Germany: My Intercultural Education Experience

2009-02-02T23:04:00.000-08:00

Monday, February 2nd

I am on my way home. After a wonderful weekend in Paris with Ashley Reiner, I am on my flight back home to Missoula, Montana. My nine hour flight from Frankfurt to Cincinnati was uneventful and surprisingly empty, a state which I took advantage of after a suggestion from a flight attendant, resulting in my residing in the middle of three empty seats. I was able to sprawl out and sleep, lay down a table to one side of me to eat, one in front of me to read or use my computer, and another for my things! While that much space was certainly unnecessary, it was certainly comfortable and many people throughout the plane did the same thing. It made for a very comfortable, albeit long, nine hours.

Now, backtracking a bit, information on my time in Paris. It was quite the trip, as Ashley and I worked hard to hit as many of the major historical and/or tourist spots as possible in one weekend and also leave time for some fun dinning, evening outings, and of course shopping. That first full day, Friday, we spent time at the Louvre (and had a nearly exclusive viewing of the Mona Lisa, only two other people in the room!), climbed all 700+ stairs to the top of the Eiffel Tower (as high as they will let you climb at least, then took the shuttle to the very top), walked down the Champs d’Elysee, saw the Arc du Triomphe, and also strolled through the gardens outside of the Louvre. That night, compliments of my supervising teacher Tom, Ashley and I enjoyed a very nice dinner out, having lamb and duck with wonderful side dishes, and a glass of wine. It was quite the decadent evening, topped off by a little late night browsing in Parisian stores, and making a few small purchases : )

Saturday was equally busy, first hitting the Musee d’Orsay and taking in a number of Monet, Manet, Pissaro, and Vango paintings, and even a few Picasso pieces. We then went to an open-air market, followed by a stroll through the Latin Quarter and a stop outside and inside the Notre-Dame cathedral. We also made a quick stop by the Centre Pompidou, exiting the subway to find a small parade going on in celebration of the Chinese New Year! It was very fun, full of colorful Chinese dragon costumes, flags, and of course fire crackers. We then took a brief rest before hitting one more evening of shopping, something I had not the entire trip so I enjoyed greatly that evening.

The next morning we enjoyed a late start with an 8 AM wake-up call, breakfast at the hostel, and then a Gregorian mass at Notre-Dame. What a treat. With pamphlets providing the readings in French, English, Italian, and Spanish, people of many nationalities could enjoy the service. The organ music was hauntingly beautiful and the male choir was stunning. To get to take part in a service at one of the most famed Cathedrals is something I will relish for the rest of my life. It was time then to retrieve our bags from the hostel and make our way to my train station. Ashley accompanied me, we said our goodbyes, and I boarded my train with a happy heart. To have gotten the opportunity to share such a trip with a childhood friend was more than I could have asked for, and I will have happy memories to look back on for all my life. I returned to Sandy and John’s, had a wonderful dinner, and packed everything away for my departure the next day.

That brings us to today, and the culmination of my wonderful month abroad. I had more wonderful experiences than anyone has a right to dream of in a lifetime, let alone a short month. I was blessed with kind hosts in Sandy, John, and their children, a wonderful mentor in Tom, and the opportunity to travel the country, meeting new and old friends alike. I would like to thank you one last time for following me throughout my journey. The opportunity to record this all and have you experience it with me has been great. I will post pictures of my time in Paris and keep this site active, as it is a wonderful memento of my time abroad. I thank you all for being a part of it.

Sincerely,
Katie

An update - albeit breif - from Paris

2009-01-29T11:01:00.000-08:00

Bonjour mon amis I am in Paris! I arrived safely, decided to splurge a bit and pay a Euro for little internet time (and now have a little less than 4 minutes to go), and thought I'd write a brief update. I arrived in Paris this afternoon, after a whole two and a half hours on a train (I LOVE traveling in Europe. Quick and affordable), and am now going to head out and meet Ashely at the train station. We will enjoy two and a half days here before I head back to Sandy and John's for one night, and then home. The trip has gone by all too fast, but I look forward to returning home.

I went on an all-too-quick walking tour, getting the feel of life in Paris, and taking in the architecture during a sunny afternoon at the Louver, Notre Damne, and a few otehr places. It was beautiful. Well, I am down to one minute, and suppose I will end here. I will certainly reflect on this experience when my days are done here, but it may be two days. Hope all is well back home and thanks for reading!

~Katie

Photos!

2009-01-26T14:27:00.000-08:00

Photo Album was updated - Take a look! Pictures of Berlin, more of Salzburg, some of Fussen. I had to pick and choose, but some good ones made the cut. Take a gander if you have a minute (click on the photo of the castle - it is a link to the album)

Written Sunday, posted today (along with a post written last Thursday): My times in Berlin

2009-01-26T07:58:00.000-08:00

Sunday, January 25th

Goodbye Berlin, I am returning to southern Germany with a happy heart. I had a long weekend filled with friendship and fun, time spent in the greatest way imaginable. I headed to Berlin Thursday exuding excitement for the prospect of a weekend spent with good friends unseen for a great deal of time. Last semester was so very full with student teaching responsibilities. To say that my social life suffered is a great understatement. A number of those I was able to spend time with those whose company I had not been able to keep since last May! To get a weekend with them in such a wonderful place as Berlin is more than I could have asked for.

