Spontaneous? Me? I don't believe it!

I had my evening all planned out, yesterday. That is, I knew which films I wanted to watch. I was right in the middle of Pan's Labyrinth when my phone started making these funny noises that I was used to hearing back in Germany. At the other end of the line was Sandra telling me that Thomas wants to go out for a drink and that they could pick me up in five minutes. Believe it or not, I didn't think of a lousy excuse but actually switched off my laptop, got dressed properly and went along. We ended up in a very nice bar that made quite a fancy impression, brown leather sofas, a pool table, 42'' plasmas on the walls aaaand the best thing was definitely the Wii you could play for free. Guess what we did? I enjoyed Mario Kart so much that I might just have to get a Wii when my time in England is up. A PS3, as well, by the way, but that is another subject...as well as the new flat I'll need to store all my new stuff in.

I'm working a bit in the house today, since J+M will return tomorrow. Although it is raining, I'll have to pop round to Waitrose to buy stuff to replace what I ate during their absence.
Tonight, Sandra and I will go and see Saw V from which I don't expect a lot, though. Thomas invited us to his flat for Thursday evening, and we'll go clubbing on Friday. As you can see, I'm keeping myself busy.

Halloween Thingy

One of the teachers, Sam, invited us to a Halloween gettogether in Bushley and we (that is Sandra, Cecilia and me) went there yesterday. First of all, Bushley is in the middle of nowhere (Worcestershire). Then, since it was a Halloween party, we had to dress up, so the two French girls bought witch hats and I got a rubbish vampire cape and teeth. It wasn't a real party, though (at least not what I think of as a party), there was a seating plan (our table which we shared with another Pate's teacher and her boyfriend was called Pate's Posse) and after the meal (pig roast with potatoes, a roll and salad - a bit dry) Sam's band started to play. They were really good and Sam's a fantastic singer, but we couldn't help being bored. We sat at the table, listened to the music, but when you don't know anybody and you're sitting in a room with 150 people who are either dancing or sitting at their tables themselves, it does get a bit boring. It just wasn't a proper opportunity to get to know others. I had my first Guiness on British ground for the year, though
I think the actress who played Madame Maxime in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was there, as well, and if it wasn't her, that woman looked a lot liker her.
Anyway, we left just after midnight and I watched one of my newly acquired DVDs when I got home. Went to bed at 4, pardon, 3 and had a nice lie-in this morning. Plans for the rest of the day? None, except watching more DVDs, taking a bath, eating and sleeping.

Update

22.10.08
Two colleagues gave me some German essays to correct the other day. One was apparently done by google translations, for I didn't understand a word the bloke was trying to express. Some were really good, though, and some others made me laugh hard. One of the topics was Wenn du in Deutschland wählen dürftest, für welche Partei würdest du stimmen? Apart from the fact that they don't seem to have any idea about German politics (Ich würde entweder Die Grünen oder die FDP wählen...because they share the same aims, right), some got their vocab muddled up: Die CDU ist eine gute Party. Sie unterhält die Familienwerte... Otherwise everything is rosy. Received a postcard from Sydney saying that J+M are enjoying their trip, spent my last cash at Tesco, for I haven't received my first salary yet (and which is only due on the 25th. Patience is a virtue, right?), so I'll have to get my Sparkasse card out once more and 70 minutes of work is all that's standing between me and halfterm.

What else is happening in England? The English football team won its qualification match in Kazahkztan (or however you spell it), A Quantum of Solace and Saw V will be released soon and some atheist society has bought advertisement space on London's busses where the slogan There probably is no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life! will be displayed from January onwards. You see, life's rosy.

People complaining about the Deutsche Telekom should come over and try to open a BT line here. Sandra and Ben have been waiting for ages now and all they are told is It'll work tomorrow or Next week, I promise.

