Flying Solo

<------Look at my carrots!! They aren't washed, cut, peeled, or rounded into little stubs!! Cool huh? I feel like a bunny



I absolutely LOVE my school!!!!!! The people are so much fun and today was wonderful. My new and improved route makes life so much easier and I don't arrive at school feeling like I've just run the Boston marathon. Plus, the cool thing to do is where running shoes and then when I arrive, change into my nice shoes....actually I don't know if thats the cool thing...but it will be soon, just wait and see!! The best part of today? I got to fly solo in the classroom! Thats right...I was a real live-on my own-don't mess with Texas-I know everything about "To Kill a Mockingbird"-teacher! Let me back up... apparently they don't have subs at the PBS so when someone is gone the other teachers cover different classes during their planning period. That may sound convenient but I guess it causes tension and teachers get frustrated with each other if they are gone too much or what have you. ANYWAY, one of the teachers came to school and wasn't feeling well so they sent her home last minute and guess who got to fill in??....yours truly :-) I only taught 2 classes because they really aren't supposed to let me do that but they were desperate but it was great. Teaching a class is 110% more fun than watching a class be taught. Things went pretty well considering that I had no time to plan anything. However, I did have some classroom management problems with the 7th graders (high school here is 7-13). For the life of me I could not get them interested in Anne Frank! I did everything.....write your own diary, role play, what do you enjoy, what would you do if you were her, blahblahblah. They hate it!!! In my opinion, 11 year olds are too young to read that book but thats what they were assigned to so I did my best. They kept laughing and talking in Czech (they were probably making fun of me and I didn't even know it) and finally one of the girls said something in Czech and I looked at her and said "Hey!" and she freaked out and said, "You understand Czech?!?!"....of course I replied "I sure do! Now pay attention!!" Suddenly English became our primary language. At the end of the class they asked "Do you like us?!?!" to which I replied "Yes...I love you...but you are driving me crazy...now leave!!" and they laughed and packed up their stuff. It was a lot of fun but I struggled with showing them who was boss. In April, the school is performing "Grease". I went to the rehearsal during lunch and it was so funny!! Imagine a whole bunch of students, with English as their second or third language singing "Summer Lovin'" completely off cue! It was so cute!! One of the requirements for this course is that I have to write a vision statement for this experience. Currently my vision statement is "To get a British accent...". That's all I have so far but I think its a pretty legit vision statement. Some of my favorite British quotes of the day: "He has a fancy for her" (vs. He has a crush on her) "Well that is absolutely brilliant!" (vs. That is great!) "Would it be happy to have her in your class?" (vs. would it be ok to have her in your class?) "Do you have a plasty?" (vs. do you have a band aid) I am having the time of my life. I thought I would be more lonely and homesick but...praise God...I haven't been at all! Confucius once said, "No matter where you go, there you are". I have realized that more this trip then I ever have before... and how beautiful it is. I believe that everyone should take time in their life to be alone. To just BE; studying your solitude while listening to the one who created you with passion and purpose. We get so wrapped up in everything around us that we need to step back and look at the bigger picture. Thank you to everyone who made this experience possible for me....mom, dad, Jitka, Pavel, Jane, Martin...you are all so wonderful and I feel blessed to have you in my life.


My flat (well actually, Martin and Jane's flat...but I kinda feel like it's mine)... The living room

A padded door in case I go crazy....look at all those locks dad!!

My haven


The kitchen


Look! The toilet has its own room! The sink and shower are in the next room!!!