I arrived Thursday, a little after the intended arrival time due to late trains, and with the assistance of a nice lady from Portugal (who had been living in Spain and Germany for the past five years) was able to take the S-bahn in the general area of the hostel. I then asked the information man at Potsdam strasse and he pointed me in the right direction. With a good deal of walking I arrived and began checking in as Dr. Strauch approached to say hello. I got my things up to my room and wandered a bit, running into fellow Whitworth Wind Symphony clarinet player Tim in the hallway who was able to point me to Allie, Jeannette, & Maya’s room. Jeannette saw me in the hallway and so began the onslaught of hugs, hellos, and welcomes the likes of which I don’t think I’ve ever had before. It was wonderful. It was then time to head to the Berlin Philharmonic concert so I walked along with the Whitworth group to enjoy what was to be a phenomenal concert. The music was wonderful and the venue was very unique. A great time indeed. The gang (which will encompass Allie, Maya, Jeannette, Sara - their very nice sophomore roommate who I met at my arrival, and Billy) then had decided they must take me to the house of one hundred beers. Dr. Strauch, Ben Brody, and some fellow Whitworth people tagged along and our large group got a table, ordered dessert, picked some beers to try and for the next hour and a half talked and laughed and headed home with happy hearts. It was a wonderful (and late) evening, a great start to my time in Berlin.

Friday too was destined to be full and busy, as we started the morning by going to the Flick collection, a modern art gallery very near the Berlin Hauptbahnhof. Because a group the size of Whitworth’s group gets in for either one set price or free, I was simply included in the group and we all headed in. I could say a great deal about the gallery, but the experience does not require words. I am very happy I did not pay for the ticket. While I have enjoyed modern art in the past, when it comes to the Flick collection, I am not a modern art connoisseur. We’ll leave it at that. The afternoon from then on out was our own, and the girls (Maya, Sara, Jeannette, and Allie) had a few more places they had saved to visit until I was in town (thoughtful of them) and it was time we crossed them off their to-do list. We grabbed a Doner Kabab (traditional German fast food...fun stuff, but looks unappetizing in the pictures if you ask me) before hopping on the U-bahn and heading to the Gemäldegalerie and musical instrument museum. I enjoyed the Gemäldegalerie, filled with European art from the 13th to 18th century, with a number of Rembrandt’s and a painting by Vermeer. The musical instrument museum was very cool and I took many pictures of the unique instruments. On our way back we briefly stopped in the German Resistance museum, a one-floor display about those who opposed Hitler, however the display was written entirely in German and we did not get Audio guides so we stuck with enjoying the pictures.

After a brief dinner with the group at the hostel, we headed up to the girls’ room for a little down time. We had plans for the evening, so we took a short break to allow some homework to be done (I read, but they certainly accomplished things). With a little rest we were ready to start our evening and first headed down to the Internet cafe near by. It cost € ,50 for a half hour, much cheaper than the price to use the hostel’s internet, so I go the chance to check my mail and answer some emails in a typical European fashion. Billy met us at the cafe and the gang then headed to the Europa Center to cross one thing off of Jeannette’s list. She had been told by a friend that in Europe, black and tan’s (Guinness and a pale ale) were instead tan and black. While physics may say this is not possible due to the fact that Guinness is lighter than the tan and will always reside on top, Jeanette wanted to prove check and show her friend he was mistaken by going to the same pub, ordering said drink, and come home with photographic evidence. We arrived at the Irish Pub in the Europa Center, a large place which boasts live music nightly (a mix of bad classic rock and country music that only seems to go on for 15 minutes before the band takes a 45 minute break) and projection of the nightly sporting event, and found a nice table in the corner for the six of us. Three of us ordered black and tans (and proved Jeannette’s friend wrong), two of tried Poor Man’s Black Velvet (Guinness and a hard cider - good combination), and Allie, not feeling well after what we think might have been too many gummy bears, got water. We enjoyed ourselves for quite a while, until Allie got ill at which time we determined it was time to head back to the hostel and call it a night.

Saturday was just as busy and equally fun. It was a free day for the group with no assigned obligations, so we planned to cross the remaining things off of the girls’ list that they had saved until my visit. First though, Jeannette and I headed to the flea market to get some souvenir shopping done. The group had gone the previous weekend on a Sunday and found it very crowded, extremely cold, and with a much higher percentage of junk that worth-while finds. Jeannette and I however found the opposite on this particular Saturday. The crowd was more than bearable, the weather no more than slightly chilly, and the finds distributed in abundance. We both walked away with good souvenirs for ourselves and others, the contents of which will not be discussed on this blog due to a number of readers being on the receiving end of the afore mentioned buys. We returned to the hostel briefly to return our souvenirs, then went to meet the girls that the Topography of terror, an outdoor display of the area the SS and Hitler made their headquarters. From there we visited the Jewish Memorial museum, looking at the history of Judaism and it’s place in Germany. It was fascinating (and interactive!) and the architecture was a marvel in and of itself. We spent a good two plus hours there before the need to return to the hostel (and quickly finish some homework for a few of the girls) was upon us. Finishing their homework by the required deadline, we had dinner with the group at the hostel again and then got ready to do just a few more things before calling it a night. The girls had decided to return to the parliament building, a building which is topped with an open-air dorm to heat and cool down the building, with two ramps to take you to it’s pinnacle. We got to the top, took a great deal of pictures as well as took in the view, and moved on to the next thing on our list: the TV tower. It is a Berlin staple, with a quick elevator ride up it’s staggering height to take in a 360° view of the city. We were there in the evening, a beautiful night view of the city before us, and took on the challenge of spotting many of the monuments we had seen throughout the past few days. During the bus ride to the TV tower and afore mentioned dome I was able to see victory column, Brandenburg Gate, the “pregnant pearl” building, and a few other Berlin staples. It was a very enjoyable bus ride to say the least. We topped off the evening (Jeannette, Maya, and I at least) by returning once more to the Irish pub for a quick drink and then home to bed.

