No news...

...is good news. We've been away from the blog for a bit, mainly because we've stayed put here in Berlin to be lazy, meet friends, and look at all the things that have changed since we last left. We've also spent time with family and relatives and we're still going through some papers, books and clothes that we left behind more than two years ago. Step by step we're taking things back to the States and I have a feeling this way our move won't really be completed for another few years ;-).
We've begun our last week here and slowly but surely we're starting to become a bit anxious, remembering that we have a new home waiting for us with plenty of boxes to unpack, possibly walls to paint, furniture to buy, things to re-arrange and to decorate, lots of errands to run, a new city and a new neighborhood to get to know...and the list goes on. We've enjoyed Europe and our stay so far and no doubt it will be really difficult to leave family and friends behind again. At the same time, considering the events of the last weeks and months, it will probably be good to have some time in our new home, allowing for the changes to sink in and allowing ourselves (and especially myself) to prepare for the challenges I expect to come.

For the moment, though, we're here, looking forward to another few days in Berlin. Below some pictures of the last days with friends and our big family barbeque night last night :-)

yin and yang

Day and night, sunshine and rain, yin and yang...whatever you want to choose... The idea is that we've had a really nice day (two, actually) and a really shitty day this week. On Sunday we took up my mom's offer to go to the city with us, just to stroll around and enjoy the beautiful weather with a walk, some beer and/ or some ice cream in a cafe somewhere along the way. We walked along what always has been and still is one of my favorites in Berlin: Unter den Linden (the long boulevard with old museums, churches, bridges, libraries, a university, etc. leading up to the Brandenburg Gate, coming form the East). Really nice, indeed.

#1: with my parents

#2: the famous Berlin TV tower

#3: P enjoying his beer

#4: ...my mom and I enjoying sweets

#5: one of many cathedrals (the Berlin cathedral in this case) and the Neptun fountain

#6: in front of my alma mater

#7: take a guess...



Yesterday went on our daytrip to the Baltic Sea - to the island of Usedom, from where you can practically spit to Poland (not literally, of course). The three towns by the sea (Ahlbeck, Heringsdorf and Bansin) are arguably some of the most beautiful spots in all of (East) Germany. we left early in the morning with my mom's little Smart car (TINY! I have to take a picture) and returned at night. We strolled along the beach boulevards, hung out at the beach for a few hours, dove into the icy cold water, ate lots and lots of fresh fish and soked up the sun. Later in the day we went to the city of Greifswald, an old university town. My friend Sabrina is just finishing her studies and getting ready to go to Cape Town for half a year, so we thought we'd stop by to see her for dinner. When we returned around midnight, we were exhausted, but happy about a beautiful day, in every sense.






Today then we got ready to explore the former West Berlin and right off the bat Berlin had to remind me of its less attractive sides: Only two stops from where we got on the train, the subway broke down and everybody had to get off to wait for a bus. That bus never came (at least not in the 35 minutes that we waited in the scorching heat with dozens of others) and we embarked on an hour long journey through one of the more ghetto-like parts of Berlin before we got to the train that took us downtown. Next to being upset about just being kicked off the train and left in the heat forever without any further notice, a tour in a bus full of loud kids and teenagers (who got out of school early due to the heat) without airconditioning was less than pleasant. We finally got to Berlin Zoologischer Garten (the center of West Berlin, many would say) to do some shopping. None of that proved successful either, but we witnessed the typical Berlin rudeness, just to complete the already not-so-great day. These are the moments when I am reminded of why I have such a love-hate relationship with this city and why I still do not feel homesick, much less hungry to return one day. Don't get me wrong: It has its many, many good sides and it can be a fantastic, fun city to be in. But when it's crappy, it's crappy and it can rain on one's parade thoroughly.
Tonight we are meeting another good friend of ours and after that we have decided to go to a late show in one of our favorite movie theaters. We have to return downtown, but this time of year it is beautiful to be out at night. It is light until 10.30 pm or later and people are only out to have a drink or an ice-cream or to go for a walk... all in good spirits without any stress or bad attitudes. Let's hope it'll be the nice night out that we're looking for. The movie ("Two days in Paris"), at least sounds good and has gotten good reviews. So then...

