Funny Week

Martin has been super awesome.

He has stayed with me everyday this week except for yesterday, because my girlfriend from Cologne was sleeping over.

On Monday he had a day off and I had to work, and when I got home, he had cleaned my floors! He said the dust bunnies (he calls them dust snakes) were too much for him. I admit, it gets ridiculously dusty here. I think it has something to do with facing a terra cotta flower pot factory/storage area, because my dust is often red coloured. I also don’t have a broom or anything, which means Martin had to get on his hands and knees to wipe it all down with a cloth. He also did my bathroom floor. What a great guy!!

Then later in the day, he noticed my freezer had frozen over but also wasn’t cold enough to keep things frozen, which caused mould to develop.

So he chipped away the ice, cleaned out the mould, and also took out all the contents of my fridge so that he could clean and sterilize everything else!

And the day before that he had cut my hair!! I’ve been needing a hair cut but have been afraid to brave the hairdresser’s when I don’t know the language, and thought it would be the same risk-level to get Martin to do it.

Turns out, Martin is a natural! He took off a few inches and also gave me some layers. I love it!

This weekend is a long weekend because Friday is Germany’s labour day. There seem to be so many national holidays around this time, it’s really nice.

Martin is still at work now but will come by later to pick me and my bike up, and then we’ll go to his place for the weekend. I’m really excited. There will be some parties to celebrate labour day (live bands in ALL the bars!), which is always a fun time.

Yay!

Gliding and old cars

My weekend was a lot of fun!

Martin’s friend Daniel (also my friend!) arranged for me to go up in a glider with his old pilot-teacher. We accelerated from 0-100 km/hour in 3 seconds, which almost gave me a heart attack! But the whole experience was a lot of fun and I would do it again.

Right after gliding, I also went to an old-car parade. The whole idea wasn’t too exciting for me, but it turned out to be lots of fun. I’m not a car person, but I saw many beautiful older cars that made me want one too!

Pictures are on my facebook album.

How long will it take me to learn German?

My Mom and I were talking on the phone the other day, and I was telling her how I really want to learn German but that it will take me *years*. I said it in a way that suggested I should already be fluent in German. I gave the example that if I had spent the last 3 months in France instead of Germany, that I would be speaking French by now.

This kind of irritates me, because I really want to be able to converse in another language – doesn’t really matter which one. I can’t speak German yet because it is foreign to me and I’m learning it all from scratch. Whereas French is easier because I studied it in school for many years. France, coincidentally, also happens to be nearby!

Obviously I’m learning German because I live in Germany and want to be adept at Martin’s native tongue. I love talking to Martin, and it tickles me to have another language to communicate to him with. There is definitely personal attachment and a drive for me to learn German. It’s just going to be a verrryyy slow process.

Why couldn’t Martin be French?!?!!!!

Standard of Living Abroad

For those friends who don’t have facebook, here are my Easter Week pictures.

I’ve been thinking a lot about life here in Germany, and the pros and cons of staying versus going back to Toronto.

I’m really enjoying myself here, so it pains me to think about having to leave. But my move date will be fast-approaching and I want to make sure I think things through so that it doesn’t sneak up on me.

One con is the job market. It’s hard to get a non-freelance teaching job in Germany when I don’t speak the language and am not an EU citizen. Luckily, I also like teaching, but it’s hard work with no room for growth. Therefore, I don’t think I could do it for long.

But a big pro right now is earning an income in Euros. Especially during a ‘world wide economic recession’. It might make sense to earn Euros over Canadian dollars if it is hard to find a good job in a down market.

When I compare my cost of living and standard of living, surprisingly my cost of living in Düsseldorf is lower than in Toronto, and I feel my standard of living is higher if I base it on 3 main categories:

-Rent

-Food

-Transportation

My rent in Düsseldorf is cheaper per square foot than my former downtown-Toronto apartment. And it is furnished, and I don’t have to share! Düsseldorf is one of the more expensive German cities to live in. But, apparently still less than in Toronto!

Grocery food is also better here. It’s unlike North America where junk foods/canned foods/convenience foods are cheap while the good fresh stuff can cost. Here it’s the opposite. I eat very well and regularly get foods I would have to save to splurge on in Toronto. (Other necessities like toilet paper, q-tips, shampoo, creams… they can also be cheaper here.)

Transportation (as in public transportation) is SO good here! Not only is the city itself very connected, but getting around to other nearby towns is convenient and not that expensive. Also, my work pays for my travel to and from classes, which constitutes the bulk of my transportation costs.

These 3 factors drastically affect my standard of living in very quantifiable ways. But of course there are other unquantifiable factors, such as social support networks which I lack here.

Anyway, just some thoughts I’ve been bouncing around in my head! Feel free to give me your opinions if any.

Away from the everyday

Well, I’m still alive!

I had a fabulous time away. It was misleading to say I was on a long weekend. More like a long *week* (and not in a bad way!).

I’ve seen so many incredible things in the past week, and can’t believe I’m so lucky!

Martin and I are very different, but we expose each other to new and wonderful things. I’ll update with pictures as soon as I snag them off his camera.

