Why Do All Good Things Come To An End?

Note: the following post contains rambling.

I'm sitting in 017 Austin Hall with a room that looks as vacant as when I arrived 3 1/2 months ago: my clothes no longer reside in my closet (or in heaping piles in the corner of the room), nor do my 359 postcards from all my recent travels proudly hang on on my hideous bulletin board. My entire life has once again been packed into two oversized suitcases, ready for my journey back to America.

Am I ready to head back? -- not permanently. I'm ready to pop in for a visit, catch up with those who matter most, tell a few stories, graduate, and then fly back to Liverpool. In my mind, the honeymoon isn't over just yet (unfortunately, my calendar is telling me something different). I still have friendships to build, football matches to attend, children to teach, mountains to hike, new people to meet, cities to visit, fashion trends to follow, a Scouser's accent to perfect...I have a life here now.

I knew being abroad would teach me things for both my personal and professional life as well as help continue my forever-evolving life, but I didn't think it would leave the impact it has. Currently, my ambition is ceaseless. There's so much I want to do and see, and I'm afraid I won't have enough time to do everything on my list (you should see this grocery list -- it goes on for pages).

Despite all the uncertainty in my life, one thing is for sure: this won't be the last time you see me, Liverpool, and that's a promise I intend to keep.

"Miss, Why Do You Have To Go?"

It's funny how I'm highly motivated to blog only when I should be doing other important things, like packing for my holiday that starts in about two hours. It will be get done...but first, I have to reflect slightly on my last day of student teaching:

01) "Dear Miss Fisher, Thank you for helping us. Well done for passing your test and I'm sure the girls will be crying when you leave. I really enjoyed Talking Textiles." And the girls did cry, along with two boys. The girl who gave me the most trouble sobbed into my blouse for about five minutes, which made some girls unhappy, for they had less room to hug/cling on to me. Standing there as a human tissue, I was astonished at their reactions.

02) Dear Miss Fisher, I hope you enjoy being a teacher in your new school. I really enjoyed what you have been teaching us. I hope you can come back and visit." My kids kept asking me when I could come back for a visit. Little do they know a visit would cost me $1200 roundtrip. I did tell them, however, that the next time I was in the UK I would be visiting Northway first. That's the honest-to-God truth, and that might be sooner than I originally anticipated (but more on that day another day).

03) "Miss Fisher -- Thank you for everything you have done for us these few months. We really appreciate it. We are so so so so so sad you are leaving, but we will always remember you in our hearts. Good Luck in life!" The two boys who gave me the hardest time made a three-foot tall Easter card asking me not to leave. I figured these two boys hated my guts, because most of the time I was cracking down on them. I didn't realize they actually cared.

04) Dear Miss Fisher, we really don't want you to go. We have learned lots of new things with you while you have been here, like that alien lesson that we did. I really enjoyed that. See you soon." I miss Northway already, and I haven't even been gone for 24 hours. It's amazing to see my effect as a teacher, and vice versa. All the work, all the hours...it was all worth it.

Jetsetting to Spain -- expect a post documenting my holiday/the last few weeks at Northway in the near future. Cheers.

"We Are Living Like Fuel On Fire!"

I have one month left in the UK -- where did the time go? I could have sworn I just got here. Here's the 411:

01) "Where's the pleasure in Pleasure Beach?" After weeks of being cultured individuals, we decided to take a weekend off of sightseeing and spend a day with our English friends in Blackpool, which is on the Northwest coast. When asking what Blackpool was like, my friend Lisa replied: "Blackpool is the skid mark of society!" The city's main attraction is a theme park called Paradise Beach, built next to the Irish Sea. The English kept warning us that we were going to be disappointed if we were expecting Disney World, so I came in with little expectations. Somewhere between the misplaced Aloha signs and the lack of safety regulations, I found myself having the trashiest, cheesiest day in the UK, but it was a dead good time. Our most memorable moment had to have been when Whitney, Florian, Philipp, and I waited in the queue for the best rollercoaster in the park for over an hour, only to have the ride close on us as we were next in line. After the initial shock, we all had a good laugh and let Blackpool make it up to us by offering the best fish 'n chips and mushy peas we've ever tasted at Pablo's on the South Pier. By the end of the day, we were whip-lashed, wind-burned, and all smiles. Another great weekend in a great country...