Home, sweet home

After an exciting 1.5 weeks out and about in Europe, we made it to Berlin, our final destination for the next few weeks (apart from a few trips here and there). We took the train from Erfurt on Thursday and met my parents in Berlin at the station right thereafter. We got into Berlin's new, ultramodern and huge station that was just opened a few months ago (we hadn't seen it yet). In that respect, much has changed here... Berlin is an eternal construction site and evidence is visible everywhere. Much of the city is being built anew and much is being redone still, almost 18 years after the fall of the wall. Lots of construction is being done in the area around the former "nomansland" (between East and West) and especially where the government resides. We have only driven through downtown Berlin so far, but on Monday or Tuesday we will dive right into the main drags of the city, revisiting where we lived and studied and hung out. Lots of pictures will follow then.

In the meantime, we've spent our time eating and talking and sleeping and reading, enjoying the familiarity, comfort and warmth of my parents' house. It's great to be pampered, and to feel the spirit of unconditional love and care that makes home home. Being back feels like a good mix of change and stability, in us, in my family and the environment.

Other than that the G8 summit has dominated the news since we 've been in Germany. Every night we heard and saw more about massive anti-globalization demonstrations, anti-Bush demonstrations and demonstrations for a more just distribution of goods in the worlds, especially Africa. Bob Geldorf, Bono and German singer/ songwriter Herbert Grönemeyer were present to give concerts and to help all those who went out into the streets and who camped outside the premises for days to draw attention to the all too urgent environmental issues and the vast discrepency of ressources in the world.

While I wish we could have been there for some of the action and protests during the G8 summit, we might take the opportunity to enjoy the gorgeous warm weather at the Baltic Sea (another one of my childhood favorites, as it was the one and only sea most East Germans could easily and regularly reach during their summers) for a day or two. It all depends what we feel like. That's what's beautiful about vacation...there is no pressure to do something or to get somewhere on time... Time doesn't really matter.

road trip

It's been a while since I've last had the chance to report... we've been on the road since early Sunday morning and finding enough time and an internet opportunity at the same time never happened until now. Below the last days in more detail:

Sunday, June 3rd

We got up early to get to the airport on time to fly out to London. It seemed that half of Iceland was at the airport at that early hour. We got to London Heathrow more or less on time, where my brother came to meet us. It was really good to see him again after 1.5 years and soooo helpful to have two extra hands to help us carry our luggage through the London underground. We then travelled to my friend Zara's apartment...right in the heart of the city, it was a fantastic starting point for a great walk to Buckingham Palace, through the park, to Downing Street, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, across the bridge to Southbank and back to Covent Garden and into Soho later that night. It was honestly one of the best days we've ever had in London - the most amazing weather, great company, a nice dinner right by the Tower Bridge and just the invigorating hustle and bustle of London that somehow seems so different from most other downtowns. New for both of us was a ride in a real black London cab - quite an experience and compared to current public transportation prices not all that expensive, really. Martin left us half way through our walk to meet the friend he was staying with for a beer. Patrick and I ended the day with some wine and baclava back in Zara and Scott's apartment, happy about and grateful for safe travels, reunions and friendships.


#1: Over dinner, we were lucky enough to see the Tower Bridge lift its gates...something very, very rare as we were told...

