Tuesday, November 13, 2007
To My Wonderful Family... even Freddie...
The quilt that mom made with all of your names and squares arrived on Friday afternoon. It's absolutely wonderful... I was so surprised. Thank you all so much!
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Last Saturday, November 3rd
Milja's boyfriend was in town this weekend... so we went to a club (excuse me, a "disco"... I hate that word). This is a picture of myself and two other lovely Prisma patrons. Notice the whip and chain I'm holding. Unfortunately, you can't see the stilts that Lars (I like to call him Lars) was using or the rather interesting protrusion in his latex suit.
Dear Mom,
Don't show Grandma Feenstra.
Dear Grandma Dee,
Don't show grandpa.
Dear Kori,
Don't get any ideas... but show Laurel!
Dear Mom,
Don't show Grandma Feenstra.
Dear Grandma Dee,
Don't show grandpa.
Dear Kori,
Don't get any ideas... but show Laurel!
Monday, November 5, 2007
TAN = Damage
As most you know, I have a very strict no tanning policy. I wear spf 30-55 everyday, my sunglasses cover half of my face, and I am terrified of wrinkles. I eat a lot of tomatoes and tomato products because I've read that lycopene has numerous anti-aging and skin care benefits. I try to sleep on my back (even though I prefer my stomach) because it's better not to put any extra pressure on delicate facial skin (Readers Digest, Fall 2005). In high school I decided that seventeen was a good age to start fighting the aging process...
>>>>>FAST>FORWARD>>>>>
Relevant Fact: The drinking age (for beer) in Germany is sixteen. You must be eighteen to purchase "spirits."
>>>>>FAST>FORWARD>>>>>
Dortmund, Germany. One month before my 21 st birthday.
I tried to buy alcohol.
I got carded. Carded! IN GERMANY!
For more information about the relationship between lycopene and tomatoes:
http://www.cancer.prostate-help.org/calycop.htm
For a nifty chart of various country's drinking age:
http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/LegalDrinkingAge.html
For basic information about drinking in Germany:
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,2226609,00.html?maca=en-tagesschau_englisch-335-rdf-mp
For a picture of Connan O'Brien and Finnish President Tarja Halonen
http://www.shanatinglipton.com/blog/uploads/separated.jpg
http://www.smartskincare.com/treatments/topical/lycopene.html
>>>>>FAST>FORWARD>>>>>
Relevant Fact: The drinking age (for beer) in Germany is sixteen. You must be eighteen to purchase "spirits."
>>>>>FAST>FORWARD>>>>>
Dortmund, Germany. One month before my 21 st birthday.
I tried to buy alcohol.
I got carded. Carded! IN GERMANY!
For more information about the relationship between lycopene and tomatoes:
http://www.cancer.prostate-help.org/calycop.htm
For a nifty chart of various country's drinking age:
http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/LegalDrinkingAge.html
For basic information about drinking in Germany:
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,2226609,00.html?maca=en-tagesschau_englisch-335-rdf-mp
For a picture of Connan O'Brien and Finnish President Tarja Halonen
http://www.shanatinglipton.com/blog/uploads/separated.jpg
http://www.smartskincare.com/treatments/topical/lycopene.html
Last Monday: Hauptschule
October 29th, 2007
Last Monday I went with my adviser, Sibylle, to Lützowstraße Hauptschule where I'll be teaching English. Basically I'll be assisting five classes on Monday and one class every other Wednesday in pronunciation, comprehension, and everything else that goes with learning a language. To be quite honest I'm not entirely for sure what I'm suppossed to be doing at this point as last week was basically a meet and greet with the classes.
I'm working with one class of sixth graders, two groups of freshmen, and two groups of sophomores/juniors... I think? Last week was a bit hectic, but all in all I think I'll be working with about seventy students. The school itself was interesting, as I was told it was going to be "sooo different." Hauptschule is basically high school, it's just a different kind of high school. A lot of the students there have some migration background but for a better explanation see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hauptschule (Ya that's right, I'm citing Wikipedia... deal with it). Basically, it's just not a very good school. It's not in a bad neighborhood, but it's the equivalent of what you'd find in one.
Just the same, I'll let you know more tomorrow.
Last Monday I went with my adviser, Sibylle, to Lützowstraße Hauptschule where I'll be teaching English. Basically I'll be assisting five classes on Monday and one class every other Wednesday in pronunciation, comprehension, and everything else that goes with learning a language. To be quite honest I'm not entirely for sure what I'm suppossed to be doing at this point as last week was basically a meet and greet with the classes.
I'm working with one class of sixth graders, two groups of freshmen, and two groups of sophomores/juniors... I think? Last week was a bit hectic, but all in all I think I'll be working with about seventy students. The school itself was interesting, as I was told it was going to be "sooo different." Hauptschule is basically high school, it's just a different kind of high school. A lot of the students there have some migration background but for a better explanation see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hauptschule (Ya that's right, I'm citing Wikipedia... deal with it). Basically, it's just not a very good school. It's not in a bad neighborhood, but it's the equivalent of what you'd find in one.