2) Sweet Summertime? Although the daffodils have been in blossom for about three weeks now, they are completely out of place with the overcast, crummy weather. However, the clear skies and sunshine have made a few appearances in the past week, and we've had a few 58-degrees days, perfect weather for shorts and flip flops? Apparently so, because that's what everyone has been sporting in Liverpool, while I'm still bundled up in a jacket and pants. What on earth are the Scouses thinking?! I was discussing my outrage with another student teacher at my school, and he laughed, admitting that he too is one of those walking around in shorts and flip flops. He explained to me that 58 degrees is practically summer for the UK. I was astounded, because Summer for an American consists of bathing suits and, most importantly, 85 degrees. I can't imagine a summer without these two factors. No wonder there are so many "sun beds" in this city...there's no sun!

3) "Mr. Pratt, are you and Miss Fisher married?" The past three weeks have been my assessment period, meaning I'm evaluated to see if I'm either going to be teaching in the fall or taking the easy way out and becoming an actress. I wasn't afraid of the latter, but I wanted to challenge myself, so I took on some "difficult" tasks. Two weeks ago, my students were in Wales for a camp focused on leadership and teamwork. When my students asked me why I wasn't coming with them, I told them Miss Fisher had to stay behind and water their sunflower plants. Although there was some gardening duties, I was actually going to be teaching supply (subbing) in Year 4, as Mr. Roberts was going to Colomendy with my students as well. Since there was already another student teacher in there, Mr. Pratt, I ended up tag-team teaching for the week, having Mr. Pratt teach Literacy in the mornings and me teaching an art unit for the rest of the school day (we took chairs from the infant hall and made them into "Liverpool vs. Everton", "High School Musical", "Springtime", "Technology," and "Hannah Montana" chairs. It was chaotic and messy, and I cannot wait to teach the unit again). By that Friday, the students were calling Mr. Pratt "Mr. Fisher" and asking us if we were married -- it was out of control and by far one of the most fun weeks I've had teaching at Northway. Seeing that I could handle supply, I also asked to teach full-time last week, seeing that I will be doing just that in the fall. It too went very, very well, and now I know I'm more than ready to have my classroom...so bring it on, September!

4) "We are SO proud of you, Miss!" Last Monday I got a 48-hour notice that I was having my final assessment done Wednesday at 1:30 P.M., meaning I was being observed as I taught Design and Technology aka a subject I know virtually nothing about (cams, followers, rotary and linear motion...I'm about as familiar with these concepts as I am with Astrophysics). If that wasn't bad enough, my students didn't do their part in bringing in their "moving toys", which was crucial to my lesson. I ended up throwing out the plan altogether and scrambling during my lunch hour to come up with a new lesson. After running around the infant hall and rummaging through baskets of toy trucks for 20 minutes, I found the necessary inspiration. The lesson went better than expected, and I am proud to say that based off of my evaluations, I will be able to teach in the fall! When I told my kids, they cheered. I'm happy they're as excited as I am.

So what's next? I still have two more weeks at Northway, wrapping up the Literacy and D&T units as well as directing the Easter Play, which will be performed on my last day. Then it's off to Madrid and Barcelona with Luke Boote for one week, followed by a Fisher Family Reunion (minus Brother Brian) in Liverpool, followed by as much fun as we can possibly squeeze into six days before Whitney and I take off for the Motherland. So much to do, so little time...

Cheers.

"Why Do I Know This? Because I Am A Dancer!"