#2: with my friend Zara in a small café

Monday, June 4th

After a good night's sleep, we got up early again to schlepp our luggage a few tube stations north, where we had a date to meet my brother. We made it, but riding the London tube with so much luggage during morning rush hour was everything but pleasant for everyone involved :( Regardless, we met Martin on time, packed all our stuff into the car that he had had in England for the past 8 months (he drove it to Birmigham in October to start his position as a student teacher) and started our journey home. We got to Dover on time for some fish and chips before taking the ferry across the Channel. Once in France, we headed to Belgium and only stopped briefly to look at beautiful Brügge. Really, a stunning little place well worth visiting! We had decided earlier to continue to Brussels and to spend the evening and the night there. Honestly, at first sight I was less than impressed with Brussels...it seemed to be a bad combination of the less attractive parts of Paris architecturally (and in terms of cleanliness and smell) and the horrible tourism industry that controls downtown Prague. The immediate center is beautiful, but I find it hard to enjoy the beauty of a place when you can hardly breathe or walk, there are so many tourists, souvenir shops and overpriced restaurants. All that (and the fact that our hotel was right across from what seemed like a gigantic, nasty nuclear power plant) considerably changed my mood and it was only elevated by a late night drive through the more attractive suburbs of Brussels, on the way to the famous Atomium. We saw that just after the sun had set and it was just absolutely stunning in size and illuminating the nightsky like it did.


#3: Brügge

#4: Belgian waffles...yummy...

#5: Brussels' marketplace at sunset

Tuesday, June 5th

We got up early and pretty much drove all the way through to Erfurt, Germany, stopping only twice to eat a bite and use the bathroom. We got to my granny's place in Erfurt in the late afternoon right on time for some coffee and cake :) Martin dropped us of and moved on to Jena, a small town near Erfurt where he lives and studies. The rest of the night we took it easy, talked, watched TV and read. (I'm reading "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer at the moment...an immensely gripping book!)

#6: With my brother and my granny over coffee and cake

Wednesday, June 6th

Today we enjoyed a sunny day in the old town of Erfurt, where my granny and my mother both grew up. We walked through the old town and Patrick had his first Thuringia bratwurst in a long time and we ate potato dumplings with gravy for lunch - both German specialties and things we've long craved.

#7: Erfurt's famous Krämer bridge (the small old merchant's houses mark the edges of the bridge across the river)

#8: Patrick's first bratwurst again

How is it to be back home? In many ways it feels like I've never left, but I've had many moments along the way thinking it was good to be back in Europe. It's just home and no matter how familiar I feel with the Us by now, everything about Europe seems to speak to a deeply rooted part of me (not surprising, I assume, considering that I lived here for 25 years and have only been away for a total of 3 years). My memory of smells and sounds and places is amazingly accurate and the language problems I had anticipated and experienced when I returned from my year as a foreign exchange student never set in. I guess the German part of me is fully activated...

Tomorrow or on Friday we plan to continue home home to Berlin, with a stopover in the beautiful old city of Leipzig, where we are planning to meet another good friend of ours. We haven't made up our minds yet, but, as always, will keep you posted.

Runtur

Runtur is Reykjavik's big pub crawl that starts tonight around midnight and lasts until the morning hours (which light-wise makes no difference, as we find waking up around 1 am every night to bright twilight that never transforms into complete darkness). The plan was to stay up until then and watch the spectacle for which Reykjavik apparently is known, but at the moment I doubt that will happen. We're both back in our coffeeshop, hanging out on a couch, reading and writing and daydreaming. I have a feeling we'll just go to bed when we get back to the hostel. Seems our wild days are over ;-) Let's blame it on the jetlag and the weather... it was an absolutely dreadful day today - rain, gusty winds, "slugbelly grey sky" (a couple from Seattle just taught us that phrase ;-)) and cold. More like January in Nashville than JUNE. That alone made me decide that I would never emigrate to Iceland...I don't know how people stand the fact that this is the warmest season of the year and it's barely warm and sunny enough for the snow to melt.
Luckily, we had decided two days ago that today would be our day at the Blue Lagoon. Even that, though was rough at times. The whole lagoon is outside and the wind blew heavily over our heads. Being out of the water turned into an arctic experience, so we soaked in the pools for about 5 hours straight, lunch and bathroom breaks aside. Now we look like raisins with baby-soft skin :) I'm attaching some pictures for you to see... the lagoon is in the most surreal landscape you can imagine...all dark rocks and nothing else. Really looks like I picture the moon in parts. The lagoon itself is this fancy thermal pool that advertises its mineral and algae water and silica mud that is supposed to be really good for your skin, body and soul. Naturally, all our ailments are gone now ;-)
Tomorrow is our last day in Reykjavik and we'll try to see more of the city, hoping that the weather will be a bit kinder.

