GERMANY
Praise fortuitous circumstance! The internets come back!
I don't know why it's taken so long to kick in today. I'm assuming it runs on an hourly use kind of basis, as in each computer accessing it is only allowed 12 hours straight or something. I was able to use it this morning, which is unusual, which might explain why I was then denied it for the rest of the day. Whatever, I have it back now.
I did some more classroom stuff today, little more hands on, helping with reading exercises from a book, that kind of thing. All seems ok, kids are alright so far. Still working on finding out which kind, kind teacher will give me a lift out of this town at some point. To confirm for all who keep asking/haven't asked yet: There is no train access to Neuerburg or the immediate area, buses come twice a day at inexcusably retarded hours.
Pfft.
Theres not a lot to report from today and yesterday.
I watched some German telly again last night. There was some weird German equivalent of The Price is Right on. Granted, it was never the best gameshow when it was on in the UK, but last night, there was the most boring contestant ever considered for public viewing. He didn't do anything. He just stood and looked bored. And then he won, and just shook the presenters hand, no jumping, no 'yay'!ing, nothing. I felt kind of sad for him at one point, because no-one came to hug him like they usually do on The Price is Right. Yeah, he'd only won a bed, but that still doesn't deny him the right to look excited.
My first thought was why the hell was this guy alone in the first place? I've been to the pub alone. I've even been to the cinema alone, but national television? Only the Germans would find it fitting to broadcast their crushing loneliness so publically.
But eventually his wife did turn up, and she seemed excited about the new bed that they would probably make love in. The most boring love imaginable.
This is what Germany has done to me. It's made me addicted to chocolate milk and it makes me imagine gameshow contestants having boring sex.
I wish I had more to say. I haven't seen any more car factories or fortwerke or anything. I've got 2 other tabs open about the Pope. The old pope, y'know. The real one. I've been reduced to researching Jean Paul II.
I met another member of staff today, damned if I remember her name. Our conversation started well, but quickly descended to:
her: "Und wie alt bist du?"
me: "Huh?"
her: "Wie alt bist du?"
me: "Do you mean how old am I?"
My grasp of this language is simply failing like a giant whale. It should be the other way round, surely? The other day I was on fire, I forget what it was I said, but it had about 12 verbs on the end of it and I made 2 real germans look impressed. Maybe they were humouring me, but it would have fooled you anyhow. And now I'm losing it again! Why has it not improved? Why was I thwarted by the second thing I ever learnt in this language?
I guess this sums it up so far, really. There's nothing of interest thats happened in my first week that you can't read about on here. I miss you guys. Every one of you. But, I'm enjoying living by myself. It's not until you live in your very own apartment that you realise how much stuff you forgot to bring with you. Oh, and you can poo with the bathroom door open.
Praise fortuitous circumstance! The internets come back!
I don't know why it's taken so long to kick in today. I'm assuming it runs on an hourly use kind of basis, as in each computer accessing it is only allowed 12 hours straight or something. I was able to use it this morning, which is unusual, which might explain why I was then denied it for the rest of the day. Whatever, I have it back now.
I did some more classroom stuff today, little more hands on, helping with reading exercises from a book, that kind of thing. All seems ok, kids are alright so far. Still working on finding out which kind, kind teacher will give me a lift out of this town at some point. To confirm for all who keep asking/haven't asked yet: There is no train access to Neuerburg or the immediate area, buses come twice a day at inexcusably retarded hours.
Pfft.
Theres not a lot to report from today and yesterday.
I watched some German telly again last night. There was some weird German equivalent of The Price is Right on. Granted, it was never the best gameshow when it was on in the UK, but last night, there was the most boring contestant ever considered for public viewing. He didn't do anything. He just stood and looked bored. And then he won, and just shook the presenters hand, no jumping, no 'yay'!ing, nothing. I felt kind of sad for him at one point, because no-one came to hug him like they usually do on The Price is Right. Yeah, he'd only won a bed, but that still doesn't deny him the right to look excited.
My first thought was why the hell was this guy alone in the first place? I've been to the pub alone. I've even been to the cinema alone, but national television? Only the Germans would find it fitting to broadcast their crushing loneliness so publically.
But eventually his wife did turn up, and she seemed excited about the new bed that they would probably make love in. The most boring love imaginable.
This is what Germany has done to me. It's made me addicted to chocolate milk and it makes me imagine gameshow contestants having boring sex.
I wish I had more to say. I haven't seen any more car factories or fortwerke or anything. I've got 2 other tabs open about the Pope. The old pope, y'know. The real one. I've been reduced to researching Jean Paul II.
I met another member of staff today, damned if I remember her name. Our conversation started well, but quickly descended to:
her: "Und wie alt bist du?"
me: "Huh?"
her: "Wie alt bist du?"
me: "Do you mean how old am I?"
My grasp of this language is simply failing like a giant whale. It should be the other way round, surely? The other day I was on fire, I forget what it was I said, but it had about 12 verbs on the end of it and I made 2 real germans look impressed. Maybe they were humouring me, but it would have fooled you anyhow. And now I'm losing it again! Why has it not improved? Why was I thwarted by the second thing I ever learnt in this language?
I guess this sums it up so far, really. There's nothing of interest thats happened in my first week that you can't read about on here. I miss you guys. Every one of you. But, I'm enjoying living by myself. It's not until you live in your very own apartment that you realise how much stuff you forgot to bring with you. Oh, and you can poo with the bathroom door open.