Just the same, I'll let you know more tomorrow.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Class Update
TEACHING ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25th
This is primarily a lecture/theory course, and although the professor asks questions, students don't seem to be required to participate (at least not from what I've observed in most classes). Moving on, Dr. Roters was discussing a language method that at one point was very common and was also very similar to what Pavlov did with his hound. She was explaining why this didn't work and how it created automated responses and that the speakers weren't able to produce the language for themselves, only respond to a preconditioned stimulus. Anyway, this is the example she gave:
Dr. Roters: "Now one reason this theory doesn't work is because the language learner isn't able to answer spontaneous questions. Maybe some of you," (there are about fifty people in this class), "have traveled or studied abroad in the United States, and if you have you've surely been to a grocery store. Of course you expect to stand in line, show them your things and then they'll tell you the amount, but what else do they ask?" No one says anything, we sit there, we wait and then she continues, "They ask 'debit or credit'. Now who can tell me the difference between debit or credit." Again, no one says anything... but I know this one :) .
Me: "Debit is money you have in your checking account and credit is money you don't have."
Dr. Roters: "Exactly, and if you ever purchase anything, nearly anything, in the United States you'll be asked this question." She pauses and looks at me sitting in the very back next to the two guys reading a magazine and then continues to say, "And I can tell by your accent that you've spent some time abroad. How long were in you in the United States?"
And I, with a very straight face reply: "Oh about twenty years."
It was at this point forty-nine faces turned to look and laugh as Dr. Roters face flushed.
Dr. Roters: "Oh, I'm so sorry! I should have known."
The next two minutes consisted of, "Oh, we have an American in class... let's all point and ask questions about American Pie and other U.S. teen movies that must be factual!"
Sometimes being an American is like being the bearded lady at a carnival. No one really wants to pay to see it, because it's just not that interesting, but if happens by you... you may as well get your kicks in.
IDEALISMUS UND EMPIRISMUS: DIENSTAG, 30 OKTOBER
I spent the an entire ninety-minute class period writing a single page on what I assume were the logical connections made by Hegel in his philosophical progression from logic (Logik) to nature (Natur), and finally nature to spirit (Geist)... in German. I had a German student read it after I was through, she said there were a lot of mistakes in it, but also that it was understandable. This was a vast improvement from the week before where my greatest classroom accomplishment included sleeping upright.
This is primarily a lecture/theory course, and although the professor asks questions, students don't seem to be required to participate (at least not from what I've observed in most classes). Moving on, Dr. Roters was discussing a language method that at one point was very common and was also very similar to what Pavlov did with his hound. She was explaining why this didn't work and how it created automated responses and that the speakers weren't able to produce the language for themselves, only respond to a preconditioned stimulus. Anyway, this is the example she gave:
Dr. Roters: "Now one reason this theory doesn't work is because the language learner isn't able to answer spontaneous questions. Maybe some of you," (there are about fifty people in this class), "have traveled or studied abroad in the United States, and if you have you've surely been to a grocery store. Of course you expect to stand in line, show them your things and then they'll tell you the amount, but what else do they ask?" No one says anything, we sit there, we wait and then she continues, "They ask 'debit or credit'. Now who can tell me the difference between debit or credit." Again, no one says anything... but I know this one :) .
Me: "Debit is money you have in your checking account and credit is money you don't have."
Dr. Roters: "Exactly, and if you ever purchase anything, nearly anything, in the United States you'll be asked this question." She pauses and looks at me sitting in the very back next to the two guys reading a magazine and then continues to say, "And I can tell by your accent that you've spent some time abroad. How long were in you in the United States?"
And I, with a very straight face reply: "Oh about twenty years."
It was at this point forty-nine faces turned to look and laugh as Dr. Roters face flushed.
Dr. Roters: "Oh, I'm so sorry! I should have known."
The next two minutes consisted of, "Oh, we have an American in class... let's all point and ask questions about American Pie and other U.S. teen movies that must be factual!"
Sometimes being an American is like being the bearded lady at a carnival. No one really wants to pay to see it, because it's just not that interesting, but if happens by you... you may as well get your kicks in.
IDEALISMUS UND EMPIRISMUS: DIENSTAG, 30 OKTOBER
I spent the an entire ninety-minute class period writing a single page on what I assume were the logical connections made by Hegel in his philosophical progression from logic (Logik) to nature (Natur), and finally nature to spirit (Geist)... in German. I had a German student read it after I was through, she said there were a lot of mistakes in it, but also that it was understandable. This was a vast improvement from the week before where my greatest classroom accomplishment included sleeping upright.
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