Today, with a train scheduled to depart Berlin Hauptbahnhof at 12:32 PM, began with completing one more thing on our check-off list - visiting “Barb”, the largest complete dinosaur skeleton ever erected. It sits in the Natural History museum in Berlin, and charges a mere € 3 for students to enter. How awesome. We were like squirrels in a field of acorns, happy as can be, overwhelmed with the immensity of truly great things before us. Their collection of fossils and skeletons, historic animals and current marvels, stones of all shapes and colors, and planetary displays to boot. I was a little crazy with my camera and we all walked away seeing the stop as a highlight of the trip. You’ve got to love those educational museums.

That brings me to this moment, riding on the train back to Landstuhl, and I am happy to have shared my weekend trip with you. This will be one of the last few updates, with only two more school days and a trip to Paris to inform you about, and the end of this adventure is in sight. What a time it has been. Thanks for reading and I look forward to these last few updates.

Until then,
Katie

Written last Thursday...posted Monday, January 26th

2009-01-26T07:55:00.000-08:00

Thursday, January 22nd

I am on the train to Berlin, enjoying my assigned seat in one of the quite, boxed chambers. There are six seats, however only three are occupied, and I feel fortunate to be placed in such a room. It is equipped with a table, a number of outlets, both ideal for typing on my laptop, and a quite environment perfect for reflecting on the events of the past three weeks. It truly is a gift, seeing as I did not request for a seat assignment such as this, but I am enjoying the benefits greatly.

While little has happened since I wrote my last update, I found writing the last two posts to be hurried and disorganized. I had not been able to put the same amount of thought or the usual amount of concentration that I typically do, and while they fulfilled their purpose of providing an update, I was not satisfied with them. I enjoy these opportunities to reflect, to absorb all that I have done and put my thoughts into words. While it is nothing short of challenging to accurately describe the many stunning things I have seen and done, I like to rise to the occasion and give it my best effort. With that in mind, I am now writing an interim-update, touching on events and highlighting thoughts I was unable to fully or accurately describe in my last few updates. The train ride to Berlin is long, and with these next coming hours, I am sure I will be able to create an update that will satisfy me.

I have seen a number of beautiful sights during the past few excursions, located in large and small cities alike. I have reasoned that I have an overwhelming love of cathedrals as the marvels they offer usually inspire in me awe that other places do not. Do not misunderstand me. I have enjoyed every place I have been and appreciated the many tremendous sites in residence. I merely walk away having been most impressed always by the historic cathedrals. Fortunate for me, nearly each location large enough to be considered a city has one, if not several, cathedrals to explore. Whether it is the architecture, the sheer unimaginable task masons took on with their limited technology when they were constructed, or the art that resides inside in the form of sculpted ceilings, intricate alters, stained glass windows, and sculptures, there is an endless number of things that rouse nothing less than complete rapture with their interior and exterior elements.

Another site in which I was captivated by was the view of the Alps, seen from both my time Austria and in Füssen (Southern Germany). I could do little else than gape out of the window from my seat on the train at the jagged peaks, snow-covered slopes, and staggering heights. I was surprised at how complacent the other passengers were to the beauty that surrounded them, and saddened to think that such marvels could be taken as nothing more than landscape. I hope to never look at such beauty as commonplace, to always appreciate the splendor around me, wherever I may be. When hit by the sunlight, a number of the peaks stirred in me a memory of home, a peak that stands above the others during my drives out of the Rattlesnake area. The peak always remains covered in snow, and catches my eye each time I drive the every-day route into town. The peak’s beauty does not escape me, and it is an unthought ritual to gaze at it when it remains in site. I would hope the same would hold true should I ever take residence around such beautiful mountains as the Alps.

I should now move on to other writing required from me as part of the course I am currently enrolled in. It is very easy to overlook the fact that what I am doing in Germany is actually a class required by the University to obtain my degree. What a wonderful requirement. The class requires a notebook to be handed in shortly after returning to Whitworth and has many required elements calling for a number of written responses. I have written a handful, but many remain and I have sidetracked myself long enough. I will write again after I return from Berlin. Time spent with friends is time well spent and I look forward to doing so in a city with as much to offer as Berlin has. Until then, I thank you once again for following me throughout this journey.

~Katie

2009-01-21T12:52:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, January 21st

The countdown on my last few days in the classroom has begun. I am finishing up my last full day this week, as there is a teacher work day on Friday and Tom has decreed I must begin my cultural education in Berlin early on Thursday and therefore shall only be required for the morning portion of the day tomorrow. I like the extended weekend he has offered me. The past two days in the classroom have been similar to the last few weeks, however I am again conducting for a period to prepare for the bits of the beginning band “informance” that I will be conducting in this evenings concert. Tom has termed it an “informance” so as to merely inform the families on what their beginning band students have been doing.

Tuesday I played on the trumpet again and took on the role of percussionist in the advanced band. I will be woodwind, brass, and percussion savvy by the end of this experience, that is for sure. My conducting has improved greatly and I am enjoying being in front of the students with a baton in hand much more these days. After school I headed out immediately with John to get Katie to her piano lesson on time and took the opportunity to walk around Landstuhl while her lesson was taking place. It was fun to get a better look at the town when it was light (I tend to only be there in the dark coming or going to the train station). The buildings are beautiful and the small-town feel there is very comforting. That evening we ate dinner in front of the television, watching the live feed of the inauguration, and sharing our thoughts on the event. I then headed to bed early to make up for the sleep I had missed during my weekend travels.

