The Halfway Point is Upon Us

This week seemed like it was nothing but decisions to be made. One after another after another, for nearly three days I felt like my life was a riddle box and it had to be solved. Even if most of the decisions won't be relevant until I return to the US. I may have 6 months to make decisions but I really don't feel like that is much time at all.

Last week I had started to work on school stuff for when I return home. I started to evaluate the different roads I could take. Should I; start school immediately, take a semester to work, do both, should I start looking for a job/apartment in Richmond, I need to find loans to pay for school, are there scholarships out there....... The floodgates where reopened onto me. Honestly it almost swept me away, I stood there thinking so long that I barely got out of the way of this huge depression wave.

I'm really not use to dealing with these kind of problems, usually things just fall into my lap and I am able to make the decisions on the fly. Its never been an issue like this before, to where it actually matters how prepared I am. As most of you know I like to play chance, when met with two problems. "Flip a Coin, Roll a Dice, Spin the Wheel." But this is one of those cases that chance just can't work. As I told someone over the week the decisions about what to do when I get back are 100x more difficult than ever deciding to leave.

The Good news is after consulting The Thought Room for a few minutes I had at least the beginnings figured out and have started working on some of the others with a clear head. I'm really not sure how any of this will work out, but I at least have peace of mind. Maybe something close anyway.

My time to think was only accentuated by my class disappearing on Tuesday and Wednesday. As I had said in the last post; My ear infection kept me home on Monday. I really didn't feel like going Tuesday morning either with another restless night but forced myself out the door in the brisk air. when I got to the school I couldn't find F. Weber. My first thought was "Crap I'm late," so I went to the classroom but the door was locked and no one was home. "I know I'll ask the secretary, they should know if there was a special program for today."Well of course they didn't and neither did any of the other teachers, so I came home grabbed my book and headed out to the park. Turned out to be to windy to read. When I came home I worked on some emails I needed to send and laid down to read. 3 hours later I awoke with my face buried in my book, no idea how I managed to fall asleep.

 The process repeated Wednesday not a trace of them. I did spend some time talking to some other teachers about how the break was and listened to a description of Dubai. All week I had been trying to plan a trip with Josh to London. This was also a cause of the stress. We had changed out dates three times, our general plans and so forth. Finally it came down to not knowing when I would start my internship with the police and deciding to play it safe. My mid-morning was booking our plane and our hostel in London. It was beyond a relief to have this planed, being as this was the most direct of my decisions.

Thursday I went to school with the idea that I would turn around and end up right back at home. However I actually found them there. Somehow I forgot to ask what had happened the past few days. Within the first few minutes we had the school counselor come in to talk about a thing called girls day. Basically it's a program that forces the students to switch gender roles in the workplace. The girls have to work a short internship in a male dominated field and vice versus for the boys.

I didn't catch much of the conversation because I was focused on the boy she brought with her. He was very shy and seemed afraid to be there. I came to find out he only spoke English. The funny part of this was that F. Weber spent 10 minutes trying to figure out which of her students could speak the best English to him. I just sat there and snickered for a little, half the students immediate response was CODY, Cody can speak English. It was a great accomplishment for me when they have managed to forget that I come from the US speak English and German is not my first tongue. I felt like a five year old on Christmas.

Once I sat down and coaxed this kid into talking, seriously I could have pulled my own teeth easier. I managed to find out he came from London. We talked a little, and thankfully he warmed up to me pretty well. We ended up being pared together to do some work and try to teach him some German, he understands not a word of it. When classes ended that day I was worried about him he seemed like he didn't want to learn it. After talking to the teacher that he would be under and the counselor, that's pretty much the case.

The next day I worked with him one on one for merely 5 hours. I really shouldn't tut my own horn but we had a heart to heart conversation about what he wanted to accomplish, what his fears were, and what the school could do to help. It was interesting to pass on knowledge to someone. I mean I was in his shoes nearly 6 months ago. I told him about extra things he could do to learn, and wrote a letter to his mother for the school (she also can't speak German) with my suggestions written below it.  Hopefully they try some of them. Monday they have a parent teacher conference with his mother to discuss what they would like to see out of him. I was asked to be a translator but I will be preparing to depart for the seminar that morning. I honestly never expected to be asked to be a translator.

Friday evening I got to see my lovely friends Annika and Johanna again. I hadn't gotten to see these two since right before Christmas. Defiantly to long ago. We met at a cafe that turned out to be full. While we headed over to the other they asked if I had read any German books when I told them no they pulled me into a book store to look around. I ended Up buying a book Jim Knopf und Lukas der Lokomotivefuhrer. It will probably be a while until I read this. I have the game of thrones to get through first. I've really become a reader in my time here. I have bought and read more books, in 6 months here, than I have in the past few years. After our bookstore detour we found a nice cafe and sat around and talked. The conversation wasn't really anything to write about just catching up. We also decided next time we meet were playing board games.

 Saturday I spent my day out and about getting some fresh air in the wonderful sunshine. I stopped by the city store and picked up a needed memorabilia from Munster. otherwise I just enjoyed the Sunshine.

Uncle Willy

                                                                                                                          Street Performers are a usual sight around all major cities, and Münster is no different. We have our usual acts that you can see every day or so in just about the same place. Some are really entertaining and some are just illusionists. most of the time I pass these shows by but every Saturday I go out I make sure to stop by the Rothaus to hear my favorite act Uncle Willy. You have no idea how much I just want to come with a chair and sit there and listen. He plays bluegrass, Irish traditional, German traditional and a few rock songs every now and then. I can spent hours listening to him. Maybe its because he reminds me of home a little and that's how I get my "American Fix." I do know that this guy has a special place in Münster, he is the only person permitted to perform on the Rathaus steps. He is also allowed to live in one of the garden plots, and when he was hospitalized a few years ago the town paid his bills so he could continue with his music.

Sunday started out really slow I have no Idea how I wasted half the day away. I must have been exhausted or something I slept much longer than I thought I had.

We had a very filling Bayern inspired dinner with Felix, Yola, Simon, Erika, Andreas, and me. After the meal we sat on the patio and drank a warm adult beverage. I can't remember what it was called but basically coco and rum. We discussed how ridiculous it was that we could sit on the patio in light jackets in the beginning of February, the weather really seems to be like what is to be expected in October.

Well this next week promises to be a good time, with the Mid Year Seminar starting tomorrow evening. I can't wait to see all these Ami's again, I hope Frankfurt is ready. Oh and I can actually enjoy a beir with you Guys!!!! But for now its time to end this blog, finish packing, and get the final planning done for London. 

Until next week,

Cody A. Glick