I might be great at completing my lesson plans on time, but I have failed miserably at updating my blog. In my defense, it only means I've been busy, and I have been posting photos frequently (so I'm not dead to the world). So much is going on in my life right now. Here's the sparknotes version:


1) Miss, Miss, Miss, Miss...Miss! I have just completed week seven of my student teaching. Only five more weeks to go...wow, that was fast. I'm currently teaching 75% of the time for the next four weeks, and then the last week will be me giving the teaching time back to my teacher. So far, I have taught one art unit ("talking textiles"), two literacy units (Greek mythology and a poetry/fairy tale unit revolving around Snow White and the Seven Dwarves), swimming (yes, you read right...we go swimming every Wednesday. By law I cannot get into the pool with the students, so I instruct from the ledge, something I find very difficult after three summers of being a hands-on swimming lessons instructor), and a religious education unit (perspectives of the Bible). For the rest of the term, I will be teaching maths (metric mass, data, application, calculations), science (the life cycle, which includes reproduction...yes...I will be saying sperm + egg = a baby), more literacy (recounts), and design and technology (toy-making).

If you ask me, teaching is a challenging occupation. No matter how much work I get done in a day, there is always something else on the do-to list. Lesson planning, differentiating (I have a huge range of abilities in my class: some of my students are working on properly using quotations while others are still learning how to begin each sentence with a capital letter and end with a "full stop"), prepping, teaching, assessing, grading, reflecting...it's a "vicious" cycle. However, there is no greater feeling than seeing your students "get it", especially my low-attainers. As each day passes, I see that teaching is my calling; it's what I'm meant to do.


2) Traveling provides you with experiences that will forever remain locked in the scar tissue of your mind. Part of being abroad is seeing what's out there. In addition to seeing the beauty of Liverpool (note: if you do fancy coming to Liverpool, it can be done in about a day, or even an afternoon if you powerwalk), I've done a daytrip to Chester, Cheshire, a weekend in London, and--drum roll please--a backpacking excursion to Ireland, Scotland, and The Netherlands with two American student teachers.

a) Chester: a really old city with really old Roman ruins...that's about it.

b) London: After almost four years, I made my return to one of my favorite cities in the world. The coolest part for me was seeing a monument, site, painting, or street, and my memory would trigger to something that happened on my last visit, things I haven't thought of in years. The trip itself: there were six of us, three American girls and three German guys. We all shared a room and shower in the shittiest hostel in all of London (our hostel adjacent to a graveyard, meaning that when you opened your window and looked down, you saw about 400 headstones...I can't forget to mention the grafitti of Tina Turner on the walls). I laughed at how outraged some of our traveling companions were with our accommodation. We only paid 22 quid for two nights! I cannot forget to mention spending time with a beloved American, Mr. Ian A. Lathrop. It was so nice seeing a familiar face and walking at a pace too fast for my legs. Overall, it was a good weekend with good people.

c) Dublin, Edinburgh, and Amsterdam: For our trip, Whitney, Ali, and I each picked a city we wanted to see. Ali chose Dublin, I chose Edinburgh, and Whitney chose Amsterdam. Each city had its highlights and lowlights, but I was happy to explore each city. My favorite experiences had to have been when we traveled outside of the cities. In Ireland, we took a tour of the Irish coast and the County Wicklow ("The Garden of Ireland"). In Scotland, we traveled over 400 miles in about 12 hours, going as far as Loch Ness (Scotland will never cease to impress me with their lochs and mountains, and no, Nessie did not show her face). I'm sad to say we never made it out of Amsterdam, and no, it's not because we were high the entire time, nor is that the reason we went to Amsterdam. We were too busy paddle boating in the canals and enjoying our houseboat (there's no other way to stay). Backpacking is always an adventure, and in my opinion you learn more about your friends and, most importantly, yourself. I could go on for days about backpacking, so if you'd like to know more, schedule a coffee date now -- I've got some great stories.


I'm going to have to stop here today, because I'm sure most people stopped reading after point one (I take no offense, because I'm great at rambling). I will be sure to update at least two more times before my student teaching is over. I'm sure I'll have another story or two to tell. Cheers.

"Some People Might Find It Weird To Cha-Cha To 'Five Days' For Two Hours, But Hey, I Don't Judge."

