Unexpected events

So apparently "Paul the World Cup predicting octopus" - is dead

bet he didn't see that coming

awful and out of taste jokes aside, this story brings up an important theme of today - it was well random

I took my first lesson today since the Herbst Ferien, and my god was i unprepared....what little prep i had done turned out be corrupt on my usb stick (Microsoft Word strikes again!). So what did i do, for this lesson i was supposed to take, on a book ive never read, with notes that i couldn't print...
I BLAGGED IT! as you do and it went surprisingly....well actually.
I fuckin love it when that happens.

And then i had to teach this Cambridge Course thing, i was dreading it. Once again general german lack of efficiency resulted in total disorganisation; no textbooks, no classroom, no idea who my pupils are.
The Referendarin (trainee teacher) then turns to me and says, "not enough pupils signed up, so we are team teaching this lesson" (oh you bet your ass we are)
followed by, "have you prepared anything for this lesson...no?....well neither have I...can you lead?"
Great! Then Ali will just have to wing it again...so i blagged some speaking discussion about movies (i felt like talking about inception for some reason

BUUUUUUUUM....BUUUUUUUUUUM

...it may have been relevant to the course, fuck knows.

The point is, it went pretty well considering.
And just when i think my long day is over.....i get invited to join the english teachers conference thing, which was boring as hell but i was glad for the invite (yey now i'm officially in!) followed by the grand english teachers meal, which only 5 of them actually turned up to, twas a bit peinlich and i barely understood a word (herbst ferien has destroyed my german). THEN out of the blue they paid for me...sweet! free meal! Plus i got to hang around Fabrice, the only teacher who's sense of humour is just like mine (childish)
To top it all off, my housemate Dan just invited me to a Halloween party and to spend the weekend in Düsseldorf....epic! Meanwhile Tim is still an absolute enigma...i swear i havent seen that kid in like a week and i live with him xD

oh Deutschland you so crazy random.
Now im gonna go watch Garden State...i'm in that sort of mood

mostly cos this song is epic chillig (i love when the germans steal our words)

....bis bald muthafuckers xxx

Taking the RedPill - Sobering realisations

So Herbst Ferien is pratically over, and i'm a bit gutted as that means reality will be slapping me firmly in the face with work on Monday....Shit

Luckily its been a pretty sweet two weeks, and ive learnt alot.....most recently that German bouncers are really arsey about letting drunk people in...and that Joe Chaplin is a lightweight ;D
also if you let Max Martin come to stay he will provide good times as well as leaving you a free pair of shoes and a phone charger - win!

I'd quite like to be going to Köln for this weekends antics and to really see off the Ferien with a bang, BUT unfortunately ive yet to get one of the fabled (but not quite so rare these days) semester tickets. Either way will be nice to give my liver and break and get healthy for a bit. I'm even going to the gym tomorrow...even if it is the McDonalds of gyms 

No kidding..there's actually a Burger King right next to this place..

So it looks like its back to work, health and boredom this weekend, starting with actually doing some lesson plans for this week....oh dear god no im becoming a fleissig almost efficient german

Reality and behaving myself aside however.......i'd love to hit this night below so bad

There's something like this twice a month in Aachen. Someone in NRW surely must be up for it? 

Come on germs let's get wide eyed.....like responsible teachers should ;)

Edit: yes ive played with the settings...hope you enjoi the fresh new look xx

Amsterdam an tings

The DAM.....what a place...i like to think it missed me, i definitely missed it.
Either way twas an absolute dream, its all a bit of a haze but a few clear memories stand:-

the Rokery coffee shop, head massages, chocomel, pedalos, giggles, sexyness, good times and Geoffrey the badass robot unicorn....he's a terrible person.

Also we made our own bong...it looked very similar, even better actually :-)

It was, in a word...Lovely.....great times, fine company....and i can still taste the delicious dutch pancakes nomnomnom...also  Stroopwafeln are the balls...google that shit English readers

I write this entry, sitting in Aachen in the company of the infamous Max Martin, who inspired me to write this entry and also helped me hang my mirror :D

......and as much i'd love to continue writing and reflecting on recent amsterdoom times.....i'm afraid i cant....as its time for the pub...and also i'm hungry for takeout Pommes xx

Oktoberfest wasnt done with us

Münster really is a lovely little city, probably....it doesnt bother me as i cant really remember anything about this weekend.
In any case there was sun, beer, tobacco, pedalos and great company......for providing such an epic weekend i love Dave Wateridge even more than i did before

In other news! My flat is lovely, its looking better everyday and my mitbewohners are legends....i just wish i could keep drinking beer, but my liver hurts :P

What happened to my day off?