1. Our hostel (The Salvation Army Guesthouse) from the outside


2. The Blue Lagoon, part I

3. The Blue Lagoon, part II

4. The two of us looking 10 years younger after our spa day ;-) (note that what looks crazy about Patrice's hair is actually a shadow and something in the wall)

Where's Waldo (aka Patrick)?

Forgot this...

1. This is the home of the best hot dog in the world..according to Lonely Planet, the city paper... and now Patrick.

Reykjavik trivia 102

Found a nice little coffee shop in a bookstore (not Starbuck's and not Barnes and Noble, thank goodness, but "te og kaffi") and I will use the remaining minutes my battery grants me to tell you about our day today. Let's start with Reykjavik/ Iceland trivia, 102, shall we?
- One of the traditional dishes is putrified shark meat. No joke. In this case, I think we'll pass on "When in Rome, do as the Romans"...
- About 70% of Iceland's population live in the Reykjavik area...so the country (the size of Kentucky) is pretty much empty. There are only 300.000 people total, which makes it the least densely populated country in Europe. And: Only 2 % of the country is forested. Other than that, there's rock and grass and lots of dandelions.
- The welfare system is similar to other European countries: High taxes, but free schooling, free healthcare, money for children until they are out of school and all that good stuff.
- About 75 % of the country uses geothermal heating for heating houses and water.
- Icelanders have the highest life expectancy in Europe, possibly in the world (depending o where you look Japan might be higher for women). Must be that putrified shark and all this clean air. I was a bit surprised about that as fruit and veggies seem to be a luxury here ...almost all of it has to be imported (although, we learned today, the Iceland School of Horticulture grows bananas in a greenhouse nearby. Sounds like that should make them cheaper, but that's actually not the case. In the winter the shortest day has only about 4 hours of daylight, so much electricity is needed to provide the bananas with the sunlight they need.)
Alright, now about our day. We fell asleep right away last "night" at 6 pm after a nice long soak in one of the many geothermal pools here. It felt fabulous after that fairly long trip to be out in the rough, cloudy early spring cold and to sit in a jacuzzi (one 104 degrees [41 C], the other a bit cooler). We slept like rocks until about 1 am, at which time we were wide awake (and it was light enough outside to fool you into thinking it was at least 5 am). Somehow we managed to go back to sleep, though, and woke up to our wake-up call at 7 am in order to get ready for our tour on time. Our tour today took us all along the golden triangle I talked about yesterday. We saw craters and waterfalls and geysers and the midatlantic rift (Iceland should really be two islands by now...only volcanic eruptions fill in the gap enough to "glue" together what the tectonic movement pulls apart.). The latter goes through the Thingvellier National Park, where the parliament of Iceland used to hold its meetings for two weeks every year until the 18th century (if I recall correctly). Pretty cool stuff. Only downside: We ended up choosing the tourbus over the rental car for financial reasons (although let's not talk about what we ended up paying for the day today...) and tourbuses are just never cool. You always have to stop and go wherever everyone else stops and goes and that way you never get off the beaten track. You end up in more souvenir shops than sights, but alas. Iceland on a budget is kind of like Dubai or Japan or San Francisco on a budget - either you spend all your money eating real food and staying at a decent place without bunk beds or you sacrifice your healthy diet for a few days and stay in bunk beds so you can at least see some of what you came for. Or you wait until you're older and more established to come here...which most people seem to do, as we rarely see backpackers and lots of older folks instead.

Enough said for today... below some pics...




1. Reykjavik's main drag...really

2. Our room
3. Look closely at the roof of the car!!!
4. One of the volcanic craters right by Reykjavik (Kerid crater)
5. Gullfoss waterfall - one of the most visited waterfalls in Iceland.
6. Gullfoss again (it was FREEZING!!!)