I love my lazy Sundays. I try not to make plans and keep it as a day to do whatever moves me. The only thing consistent with my Sundays, besides the laziness, is taking time to reflect on everything from the previous week, both the good and bad. Here’s what I’ve learned:

1) People will judge you based off of your choice to root for Liverpool FC or Everton. Monday night I spent the evening at The Brookhouse watching the highly anticipated Liverpool vs. Everton game. Now, if you’re from America and your name isn’t Ben Bach you have no idea why this game is such a big deal. Let this teacher educate you: Liverpool and Everton are the soccer…er…football teams here in the city. It’s pretty much a Chicago Cubs-White Sox rivalry without bats and gloves. For an 8 P.M. game, we had to arrive 90 minutes early in order to have the last table (God only knows when the fans started showing up). By game time, the bar was packed with fans sporting their red and blue jerseys and big-screen “tellies”. Ali and I split a bottle of wine and soaked up the cultural experience. After 45 minutes of straight football and not one Bud Light commercial or play review, I left the bar yearning for the Super Bowl. I’ll stick to the American football I know and love.

2) Chester can be done in a day…or three hours. We made our first day trip to Chester, a city about 45 minutes southwest of Liverpool. Chester is famous for being really, really old. Although we didn’t meet any Roman soldiers, we did walk on the one-thousand year-old wall that wraps around the city, visit the gift shop of the cathedral (no one wanted to pay 5 quid to see the inside), pray inside a church built in 1000 A.D. (free of charge), reach a moment of Zen next to the river, wonder if it was possible to get inside Chester Castle, take too many pictures of a man feeding ducks, comment on how green everything was, and explain to the Germans what happened at the Roman amphitheater. Overall, it was a nice escape from the city. Chester also inspired day-trip #2: Castle hunting in Northwest Wales!

3) I’m going to be sick for the next three years. Last week, I caught some kind of infection and impetigo, leaving me with a “smoker’s cough”, phlegm, and sores in between my nostrils (because you all wanted to know that). I had to take a half-day on Wednesday to visit a doctor and get a prescription, which cost me 75 quid. One of my students also stabbed my thumb with scissors. Basically, I was a mess last week. What’s even better: according to my cooperating teacher, I’m going to catch everything my students get until my immune system adjusts. This should take about three years…awesome.

4) Lesson planning requires a lot of…planning. With each new week I’m spending more and more time at school after-hours. My teacher tells me not to work too hard, but I don’t know how to. I want to give my students meaningful learning experiences, and dammit, I want to impress my cooperating teachers (maybe a job at Northway – my cooperating teacher is moving back to New Zealand…dare to dream). If that means staying until 6 P.M. Monday-Friday, then so be it. My biggest challenge for this week is to find a balance. Last week I came home every night completely drained, wanting nothing more than to eat dinner and sleep (it didn’t help that I was sick either). I didn’t have the energy to go clubbing or venture into the city, and unfortunately, my new friends who spend 2-3 hours at lecture a day can’t relate to what I’m going through. I found myself being, in the words of Florian, “aggressive” at times. It’s not fair to them, and I don’t want to be a bitch five days out of the week. I’ll figure out something…I always do. On a positive note, my students loved the Talking Textiles unit – I was pleasantly surprised to see how involved they were with the process. With the exception of one student (I was able to get her to stop one of her famous tantrums by threatening to send her down to reception (preschool) to pout and cry), they all behaved well and stayed on-target the whole time. I knew I was doing all right when one of my students said, “You’re a good teacher, Miss. You teach fun lessons”. This week I’m teaching three lessons on Greek mythology, and one of my lessons is structured based on the jigsaw theory – Jeanine Dell’Olio would be pleased. Hopefully, things will run smoothly.

That’s about all for now. Tune in next time for castle-hunting and turning Snow White and the Seven Dwarves into a poetry unit…cheers.

Let's Make This Last Forever.