So apparently its Projekt week, or something...which means all normal lessons are canceled and i have to come in everyday for first period to help the sixth form with their work.
Now, this wasnt all bad, as early start aside, hanging out with the sixth formers most of the day is a hell of a lot more interesting than sitting through lessons. So projekt week isnt all bad.
Trouble is though, ive been late alot this week...already and they are starting to get on my case about it. (there's only so long the im english and i didnt understand excuse works)
Now dear reader, i hear you asking, "Ali...its only monday, how the hell have you managed to be so late already?" Well dear reader, frankly i'm disappointed you asked at all, as you clearly don't seem to know me very well. Those that do (and i assume you read this religiously) will already know that i'm late, all the time, for everything....even that one time i was perfectly on time...i was still late. If i was a girl, my period would always be.....ok maybe that's taking it to far, but you get it.

Aside from that hassle though, today was pretty sweet. I got complemented on my german again (pity compliments but il take em) and the Oberstufe even said i was alot more fun than last years assistant, so hopefully if all this attendance crap comes back to bite me in the ass, at least the kids might have my back...kann sein.
There was also a brief moment today while I was walking home that i completely forgot I was in Germany. Relaxed, headphones in, english music playing...i drifted off and didnt have a clue, til two blokes in their late twenties came round the corner fully decked up in black leather trousers and big boots with the leather capes/trench coats to match.....yea that brilliant image brought me back to earth the way only two ridiculously dressed germans can.

Going shopping? Taking the dog for a walk? The trench coat is suitable for all activities

Don't think they took my massive grin and attempts to hold back laughter very well...aber ist mir egal ;P
In other news Amsterdam is only about a week away now and i'm buzzin!

Today was a Good Day

After my lengthy lie in today i received a phone call from Adrienne, one of the teachers at my school with an offer for some furniture. Course being as desperate as i am for Möbel i took her up on it immediately and walked the 40 mins to her house...the sun was shining so i didnt mind the walk so much.
After arriving i was greeted by an extremely cheering Adrienne. Now before today i can honestly say i didnt know Adrienne at all..just another english teacher. However, after spending an entire day with her i can now say that she is no just an english teacher, but one of the nicest, most generous and mental germans i have met so far.
It turned out that Adrienne and her husband were moving house today, and in exchange for a little heavy lifting and general help, i could take a few of their old things off their hands. I was happy to help, but i couldn't have imagined how much stuff i'd be getting in return.
Adrienne gave me a ton of great furniture, tables, chairs, shelves and loads kitchenware like plates, cups, knives and even a coffee maker...all for about 30mins of actual work. I couldn't believe it....
BUT then it got even better. Turns out Adrienne is pretty cool, she's fluent in german, english and dutch. She's lived all over the world, and she kept telling me to party, drink and smoke as much as possible before i have to grow up and raise a family (its own way this advice is both awesome and slightly depressing). She is, of course like most german women, a completely mental driver, running lights and generally looking and talking to me instead of watching the road, all while taking every opportunity to put her foot down....some might have found this terrifying but im so used to this shit now that i just couldn't stop laughing (laughter of complete terror).

Later her and her husband then began to offer me beer after beer followed closely by pizza (pretty much the combination to my heart). It turns out they both love dub and ska music, which lead to me attempting to explain the current dub scene in england auf deutsch and then quick run through of the Specials greatest hits album. This was absolutely not what i was expecting from this Aachen sunday at all.

 Rude boys outta jail!
Rude boys out on bail!
Rude boys outta jail!

And to top it off, promises of potential further  Wohnungsache, like cushions, light fixtures and even a washing machine. Plus my german was complimented not once, but 4 times today by Adrienne's various neighbours at her new and old houses.....feeling a bit chuffed too say the least :D
Only downside of today? Tomorrows day off has been canceled and replaced by a 6.30 wake up, because of stupid Köln on stupid Mittwoch - meh....fuck it