I Have Visitors!

Visitors, yes! In the form of my parents!

We have had a rather enjoyable time, so far, and they will be staying in Celle through Friday, when they check out of the Furstenhof hotel and go to Hannover for the weekend. I, naturally, shall be accompanying them until their departure next Monday. I met them at the Hannover Flughafen Friday evening (after a delay on the metronome of fifteen minutes, which I'm beginning to suspect is the norm more so than the usual German punctuality...), and, after helping a somewhat confused and polite Indian man purchase his ticket to the Hannover Hauptbahnhof, we set off to Celle (after another twenty-five minute delay on the other metronome). On Saturday, I gave them a tour of the Altstadt, where they were appropriately impressed, despite the somewhat dreary weather.

It's very nice to see my parents again. I'm proud that I get to show them exactly what I'm doing here and how I'm living. I think I can say with certainty that they are reassured that I'm not messing up too much of Germany with my plans of evil grandeur.

Amusing story: When I mentioned to Susanne and Petra that my parents were coming, they asked, "When?" I replied, "This evening." They gasped and proceeded to tell me where to go and what to do, and as Susanne and I walked to our class, she told me the story of the trip she and her first husband took to the States. Yay, coworkers!

Another story: We have a new teacher-in-training, who is extremely polite and young. She is an English teacher to be, so she has been observing almost every class in which I assist. She also came to Wednesday's 2a class. Since she is still new and unfamiliar, the kids still ignore her and give me hugs (this sounds mean, but I don't intend it that way).

As I tried to quietly enter into the lion(cub)'s den of 2a, I knew that no tactic would evade the hug of at least one of the twenty short people who inhabit such a place. As I steeled myself for the hug of one Jenny, nothing could prepare me for the swelling mass of (er, three or four) German creatures rushing into formation against my meager defenses. All I could do was stand in awe of the shifting tower of blonde heads, crashing down like a wave of fury around my waist, entrapping me with affectionate hugs that only these children can give. I hung my head in shame. I was defeated. This, of course, was expressed by almost toppling over and giving an exasperated "Hallo!" as I tried to move.

I kind of like my job.

I don't believe there's any other news to report. I'm doing well, the Scat the Cat lesson was relatively successful (did I even mention that? I did my own part of the lesson Wednesday for 1a), and I'm content. Life, for the moment, is good. And I'm living it up while it lasts.