn't doing all of this other stuff, I spent lots of time with The Dudleys, Natalie, Todd, and Harper! Harper's new thing is to put objects on people's heads and call them a hat and then laugh really hard because they aren't actually hats! She is such a doll and so super smart!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuGVwjp5OWb2GABVNj9J30dsx_ZJjNL-IW5Yw_L5LUmC4cWmm5fL_dwRT8dUOf-3tknjNUSrfw4vWpzTbAfbsPxuQsRkZViU0cRQ5Gkebros952-yJPuxqswgMJcddEj1KLM62VOx-2aA/s1600/IMG_0426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuGVwjp5OWb2GABVNj9J30dsx_ZJjNL-IW5Yw_L5LUmC4cWmm5fL_dwRT8dUOf-3tknjNUSrfw4vWpzTbAfbsPxuQsRkZViU0cRQ5Gkebros952-yJPuxqswgMJcddEj1KLM62VOx-2aA/s320/IMG_0426.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harper hammed it up for me! I also taught her how to take<br />
pictures with my camera which she thought was really fun!<br />
<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I leave in a week from Wednesday and have every second planned between now and then. My friend Courtney is flying out from Omaha and I will be staying with my friend Kir while she gets her tonsils out...OUCH!<br />
<br />
And, as I have been doing all year...I pack. I will be hauling a major load of green chilis over to Germany because I have learned that I CANNOT live without them and they are impossible to find in Europe.<br />
<br />
So, it is likely that the next time I blog, it will be from my new apartment in Germany! WOO HOO! Bittersweet to leave (especially all these sweet babies that I hang out with!) but I am looking forward to having my own place, a new job, and a new challenge!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: nowrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Auf Wiedersehen!!!</span></span></span></div>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17733803757673036822noreply@blogger.com2