Internet down

The neighbours' wireless doesn't work at the moment and I might therefore be a bit unreliable when it comes to answering emails. I have to use Mike's computer and it doesn't like GMX. The Internet Explorer shuts down whenever I want to access the page. Pate's computers block it as well, so I'll keep my fingers crossed that the neighbours restart the router one of these days.
Otherwise, I'm fine. It's halfterm now, Sandra, Ben and me got drunk on German wine yesterday (which we all loved) and we're going out with Thomas and his boyfriend tonight.

Weekend

Spent another evening at Sandra's place at the weekend. Ben treated us to his cooking again which we all enjoyed. Played that funny 'who am I' game which - as you can see - made us all look ridiculous. I was completely lost at one point, because I didn't even know the guy I was. I do know now, though. If you feel up to it, google the name Rocco Siffredi. He seems to have quite a reputation ;) After that, the conversational level fell until we finally arrived at the topic we've all been waiting to discuss. No questions necessary.

The guy sitting next to me on the couch is Thomas, by the way, another French assistant whom we met at the training session last Wednesday. Cool bloke, and there'll be more of him. Not in quite THAT sense, though, since we'll meet his boyfriend on Friday ;)




The German exchange from KH arrived today and I've received a nice package from home (including Nürnberger Lebkuchen, an Advent calendar which I'm not allowed to open before Dec. 6 for whatever reason ;) ). Thanks, mum and dad.

Just another day in October

School can be brilliant. I mean, apart from teaching even more secret service kids that is. I asked a pupil what his parents do for a living. First of all, he mistook the question for what his parents liked doing, but I didn't delve into that matter. It was his answer that made me laugh. To my ears it sounded a lot like: Meine Mutter macht Haufen. My first thought was 'Why are you telling me?', but after I convincingly disguised my laughter as a hiccough, I asked him what he meant. Meine Mutter mag einkaufen was his answer and I realised the pure comedy gold that I had been treated to.
Then, there is yet another episode of 'The world is a village': Talked to a girl whose mother is German and who has been raised bilingually. She told me about her family and that she has a younger sister named Georgina. That rang a bell - I did a work experience at a local primary school in Cheltenham four years ago and there was a girl in my class whose mother was German and I remembered her name, Georgina. There is this theory that says everyone can be connected to everyone else in the world using only six steps. I can go to J.R.R. Tolkien in only three. I know Pat and Frank Smith (the neighbours I've been in invited to), they know Tolkien's daughter, Priscilla, because she used to run a book club which the Smith's daughter attended and ultimately became friends with her.

I felt lucky yesterday, lucky enough to buy British beef burgers that ended up in my stomach as delicious quarterpounders with cheese.

Oh, and by the way, mum, dad, I've watched The Curse of the Golden Flower that you gave me for my birthday and it reminded me alarmingly of House of Flying Daggers. Take that information for what it's worth.

Assistant Training

Had our 'training session' at Pate's today, which was more of a gettogether of all the assistants in Gloucestershire than a training session. Still, we got some information in between the coffee break and lunch. Lorna provided us with a range of websites and ideas of how to tackle topics which I found very helpful, yet it'll have to be put to the test next week. I feel well-informed about the English school system, as well as the expectations the students have to meet in their exams.
Meeting the other assistants was nice, although there are only three chaps of which one definitely and another probably is gay (although I don't want to indulge in prejudices, he was just soooo cliché, he must be.). There go my male contacts again ;). Considering the percentage of men among the assistants, I've drawn the conclusion that assistantship is quite a girlish thing to do. The two gay blokes also live in Cheltenham and will probably accompany us for a drink next weekend.
Then, there was another incident in the series 'The world is a village': I introduced myself to one of the other Germans who actually also studies English in Mainz.
I finally set foot in the garden today to take out the compost (which was overdue, unfortunately...) and saw that there is still produce hanging about, so I harvested (hehe) some green beans (or runner beans, as Mike has taught me, it's always good to know synonyms, even if it is gardening vocab), a cucumber and a courgette. See how healthy I'm living? You don't have to know about the crème fraîche and cream I used to get some sauce, though.
Right, I'll have to be in at 12ish tomorrow, assist in a year 10 and a year 11 and then I'm off to the weekend. Did I already mention that I like having extended weekends every week?