Today I headed in early with John and got the opportunity to talk and write some at my desk in Tom’s office. I find myself a little antsy this afternoon with my trip to Berlin in the forefront of my mind, and battled all day long to focus on the tasks at hand. I succeeded for the most part and again conducted, played trumpet, and worked with the lone percussionist in the afternoon beginning band. This student is a good kid, with a little bit of an attitude problem, so I spent a good deal of time working with him to see the value of his practicing and the point to learning all the percussion instruments when his main desire was just to play the drum set. He improved and I walked away feeling as if something was accomplished, for at least he remained positive for the remainder of that period. During the advisory period today I worked with two clarinetists learning duets and we worked on skills necessary to play solo/duet pieces well. I also had the task of explaining how to count 4/8 time to them, and succeeded for the most part. It was quite the task, but I enjoyed it greatly. Tom and I are now are waiting at school until this evenings concert, accomplishing some of the tasks on his to-do list. I am very much enjoying working in his classroom and find myself using a slightly different approach, paring compliments with criticism. I do not believe that either technique is better, but this works for myself and the students so I have marked it down as a success.

The next few days are to be filled with fun things in Berlin, as I will meet up with Whitworth’s Politics through Art tour, led by none other than my Wind Symphony director, Dr. Strauch. My roommate Allie as well as my friends Maya, Jeannette, and Billy are all on the trip and I cannot wait to get to spend some quality tourist-time with them. I have been extremely fortunate in all I have gotten to do so far during my stay here and I don’t see that changing any time soon : ) For example, the first things I will be doing in Berlin is attending a Berlin Philharmonic concert! I look forward to updating you all on the concert (both of them) and my days in Berlin, however that will most likely not occur until Sunday evening. I miss you all back home and will try to put up the pictures from my trips to Munich, Salzburg, and Fussen.

Until next time,
~Katie

2009-01-20T07:25:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, January 20th

Today begins with my fighting off mild exhaustion as I enter this week having enjoyed a truly whirlwind weekend adventure. I packed all three days of the short break full of tourist activities, spending time in Munich, Salzburg Austria, and Füssen. I spent a good deal of time on the train to make it to these locations and therefore was able to watch the scenery and read some. I have the traveling by train thing down pat now and find myself enjoying the relaxing time spent riding throughout the country.

Munich was my destination Saturday, leaving early that morning for the 3 1/2 hour train ride, hoping to maximize my time there. I arrived mid-morning and found the hostel first thing. Checkout at the hostel was at 10:00, and I made it there shortly after that, and was able to check in. I moved my things in, putting my backpack in the locker provided to me, and then hit the town. I first went to Munich’s St. Paul cathedral, then to the paved area where Octoberfest takes place, a very large stretch of concrete, the size of a large park in fact, and saw the monument there. I then walked to the Fußgängerzone (pedestrian zone), where the Glockenspiel was along with the majority of the shopping areas. The Fußgängerzone has been my favorite location in every city I’ve been and Munich is no exception. The area was very crowded, living up to the big city it is, with all stores being very busy, making it very evident I was in a metropolis. While I don’t mind big cities, I was content to spend just one day there and move on. I must say though, I believe my favorite part of my visit was wandering to the ice rink, lit up with neon lights, techno-pop music, and people watching as young and old alike struggled to learn to skate as others skated in circles around them. Without a doubt it was the best people watching I’ve done this whole trip.

I headed to Salzburg around 8:00 AM the next morning, eating a quick breakfast at the hostel and catching the EC train, arriving in Salzburg, Austria around 10:30 AM. Again, I located the hostel first, then did a little sightseeing. I could not check in at the hostel until after one, which came as no surprise, and so as I did some sightseeing. I was very thankful I packed lightly, my backpack causing no pain as I walked around the Fußgängerzone for a few hours. I found the local, well known cemetery and catacombs, wandering into them by sheer luck. While there is one person buried inside the “catacombs,” the area is technically not a catacomb, more of a single grave with two chapel/worship areas carved into the mountain. The area actually went a good deal up the mountain and was very interesting to walk through. I then went into both of the cathedrals in the pedestrian zone and got my souvenir shopping done early, so as to not buy anything else during my visit, which was of course quite easy seeing as all of the shops are closed on Sundays (although a few opened up around 4:00 PM, I’m still not sure as to why). I had a late lunch at a quaint cafe, enjoying their winter special vegetable soup, bread, and a hot chocolate with Rum. Very enjoyable. I then checked into the hostel, quickly moved my things in, then walked to the other side of the river, taking in the other half of the city, including Mozart's famous abode, and other famous buildings around the area. The architecture was stunning and despite the size of the city, it had a small town feel to it. It was quite in the evening, and there was little to do after dark, so I hit the hay early, with a 4:30 AM wake-up call the next morning.

That next morning I headed back to Munich, stopping just at the main rail station to catch a train to Füssen. It was quite the lengthy ride, simply because the train stops at every small town between Munich and it’s final destination: Füssen. The town was quaint, and everyone out and about seemed to know one another. I took in some of the sights in town and had planned to head to the castle in a nearby town, the castle in which Cinderella’s castle was designed after. Unfortunately, the weather deterred me from doing so, as the slush and rain that begin to poor from the clouds made the afternoon quite miserable. So, feeling as if I had seen a great deal and enjoyed myself as much as possible without soaking through my jackets, I headed back home, taking the lengthy train ride back to Landstuhl.