7. ...and again

8. The geyser crater before it "spits"



9. ...and right at the beginning (my camera wasn't fast enough to let me get the whole deal)

10. And, last but not least, the midatlantic rift. Look to the left and you can see the edge of the plate quite well...

"Bless, bless"...

Back in Europe

Greetings from Reykjavik, everyone. Patrick impressed me earlier this morning with telling me that the name translates as "smoky bay" and is the city with the most bookstores per capita worldwide. Ah ha, now we know our trivia!
We got here early this morning (6.30 local time) and are now hanging on to an iron will to stay awake until at least 4 or 5 this afternoon. First impressions include "Wow, this DOES look like the moon" (other than dandelions and tulips we haven´t seen much green here...mostly rock, water and ice, really), "Shit, this is expensive!" ($85 for a bunk bed room that is about as small as the average pantry; $ 4 for a CUP of coffee; $360 for a rental car for three days [didn´t take it]) and "Is this really almost June in the northern hemisphere?" (the air is so crisp, it´s beautiful, but it feels more like late February than late May).

Tomorrow we´ll probably go see the geyser (Old Faithful´s European brother), an impressive waterfall and one of the most visited national parks around here (all together called the Golden Circle). I´m really excited about our Friday plans, though... a day trip to the gigantic natural spa, the Blue Lagoon. Supposedly you can hang out in the thermal water for hours, then go to the sauna, put some mineral mud on your face (apparently really good for your skin, as we read everywhere) and just r e l a x. Finding a thermal puddle to sit in really isn´t difficult here, it seems. The map is covered with locations...so we might just skip the shower and check out the local pool tonight.

I wish I could upload some pics already, but it seems I schlepped my laptop over here for nothing at this point. Wi-fi isn´t accessible, resp. it costs you an arm and a leg (now we´re in the library for $2.50 for 30 minutes), so that´s out as an every-day activity :( I´ll update you guys at the latest when we get to London (hoping that one of the airports will provide a fast internet connection). Anyway...we´ve got to get back outside and moving or else we´ll fall asleep. More soon... Bless! (Icelandic for good-bye)

Der Countdown laeuft

Noch 2 Tage in Nashville und wir fliegen gen Heimat. Morgen ist graduation...wirklich der allerletzte Streich. War gestern 10 Stunden an der Schule um mein Klassenzimmer aufzuraeumen, Papierkram zu erledigen, letzte Noten einzutippen, auf Wiedersehen zu sagen...und meine Schuessel und Magnetkarte abzugeben :( Jetzt bin ich offiziell dort weg. Auch wenn es komisch ist jetzt quasi Besucherstatus zu haben, bin ich nicht wirklich traurig, wir ihr euch vorstellen koennt. Die Zeit ist reif fuer Veraenderung und das ist gut so. Nach morgen nachmittag muessen wir dann "nur noch" unsere alte Wohnung huebsch machen, Klamotten zusammenpacken und zu Patricks Mutter fahren. Dort bleiben wir am Montag abend, stellen unser Auto ab und lassen uns am Dienstag frueh zum Flughafen fahren. Wir fliegen 11.30 Uhr nach New York, wo wir dann etwas Aufenthalt haben und um 20.30 nach Reykjavik fliegen. Wir bleiben dann von Mittwoch bis Sonntag in Island (wahrscheinlich ohne viel Schlaf... es wird jetzt fuer wieviele Minuten in Island dunkel?) ...fliegen Sonntag frueh nach London...treffen meine Freundin Zara und meinen Bruder...fahren Montag frueh mit meinem Bruder Richtung Dover...setzen mit der Faehre ueber nach Calais...fahren nach Bruessel...uebernachten dort...fahren am naechsten Morgen weiter nach Jena und Erfurt und bleiben dann erstmal ein paar Tage in Erfurt, ehe wir so ab dem 08.06. in Berlin sein muessten.
In der Zwischenzeit sind wir wohl am besten per Email erreichbar. Wir werden einen Computer mitnehmen (zumindest versuchen wir es), damit wir Euch mit tollen neuen Geschichten und Fotos auf dem Laufenden halten koennen. Falls wir uns nicht nochmal hoeren, sehen wir uns dann hoffentlich ganz bald daheim (bestellt viel Sonne...es sind 10(!!!) Grad Celsius als Hoechsttemperatur fuer Island angesagt )...

