What a weekend! It started Thursday evening, when I travelled to Merzig to stay with Katie. We watched a film, had some food, laughed at her prison fridge (see below) and cool kids as we are went to sleep at 10.50 pm as I had to be up at 6 for work the next morning. (I felt pretty bad about waking her up so early on her day off too!)
Katie's fridge. You need a key for your 1/8th and everything.
That day at school was a bit different, as it was is referred to in Britain as in INSET day, but it was very interesting for me to find out what goes on in them (or German ones at least). Basically we spent the day working in groups (the teachers that is) discussing ways to improve the school and particular aims for the staff, students and parents. Okay so I'd only been there for 3 days so I couldn't contribute that much but it did involve me listening to German for 7 hours straight on a rather specialist subject and I met a lot more teachers so all in all a good day!
Later we headed to Saarbrücken to meet up with the rest of Saarland lot, which had 2 new American additions (one temporary, sadly) and headed out to the town center after predrinks at Charlotte's. Ok so the night wasn't that mental, as we struggled to find a decent club (cue me insisting that the club give all 10 of us our money back...and being rewarded with a raised eyebrow and a firm no.) but it was fun to see everyone again and made me wish, not for the first time, that I'd been placed closer to Saarbrücken.
This is the Saarland crew, ( or as David says, the Zoolanders). Lush bunch of people.
The next morning myself, Charlotte and Katie made our way believe it or not to a football match round the corner at the Saarbrücken football ground, after Charlotte's neighbour, one of the players for Saarbrücken FC, suggested we did. Those of you who know me well know I am not football's biggest fan. Or its smallest fan come to think of it. Long suffering girlfriend and friend of football obsessed males has caused me to automatically associate football with boredom, though I do know the offside rule I'll have you know.
Anyway, I didn't go with high hopes but wow what a cultural experience! No joke here, it was amazing, Saarbrücken FC may only be 3rd division. They may have lost 2-0 to Erfurt and we may have been three of the only females within the stadium grounds but we had so much fun. Germany really is crazy about its football but this equates to passionate fans and a brilliant atmosphere. See below for a picture of the ridiculously stolz (proud) crowd, which never stopped chanting
Interestingly, the banner reads Engische Verhältnisse? Nur über meine Leiche. This is a reference to the Hillsbrough disaster apparently, as we got some info about it as we came in.
Später we met up again at the Irish bar, where the aforementioned player appeared to hang with us for a while but sadly left early with the team and their girlfriends as they had post-failure training the next morning. Harsh in my opinion but oh well. I had a good last night away from Trier anyway, as we met a load of regulars at the Irish bar: some German, some Irish, one French guy and to my amazement a Welsh guy. Happy days! I suspect we are the the only two welsh people in Saarland.
Speaking of Welsh, I gave an hour long lesson on Wales today to a group of bemused 15 year olds. Not sure they really wanted to know that we eat bread with seaweed in, how to say you're tired in Welsh and how to say Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch but either way they know now.
I've missed out loads but it's taken me about 2 hours to write this, Katie came over last night for films and stuff but unfortunately we muddled up the train times, so got up at 5.20 am for her to catch her train to Perl but then missed it, then I got my usual train to school at 7 so it has already been 11 hours since I woke up and its only 4.09 pm!
As to my general mood there is a massive improvement from this time last week, I don't feel lonely any more and feel more content at the school every day. Also I've noticed an improvement in my German already :)
Until next week then. Exciting things to come are:
Weds: Schnitzelabend at a New Mintons in Trier.
Thurs: Day off!
Friday: After school I am meeting up with my old German exchange from when I was like 16, Anna! I am so excited, she is so lovely and although our attempts to stay in contact haven't always worked over the years I am now living in the same Bundesland as her for the whole year.
Friday Evening: Birthday flat party of a fellow Trierer, should be fun.
Bis bald! xx
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