The past week I have spent getting more settled into my school and learning the ropes of being an assistant language teacher.  I now have a set(ish) teaching schedule and have met almost all of the classes I'll be with. Here's how its looking:

Monday- FREE DAY! :D

Tuesday- 2nd&3rd periods with a 6th grade class (they have a double English lesson that day), 4th period with an 8th grade class.  

Wednesday- 2nd, 3rd & 4th periods with three different 5th grade classes.  These are the classes I haven't visited yet and they are with the Regionaleschule, not the Gymnasium so that will be a bit different from what I'm used to.  In case you aren't sure how the German school systems work (and I'm sure you don't, since I'm still not totally clear on it...) the Gymnasium was traditionally the school that the kids who were going to go to university went to and the Regionalschule kids went on to trades after their high school.  There are new schools here called Gesamtschules (which is what I teach at) where the two are combined into one big school, presumably to give the Regionalschule kids the opportunity to get a better education than they traditionally would, but I have a rant about that which is best left for another post..... So where was I....

Thursday - 1st period 8th grade, 2nd period a different 8th grade, 3rd period 7th grade

Friday - 1st period 7th grade, 2nd period 8th grade, 3rd period 7th grade

So over all, I don't work a whole lot (12 hrs a week actually), have Mondays off and am done by 10:15am on Thursday and Friday.  The complication comes with the fact that I live about an hour from the school I work at, so getting to school and getting home depends on the carpool of other teachers who live in Kiel.  The days when I have to be to the school for the 1st period, I have to be PICKED UP at 6:25am.  That means I have to get up no later than 5:15am unless I want to be late (and therefore not very German).  Its a bit stressful and extremely tiring, but I am getting into the habit of a good afternoon nap and savoring the mornings that I get to sleep in an extra hour.  

This weekend was spent exploring Hamburg and Kiel with other Fulbright English Teaching Assistants. Friday I walked around the Hamburg harbor and the area of the city called "HafenCity" with two of the Americans living in Hamburg.  We were fortunate enough to have really sunny (if not still chilly) weather.  Saturday was spent in Kiel resting and later hanging out with some of the American ETAs, and Sunday some of us took a lovely stroll around the harbor.  I've been in Kiel for just under two weeks, but I honestly haven't seen a whole lot.  Sunday we walked farther toward the ocean that I had before and saw some really awesome old sailing ships, people playing kayak polo and even some seals (in German: Seehunde = "Sea Dogs") at the outside aquarium.  Two thumbs up for that day as well, even though I unfortunately didn't bring my camera.  Some pictures from Hamburg though:

Hamburg Rathaus

Jessica and Wes at a cool beach themed park by the harbor

Hamburg tries really hard to push the beach theme but there's something lacking... oh yeah, the beach.

The flags of Hamburg, Germany and something maritime-y.  

A Russian ship from 1706 moored in HafenCity, which is known for its very pricey apartments and penthouses (see background). 

Today, during my day off, I went to the store and picked up the film I had dropped off last week.  Some of the pictures I had taken in Macedonia and some were from just last week, so its quite a jumble of subjects.

Igballe at the Painted Mosque in Tetovo.

Prayer beads

Adorable little girl at the Dervish community in Tetovo

Ooo girl! Look at that sass!

Orthodox Macedonian church in Tetovo.

St. Nikolai Church in Kiel

Though creepy and horned, that's not the devil folks its Moses.

Erika and Ariel at the Harbor in Kiel.

Yeah I guess Kiel is kinda cool sometimes.

Kiel Town Hall and Opera house

Town Hall and "Kleiner Kiel" park

As I now prepare for bed and early 6am start tomorrow (though later than some days!), I leave you with an image from my lovely, sunny, late start from today.

My favorite coffee and our kitty, Doctor Zoidberg, staring out the window. 

Until Next Time,

Chelsea