Sand Through My Toes

Being Successful is a Wonderful Feeling

Once a month, students are given an English language proficiency test to determine growth from the previous month.  In order to move forward and transition from the classroom to Pilot Training, a score of 80 is needed on the test!  Students are not given an oral language proficiency but are assessed in listening comprehension, reading, and grammar skills.  There are 39 students in the program and 19 are moving forward.  Yes, 19 students with a possibility of another 4 or 5 passing in November!  Not only have the 5 English language instructors made an impact, but all the time students spend speaking English, studying English and watching American movies (that we tend to discuss a bit too much in class 🙂  ),  along with the fact that part of the success is due to using the Ticonderoga in which they used to bubble in their answers.  Oh yeah, they love their pencils too!

Graduation for these students will take place in early December, so there is still English language acquisition happening 6 hours a day, 5 1/2 days a week,  until then!  Francine and I had the opportunity to join four of the August graduates out on flight line.  They were extremely excited to have their pictures taken next to their fixed wing plane in their new pilot uniform!  Needless to say, we also had the chance to hop in an MI-17 for a photo-op! NO, I didn’t fly the ‘copter but I was the pretend pilot (see below).  Hopefully soon Cmdr Jeff will be emailing for our fun ride in what I like to refer to as the “remote control” looking helicopter.  Will keep you posted!!

Christmas in October!

Although I had to work on Memorial Day, those that man the “mail pick-up” trailer were off!  The great thing about not being able to pick up packages on Monday, means that on Tuesday there is a boat load for me, yes Kelly Anne had tons of mail!  I received the notification in my “official” sandbox email that stated, “Hello Sandbox Patron, You are requested to pick up your parcel (notice singular) between our  open hours of 15:00 and 16:00 blah blah blah”.  Well, I was already dressed for the gym so Francine was more than willing to go pick up my parcel b/c she too had mail.  Low and behold, the day I choose not to ride over to the “mail” side it’s Christmas time with the boxes!  Yes, 7 boxes and another today!!

An assortment of goodies found their way to me — socks, tons of different types of socks, a new Florida Gator t-shirt (my 2nd one so far), face wash, a fabulous fleece blanket that I washed as soon as it came out of the box and put it on my bed, new sleeping socks, cleaning latex gloves (you all know how much I love germs), snacks and more snacks, the NEW Dave Matthews CD, 70 individually wrapped Halloween candy bags (keeps out the grubby paws, and germs :-), football plates/napkins with a great window sticker (now in my classroom window), a winter coat and pants requested from my home, Oktoberfest goodies (to be used shortly – I am going to follow Sue and Pat’s advice :-), along with some festive fall decor!

I can’t thank you enough for thinking about me and taking the time to send care packages to me that contain items I would thoroughly enjoy, and need,  if I were still in Germany!  Look forward to thanking you all next year with a nice cold Andechs, or two!

Please see the pics below — yes, I love candy corn at Halloween time and at this time, I have bought stock in Brachs.  Please, if you have a bag that you are considering sending to me, the pictures below say a thousand words!

PS:  Those of you that know my boss at Hainerberg –classic move that an assortment of socks from knee-high, to mid calf, to running (the best), to boot length, etc. made it my way  in a SHOE BOX — who would have thought??  But shit, NO new pair of shoes!!!

Sniff, Sniff…. Missed Oktoberfest

Living overseas for 15 years now, with 10 (9) years of it in Germany, yesterday was a difficult day in the sand!  Either going on a 16 hour bus tour to Munich (I don’t recommend) or making reservations at a great hotel three blocks from the fest (yes!!), I would highly suggest that everyone should at least make it to one Oktoberfest in their lifetime!  Thanks to John Hedges, who retired quite a few years back, I was given the responsibility of carrying on the tradition for DoDEA teachers and being the go to girl for reservations at the Hippodrome!  Well, I have to say that year after year, I fulfill my duties as the official Oktoberfest party planner! Yesterday was the day that 22 folks gathered in Munich to enjoy the last weekend of Oktoberfest — and I have already received some pics of the fun and frolicking! Don’t fret, promise not to post the incriminating pictures. 🙂  Last year, I had the pleasure of having my brother and his wife come and enjoy the mas beers in the tent — and yes, Julie was able to party on a bit longer than Sean! :-O

I sure do miss being there with all of you but am glad to hear that although it was wet throughout the day, it didn’t dampen the fun on the train, at the hotel, outside the tent, and of course, inside the tent, too!