final exam insights

• "45% of all people have schizophrenia"
• "Schizophrenia occurs in 62% of all people."
• "Aristotle is the founder of modern Psychology."
• "Schizophrenia develops after traumatic events."
• "Apartheid means mercy killings and it ended in the 1960s."
• "AJ Muste is an Albanian-born Roman Catholic nun who worked with the poor in Calcutta."
• "Mikail Gorbachev is the German pastor who was a pacifist and involved in an attempt to kill Hitler."
• the genocide in Rwanda happened in 1980

No further comments...

Umzugsfotos

Umzug lief ruhig..wir haben alles gut nach Knoxville geschifft, vieles schon ausgepackt, sauber gemacht, ein bisschen gepflanzt, ein paar Nachbarn kennengelernt (einer hat übrigens auch gerade am Institut für Psychologie seinen Doktor gemacht...wir sind also Kollegen:)) und die Umgebung ein wenig erkundet. Anbei ein paar Fotos (sind alle durcheinander, aber ich denke, es ist eindeutig, was was ist???), mehr dann später...

Letzter Streich

Heute ist nun offiziell der letzte Tag der 12tklässler gewesen (nächstes Wochenende ist das erste Superereignis im Leben eines Amerikaners: graduation von der high school)....und sie haben sich einen letzten Streich nicht nehmen lassen. Als wir heute morgen in die Schule kamen, fanden wir Klassenzimmer ohne einen Stuhl oder einen Tisch vor.... sämtliche Stühle und Tische der Schule haben die 100 12tklässler gestern Nacht in zwei Stunden aus der Schule raus aufs Tennisfeld getragen. Das Büro des Chefs wurde mit zerknüllten Zeitungen zugeschüttet, so dass es heute morgen etwas Ärger gab...vor allem für den Lehrer, der die Kiddies reingelassen und bei allem zugesehen hat. Die "seniors" freuen sich natürlich riesig über all die Aufregung (und die Tatsache, dass wir alle heute morgen 1 h damit verbracht haben die Möbel wieder in die Zimmer zu schleppen) und laufen in ca. 30 Minuten das letzte Mal als versammelte Klasse durch jeden Gang der Schule. Da wird Musik über Lautsprecher gespielt und es werden ordentlich Tränen fliessen, da alle erst nicht schnell genug hier rauskommen konnten und nun vor lauter Abschied zu Tode betrübt sind (das ganze Drücken und Weinen und Verabschieden wird übrigens nächstes Wochenende bei der graduation wiederholt) ;-) Nächste Woche müssen die 9t, 10t und 11tklässler ihre Prüfungen schreiben und dann ist auch das zweite Jahr hier endlich geschafft.

Für uns steht morgen unser eigenes großes Ereignis an... wir ziehen um. Wir holen heute abend den Transporter und morgen gegen mittag geht's dann los. Es sind etwa 3 h Fahrt...wir dürften also vor Einbruch der Dunkelheit gerade noch genug Zeit zum Auspacken des Transporters haben. Kommen Montag abend wieder, leben dann wahrscheinlich die letzte Woche bei Patricks Oma bevor wir nach Deutschland fliegen und von da direkt ins neue Haus ziehen.

Ich werde versuchen viele Fotos zu schiessen und die dann auch hier mit Euch zu teilen.

Und... in 2 Wochen sind wir wieder in Europa (noch nicht ganz in Deutschland, aber wenigstens in der Nähe) :) Freu' mich schon!!! Drückt uns die Daumen für morgen, ja!?

Hausbesitzer!?

