Preparing for a "guten rutsch"

In cultural news, I went to a play in Innsbruck a few weeks ago- "Hautnah", which was "Closer" in English. I remembered the movie being dark and depressing and sexy, and this was exactly that. Maybe even more extreme auf Deutsch. Also, much to my pleasure, the four actors came out five times to bow. The Austrians love to show their appreciation of a performance by applauding for years after the production ends.

December has been a month with lots of teaching. One favorite lesson (of mine... who knows about my students) was on "Black Friday" and I had a real article from CNN and a complementary one from The Onion. It was a struggle to get my students to see the sarcasm in the latter of the two.

I like my job even more than last year. The schools are mostly good, and that's a big part of it (not that the one last year was in any way bad), but it has more to do with the fact that I feel so much more comfortable with the job. I have a much better grasp on what kinds of lessons will work, with what age groups, etc. And I am much more capable of saving a lesson if I feel it sinking. The schools- especially the swanky tourism one- have a really different feeling. The kids are all in suits, they all have laptops, and they all stand outside looking badass on their smoking breaks between classes. I thought it would be a little annoying or too snooty for me, but the students (probably because they're mostly rich and have traveled a lot, thus expanding their interest in the world/people outside of Austria... or because they chose a school that focuses on tourism) are generally much more interested in my lessons than they were in the ag school I taught in last year. The discussions I have with them can be really interesting.

On the December weekends, I was out of town. I was in Vienna one weekend sitting on an interview panel for Austrians applying for Fulbright teaching grants at US universities. The next weekend I did a roadtrip to Berlin and Hamburg and got to stay with friends in both places. My friend, Sophie, who was on a Fulbright in Berlin last year was our host and is also now working as a tour guide for the city. She gave gave us drinks in the evening, coffee in the morning, and a walking tour in the afternoon. A bed and breakfast doesn't get much better. After the Germany adventure, I came to Zug, Switzerland (where I am now).

I traveled here using this "Mitfahrgelegenheit" ("carpool possibility") Web site. You type in your intended destination and current location, then it tells you if anyone has registered that they are making that trip. I found someone for the way here and paid 15 euro, in comparison to the probably 70 it would have cost with the train. I found the same for today. In a few hours I'll get picked up at the Zurich main station and dropped off at the one in Munich, which makes things really easy. Of course, there is the possibility I get murdered, but I will ignore that. The Germans are very idealistic when it comes to possible dangers (ie hitchhiking, not installing railings next to cliffs, not wearing helmets while biking among semis and streetcars), and I will appropriately adopt that mindset while here. It is part of the "cultural immersion."

I'll ring in the new year Bavarian style. The theme for the party is "save the world" and I put together a Superman costume and I'm wearing the Obama mask my parents sent me during the election. I haven't decided yet whether I'll have a big "S" on my chest or an "O."

Christmas in Switzerland was nice, and I'll miss the Christmas markets in Innsbruck. Especially when the snow was falling in the city, there isn't anything better than standing at a glühwein stand with friends. Some of the markets have space heaters next to the tables; some don't. In the ones that don't, you just have to keep drinking in order to develop a "wine jacket." With the season's end, I am relieved that stores and radios will stop playing the song, "Last Christmas I gave you my heart, but the very next day you gave it away..." (proceed to link with caution) Do they play that in the US? I can't even remember. I think that song alone has taken years off of my life.

In German, you wish people a "good slide" ("rutsch") into the new year. So, here's to you, readers! I wish you good sliding wherever you may be!