Next year, I look forward to heading to my 10th Oktoberfest and hopefully those that partied on this year will have one more in them to celebrate with me!  Andy (and Olivier, newbies to the group — have learned about pacing and have standing reservations with the group), thanks for sharing the pics and for those that weren’t there last year….here I am with Andy inside the tent (Sept. ’10) , along with this years reservation for DoDEA teachers under my name!

“I’m a Safety Girl”

There comes a time when everyone needs to follow the rules and expectations of being a safety girl!   My time has arrived here, although I must say that I usually do my best to be a safety girl at all times 🙂  We had the opportunity to travel from one location to another and see part of the city en route to our destination.  In order to travel, we all needed to wear our helmets, flak vests, and of course, my side safety, “Fifty”, on my hip. I climbed into the back of my transport with all the gear on ready for whatever came my way.  Well, what came my way was a non-working air conditioner, with four others jammed packed around me and perspiration in places I didn’t think I could perspire :-(.  Thank goodness the transport was only 45 minutes and we did arrive safely!  Here I am in the back of the MRAP donning my safety gear along with sweat beads on my face!  I must say, afterwards I had one of the coolest showers since being here!

PS:  Can you name the movie that contains the title?   My best friend Rhonda and I love watching it…..

Gotta Love Concrete

I expect their to be some bumps in the road and hopefully those bumps won’t cause injury to myself or my friends here on the compound!  Envision a few teachers, a few students, and a few pilots sitting outside  “on the patio” of the Russian built concrete living quarters  basking in the moonlight and taking in all the stars (without any  freakin’ beer or wine).   Don’t forget to also envision the fluorescent lighting that allows us to see our tea, snacks, and mini iPod player, too!  As quiet hours are approaching, it’s time for all to head to their rooms and call it a night.  After cleaning up, one would think you would find the area the same when you wake up in the morning — except for the moonlight, of course.  Well, no one heard a thing, no one smelt a thing, and no one stirred in the middle of the night.  As I open the door to my room, and turn right to put the combination into the bathroom  door (which is located right next door), the lighting has caught on fire, burnt the ceiling, burnt the wall, melted the plastic, glass all over the ground, and all the wires are hanging out of the ceiling — with part of metal still hanging from the wires, too!  Thank goodness no one was out there and concrete is all around the sh0tty wiring in the building!  Yes, our room has a smoke detector in case one of our four fluorescent lights and its casing opts to explode… hopefully not while any of us are in the room since we all have one smack dab in the center of  bedrooms!  Never a dull moment around here — well, not never!!

Flying High, hopefully soon….

Wow, it is amazing to see every day the dedication my students have to learn English and want to better themselves.  Every day is rather entertaining with, “Teacher, what is measure?” “Student, measure is to determine the amount  for liquids in ounces; to determine the length/width/height of objects/people, etc”  “No, no, teacher.  Measure.” “Yes, measure is to ….  ”  “No, no the man who came to talk to our class, is he a measure?”  “A measure?  Oh my goodness, not a measure, a Major.  A Major is a rank in the military but the man who came today is the new Colonel for our area”.  Measure, major — it’s the little things that make us laugh throughout the day.  But in the end, the goal is to get up into the skies and fly — rather it be fixed wing or rotary!