In dieser Woche war und ist viel los - hauptsaechlich aber sind wir seit heute wohl Hausbesitzer, wenn ich richtig verstehe, dass jetzt alles in Sack und Tüten ist. Es war ein langer, anstrengender, ätzender Weg bis hierher mit allen möglichen Enttäuschungen und Frustrationen. Hoffentlich ist es jetzt aber geschafft und wir können wirklich halbwegs ruhig in ein Haus ziehen, dass uns wenig Ärger macht und uns ein gutes Zuhause ist über die nächsten paar Jahre. Wir sind jetzt auch halbwegs gepackt und bereit umzuziehen. Das geht am Samstag über die Bühne. Wir bleiben noch bis einschliesslich Montag, damit wir auch mehr als nur die Kisten abstellen können. Am Montag treffe ich mich dann nochmal mit meinem Prof, um über meinen "Stundenplan" für's nächste erste Semester zu sprechen. Ich weiss schon, dass ich ein Kolloquium, ein Seminar zu Varianzanalysen und ein wahrscheinlich ein Seminar zu Vorurteilen belegen werde. Sehr viel mehr will ich eigentlich auch schon nicht mehr belegen, da die Seminare hier viel länger und vorbereitungsintensiver sind, von dem, was ich so höre und mitkriege.
Ansonsten waren gestern die Psychologie Abiprüfungen - scheint ganz gut gelaufen zu sein. Klang nicht ganz so gut wie letztes Jahr, aber das wird sich im Juli zeigen, wenn die Ergebnisse veröffentlicht werden. Zum Glück ist auch das jetzt geschafft, nachdem sich in den letzten Wochen alles nur noch darum drehte.
Zum Abschluss noch zwei Leckerli aus der Schule... Als ich in einem Test nach Gorbatschov fragte, wurde mir berichtet er sei der deutsche Dichter gewesen, der "Krieg und Frieden" gschrieben habe. Und das wussten sie auch nur, weil wir davor über Tolstoi gesprochen hatten. Au, au, au. Richtig schlecht wurde mir dann aber erst, als eine Kollegin mir erzählte, sie glaube, dass Depression hiesse man sei von Dämonen besessen. Ich bin jetzt lange genug hier um zu wissen, dass die das ernst meinen und dass ich mich mit solchen Leuten gar nicht erst auf eine Debatte einlasse. Und sowas wird Mutter und, was fast schlimmer ist, hat Wahlrecht! Im 21. Jahrhundert! Das letzte Mal habe ich Leute in Südafrika von Dämonen reden hören....mit dem Unterschied, dass diese Leute nicht lesen und schreiben konnten und dass diese Frau hier einen Uniabschluss hat. Ungebildet hat also auch viele Gesichter. ...

Jeder Tag bringt eine neue Ueberraschung

Da erfahren wir also gestern abend ganz beilaeufig (eine Woche vor Unterzeichnung!!!), dass wir womoeglich doch nicht fuer den Sonderkredit qualifiziert sind, da wir zu viel verdienen! Tun wir zwar nicht, aber mit gehoeriger Milchmaedchenrechnung eben doch. Das muss man jetzt mal erklaeren: Die Einkommensgrenze ist irgendwo um die $54,000 im Jahr fuer die gesamte Familie. Das haben wir im Leben nicht, sind weit davon entfernt und haben daher nicht eine Sekunde lang daran gezweifelt, dass wir fuer diesen Sonderkredit in Frage kommen. ABER: Da die Leute hier in Tennessee besonders helle sind (man muss nur mal daran denken, dass im bundesstaatlichen Lehrplan fuer Psychologie Klassisches und Operantes Konditionieren nicht zu finden sind...raeusper, raeusper), zaehlt es nicht, dass ich nur noch bis Ende Juni Gehalt bekomme und wir dann beide 2 Monate lang gar kein, danach sehr viel geringeres, Einkommen haben. Sondern...die schlauen Leute rechnen einfach alles, was wir je in diesem Jahr verdient haben (also auch meine zwei 4-woechigen Abendkurse), auf das ganze Jahr. Wenn ich also ab September $850 von der Uni pro Monat bekomme, rechnen sie das fuer das fuer jeweils 12 Monate, plus mein jetztiges Gehalt (das im Juni auslaeuft) fuer das ganze Jahr, plus Patricks Gehalt fuer das ganze Jahr. Wir werden also fuer Einkommen belangt, dass wir nie gehabt haben und nie haben werden, da wir im wirklichen Leben eben nicht von 3 Quellen gleichzeitig bezahlt werden und da diese Leute nicht begreifen, dass sich meine zwei Jobs nie ueberschneiden, sondern dass ich eigentlich im Juli und August arbeits- und einkommenslos bin. Und so kommen wir ganz knapp ueber die Einkommensschwelle und fallen damit aus dem Rennen fuer den guten Kredit raus. Unsere Kreditsachbearbeiterin (die uns diese "Logik" erstaunlicherweise auch nicht erklaeren kann...vielleicht weil es darin keine Logik gibt?) kaempft noch drum, aber jetzt heisst es sehr wahrscheinlich, dass wir den Kredit mit der hoeheren Zinsrate nehmen muessen. Das alles entzieht sich meinem Verstaendis vollkommen. Aber wer bin ich denn, hier mit Logik anzukommen?

