Home and...Home

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.

Ich habe Fotos!

As one of my friends has pointed out (ahem, BILL), I probably need to post photos on here (because I have been taking a LOT of them). So, here are some of my new home, Celle.


First two: The Altstadt (where the ridiculous amount of bicycles are prominently displayed); the castle (der Schloss) that has a MOAT; my friend and I, who are very happy to be in the castle with a moat; and my school, Grundschule Klein Hehlen.

In other news: I've made two consecutive cups of decent instant coffee today. The solution? Put a lot of milk in that shit.

Getting Settled

So. Kind of funny story.

I wake up this morning around 8:15. On Sundays, I'm supposed to be quiet until after 8:00, right? The house is still deathly silent. I tiptoe to the bathroom, do bathroom-y business, and flush the toilet.

Loud noise number one.

I then go back to the room, quietly shut the door, and begin to try to (silently) make some breakfast before getting ready for the day. So, I open a new box of cereal that I purchased at the grocer's the day before.

Loud noise number two.

After fighting (silently) with the plastic for a few minutes, I give up and have toast and jam. I open the drawer to retrieve a knife for the spreading of the said jam and then close the drawer. My hand slips. The drawer therefore kind of, sort of slams shut.

Loud noise number three.

I fail.

Okay, in all honesty, it didn't matter because I was being loud after the allotted quiet time. But still, I found it amusing.

So, to catch up, I'm now in my new living quarters in Celle. I'd like to give a special shout-out to Christiane and Siegi, who housed me for a couple of days before being allowed to enter the new place, which was (and still is...oh, it still is) being renovated. Nicest older couple ever. They helped me with so much. Okay, I'll stop being sickly sweet.

The flat is pretty awesome. It's small, and one bedroom (with a separate bath), and it has almost everything I need. All I need to do is purchase a hairdryer and perhaps an iron and board. The family Lierse is also very nice and accomodating, seeing as they invited me to eat with them for Mittagessen (beef, potato balls, and red cabbage, yum--I normally hate beef, but this was ganz gut) and to a concert where the son, who is twelve, played the piano. This afternoon, I also played in the backyard with Baroo, the dog, and Meerit, the daughter, who is seven. Meerit was a little shy at first, but by the end of the day she seemed to really like me.

So, yeah, renovations are still going on. Tjark (the father) finished the stairs and the light fixtures in the room today. I, um, can't really use my faucet or dishwasher, seeing as there is literally no plumbing. Also, I can't use the stove or the oven because they, er, don't work. I gathered that when I discovered paper and instructions in the oven. But, hey, the coffee maker works! Ah, coffee.

Germans are really talented with the piano. Just throwing that out there. I also live with a musical family. I feel strangely inadequate, and for the first time in years, I miss my clarinet.

Anyway, now I have peace and quiet. Tomorrow, I go to Klein Hehlen to talk with Katrin about my schedule. Then, I think Christiane and I will try to get my residence permit again (we're having a difficult time with that). This is the woman who also helped me get a bank account, showed me around the Altstadt, helped me with strange German groceries, and even took my dirty clothes to wash them over the weekend.

I don't know how I got here and became this lucky, but I have and did.

Reflection.

YOU GUYS.

I, like, leave for Germany and stuff tomorrow. Color me a little surprised.

Other than the fact that I have finally come to the realization that I do not know what I'm doing (one whole day prior to departure), things seem to be coming together. Wait, scratch that last part of the sentence. I'm at that point of pre-starting-a-whole-new-life where I do feel incredibly lonely, vulnerable, and sad, particularly when there are so many people whom I will miss. This is, naturally, a normal process, and I do feel a little relieved that I am feeling this. However, I'm a tad mystified at what is going to change in these next ten months. It seemed like only yesterday that I was hanging out at the Writing Center (my last, and best, place of employment), cutting up with my fellow snarkilicious coworkers, only worrying about a paper in Comparative Slavery or slide identification in Art History.

Now, with just one day before I leave the country, things seem a bit...heavier. A little part of me wants to stay here in Huntsville. Though I know I need to leave, that this will be an experience of a frickin' lifetime, I remain in a rather confused state of what really matters. This is, admittedly, the standard young adult identity crisis, and it shall pass. Awesomeness awaits, though awesomeness is also here at home--with my family, my friends, and the identity that I have created for myself.

Now, it's time to add on to this identity that is Jennifer Lynn Staton, P.I. (Professional Incense...flowery). Blech, that's so cheesy. Let's just get it out that I'm terrified as hell. Plain and simple.

And that's okay. Okay? Okay.

This evening will be devoted to finishing the packing process (which, being true to form, I've left to the very last minute) and hanging out with the 'rents. Tomorrow morning, Mum, Dad, and Kim will ride with me to the Nashville airport. Friday afternoon, I shall (hopefully...) be situated in my hotel room in Koeln. I believe I will have Internet access. If not, I'll kick a puppy.

So, to all who have been a part of my life, particularly during these tense summer months: Thaaaanks. You guys are awesome-sauce.

Tomorrow, I fly.

The Post in which the "In Which" Part Will be Excluded

Hark! Two posts in one day. Told you it'd pick up.

Ridiculous amounts of excited noises! Only not really, since I'm not a very squeal-y person in public. In my mind, sure.

So, it appears that I shall be under the temporary care of a host family of awesome upon my arrival at Celle. This afternoon, Kat forwarded me a message from another school colleague, Christi, which informed me that the latter had found me a very nice, fully-furnished room in the home of a particular family within the same area as is Klein Hehlen. Yes, that was a poorly-constructed sentence, but I don't care! I have a place to live! Temporarily, but yay, nonetheless! This makes me rather content.

Let's just hope that they don't lock me in the basement.

I'm kind of joking.

Anyway, since I don't know if it would a terribly wise choice to display a photo of the house itself on here (right now, anyway), I'll instead show one of the interior of my room. It's purdy. I approve of the windows. Escape plans, if necessary, will be made easier by the windows.

Yay!