First I completed my first year of teaching and my first year in Germany. I had many ups and downs but I made it! Oh and I decided to stay another year! So the ups to this experience: I finally learned a new language (learning). I may have written this before I am not sure, but I am not very successful at languages! I tried learning Spanish in high school and that was an absolute fail. But German... it is different, it is interesting and I need to know it now that I am living here. Another up! I have met some interesting friends (some German and some from around the world). These are friendships I would have never met if I hadn't taken this chance! Another up from this year is becoming more independent. I know this sounds silly but I liked to be dependent in college (especially on my mom :p). But moving to a new country on a different continent and having my first "real" apartment ( I am not counting the one I had in college) I feel that I have "grown up" a lot this year and I am very happy with my progress. There are so many more ups that I don't have time to write them all! A few downs were obviously I missed a lot of special holidays and events with my family and some days it would be just so nice to call a friend or a family member just to talk but its not so easy anymore. There is a lot of planning that is now involved in any contact at all! This truly makes things hard. Another down is that everything is so new and therefor also very stressful!
Next I completed my fourth German course! B1.1 that's right! I am moving on up! It was another Intensive course... that't right four hours a night for days a week for four weeks! It was intense but I made it and in a few weeks I will be enrolled in B1.2. I will write more about that later.
Finally I just started my second year as an English teacher and I can tell right away many differences. Because I already know the kids, (and speak a little German) I am able to console/ control them a little easier :p. I feel much better about my work situation now that I know the ropes and I am not worrying about surprises that may arise. Everyone was right after the first year it does get better!
Hmm not sure who reads my blog but... Do you have any experiences on living in a different country for long periods of time? How big of a culture shock was it? What did you do?
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