BTW, neither me nor my butt can be seen on pictures I've uploaded on this blog. The pictures also make no claim to be artsy, but want to give you a bit of an impression of what my life looks like, and I think they fulfill that task, even though the quality could be better, I admit ;)

Golfing? I wish

Cinema yesterday was fun. We watched Tropic Thunder, which is not only a really nice parody on every war movie there has ever been, but also about Hollywood in general from its constant sequels to the spoilt stars.
Due to the nice weather, we finally wanted to go golfing, but what did we have to find out? They are closed for the season. Not that I hadn't thought about the possibility, but since their website didn't say anything about that, I just assumed they were open! F**k! We just strolled through the park instead.


We watched a few minutes of a women's rugby match, though, which was boring, since they didn't tackle each other as much as I would have expected them to.


Members of my family (incl. Bex) might remember the lake...


You might want to refrain from drinking alcohol in the park...

Went into town afterwards, I did some Sunday shopping and we had a coffee at Starbucks. That's a miracle, I've actually started drinking that stuff, although I'm still stuck on some kind of mixes like Cafe Latte, Espressochoc, but I'm getting there.

Invitations all over

On Thursday evening, I was invited to Marijke's place, well at least the place where she (and Cecilia, by the way) lives. They stay with a woman and her two sons who own quite a big house and rent out the spare rooms. Apart from those two, there also lives a German student, a girl from Taiwan, the housemaid and her twin sister, a security bloke, two disabled people and five cats. I might have forgotten someone here, but I suppose you get the idea. We had pizza for supper (quite an early one, at 6 p.m., but then, the youngest son is only 10), and after a short fight between Marijke and Samson (or Sampson?) over some chocolate, we went to the TV room to watch Finding Nemo. It was nice to see a film on a big telly for a change:

It was one of those old flatscreens, though, without any HD certificates, so the quality wasn't overwhelming, and as you can see the 5.1 isn't set up the way it should be, and still it was so much better than what I've come to get used to (laptop + headphones).
Samson (you can see his back on the pic) completely made my day. He's 13, goes to Pate's and has an incredibly British sense of humour. Just the way he delivers his comments cracked me up every time. Hope to see more of him!
I think, Marijke has a good time in the house. It's good to have natives around that you can talk English to. Samson also has a very gentle way of correcting Marijke which is quite amazing, considering his age. Marijke's father and brother have come over for the weekend to celebrate her 16th birthday.

Yesterday evening, I was invited to the Smiths who live right next to Christchurch. They also are elderly people, but I really enjoyed being among natives again and having a nice chat. They reminded me a lot of Judith and Mike, especially when Frank asked me if I wanted a sherry as an aperitif. They also say words like 'golly' and 'gosh' which seems to a generational thing ;). We had the wine I had brought as a thank you present with the incredibly tasty risotto (with prawns...hmmm....). They offered to take me to Oxford when they visit one of their daughters and I'd really like to go. I had to break up the evening at half eight...

We're interrupting the programme for a short quiz: Who wants to be a millionaire?
Q: What does half eight mean in English?
a. 7.30
b. 8.30
c. Both
d. Neither

...because I was meeting Sandra and Ben in town for yet another drink. I stuck to my self-set rules and had only caffeine-free drinks: beer (first time this year I ordered a pint) and a Vodka Martini (the look on the bartender's face made me think that he was expecting us to make that silly old James Bond joke, but we didn't. We only asked for another shot of vodka into our martini...). Our conversation mostly centred on food, so I had to have a sandwich when I got home. Learned some French again: J'ai la dalle. Good thing to say when you're starving.
Plans for tonight: Going to the cinema to watch Tropic Thunder.

Edit:
I never thought I'd be kinda smiling upon hearing of the death of a fellow human being, but what I read on SpiegelOnline this morning did the trick. That's also a way to solve problems. I am a bad person!