It felt like a whirlwind to work my 2-day work week this week, only to be back on my weekend again, keke.

Last night after class, I hitched a ride home with one of my students (he lives near Martin) and helped him plan his summer wedding in Canada. I called the marriage liscense office, the venue, and am trying to book someone to marry them. It’s all coming together nicely and I’m so excited! Looks like they’ll get the wedding of their dreams, and it makes me so happy to be a part of it.

Now I’m back at Martin’s place for the weekend. He’s preparing for a business trip on Monday, and will fly out of Düsseldorf airport on Monday. We both agree we live an interesting life together!

Small vacation

Off to Martin’s parents’ place for the weekend!

We are planning to take a side trip to Berlin, woo hoo!

Happy Easter & Long Weekend everyone.

Requests in German

Martin and I worked on my German over the phone last night. Yay!

Perhaps this sounds boring, but it was A LOT of fun and felt productive too. According to Martin, my German is really coming along nicely. It even surprises him! keke.

I’m proud that I’ve been speaking German a lot more in the outside world. That’s the best way to practice – to actually use it!

Like on Saturday night, we went out and I approached the DJ to make a song request:

Konnen Sie bitte ‘Britney Spears If You Seek Amy’ spielen?

Yes, Britney’s new song, lol. He didn’t play it, because he said he didn’t have it. But also wouldn’t play it because 10 minutes prior he had played Womanizer. He said this all to me in English.

On Sunday evening, we went out for dinner and I ordered my own food:

Ich möchte eine Funghi Pizza.

And on Monday, I had to navigate myself through security at the new office park I teach in:

Hallo! Ich suche meine English classe mit [name of my student].

I also spoke it at the bank last week when I wanted to make a deposit:

Ich möchte [amount €] Einzahlung.

So I’ve been using really simple “I” sentences, which is becoming natural for me to say. But I also need to practice s/he/we/they sentences too, and the verb-noun conjugations that come along with that.

It’s kind of hard to process it all during an actual conversation! Aiyyy. But I will learn it eventually.

Martin and I make up silly role playing games to help me practice; He is the waitor at a restaurant and I have to order for myself and my guest. I always order vegetarian:

ohne fleisch/kein fleisch

So if anyone visits me, rest assured that I am able to handle your food ordering requests in German! Note: it may come out vegetarian though.

I’ve noticed that when I attempt to speak German, Germans (including my German!) appear tickled to hear me speak their language. Like, they instantly turn up their attention at me and my request, and usually smile or look at me with respect. Even though what I’m saying is basic German 101.

It’s pretty cool and makes me feel nice. Positive reinforcement is a good thing.

Surprising, I really like it!

Ack, the weather is so gorgeous here! It’s 21°C and sunny out. An instant good mood.

I taught my one-on-one this morning and it went really well. My student’s learning style and my teaching style really clicked. We both left the session feeling happy and productive.

Out of the 5 classes that I teach, I’ve realized that it’s hard for me to pick my favourite because I like them all! The more I get into it, the more fun I have with teaching. I like helping people and feel particularly helpful when teaching another language.

I’m glad I realized this because I wouldn’t have ever taught English (or taught anything in a classroom setting) if I stayed in Toronto. It surprises me. I honestly didn’t think I would like it this much.

It also helps that all my students are nice people. They have become a social support to me, which is valuable. I feel like they care about me as a person and care about what I’m doing. They teach me little bits of German and give me suggestions on vegetarian options or fun places to visit, etc… It’s sweet!

I feel like such a dork because I can’t help but smile to myself every time I’m commuting to work. I take trains and buses and trams.

Like, it really makes me feel like I’m a local here! I’m registered with the city, I pay taxes, I have my own flat, my own bank account, a job, and I commute to work – just like everyone else!

This is really the experience I was going for that I can still barely believe. I hadn’t worked anywhere outside of Toronto ever. I mean, I think the farthest I’ve ever worked in Toronto was uptown Toronto at Yonge & Eglinton. And now I’m working in Germany.

It’s SO bizarre but wonderful too.

I’m starting to really like it here!

Slowly becoming a workaholic…

Yesterday my school offered me another class that I just couldn’t pass up. It’s to teach a one-on-one lesson to a businesswoman in Düsseldorf. She works for a major fast food company, and the sessions are long enough to be worth my time.

This will occupy my Monday mornings for the next 10 weeks! Which means I’ll no longer have my 2-day work week like I was so thrilled about. But oddly enough, I’m even more thrilled to have this extra class.

It’s because I’m getting more settled here and teaching is also growing on me. I figure since I’ve already prepared for the lessons and have experience teaching my other classes, that taking on more gigs isn’t so daunting anymore. I’ll barely notice the extra effort, but will certainly notice it in my pay cheque.

My classes at the pharmaceutical company started today, and I think it went well! The students are really nice and I’m looking forward to going back. Although one class is more demanding than the other, so I’ll need to really prepare for their class and not ‘wing it’ as much. That is okay though.

So, new schedule is Monday mornings, Thursdays, and Fridays. Yay!