It's still bittersweet, thinking of people back in Alabama. But, I suppose it's more a distant pang now, more of one of those random sharp pains in the side that hurts the most when one takes a deep breath. One never expects it, and it's over a moment later, but it always, always takes one by surprise. Friends advise me to get over it and to take advantage of being in Europe to travel and make new friends (I have even been ordered, by multiple people, to fall in love with and marry a German man, but I will not succumb to the pressure. Sorry.). Perhaps I deserve to be belittled, but I personally believe that a bit of homesickness every now and then is a positive thing. It makes me realize that I do care about people, even though I fully realize that close friendships rarely last, at least in my life.
Anyway, that's my spiel on that.
I believe my clothes are becoming loose. This may not be a good thing.
Anyway Part II, I taught today. It was neat. Well, okay, I didn't lead a class, but I did introduce the articles of clothing and play a game with the kiddies in 3a. It was a lot of fun. The game, of course, is quite simple: the leader (in this case, me) points to the pictures of clothing and states what they are, and the class repeats what she says. The leader is supposed to misspeak sometimes, and the students who repeat the wrong label must sit down. This continues until one person is standing. And, believe me, it worked. Lots of laughter, from both students and teachers.
Afterward, upon my return to the flat, I began to muse on my abilities as a teacher. I have known for awhile that I want to teach, but I have been determined to acquire the ever-godly Ph.D. in order to teach upper level college courses. I have always realized the importance of teaching grade school, particularly primary school, but I suppose I have also looked down on teaching those levels, since college seemed more prestigious and intellectually stimulating. I have associated primary school teachers with "motherly," which, for some reason, has received an admittedly negative stigma in society. I'm still solid in my desire to go to graduate school, but working with these children for three weeks has opened my eyes to how...adept these teachers are at their job and how awesome it is to mold these children's education. Primary school teachers deserve a lot more respect than credited.
Oh, I was interviewed yesterday. The local newspaper is going to publish an article on the Ganztagschule, and the reporter wanted to talk to me because I'm still determined to host an English reading hour one afternoon per week. I'm surprised at just how excited people are about my proposal.
Perhaps things are going right. Maybe I'm doing a good thing. I may just be as awesome as I joke I am.
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