Well, while I could go on and on with all I saw and enjoyed I think I will stop there as the students are asking when I will come and play with them, so the clarinet beckons. I hope to provide more details about my wonderful weekend later, but we’ll leave it at this for now. Thanks for reading.

~Katie

A prelude to the weekend...and an update on the end of the week

2009-01-16T09:00:00.000-08:00

Friday, January 16th

While I just posted another update about an hour ago (written two days ago mind you), looking back on how long the past few blogs have been, I figured an update sooner rather than later would be a good idea. I have presented you all with a great deal to read, and figured I'd try to update more often so as to provide you snippets rather than essays to peruse. On that note, lets begin.

I left off having ended a great Wednesday as I conducted and fumbled my way through the percussion section and went into Thursday with high hopes for the evening of Jazz that was to come. I was not disappointed. The day in the classroom went well, as I again assisted the percussion sections, this time playing tympani, crash cymbals (which are not my strong suit to say the least...the results were quite laughable), suspended cymbals (much better), and mallets along with the bass drum I had "mastered" the previous day. I had a blast, as did the students as I proceeded to drop the drumsticks loudly, hitting a cymbal, while one of the secretaries was speaking to Tom and the class. I always have been the unintentional comic.

After school, Tom and I immediately left for Heidelberg, and arrived exactly at our 4:30 meeting time with Jennifer, a long time friend of Tom's who works for a music-education publishing company. A great connection to have let me tell you. She was nice as can be and the three of us headed to Leimen, a small town that really is basically an extended part of Heidelberg based on the seconds of driving it took to get there. We found the hall the concert would be in, found where we would park, and headed on to have dinner in a small German brewery nearby. Talk about authentic Germany. It was a quaint small place with house brews, one of which I sampled and enjoyed it well enough. The food was wonderful (German fries are much superior to American fries, and I think the name "pommes" is better too...its the same in French, but I still prefer it).

We then went to the concert at the Portland building (named for Portland cement across the street), and I met numerous of Tom's teaching comrades and cohorts in crime from his younger days : ) All wonderful players so he tells me and equally great instructors. The concert was wonderful, as we found ourselves having to remind one another they were high school students. They most certainly fit the definition of "creme of the crop." The jazz band director, Jiggs Whiggam, a legendary trombonist, who has played with ever famous jazz artist ever (truly, the question is who HASN'T he played with). He started his career being offered a spot from Count Basie in his orchestra, taking it once he graduated and, since the past trombonist left in a tizzy due to this new young player on the scene, played it all by memory! His resume includes Charlie Byrd, Cannonball Adderley, Ella Fitzgerald, Buddy De Franco, Benny Goodman, and the list goes one...for about another page. Truly impressive. I must say though, even more impressive than his list of credits, I was left in greater awe due to his way with the students on stage. He taught them an art form, pushed them hard, and left them completely in love with what they were doing. He rehearsed them to death, but instead of killing their drive, he ignited it with a passion and joy most teachers can only hope to light inside a few. I had never seen 29 students enjoying themselves while focusing and succeeding as well as this group of students did. Impressed doesn't even begin to cover what I saw there.

Tom and I then returned to his home, and it was everything Sandy and John had told me about and more. What a wonderful place. The next morning, due to my overestimation of how long I take to get ready (it took me 15 minutes), Tom decided we had time to go to his favorite breakfast place in Landstuhl. We enjoyed another early morning breakfast, I with my hot chocolate and crossaint, he with some funny sandwhich that is apparently a breakfast food over here, and had a nice conversation, all before the sun had even risen.

The school day was again a day of learning for me, as one of the 6th grade trumpetters who has been taking private lessons and is excelling at an alarming rate turned the tables and gave me a lesson. Jullianna taught me how to play the trumpet. She taught how to properly form an ombechure for the trumpet, how the hole I allowed the air to come out was supposed to change with the pitch I was playing, and even how I should be using my diaphram! Needless to say she was a wonderful teacher and before I knew it I was playing trumpet alongside the first year band students. It was fun to learn a new skill such as that. It had been a while. Later, I learned to play the snare drum, teaching myself flams, rolls, and paradittles as the other beginning band's lone percussionist was absent. It was the definition of learning on the job, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Tom and I finished the day playing some more jazz, swing, blues, and samba duets, and I believe I am finally letting a bit of my classical training go to the wayside for a bit and learning to swing the pieces as is neccessary. Tom is still doing his best to make me a band teacher, and I must say, while I can't imagine doing it full time, I am enjoying the training process.

Well, so much for a short update. Berevity is clearly not my strong point. Ah well, it is a curse, and unfortunately those of you reading are the only ones who suffer, for this doesn't hurt me a bit : ) I look forward to updating you soon with events in Munich and Dachau.

Until then,
Katie

Wednesday's update...posted two days late

2009-01-16T08:12:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, January 14th

While I wrote just a day ago, there is much to say about the events of the past three days and what is to come. I will not have a chance to write again this week, so posting today seemed to be a logical choice. Tomorrow evening Tom and I will be attending the DoDDS Jazz festival outside of Hiedelberg, a concert with both a Jazz band and choir and features the best players and singers the DoDDS high schools have to offer. The concert will run late in the evening and I will be staying the night at Tom’s house so he does not have to drive an hour out of his way to take me home. His house, according to Sandy is quite the place and I look forward to seeing it. Friday, being the beginning of a three day weekend, offers another chance for adventure, and I will head out to most likely Munich and the concentration camp that is near by. It looks to be quite the weekend.

