An English teacher... an English teacher... if only you'd been an English teacher...

(Bye Bye Birdie reference... duh.)

This week deserves a blog because it's been good to me. Here goes.

Guess what, kids. I am an English teacher. Kind of.

Starting next Thursday I am teaching a conversational English course at a local Gymnasium. It promises to be lots of fun. I'd be lying if I said I weren't nervous. However, getting to use a Smartboard makes me forget those worries.

I really am excited. My interview went well yesterday, but basically Christoph had everything already settled, he sent them my resumé and everything... so the interview turned into a when-can-you-start meeting. I came home yesterday and started preparing... a little early, I know... but that's me. Either I do something when I am excited about it, no matter how early, or I wait until the last minute. I'll keep you posted.

I also found out today that I will be working with Christoph's father's company, in the transport/shipping (Spedition in German) business, for two weeks. It seems to be right up my alley and I am anxious to begin there too.

As of Monday, I have another pupil who wishes for me to teach the ways of the English language. She is in the fifth grade, meaning she has really just begun with the language. This will really be a huge challenge, but I am excited. As an added bonus she lives really close to my house, which means I don't have to ride a bus or... wait 45 minutes for the bus after I am done...

This morning my host mom had a hair appointment in Darmstadt. I visited my old work place at the theater to deliver some things from Norway the guy I worked for there asked for and to say hi. Thereafter I ran into the shopping center of Darmstadt while my host mom finished up and bought two pullovers and a polo. I hope it stayes chilly so I can wear these new pullis. They look nice.

Right at this moment I am listening to music and making oboe reeds. I finally have nylon again, so I can make reeds and actually sound decent again! That should be exciting.

On the radio yesterday, I heard that Mamma Mia is running from now until the end of March. It is in English. I am there. Monica says it's good. I have heard it is amazing. Yet another thing to look forward to.

This Saturday is Fastnacht. It's like the beginning of the beginning of the end of the Karneval season. Karneval really lasts from November all the way until Ash Wednesday... however, no one does anything until the two weeks before Ash Wednesday. I am going to celebrate Rosenmontag and the weekend before in both Büttelborn and Mainz. According to my host brother, die Hölle wird los... (It will be crazy good.)

I think that's it for now. You can see why I am in a good mood. I leave you with a song of the now: Alexander Rybak was born in Russia but lives in Norway. He won the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest with this song. He sings in English. His music is worth checking out I think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilRttEYIfSw