Bensheim Take 2!

So now that we have more time on our hands, we are able to participate in some of the family-friendly things around Bensheim. There is a place here called the Spielerie, which literally translates to "Playful". It is a member-supported game room basically with a really super stocked room full of board games for all ages. They also sponsor activities once in while too. On Saturday we went to our first event, which was a "Rubenschnitzen" aka Pumpkin Carving. I was super excited to see this as an event and to be available to take Jackson to it. Here in Germany Halloween is not celebrated to quite the degree that it is celebrated back in the States, and no where near the extent it is celebrated in St. Petersburg, FL. So to find some community event that was teetering on the edge of spookiness was thrilling to me. We didn't miss it! Now the next feat was to find the right pumpkin. Of course being from Pennsylvania, I had visions of taking Jackson to a u-pick-it farm to hand pick his pumpkin out of rows and rows of possibility. But apparently people don't do that here. I had to justo to the market and hope that there were pumpkins left, which is just what we did. In our luck there was ONE pumpkin remaining! I think it might have weighed 8 Kg. That sucker was big and HEAVY! And did I mention that the market is in the walking area of town? So I had to carry the heavy-a** pumpkin all the way back to the parking garage where we parked. Fortunately it wasn't too far and it did stop me from making any other unnecessary purchases at the cute stores downtown.

The event turned out great. We carved ourselves a pretty darn good jack-o-lantern and met some other really nice families. It was a small gathering, so it was kind of clear that we were the new ones. That was awkward at first, but onc

e we started talking to people it was fine. I'm never sure how people will feel about the fact that we don't speak German *yet. But many of the parents spoke English and Jackson just kind of got out there and started playing. After we carved the pumpkin, they had a campfire where they roasted dough on a stick - no marshmallows here. Jackson loved this. We made three and each one got significantly better. At first he just wanted to put the dough right into the flame. I guess he learned that trick from setting his marshmallows on fire, but the dough doesn't do that, it just gets all black and dirty. So after other adults started telling him to hold it above the flame, as opposed to IN the flame, he finally listened. We had a really fun night and ended the evening by eating Kurbis Creme Suppe and bread with Pumpkin seeds. It was a pumpkin feast! Then came the debate about the lighting of the pumpin..Jackson was sure that the type of candle needed was a birthday candle, not a boring little tealight. So we had to experiment with that. The birthday candle didn't even last 10 minutes, and he finally came to the realization that, "Mommy, you were right."

On Tuesday we went back to the Spielerie and became card-carrying members.

Dolomites

The Dolomites are part of the Alps, but are different than the peaks found in Switzerland or Austria. They are much more jagged looking and the rock is very pale colored. Sometimes looking white or peach colored. Wiki says: "The name "Dolomites" is derived from the famous French mineralogist Déodat Gratet de Dolomieu who was the first to describe the rock, dolomite, a type of carbonate rock which is responsible for the characteristic shapes and colour of these mountains." We wanted to hike to the location where dinosaur footprints have been found, but reading maps in Italy and driving on the small town roads isn't that easy, which basically means, we never found the trail. So we stopped at a ski resort and "dug for fossils" there. It helps that the rock is so pale colored. You can see the one cool rock we dug up kind of does resemble a fossil, right? We stayed at a bed and breakfast of a couple who live in the downtown Belluno, but both grew up in the small (I mean tiny) farming villages in the mountains. They both spoke very little English and we actually used the little bit of German that we know to communicate. It was not the typical bed and breakfast, but more like they rented out their guest bedroom in their house for two nights. We ate breakfast in their kitchen. It was very cozy and they were so sweet. They said that we were the first Americans to ever stay with them.

Driving through Austria

After our stay in Legoland, we hit the road and headed to the Dolomites. We stopped for lunch at this place in Austria that had a little hiking trail that led to a beautiful lake. Now that's what I call a rest stop!! The color of the water was amazing, so I was happy you can see it in the picture of Joe and Jackson. Jackson wanted to go swimming, but quickly changed his mind when he stuck his foot in. Freezing!!!

Legoland pictures

We are finally back in Bensheim after our two week excursion in Italy. It is great to be back, but it is so cold!! This morning's temperature was 28 F when we woke up!! I think I should start looking for a winter jacket...

We started the trip in Legoland. Great great place! There were lego stores and rides made out of legos, but the thing that we loved the most was looking at the miniature european cities made out of legos. We took lots of pictures of the detailed buildings and now that I'm going through the pictures of the real cities we visited, I see many of the same sites!! Too cool! So here's a few from Venice with their lego counterpart.

First is San Marco Piazza and second is the Rialto Bridge.

Lego test track

You know we spent about an hour in here.

Legoland!

Playdate

Jackson and his new friend on the playground after school.  There is a park with a playground just a few steps from the school.  Many of the kids and parents stop by after school.  It's been beautiful fall weather this week for playing outside. 

Oktoberfest!

Jackson's first hiking boot

I like the water proof fabric, ankle height, fuzzy warm interior, and traction sole.  He liked the salamander.  Win win.

We are playing badminton, not tennis!

I'm watching Peter teach Jackson how to play badminton in the garden.  One of the cutest things ever! 

One more wine festival pic

For your enjoyment

Wine festival pictures

For some reason the pictures didn't send with the post last night.  So here's try #2.  I forgot to mention the rides last night.  We have full carnival rides in the center of the town.  Jackson went on his first ferris wheel ride a few days ago.  Look carefully at the ride in the picture.  You can probably tell the ride is spinning very fast...and no one is wearing a seatbelt!  At different points the dj calls moves and people get up and move while the ride is spinning.  Thois would never be found in America!

Bensheim Wine Festival

Tonight we had our first date night while in deutschland.  Gubba and Grandpa kept Jackson in Frankfurt one more night.  We took the opportunity to check out the wine festival in real fashion.  I tasted every red wine available in a region known for white wines.  I posted some pics of our food for Bryan's enjoyment.  The best part of the evening was all the live music, all American: soul, country, rock, and whatever category The Saints Go Marching In is considered.  Good time.

On top of Frankfurt

Raspberries by the front door

photo albums updated

I am finally getting around to posting the photo albums taken a few weeks ago. You can see them in the slideshow at the right or click on an image to take you to the picasa page. The first album is from 3 weekends ago when we went to two castles in one weekend. The first one is Aurbach Castle, which is very close to Bensheim. The second one is the very famous Heidelberg Castle. Both are very cool.

The second album is more pictures of the vineyards behind the house. It is so beautiful up there and we are so lucky to be able to just walk out the door and go for a hike. Yesterday we biked for 2 hours there and it was amazing! I hope to get those pictures up soon :) Also, I need to add the pictures from last weekend in the Black Forest. Also amazing.

Double rainbow...so intense

Bring any songs to mind??  The freak out wasn't quite the same extreme as yogibear, but we were pretty excited.  It really did go "all the way across the sky"!!  We took the pictures while driving, so sorry for the blurriness. 

Morning market in Freiburg

This weekend we are in Freiburg again.  Conny presented her thesis last night and then had a big dinner.  This morning I checked out the morning market held around the Munster.  It was so fun.  Olive stands, fresh bread, fresh cheese, lots of flowers, and vegetables.  I had to sit and have a coffee by the market.  You can see a little bit in these pictures the church behind the market and my favorite flower stand.  You could smell the roses from 10 meters away.

IBMS

This one is for lauren who requested an update.  We are busy with our school routines as school started for us last week.  All of the days so far we have travelled to Frankfurt by car and then Jackson takes the walker bike and I walk to the school.  This is a picture of Jackson in the front of the building taken this morning.  The weather has been perfect fall weather so far.  Some cool rainy days last week, but sunny crisp days this week.  I haven't met any moms yet from Jackson's class, but look forward to the parent social night in September.  The kids in my class are very interesting with very diverse backgrounds. Most are bilingual if not 3 or 4 languages.  The parents are great.  It's been so great to learn about the montessori materials.  The staff at the school are very experienced and help me all the time.  I get to teach yoga to a group of kids (who choose it) on Monday afternoons, which has been very fulfilling.  I actually might get to attend official training in london on teaching yoga to kids.  (Which hopefully the school will pay for - still waiting to hear.)    

Frankfurt botanical garden

This afternoon Joe arrived back from his business trip to Portugal and met us at the school.  We spent the rest of the afternoon at the Palmengarten in Frankfurt.  It was very beautiful.  There were two playgrounds, mini golf, a pond with row boats, and a train in addition to all the beautiful flowers.  We will definately be spending more time there!

This is what happens when Beate babysits

school in Germany...

Well, we had another very busy week and a great weekend. Last week I started at my new school setting up the classroom, meeting my new co-teacher, having an introduction to montessori principles, learning the way of work for this new place, etc. I am so excited to have the opportunity to work here. The staff are made of people from India, Ireland, Kenya, Romania, England, America, Germany and a few others that I can't remember. They are all so welcoming, respectful, and obviously happy to be working at this school. It is so great to be in a school surrounded by teachers who so sincerely love what they do. And I haven't even delved into how the principles of Montessori are so aligned with the things that I truly believe in. I can't believe it has taken me this long to discover Montessori! Very excited for this school year. I feel like an unfurling fern; I have no idea what great things await me.

On Saturday we went to Mannheim to shop for the long list of things Jackson needs on the first day of school. He has to take 3 pairs of shoes: house shoes, gym shoes, and rain boots, a full rain gear get up including rain pants and jacket (because they play outside in every weather!), toothbrush & toothpaste (because they brush their teeth after lunch), gym clothes (because they actually change their clothes for gym), the obligatory change of clothes with underwear, and a cup (because all drinks are provided, but the cup is not..oh yeah, and a hot lunch is provided too). So after a long day of shopping we went to a great park with another really great playground. **Pictures coming soon** I am starting to think that Germans have the best playgrounds in the world. And I am realizing that PLAY is valued very highly by Germans in the development of children. The Kindergarten (developed by a German) is for kids ages 3 - 6 (and that's the age they are by the end of the year, not the start) and is not based on expectations or objectives like ours in America is, but socializing and playing. It is no wonder that Germany creates the best toys in the world and now, in my humble opinion, the best playgrounds in the world.

This year, starting tomorrow, I will be teaching kids who are 5 and 6 (so 6 & 7 by the end of the year). It's considered the start of Primary school, which is something celebrated. “Der Ernst des Lebens hat begonnen” (“The seriousness of life has begun”) The kids receive a Schultute (school cone) filled with gifts and there's a special ceremony at the school. I take this message to mean, the playing is over kid, time to get to work! Beate made a schultute for Jackson, although it is not usually for his age group, but we thought it would make a for a memorable German experience!

One of my favorite things

Eis Kaffee...mmmmm :)  espresso with ice cream and whip cream!

Frisbee Tonight!

I had to take a picture of the field where we played frisbee tonight with the castle on the hill in the background. Pretty darn cool, right?!

One busy week!!

Wow! what a long and productive week this has been! I'm not sure where to begin on updating.

Let's see, the camp that Jackson attended turned out to be amazing! It was organized in a Sports Hall and everyday there were all kinds of cool equipment set up for different games and races or obstacle courses. They took photographs everyday and posted them online so I have some pictures to share with you! Oh and on Friday they asked the parents to come one hour early so that you could play with the kids. It was great! Check out some pics below. Just click on the picture and it will take you to the picasa album.

Sports Camp

On Wednesday we bought our car. We had to drive to this little town about one and a half hours away. It was a beautiful drive. The family that we bought the car from lives in the house that her parents built when she was 4. and I think the parents still live there too. It was a tiny quiet farm town. So darling!


On Thursday we went to Badminton again and that was super fun. Afterwards we walked over to the center of the town where some street party was going on to celebrate the beginning of this 33day bike ride from Bensheim to Offenbach. Sounds cool, right? Well it turns out that the whole event was sponsored by a radio station that is known here as the oldies channel, and by oldies they don't mean Elvis, but Mozart. So this dance party had dance music spun by a DJ, except that everyone in attendance, including the DJ himself were over 65. It was a pretty hilarious sight. It was fun though, and I got to hear some typical german dance music (as compared with our macerana and electric slide).

Friday Jackson and I took the train to Frankfurt for the first time. I think I had mentioned earlier that I had wanted to do this, but we never had time. So finally on Friday we did it. We took the walking bike and Jackson did great riding it all the way to the school. He got to see his new classroom and I talked with the director. Turns out that I will be teaching the 6 & 7 year olds instead of the 8- 12 year olds. No problem though. I look forward to the class actually. So I'll keep you posted next week as I set up the classroom and meet my co-teacher.

And finally I can tell you about today! Beate had her friend's kids sleep over last night who are 4 year old twins, 1 boy and 1 girl. Today we took all three kids on a bike ride with Beate, Peter, Joe and I. I don't know how many miles we went, but we were gone for 5 hours! We stopped at 2 playgrounds and a miniature golf place. The mini golf was free as long as you buy a beer and brotwurst when you're done playing. Perfect! I'll try to get these pictures up soon.

There she is

We just finished at the DMV registering the car and getting a new tag. There's a shop outside the DMV where they make your plate right there on the spot. It took maybe 2 min at most to make the plate. A little longer for all the other paperwork ;)

We bought a car!!

We are now the proud owners of a beautiful blue 2005 VW Golf Variant. Not sold in America :P

Pictures to come.

Freiburg pictures are up!

The album from Freiburg is ready! If you click on the picture slideshow it will take you to the picasa album with captions.

Jackson had a great opportunity this week to attend a sports camp here in Bensheim. Today was the first day and we were all a little nervous about him being surrounded by kids that only spoke German pretty much for the first time since we've arrived. Jackson was the most apprehensive. When we got to the gym, he hid behind my leg until we got a peek inside the gym and saw all the fun equipment. He was running and playing within minutes. And when I returned to pick him up, he said he had a great time and wanted to come back again tomorrow!! Yay!! Brave boy!

So while he was at camp I used my morning to do all kinds of errands. I had a lovely time strolling through the grocery store and then a bakery for fresh bread, and of course the market with fresh eggs and produce. There were some other less exciting stops in there too, but those were the highlights. I have found a new appreciation for tomatoes here. They are so vibrant red and taste so amazingly fresh and sweet. The strawberries are also amazing, yes even compared with Florida's.

Tomorrow, after his morning at the camp, we are taking the train to Frankfurt to visit his new school for the first time. I don't think anyone will be there, but it will be good to see how he does walking from the train to the school. Most kids have here a walking bike. It's a bike without pedals. So we will take that with us tomorrow and see how it goes. Cross your fingers!

German music festival

Tonight we are at a music festival in this cute town near bensheim. This picture is just a small snippet of the cuteness. I love it!

Sent from my iPhone