I'm amazed at how much can happen in only 15 days. I'm practically a local already...okay, that's a lie, but here's what I've learned:

1) The international students manage to create a circle of international friends. Choosing not to blow off the international student orientation is one of the smartest decisions I've made, for if I did, I wouldn't have met Florian, Tobias, and Johannes. The guys are from BA Karlsruhe, a business school in Germany. Because they have to both attend the university and intern for various companies, the guys are taking 105 credits this term (the average student here picks up 60). It makes my student teaching look like a walk in the park! All three of them are nice guys, and I enjoy spending them with them as a group and individually. Because they are working on improving their English skills, they often ask me questions about vocabulary and meanings. I feel incredibly wise, for I know the English call that "thing" an electrical outlet. Just as I teach them, they teach me German, because that seven-week crash course in Wien Sommer Schule didn't cut it. Most importantly, we make each other laugh, and I can only hope we'll be laughing for the next 10 weeks.

2) We Americans cannot keep up with the English. In addition to befriending the Germans, I have also been getting to know several English students from St. Austin Hall. We might speak the same language, but our cultural differences are mind-blowing. For fun, the English like to do two things in particular: clubbing and drinking alcohol (alright, so people do those things in America, but not to this extent). There are some students in my dorm who go clubbing 3-4 nights a week, and they're not saving them for the weekend. When Whitney, Ali, and I tried explaining that in America we go to bars, they found it hard to fathom that Americans go out to sit and talk. They would much rather dress up formally (Liverpool girls are known for getting glammed, looking like they're going to a homecoming dance) and dance until 6 A.M. My English friends insisted we come out with them on our first Thursday night. With some hestitaton (I have to be up and on my feet at 6:30 A.M.), I agreed, only because it was "a cultural experience". The girls had to scour through my closet in order to find something that was remotely appropriate for the nightlife (apparently, my teacher cardigans and pinstripe pants just don't cut it). Around 10 P.M., I was standing in a crowded hallway of glammed-up college students with a Jack & Coke in my hand, all of which is totally appropriate and legal on campus. All I could think of is how this would never, ever happen at Hope College. Within an hour, seven taxis were called, and we made our way into the city. Liverpool has many clubs to choose from, and Garlands Night Club had been chosen for the evening. At just 5 quid, I was guaranteed an evening of good music, dancing, drink specials, and fun at Liverpool's hottest gay dance club (yes, you read that right...despite the title, many Liverpool Hope students, both gay and straight, spend their Thursday nights there). It was a blast, even though I had to duck out at 1 A.M. My English friends, however, stayed out until 5 A.M. How they do it, I'll never know...at least I know that when I do hang out with them, I'm guaranteed an eventful evening.

3) We might speak the same language, but that doesn't mean I understand a word you're saying. Teaching in a primary school full of "Scouses" has proven to be a challenge. When I talk to my students in level, I understand the word, "Miss", but that's about it. The dialect is very hard to understand here, and it only gets worse the farther north you go in England. Speaking of students, student teaching in England is not what I expected at all. First of all, no one knows what you mean when you say "student teaching" -- it's called teacher training. My training looks like this: school commences at 9 A.M., and the children have literacy until 10:45. Then it's off to "play" until 11 A.M. Once the students are sardined back into the classroom (they put 30 kids in a room that's meant for 20), it's Maths (that was no typing error -- they add an "s" to "Maths") until lunch @ 12:15 P.M. Teachers have an hour break in the staff room while the students play and eat lunch. At 1:15 P.M, class commences again for another two hours. Teachers usually divide the time between science, geography, art, P.E., music, or religious studies, and conclude the day with assembly. It's still taking a bit to get used to, but I think I'm finally getting the hang of it. Did I mention all the lesson plans are pre-made and prescripted? Finally, the classroom management is a 180 from American education. Linda Jordan's class has not helped me one bit, for they do everything she told me not to. However, I'm learning that the English ways aren't necessarily wrong. They're just...very different.

So, I've given you a sneak peek into my new life...but what have I been doing? Here's a quick list of the Liverpool Attractions:

-Albert Dock
-International Slavery Museum
-Merseyside Maritime Museum
-Fireworks
-English McDonald's (very swanky)
-Cavern Quarter for Beatle Mania
-Nightclubs (Garlands and Cube)
-Tate Liverpool
-Chinatown
-Pubs (Halfway House and Brookhouse)
-Tesco
-Jacket Potatoes (Tuna and Mayo on my baked potato? NO THANKS!)
-Primark
-H&M
-St. John's
-Radio Tower
-Liverpool One
-Football

And that's just the start of it, because I have a whole Kingdom to discover in such little time...but I really like it here. I know this is where I'm meant to be right now. Overall, I'd have to say, in the words of The Beatles (who else?) "It's getting better...it's getting a little better all the time".