Well, the day finally came for 17 students who are moving on towards their goal!  With certificates passed out and smiles all around, it was time to enjoy the birds that will fly in the sky!  I was fortunate enough to have the exact same Timex Expedition Target special watch as Cdr. Jeff, who happens to oversee the pilot training program, and said that any day I was free, he would gladly take me up  in his bird!

While in Japan, I was able to fly in the cockpit during landing after a morale trip to Korea.  While in Germany, I toured the outside of some big cargo planes, and now here, in my new country, I will be able to fly up in a bird and hopefully see more than sand!!  Not sure it will be better than my trip in the Black Hawk but I will be sure to let you know when it does happen! 

Ooops, posted too soon…..

So, now what to do about those that want Bunny?  I am willing to negotiate to make sure that Bunny stays safe while I am helping pilots become better English speakers.  Any thoughts on how to save Bunny?

I LOVE receiving care packages, letters, postcards, etc. but….

when a care package arrives and there is a wanted poster inside it makes me shudder at the thought that someone would want to capture me!  But wait a minute, it’s not me they want to capture, it is Bunny!  Yes, Bunny!!  My “will travel with me from Florida to Japan, to Germany, to my new location (okay, only in picture format but still with me) is suddenly wanted!  I don’t believe wanted in a good way  to keep company, or to comfort b/c Bunny misses me, no in a “Dead or Alive” situation!  Bunny, who wears my pajama’s from when I was a cute little girl in pigtails, along with my childhood blanket tied around its neck like a lovely scarf, the same one my brother tried to hide from me behind the piano!  Plus, who would want Bunny “Dead or Alive” — he is missing an eye, plus an ear, once again from MY BROTHER who tried to pull him away from me and ripped off its ear!!!

Should’ve Been a Math Teacher…..

but I know why I am not and that I am an excellent English language teacher instead!  Yes, I enjoy math but I must admit it is because of the world’s best pencil out there! Do you happen to know the best pencil???

Yesterday, my students completed Text 12 and it was time for the ‘ole book test.  Well, like any great teacher would do when it’s possible their students wouldn’t have the appropriate writing tool or eraser for the test, she shall provide.  Indeed I did…….and because of great friends and family, I was able to share my joy and excitement of the Ticonderoga pencil with my students for their test!  They were so grateful to receive the “Ticonderoga Test Pencil” with a sharp point and unused eraser, that all of them passed their first book test.   Yes, they all passed with an 80% or above which means now we move on to Text 13 — which I am excited about b/c it’s all about sports!!

The “Ticonderoga Test Pencil” was collected upon test completion but all my students will be able to keep their best pencil ever once they complete the book test for Text 13.  I believe I’ll take a picture of them smelling their pencil like I enjoy doing whenever I have the pleasure to scribe with the best smelling wood pencil out there!!  I sure hope they have as much excitement about a pencil as I do ……plus share in my opinion!!

Thursday Night is really Friday!

If only I could taste the real thing, a nice cold Andechs at the Ratskeller or my favorite hole in the wall, Klein Konig!  But, since I find myself enjoying strong winds and sand blowing everywhere, I’ll stick with what I can get here!  Friday is our day off from teaching, so Thursday night is our night to live it up.  Now, it is nowhere in the manner in which I would if I were in WI or any other place for that matter, but since I am digging the sand, I’ll cope with what’s available to me!

A friend was staying in WI finishing up some business before heading out from FRA airport and he so kindly sent a picture of what I was missing — at least he enjoyed the cold beer in my honor!  I know that many of you toast me on Friday Happy Hour, and even though I am not there, I sense it all the way over here! Thank you for having a beverage for me!

This pic was taken at Camp Eggers (we don’t have TV here in our DFAC) but replicates what happens here on Happy Hour Thursday!  At least it is still a German beer albeit non-alcoholic!  AARGH…….  As for my favorite cookie (and my Dad’s), well, they do have  oatmeal raisin here, too, and I indulge on Thursdays (I don’t eat four, usually two 🙂 ) — just call it my cheat day of the week!