Naughty Pupils

There are times when I think something is seriously wrong with me. Like the other day when I woke up at 4 a.m. humming the Speedy Gonzalez theme (*bidibi-bidibo-die schnellste Maus von Mexiko*). Then there are times when I think something is seriously wrong with others. I asked a few of my pupils what their parents do for a living and, of course, some of them are working at GCHQ, which is one of the biggest employers in the area (Government Communications Headquarters or 'doughnut' as the locals call it. Guess why:

So, two of the pupils told me their fathers worked there, but neither of them could tell me what exactly they do, because they are not allowed to know. Top secret, you understand. That's brilliant, I'm probably teaching James Bond's children.
School wasn't exactly a pleasure on Wednesday and Thursday, because two pupils didn't think it necessary to show up for their German oral which left me waiting for 3 hours respectively until my next lesson started. In any German school I know, the pupils would be told off (which they will be) and the missed lesson would just be their bad luck and a missed opportunity. Pate's, however, wants the pupils to do well. The consequence for me is that I have to meet the culprits next week and therefore work more than I normally would have. Thanks for wasting my time!

Random, once again

Took the bus to school today and I've noticed yet another curiosity about the English. People thank the driver when getting off the bus here! Although one explanation might be that the passengers are simply glad to be still alive (not too improbable from what I've experienced so far), my other observations lead to a different explanation: I think the Brits are just more polite than the Germans. The phrase 'thank you' can be heard all over, so it's not surprise to hear it on the bus. But then, I want to be thanked for for paying 1.50 for a one way trip. By the way, my bus ticket always says 'Adult Single'. Great, it's not bad enough that the bus driver knows, he also has to rub it in. Thanks, mate.
The weather pisses me off. When I looked outside the window this morning, it was raining, so I took my coat, but as soon as I stepped out of the house I realised that the temperature was quite mild despite the heavy rain and wind. While the coat did protect me from the rain, I sweated underneath, which is not how it is supposed to be, is it? Went to Waitose to do some shopping after school and got a free shower on my way home. Quite silly actually, since I had an umbrella in my bag, but my hands were busy carrying shopping bags, so I got soaked.
School was unspectacular, although some pupils of year 10 amused me, for they are clearly in the middle of puberty: lost for words, blushing, and giggling on the way out. They probably couldn't believe that they just spoke German.

No golf today, my love has gone away...

Rightyright, it's raining so we're not going to golf today. I just hope, we'll get a few nice autumn days in the weeks to come that we can make up for it. I'll have to spend my day with the odd film then, although I also know that I should do some ironing. When I woke up I realised I also have some preparation for tomorrow's lessons to do, but what did I see when I looked at my timetable? Three students to talk to whom I haven't met yet, so I'll just ask them about themselves. Will be able to go home at 11ish.

I was at Sandra's place yesterday and I'm really glad we get along as well as we do. Cecilia was also invited, of course, but she didn't come because she wasn't feeling well. I just hope that that was the truth, because if she prefers to stick to herself, it might turn out to be a lonely eight months for her. We'll just have to wait and see.
Ben made some Uncle Ben's ready-made sauce with chicken and rice which was kinda spicy, something my tongue isn't used to anymore, but it was really good and I was glad to get something decent to eat after I screwed up my Nudel-Schinken-Gratin at lunch. I really have to figure out how to handle the oven properly. After the main course, the two of them turned out to be really French when Sandra got some cheese out (the package even said Coeur de Lion and I was, once again, reminded of my dad). It wasn't one of the smelly ones, though.

