At the beginning of October I had a lovely fall break in Bingen with Simeon. We ended it by spending a weekend in Frankfurt- compliments of Dad! –chilling, walking around, eating yummy meals, etc. We greeted mom at the airport Saturday morning upon her arrival, she was surprised and excited to see us there. Sunday we had a really insightful experience at the Frankfurt blind museum. We were given canes and put in a group of eight, or so, people, at which point we were led through all sorts of typical places- a park, the city, etc. (simulated inside the museum of course). We were instructed to communicate with one another and do specific tasks. It was so overwhelming and provided the tinniest of tiny glimpses into the life of a blind person. Since then, I have often thought how it would feel to be blind in various situations I have been in.
After leaving the museum, mom and I hit the road for our journey to Berlin. The drive is about five hours from the city of Frankfurt, and we navigated quite fine even with the navigation on my phone not functioning. I was thankful to have made the drive a couple of times in the past months. Mom stayed for 12 days and we really did make the most of each one. I was so thankful to have her there to drive me to and from school and to delay my bike riding days for as long as possible J Having her there kept me distracted in my first weeks without Simeon and helped me make the transition to living on my own in Berlin. It was a real treat. Each day after school we busied ourselves with some activity- sightseeing in Berlin, church events with Berlin Connect, eating in Potsdam, shopping in Potsdam, walking through the gardens of Potsdam, eating and shopping some more in Potsdam. When we could not choose an activity we would always just decide on Potsdam.. I’m not certain how nice it would be in the summer, as there are likely many tourists, but in the fall it is absolutely charming. At least compared to the hustle and bustle of Berlin. Which to be quite frank, is not my favorite city. It is all a matter of preferences, however I think it is a city you either love or hate, and I have battled to feel the love but it is simply not happening. The suburb where my school is, is however very comfortable for me. Walking through the neighborhoods and driving down the streets reminds me much more of America than any other town I have yet to find in Germany. It may not feel this way to most of my readers, but after living and traveling in Germany for six months, my feeling of home is always relative. I live with a nice woman, Irmgart, about a ten-minute bike ride from school. Living with her has been perfect, as she is a teacher at the high school and is also very busy. We both enjoy our independence and having random conversations in passing. I have ridden to school with her twice and taken the bus once, however the remainder of the month I have biked to and from school. The coldest it has been was 25 one morning, and the warmest was 50 one or two afternoons, I’ve also enjoyed several heavy rains on the bike. Needless to say, I have invested in some quality winter gear (which I honestly love being able to wear!) and developed many strategies for staying the perfect temperature. I have a little basket on the back of my bike where I place my 147 million orphans bag (thanks Aunt Evelyn!), and sometimes carry groceries. The basket is also littered with the paper towels I use each morning to dry off my frosty seat :) I have learned to bear, and sometimes even enjoy, the brisk air. However, about 3/4th of the way there, I always break out into a heavy sweat, accompanied by a runny nose, and give-out muscles. You would think my body would have adjusted by now but I guess I am just that weak! I try to tell myself that I am a champion for actually doing this and the annoyance of the ride makes it that much more rewarding. Ha.. as if brain games could take away the misery ;) Anyways, I find that having my bike provides for much more independence than taking the bus.
Which brings me to my next point: “public transportation provides so much freedom.” False. I hear this statement frequently here. And while I agree that if you do not own a car, public transport can be the perfect solution, I will take traffic any day over relying on a massive machine with a set schedule and awkward connections, to get me somewhere. A little information for you non-city-folk, who like me not so long ago, have no concept of public transportation. First, you must take either a bus or bike to even get to the station- so be sure to calculate that time, and if you mess that up, you better hope there is another train running within the time frame you need. Second, when you arrive at the station be sure to calculate ten or fifteen minutes for purchasing a ticket- which may include but is not limited to, waiting in line for a four year old child who cannot even read to purchase a ticket (ALONE!), ticket machines breaking, crazy foreigners like myself trying to figure out what they are doing, locals trying to figure out what they are doing (yes, even they struggle with the machines), having the machine take your money and hold it hostage without giving a ticket, and finally- buying a ticket as your train arrives and departs (you may only have twenty seconds to hop on so you need to be very precise in your planning). Thirdly, you should not take the trains if you are not fast and/or do not have your glasses with you. Upon arrival at your stop (if you are changing s-bahn, u-bahn, or to a bus) you will be given about three minutes to find your platform, or exit the station completely and run around the entire block looking for your next connection. If you miss that, you will most certainly have a long day/evening ahead.. or if you’re like me, you might want to consider making plans on your own to get to your destination, which will most certainly lead to another adventure.
Thankfully, I now have a bahn card so I don’t have to stress about buying a ticket each time, and I know I can hop on any train and then find my way. I have also started bringing my bike with me (which provides increased arm muscles as I carry it up the stairs). It makes it much easier, and safer, for me to travel between stations and when I get to my destination. I have always been a lover of bikes, but these months have given me a whole new respect!
On the teaching front, things have been really enjoyable the past weeks. I have transitioned to a fifth grade class and I must say it has made my decision about which grade is my favorite even more challenging. The students are very hard working and independent. Every two months they are given a new unit project- their first was Native Americans and now it is Explorers of the Americas. They have seven activities to complete- in any order they choose- about this topic. For example, there is a writing piece, an art project, a timeline, vocabulary, etc. Although the overarching theme is social studies related, it incorporates every subject, and the students love the freedom. On a daily basis I hear them praising their teacher and his method that allows them to learn in a fun way. They no longer have to sit and drift off as a teacher spouts off information to them. They are able to actively participate in the learning process on their own, which creates a desire for learning that many of them have not felt previously. Although it leaves me with little to do, it is a really unique experience for me and has inspired me to teach in a less obstructive way.
The time apart from Simeon has been much more manageable than anticipated and I honestly cannot complain. Of course, I would love it if we could be together during this time, however it has freed each of us up to accomplish what we need to during these busy days. He visited me once in Berlin- and surprised me by arriving a day early so we had a spectacular, relaxing, long weekend together. And this past weekend I visited him in Bingen. I wasn’t there long- as one train was canceled Friday and I had to take the next, arriving around 9 Friday evening and leaving around 5 on Sunday. But our short time together was much needed, as always. I look forward to returning in 9 days for Thanksgiving! (what a blessing to be at a school that celebrates American holidays!) I am enjoying the perseverance God is molding in me- something I had zero of several years ago. I am exclaiming (well..sometimes just murmuring) each day "I will wait for you" - to my hubby, to my favorite place in the world, to the things I hope to one day see and do, and to my Lord who is soon returning!
One month from today I will be arriving back on beloved American soil for three weeks of rejuvenation :) I eagerly anticipate that time and am trying to soak up my final months of learning from a wonderful assisting teacher and enthusiastic students.
Also, a praise report is due for my friend, Karen Blair and her family on the arrival of their healthy and beautiful baby girl this week, Lucy Elizabeth Blair. In the midst of all of the chaos, God is still performing miracles each day!
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