And that's all I have for now. Cheers, Mates.

"So Are You Irish Or From Ireland?"

I'M HERE.

I don't know what has been more eventful, being here or getting here.

Getting Here:

Well, after being offered booze three times in the first two hours of my seven-hour flight ("Would you like wine or Heinekin, love?), I made it to London at 7:15 A.M., around the same time my gate closed, meaning I wasn't going to make it to my connecting flight, London to Manchester. After being redirected in the wrong direction (Terminal 5 to Terminal 3 to Terminal 5), I was informed all the flights on British Airways were booked, and I would have to take an afternoon flight. This was a bit of a problem, because my supervisor, Paul, was going to be at the airport ready to pick me up at 8:45 A.M. There was no way to contact him, due to my lack of a mobile. As I worried about that, another problem arose: customs was refusing to let me into the U.K. This awful woman interrogated and heckled me for fifteen minutes, demanding where I was going and why for such a long period of time in great detail (Example Questions #23 and #29: How much is tuition at this "Liverpool Hope University?" What exactly is 'student teaching' you speak of?"). It didn't help that I had no papers or receipts proving I was student teaching through Liverpool Hope (Note: I was unaware that I even needed any papers. Liverpool Hope said I wouldn't need them given the amount of time I was spending in England. Apparently, I should have gotten a student visa). Just as I was about to cry, the customs agent first called me an ignorant fool, and then informed me she was my best friend as she stamped my passport. Although I have her to thank for letting me into the country, she has not been my favorite person I've encountered on this trip. After those dramatics, I "took a holiday" in Terminal 1, waiting about five hours for my next flight. At least I had $20 in food vouchers from the airline! Around 11:45, I walked to the gate for my next flight...which was delayed by over an hour (surprise, surprise). Finally, I was back in the air to Manchester. I was very anxious on the plane: "Would Paul be there to pick me up? How the hell was I supposed to get my four bags and me to Liverpool, a town 40 miles away?" After collecting my bags and getting directions to the train station, I was greeted by Mr. Paul Cowell! It turns out the airline would not tell him what flight I was on, so the poor man had to wait for hours! My hero!

Being Here:

It's nothing that I expected. I'm living at the University, which is about a 20-minute bus ride from the city centre (I have yet to venture to the centre -- we're saving that was this weekend). My dorm resembles a prison cell, but luckily, I have my next-door-neighbor Whitney, a student teacher from Mississippi (her accent gets a lot of attention, because she IS from the South, ya'll). She, Ali (the other student teacher from Hope), and I have banded together. It's a relief to have them as my support system, because it's only going to get crazy. The campus is a mix of old and new, and the neighborhoods around us are gorgeous! Because of the sunny skies, the three of us were able to wander around and see where everything is (i.e. our schools, the grocery store, the "best" coffee shop). School commences on Wednesday, which was great for my jet-lagged self. Paul says Northway is excited to meet me, as am I excited to meet them. I just have to get through International Student Orientation tomorrow, and then the student teaching begins!

Some fun facts I've learned since getting here:

-The northerns from England generally don't like the southerns from England, and vice versa.
-The Beatles really are all the rage here.
-Liverpool was recently titled "European Capital of Culture", and they really, really take pride in that.
-The term "love" is used loosely -- "It doesn't mean they fancy you, love".
-One part of the country refers to people and friends as "ducks".
-It's not a cell phone, it's a mobile.
-Liverpool Hope Students love to go clubbing -- just wait 'til they see my dance moves!
-Deep-Fried Mars Bars are...deep fried.
-England LOVES the environment and recycling everything.
-Everyone is hyped up on coffee and tea.

That's all for now -- Cheers!