Come to Cheltenham and live out your Nazi fantasies

Look what the Cheltonians have learnt from Prince Harry:
http://www.spiegel.de/unispiegel/studium/0,1518,581917,00.html

The Disadvantages of Drinking

Remind me not to drink Red Bull again when I go out. I lay awake for two hours, yesterday; fully conscious. Lying there, I started thinking in French, building French sentences, and I wasn't even drunk. My French seems to slowly come back to me which is no surprise when you spend time with three people who start babbling in French when they talk to each other.
Although Cecilia is nice enough, she either seems to be really shy and as though she needs some time to warm up or maybe she simply is a quiet person. Apparently, she is not used to drinking alcohol, since she didn't even know what to order at the pub. When Sandra, Ben and me got started, she was already done for the evening. Not that she was drunk, she just didn't want anything else after her first drink, not even a soda. Not so for Sandra and me. There are signs that indicate that you drink too much; if the bartender recognises your face and asks whether you want the same again, you should question your consumption. The same goes for you knowing exactly what the combination for all of you will cost, you tell the bartender how much it is and have the money ready.

Ben and Sandra have invited us over for dinner today and I told them I'd bring some beer (at least, I'll be able to sleep). Looking out of the window, though, I don't feel like going to the supermarket at all. It doesn't rain, but is windy as hell and I don't quite fancy that. But then, I'm looking forward to Ben's cooking, so the trip to Waitrose might be worth the effort.

That's a way to celebrate a national holiday

I spent a rather lazy day today, again. Woke up, had a nostalgia breakfast (with half a grapefruit and a small packet of Coco Pops - we used to have those small packets when we were in Cheltenham 15 years ago and I've always loved them),


opened Thomas's packet and laughed my arse off,


started the washing machine and after 10 days of my self-set detox, I finally granted myself a go into HMV and returned with an Alfred Hitchcock boxset including 14 of his films. Had a nice sandwich (ham, chaddar and mustard) and then went to the surgery to get a form for a blood check (yeah, it is a bit bureaucratic indeed).
I met Cecilia, the other French assistant, yesterday, and together with Sandra and Benjamin, we've arranged to go out for a drink tonight, meet at Sandra's tomorrow and go golfing on Sunday (PC, I don't want to hear a complaint). Let's see if my golfing skills match my brother's.

First Day: Survived

It  my first day as an assistant teacher at Pate's Grammar 

School today. I  by bus because it is a long walk to get 

there. I  five groups today and the pupils  very 

nice. But then the other students . Why  they 

 me? They  my time! Grml! We  about the
 
English school system and they  me that there are four 

periods of 70 minutes which are split into lessons of 35 minutes. 

Lorna, my tutor  me my timetable and Thursdays and 

Fridays are my favourite days of the week already, because Friday 

is my day off: I will have a long weekend every week, yay! 
  

I  the lunch break in the staff room and  at what 

the teachers  about...

First Day: Survived

Just came in from my first day at school and I think it went quite alright. I had five 'groups' today of which only one turned out to be a group of two whereas the other students came on their own. Two of them really impressed me with their command of the German language while the others seemed to be either shy or not as good in German as the other two ;). One of the students is Deputy Head Boy which is another thing not made up by J.K. Rowling, by the way ;). I've realised that I don't have any idea as to how the English school system works. At least, I found out that there are four periods of 70 minutes which are split into lessons of 35 minutes and that I can go home at 3.30ish at the latest.
Lorna also gave me my timetable and I suppose that Thursday and Friday are my favourite days of the week already, since Friday is my day off (long weekend every week, yay!) and I don't have to come in until 12 o'clock on Thursdays. The timetable might magically fill up in the course of the month, though.
I spend the lunch break in the staff room and was quite amazed what the staff talked about...something about a TV programme that praised the female body. In the programme, polygamous women apparently were running about naked and eventually moving into a German 'free love for everyone' commune. I was warned that this was a normal lunchtime chat. Not that I'd mind, I just didn't expect that.
My PIN number for my debit card was in the post as well as a fancy PINsentry machine that I'll need to do online banking. Since I still don't have my card (or money on the account, for that matter), it just doesn't do me any good at the moment ;)

Viki, have you noticed that Harry P. was born in 1980 and his parents were only 20 when they had him?