Back to the events of earlier this week. On Monday, Tom and I headed to Baumholder’s Middle/High School and observed his colleague Patrick F. Casey. He is a very talented teacher and his passion for the subject and his students shows. I was asked to present a little bit about the range of the clarinet and talked to the students about it’s tone and the amazing range the clarinet has. I was able to show them that I too am still learning, as in my private practice I have been working on successfully playing the high A. It’s a work in progress to say the least. After his first class, one of Patrick’s students approached me saying he’d always wanted to play an instrument like the clarinet because of it’s range, but couldn’t because he was missing his pointer finger on his right hand. We talked instead about the variety of instruments he could play and how brass instruments, like the french horn, have a large range, is challenging to play, and only requires three fingers. He was able to get excited about the prospect and left with a smile on his face. A “completely random happenstance” occurred in the next class, in which a student approached me to say hello. She was a former MCT camper and had had me as a counselor for counselor switch during the 2007 camp season. She was unable to return this past summer due to the fact she was living abroad! I couldn’t believe that even over here I would run into students from my past.

After school, Tom and I went to Kaiserslaughtern to get dinner. We had a little time to kill so he took me to the train station and I made reservations for my trip to Berlin and Paris, on ICE trains (very quick - to Paris in two hours - and with a meal). It is very exciting to have that ready to go, as the dates are quickly approaching. We then went to dinner at Club 21, a cafe on the 21st floor of the Kaiserslaughtern’s tallest building. The dinner and the view were both wonderful. We were able to take our time and enjoy the meal as well as the company. After dinner, Tom took me to play in the German community band he is a part of. It was a learning experience to say the least and I was surprised at how easily I was able to follow along with the rehearsal, although none of it was said in English. Music is a universal language after all, and while I would have struggled had the directors tried to give me any notes specifically, when singing what they were looking for or providing motions I could decode it well enough and played just fine. The other players were very kind to me and I enjoyed myself immensely. The music was a mix between polka/marches and bad eighties movies music hits. What a kick.

The next day was a tough one, as I was tired due to the late return home after band, but many great things were accomplished. I conducted the beginning band for the first time, and although I was nervous and lacked confidence, it wasn’t half bad. While I prefer teaching Language Arts and/or Social Studies, it is good to know that by the end of this I will be able and confident in front of the podium. During the next block I went and spent some time with the middle school counselor, Greg Holly. We discussed the challenges children living abroad with family in the military face and the extra stress they take on with constantly moving or family members being deployed to hot zones such as the middle east. We talked about the many students who struggle with forming meaningful relationships, seeing as they move every few years. Students often fail to invest in friendships for they see them ending in a short time anyway. Greg struggles with teaching them the value of forming meaningful relationships with classmates, a value that is important when it comes to forming relationships later in life. It was a riveting discussion and we talked about many important things these particular children struggle with. It made for a good day.

Today I conducted again, but with greater confidence and I found myself enjoying it much more than the previous day. I felt better about it and therefore the students got more out of the experience. It keeps getting easier, as I conducted two bands this time and I hope to continue doing so as the weeks go on. I even joined the percussion section in the last band of the day, playing the bass drum to help the ensemble keep the beat. As Tom said “It’s always fun to get to hit something during the day.” I whole-heartedly agree. I look forward to the events later this week and this coming weekend and can’t wait to tell you all about in my next entry.

Until then,
Katie

~This is posted a day or two late due to lack of access to my blog...darn the school internet blocking my blog site

Too much to write about!

2009-01-13T07:36:00.001-08:00

Wow, it is now Tuesday, January 13th, and I have such a great deal to update since last Thursday! With that in mind, I will focus this blog on Friday and the events of the weekend, and write about my wonderful Monday and Tuesday (and they truly were wonderful) in a later post.

Friday, the end of my first week in the classroom, was a fun and educational day. I spent the first block of my morning observing the 7th grade Language Arts teacher as his class did a writing activity involving a painting as the prompt. It was interesting and many of the students began writing very creative and entertaining stories from what they gleamed in the artwork...those who were able to get started at least. Unfortunately, many of the COWs (computers on wheels - laptops with a wireless modem all on a single cart with wheels to be moved from classroom to classroom. Great if you don't have space for a computer lab) had a very difficult time connecting to the network. As every teacher knows, even the best laid lessons go awry, and this just happened to be one of those lessons. I still took some good things away from my observation and, as always, Tom had me inform him what they were when I returned. I am now prepared for his "What did you learn" question after any observation I do. The remainder of the morning consisted of some writing for the notebook that will be due at the end of this experience and playing a number of duets with Tom. It makes for quite the restful prep period.

In the afternoon, I was given a tough assignment. I was to observe Tom, and critique him just as a principal would if it was him/her observing. This meant I was to find elements I thought were strong, techniques I thought were effective, and things that could be approached another way or behaviors that need to be changed. It was hard to dismiss the knowledge that it will be him grading me at the end of this experience, but I managed to push that fact aside and give my honest opinion. He really is a wonderful instructor and we had a very constructive talk at the end of the day. He thanked me for three wonderful pieces of advice I gave him and was very appreciative of the feedback. I am glad I was able to give him something, as I felt very out of my element critiquing an educator who has been teaching for years, and I am a student simply in the process of becoming one. I was unsure if I would have any wisdom to impart, but I managed to share a few of the many wonderful things Whitworth has taught me and Tom was more than pleased.

