Danke

Mmmm...chocolate covered fruit kebabs. So....I haven't been doing much cooking this week. It has been a deliberate choice to stay in the city after work, to indulge in the tasty treats at the Frankfurt markets. As promised, here are some pics taken on a very busy and very rainy Saturday in the city centre. Most are just of what there is to eat (cause that's the most exciting), and the last one is the huge line up of people waiting for bratwurst.

The Great Thing About Birmingham

And honestly, maybe the only great thing about this city....is what it's like at Christmas. Although I enjoy living here...a few of us here have decided that you really wouldn't want to live here long. It's not bad, but it's not great. People live here to work here. It's not a place you want to live and end up working here. People are serious about their jobs.

In anycase, it means that there are great shops, great restaurants, and not too much else. But let me tell you, I am excited about the Christmas season here. For one thing, there are already lights up everywhere. In all the big squares, along the streets..it's beautiful. They have set up a huge ice rink outside in the main square and I'm pumped to show these Brits how it's done (for those of you who've seen me skate...i'm completely joking).

And finally...there are the Frankfurt markets. Birmingham has a deal where they ask people from Germany to come set up a big market in the city. It is the biggest authentic German market outside of Germany or Austria. I have been everyday for the past few days. There are 100's of stalls set up selling crafts, pretzels, sweets, jewellery, toys, pottery, spices, and of course lots of food. Crepes, shnitzel, bratwurst, ham, candied nuts, donuts, pastries, chocolate and mulled wine (gluhwein). Wow. It's all really good. The whole area is decorated for Christmas and is very traditional. I feel so at home just standing in the middle of all these people just watching everyone buy food, sip their hot wine, have a beer, peruse the market stalls. It feels like a movie. It has made my week just wandering around thinking about winter and the Christmas season. I will post pics as soon as I remember to bring my camera when I go.

I hope everyone is well. I can't believe I will be home in a month to see you all! I am very exctied. It is strange how I can become so comfortable and at ease here while at the same time miss home very deeply. It creates quite the emotion when I am so excited about a new life here...but ache to have a taste of home here with me. I miss you all very much. And the snow. It's cold here, but a bit damp...I will really miss snow I think.

Well thanks for keeping up with my blog. I love reading all the comments. Till next time..

Cheers,
Rachel

How do you spell isosceles?

Well...not much has been going on lately. So I thought I'd share some things that make me laugh everyday as I teach little British kids. Teaching really makes you conscious of the things you don't know. Like how to spell isosceles. I'm pretty sure this week I have put isosoles, isoceles, iscoseles and isosceles on the board. I'm pretty good with spelling, but that one has never stuck.

The hardest is trying to remember that England is not Canada, and words I use at home are interpreted differently. For example, when I ask the students to 'quickly get your shirts and pants off' for PE, to them literally means, 'get your shirts and underwear off'. Hmm...pants = underwear....got it. Also, I have to remember that they do handwriting differently than home. So the kids thought they were to write the words enase, ellow, and elony, rather than erase, elbow and ebony. it's crazy i tell you.

Oh...and apparently, holding two fingers up with the backs toward someone is equivalent to the finger.....as I was informed by the head teacher at my school when I asked her if I was teaching Year 2 tomorrow. She said, 'yes, but i hope you don't do that to them' when she saw my hand. Oops.

These and other things occur daily and make me laugh. Sometimes it's so hard to keep a straight face and pretend you know everything, when it's so hilarious. Like, how am I meant to teach Tudor history and British geography. I do a lot of google searches. And why must they call a trapezoid a trapezium here. Keeps me on my toes anyways.

That's it for now. I am thinking of you who are in teacher's college and in placements right now. Stick with it. Work hard now, it'll pay off. And a word to the wise. Figure out the classroom management strategies that work for you. It's worth it.

Rachel

Since the last time...

Sooo, it has been a while. I was told by a good friend that I should post, even if I don't think it's interesting. I shall choose to believe that it is the case that you all are interested, even in the 'everyday' occurrences in the life of Rachel.

So since last blog, rather than blogging in the evening I have been doing much cleaning and laundry, cooking (trying to cook), having evenings with the housemates, and chatting with friends before they leave on exciting adventures (you know who you are!)

I have also visited Oxford, with a teaching friend from church, as well as gone hiking with a friend and two of my housemates. It's great when someone has a car. I've come to really enjoy being in people's cars and houses. It is a treat, and a rare occurrence.

Christchurch College (most famous of Oxford University colleges). Said to be the birthplace of Lewis Carrol's 'Alice in Wonderland'.

Magdalene College (probably the most beautiful college of the 89 colleges)

Dinner with Emma and Dave (she'd kill me if she knew this was on here!)

Dave made us Toad-in-the-'ole, potatoes, peas and gravy.

Hiking with Dave, Emma and Jacqui

I have also joined a church home group who meet on Wednesdays a short distance from my house. I can't even explain how thankful I am for a group of Christians to meet with. These people are so welcoming, selfless, and so eager to learn from the bible. I have seen in them and true hunger to dig down to what we are expected to be as Christians and to seek our guidance and passion straight from God's word in scripture.

This group, in only two weeks has challenged me to think practically about my spiritual life, in ways I had forgotten I should be doing. It is amazing how in a month or two of being a bit disconnected with believers, it can be easy to drift and allow my heart to grow cold, and allow other things to become more important. Afew things have really struck me in the past week.

1. Why is it so easy to let our conversations with Christians and anyone, to run so shallow, so easily. Why is it that I shy away from having dialogue about faith, God, struggles, etc.? The hope we have in our salvation should overflow out of us, into the things we talk about. I am praying that I will be able to focus a greater percentage of my thoughts and words around things with eternal value, rather than succumbing so easily to talks of fluffy, useless topic which in the end, draw no one closer to Christ. Wow, this might be tough.

2. I think I am realizing that often, when I get lazy or careless in my persuit of scripture and knowing Christ better, it is because I have lost perspective of the grace and salvation I have been given. Do I long for friendships, belonging, adventure, etc. more than I long for Jesus, and ultimately, heaven? Do I really grasp the strenth of Christ's love for me, and what He has done for me? Where are my sights set? Are my actions and decisions motivated by a realization of what I have in Christ rather than what I have in life? Hmmm....I guess I have had a big reality check. Like....Rachel...do you really get it? Do you let the message of the gospel, penetrate into your heart, your life, your thoughts. Does it consume you as much as all of your struggles, apprehensions, desires. Wow, this might also be tough.

In any case, I am so thankful for the blessing of new friends, new ideas (or old ones revisited), and new perspectives. Thank God for his grace and patience with a heart that might never really 'get it'.

Till next time...

Rachel