great article

I found this article on depression and antidepressants in the NY Times Magazine yesterday and it is WELL worth reading. It discusses the necessitiy for antidepressant treatment, the way they work, and how alarmingly many people get on these drugs without proper supervision by a mental health care provider. While they can be very helpful in many cases, there is also a lot the medical community doesn't know about them, resp. doesn't always tell the patient (e.g. how hard it can be to get off them after long-term treatment). Really a great article for everyone interested in or affected by depression and its treatment. Here's the link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/06/magazine/06antidepressant-t.html?ex=1336104000&en=8d2662a4e8fe888f&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

wieder da und wieder krank

Bin wieder zurueck - es war 'ne lange Woche und das hat sich natuerlich gleich am Samstag abend nach meiner Rueckkehr bemerkbar gemacht... habe mal wieder eine schoene Erkaeltung. Mit Schnupfen, Halsschmerzen, Kopfschmerzen und Husten. :( Hab gestern so ziemlich den ganzen Tag geschlafen, aber fit bin ich noch immer nicht. Ich hoffe nur, dass es nicht wieder so schlimm wird wie im Februar als ich richtig 4 Tage im Bett lag. Das Wochenende war es aber hoffentlich wert...ich denke die kiddies haben schon davon profitiert, auch wenn sie das nicht in Dankbarkeit ausdruecken koennen. Mein Kollege sagt immer "Bei Teenagern dreht sich die ganze Welt nur um sie" und da ist 'was dran.
Hausmaessig ist noch alles beim Alten...jetzt warten wir auf den Papierkram bei der Bank und hoffen aufs Beste. Die letzten Wochen waren anstregend genug...
Ich werde wie immer berichten...

Abi, Abi, ueberall nur Abi

Der Mai mit seinem ganzen Abiturstress hat mich voll und ganz verschlungen. Haus-maessig haben wir gestern alle erforderlichen Unterlagen abgeschickt und nun heisst es nur warten und hoffen, dass bis zum 16.5. alles im Kasten ist. In der Schule dreht sich alles, ihr habt's erraten, um die anstehenden Abipruefungen. Heute nach der Mittagspause fahre ich daher mit drei Kollegen und 120 Kindern auf Kurzklassenfahrt um das ganze Material im Schnelldurchlauf zu wiederholen. Wir kommen morgen abend schon wieder, aber selbst ein Tag (und vor allem eine Nacht als Nachtwache) kann lang werden, wenn 120 10t, 11t und 12tklaessler involviert sind. Sonst gibt es nichts Neues... nur viel um die Ohren im Moment. Gute Neuigkeiten: Zu Hause sind wir erstaunlich gut im Rennen in Sachen Kistenpacken, was viel wert ist. Und: ich wurde am Dienstag von einer Gruppe hier zum "teacher of the year" gekroent. :)

Mehr spaeter, wenn ich aus den Tiefen des Waldes aufgestiegen bin und mich ausgeschlafen habe....