The weekend was packed full of fun things, beginning with an early morning trip to the Kaiserslaughtern fruit and vegetable market. They had many wonderful things there, and despite the freezing weather, it was quite enjoyable. I found it quite humorous that at the fruit and vegetable market we returned with fish, cheese, and bread! I had a little chance to see a portion of the large town and thought about staying for a little while and returning late on the train, but must admit the temperature made me change my mind. I instead returned with Sandy, ate some of the treats we acquired, took a brief nap, and walked around the town that I had been inhabiting for a week. It is a very quaint village, with only a chapel and about 10 houses, but there is such character in the architecture that you can't help but find peace in its simplistic beauty. I enjoyed the walk and am in love with the hills that surround this area.

Sunday was a day to myself, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I caught an early train to Trier, the only Roman settlement in Germany, and took in the sites. These included the largest Roman Gate in the world as well as Roman bath houses and a cathedral built in 318 AD. It was very quite outside during my sightseeing, despite the size of Trier, and I found myself appreciating many of these historic sites alone. It was very peaceful and I felt no need to hurry as I took in a bit of history. In Germany, Sunday is truly a day of rest and due to the cold very few people were out and about. None of the stores are open, with the exception of Cafe's and restaurants, so I could window-shop without any temptation to buy, and gave me just enough time to see all the sites I desired and make the Train home at a decent hour. If only the states could slow things down a bit and enjoy a day of rest too. We have a hard time even closing stores for Holidays such as Christmas and Thanksgiving, let along every Sunday. Ah well, I'll appreciate it while I'm here.

As I mentioned before, there is a great deal more to say, but I will save it for a later post. I will be updating the photo album within the hour, so please enjoy the bit of Trier I was able to capture in photos and thank you again for following my trip. This is turning out to be quite the experience.
Until next time,
Katie

~ Sandy and John's internet is very slow and the silly photo site only managed to load 6 before shutting down on me. They are 6 nice photos, but more will come later.

Thursday, January 8th

2009-01-08T07:00:00.000-08:00

I write this as my fourth day in the schools is beginning, and I can safely say that there will not be an idle moment during my stay here. Yesterday morning I observed a wonderful 8th grade Social Studies teacher, Mr. Kiefer as he taught the tail end of the American Revolution as well as current events in Israel/Gaza strip. I loved his teaching style. He was extremely animated and his sense of humor hit my funny bone just right. I believe my favorite moment was when a male student asked, since Jerusalem is such a problem, why don't we just create a second one. Oh, if only we could rewind history and do that. Ask Jesus to be born elsewhere or for Mohammed to ascend into heaven another rock, in a location other than Jerusalem. If only. We had a nice laugh and wished that for a moment a solution as simple as that could be found and moved on. I hope to take part in Mr. Kiefer's class more as this month goes on. It was a wonderful experience.

Tom and I then moseyed on over the the hospital on base for a bit of base-culture and good eats from the Hospital's famous salad bar. The hospital is impressively large and is the primary military hospital in Germany. The number of wings was simply daunting and the selection in the salad bar almost as overwhelming. We then returned and ate our lunches, and went on to the second half of the day. I observed Mr. Fairchild that afternoon, a long-term substitute in 6th grade Social Studies. He has taught a variety of classes over the years at Landstuhl, being hired on one-year terms, for unknown reasons. He is well respected by the staff and is a very good teacher. I had the opportunity and talk to him a bit about his role within the DoDDs system, and it was a very educational experience.

I ended the school day playing with Tom's advanced band, assisting the clarinets with their rhythms as they read through pieces and enjoyed greatly the opportunity to play. Sandy and I left the school shortly afterwards to hit the gym at the Ramstein airbase - an extremely large and extensive base with many top-of-the-line facilities. Their gym was just as Sandy had described it to me: impressive. The weight machines were numerous and the cardio machines each had an individual TV screen with a remote so you could plug in your headphones and choose what you wanted to watch. Since we went after school, it was quite crowded with military members and people getting off of work, so Sandy and I are going to try to go in the mornings more often, but I appreciated the workout nonetheless.

After a "late" dinner (in the Merchat family, eating at 6:45 is late) and a good nights rest, I start today with another full plate. I will be observing the school's drama teacher first, then the intercultural class with Jane Bellieu. Since these children constantly live within two different cultures, there is a class that focuses entirely on culture. I am sure it will be quite the educational experience. I will then end my day in Tom's room, observing him with the beginning band, with an assignment he gave me to look for an effective element of his teaching style I see, and something I might do differently. He thought it would be good for both himself and me, as he says he could use the critiquing.

This weekend I look forward to taking in the Kaiserslaughtern fruit and vegetable market and the surrounding sites, with the possibility of a day trip elsewhere on Sunday. That decision will be made shortly. I am adjusting quite well to life here, enjoying the healthy eating and early bedtimes in the Merchat household, the only problem being battling for a shower in the mornings, every time I attempt to turn on the one downstairs, someone hops in upstairs. I have to laugh as I seem to get it quite late in the morning and get ready quickly, but that is hardly a complaint. I have now become quite up-to-date with the news as the family has it on every morning at breakfast and any time we are in the car, and I find myself enjoying the Paul Harvey news updates more than I would have anticipated. I do find it rather daunting that the children here look at skiing in the Alps as no big deal and trips to France, Austria, or Italy as nothing short of a regular vacation. I simply chuckle to myself at the opportunities they have by living abroad, but yet also see the down side, as they move constantly, without every staying long enough to have a place called "home." Sandy had said she has now learned never to ask a child where "home" is, and rather focus on where they most recently moved from. While to children who have known nothing else, this may seem like a small loss, but to me it is a little more than that, for I will always be able to look back at my home in Montana with fond memories, of traditions centered around my family in Missoula, rather than a constantly moving picture, with no traditional "home" to reflect on. Well, these children certainly don't seem to mind, and I must admit I too would love to go on a regular vacation to one of the Alps many ski resorts! To the classroom I now go, so I will write more at a later date.
~Katie

My first days of school!

2009-01-06T11:16:00.000-08:00

It is now Tuesday, January 6, 2009 and I have started my second day at Landstuhl Elementary/Middle School. My supervisor and cooperating teacher Tom Donaldson welcomed me the first day with open arms, having a desk already set up, my own mug for coffee/tea, and my own log-in on his personal MAC computer. I was overwhelmed with gratitude for all he done in preparation for my visit. The school is on block schedule, something I myself have never experienced, but with teaching a combination class of Social Studies and Language Arts, I was used to having children in class for that length of time already. I must admit however, I cannot imagine middle school students playing for 90 minutes without their chops absolutely dying. They just don’t have the stamina for that! All of Tom’s students lasted the entire period to my surprise and I am quite impressed with their overall attention span.

Tom gave me a tour, in more detail than my host John had been able to give me Sunday when the lights were all off and John’s expertise lies in the first through third grade wing, and I am doing my best learn my way around the maze of hallways. I was introduced to many staff members whose names I have no prayer of remembering at the moment but I will have many a chance to observe them as time goes on. Tom says he is going to do his best to “make me a music teacher” before I leave, but is allowing me ample opportunity to observe other areas as well during my time here. It seems I will be unbelievably busy during this month and as far as I am concerned all the better, for I want to make the most of this learning opportunity.

The next few weeks in the classroom will be jam-packed apparently, as Tom has many plans for excursions and cultural experiences I must take in. I will have the opportunity to accompany him to the German band he plays in as well as the teacher-led Jazz band he is part of as well. I will also be traveling with the school bands as they attend a Jazz Festival outside of Heidelberg, a fun field trip opportunity for the students and myself. I will be exploring the military culture that I am surrounded by as well with Tom, John, and Sandy, as I learn more about the lifestyles led by the teachers, military members, and their families. I have already seen firsthand how often families move, with John and Sandy’s children Josh and Katie often saying goodbye to their friends being relocated. It is a tough experience, but according to John, it inspires adaptability in their children and they have learned how to quickly make friends, an important skill if living this lifestyle. Classes will begin shortly here, so I will write another update later. Things have been going well and I have been enjoying myself greatly, but home is on my mind and know that I miss you all.
~Katie

Settling in...and traveling already!

2009-01-03T10:02:00.000-08:00

Well, traveling went smoothly and I arrived in Frankfurt on time at 7:40 AM New Years day (20 minutes before my family back home in Montana celebrated their New Years in fact. My seat-partner and I clinked beer cans (not quite as luxurious as the champaigne the people next to us were having, but it was free) at the German New Year and enjoyed the rest of the flight, although neither of us actually slept. John and Sandy, my gracious hosts, were there to meet me and drove me to what they call their "humble" accommodations. Their place is very nice, quite homey, and I am very much enjoying the sunsets seen from my window in the extremely comfortable room they've placed me in. I couldn't ask for a nicer family to be staying with and their hospitality is phenomenal.
I spent the next many hours working to stay awake, enjoying what had to be one of my top five showers ever, a brief nap, and an absolutely phenomenal dinner. In celebration of the new year, we had london broil, crab, shrimp, and Sandy and I enjoyed a glass of champagne. Extremely decadent, and extremely tasty. What a welcome to the country, the new year, and their family.
The next day, Sandy, her 11 year old daughter Katie, and I went to Heidelberg, the city with Germany's first University (we are calling me Kate for this month, not too hard for me to get used, however I will come home used to ignoring questions asked to those named Katie!). We took in the food-portion of what was left of their Christmas market, walked up to and took in the local Castle (which was absolutely stunning), and walked around the town some taking in the sites, including a beautiful church. I had my first true German bratwurst and also tried the Christmas treat of a warm mulled wine termed Glühwein!
Today, Saturday January 3rd, Sandy, Katie, and I took another girls excursion and headed to Metz, France. It was a very new experience to be able to drive an hour and half and suddenly be visiting another country! We took in the beyond breathtaking Cathedral, which includes three stain glass windows by the famous artist Chagall, created after the originals had been broken in World War II. The rest of the original windows were still intact, just as stunning, and I, as usual, could not get enough of the art and architecture. To imagine the tools and hands that built such an architectural masterpiece, still standing 800 years later is simply mind-boggling. The history teacher in me is beyond disappointed that my 7th graders could not be there to appreciate the medieval history that lay within the buildings walls. We had a wonderful lunch, in which I had the chance to use a little of my high school French, successfully ordering two baguettes and chocolate pastries on our way out. Oh how much I enjoyed appreciating the cheese on their meals. I officially love France, if for no other reason than their cheese...and their cathedrals.
And I have droned on long enough. I have enjoyed my first few days here immensely and look forward to starting in the classroom on Monday.
Until then,
Katie

The beginning of the journey

2008-12-12T10:12:00.000-08:00

My trip will begin on December 31st, when I take off from Missoula Montana and arrive New Years day in Frankfurt, Germany. I will celebrate 2009 over the ocean, and begin the new year visiting a new country, teaching in a type of school that is new to me, and traveling to exciting places I have never set eyes upon. I take this journey on with excitement and an open mind. I am ready to learn and look forward to all this new culture can teach me. Wish me luck on my flights. I cannot wait to begin updating you all on this exciting adventure. I look forward to its beginning.