More details later - but it's the weekend after this... and I'm planning on being there. So is the Dali Lama and a number of other concerned world activists and social theorists and great thinkers of this age...
(One of these things is not like the other.... wish I could say I belong, but I'll be observing. )
The forum is free. Talks on urgent and incredibly important world issues.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Boys are so lame!
I taught my first adult english class last night, and it went very well.
I had my second day of pre-school today and that was great as well.
Tonight I worked in the university computer lab - and it was super lame! Two guys, men by age and appearance, boys in all other respects, had a conflict today - they're friendly and so were sitting next to each other, but ended up arguing. Unfortunately, from my perspective, it was a huge misunderstanding - or rather mis-interpretation due to cultural differences.
They both agreed not to talk to each other but kept arguing about who was still talking - and ended up taking it outside. Which to me and the other American in the room meant they were going to fight - and to the Brit involved too, I believe. But to the Czech it was a chance for him to speak freely and verbally resolve the situation - in his version of freely and verbal resolutaion which meant more that he was trying to force his views on the Brit whose behavior he found so offensive.
There was still a lot of tension and it got heated so some of the other guys in the lab got up to make sure they didn't start fighting - one because they shouldn't, and two because they were standing on a small walkway with a very low railing, and it would be a horrid place for a physical confrontation.
I had my second day of pre-school today and that was great as well.
Tonight I worked in the university computer lab - and it was super lame! Two guys, men by age and appearance, boys in all other respects, had a conflict today - they're friendly and so were sitting next to each other, but ended up arguing. Unfortunately, from my perspective, it was a huge misunderstanding - or rather mis-interpretation due to cultural differences.
They both agreed not to talk to each other but kept arguing about who was still talking - and ended up taking it outside. Which to me and the other American in the room meant they were going to fight - and to the Brit involved too, I believe. But to the Czech it was a chance for him to speak freely and verbally resolve the situation - in his version of freely and verbal resolutaion which meant more that he was trying to force his views on the Brit whose behavior he found so offensive.
There was still a lot of tension and it got heated so some of the other guys in the lab got up to make sure they didn't start fighting - one because they shouldn't, and two because they were standing on a small walkway with a very low railing, and it would be a horrid place for a physical confrontation.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Yes. No. Eat!
I had my first day as a pre-school teacher yesterday. It went pretty well. I like the kids, most of them are very well behaved. One little girl was sick and one little girl had a birthday. It's pretty interesting - discipline is SO VERY DIFFERENT! I'll get in to that with more detail when I have a firmer grasp on it.
They serve the kids snack, lunch, and an afternoon snack. Some of the kids don't like the food. Yuko, the other english speaking instructor helped me out a bit - she had done something I was doing...
The little kids would say something like "Me no like" or some of them "I don't like this" or some of them would mumble something knowing I don't understand czech. I would respond along the lines " You don't like it? Yes, ok, you can get up then" and smile. And they wouldn't move and wouldn't look very happy. So I would say, "Yes, you can get up now." And then wait but the wouldn't move, so I figured they didn't know what I was saying, and would scoot their chair for them and repeat, "You can get up now".
There was a little boy who wasn't behaving. He kept hitting another boy and when I would ask him to stop he would point his fingers in my face and shoot me. I would take his hand and hold it and say, "No, I really don't like it when you do that, please stop." And he'd shoot me over and over and over again. It was rather annoying, and I would repeat myself, "No, you need to stop that. I don't like it when you shoot me." But to no avail.
Here's what I forgot - there is a word in czech that sounds like NO. That word is YES. (The word for yes is actually ano, which sounds like 'uh, no', but is often just shortened to 'no'.) So I was actually telling him, yes everytime he'd hit or shoot me.
And YES is actually a word too (there is where Yuko clued me in). It is the command form of EAT, it's the form you would only use with a child or a dog and not an adult. So all those children who were asking me to be excused were being told EAT! and then you can get up.
They serve the kids snack, lunch, and an afternoon snack. Some of the kids don't like the food. Yuko, the other english speaking instructor helped me out a bit - she had done something I was doing...
The little kids would say something like "Me no like" or some of them "I don't like this" or some of them would mumble something knowing I don't understand czech. I would respond along the lines " You don't like it? Yes, ok, you can get up then" and smile. And they wouldn't move and wouldn't look very happy. So I would say, "Yes, you can get up now." And then wait but the wouldn't move, so I figured they didn't know what I was saying, and would scoot their chair for them and repeat, "You can get up now".
There was a little boy who wasn't behaving. He kept hitting another boy and when I would ask him to stop he would point his fingers in my face and shoot me. I would take his hand and hold it and say, "No, I really don't like it when you do that, please stop." And he'd shoot me over and over and over again. It was rather annoying, and I would repeat myself, "No, you need to stop that. I don't like it when you shoot me." But to no avail.
Here's what I forgot - there is a word in czech that sounds like NO. That word is YES. (The word for yes is actually ano, which sounds like 'uh, no', but is often just shortened to 'no'.) So I was actually telling him, yes everytime he'd hit or shoot me.
And YES is actually a word too (there is where Yuko clued me in). It is the command form of EAT, it's the form you would only use with a child or a dog and not an adult. So all those children who were asking me to be excused were being told EAT! and then you can get up.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Some kooky KIddo Castle pics
We went to the castle this weekend and it was tremendous. It happened to be St. Wenceslas's day which is also a national holiday - that meant admission to the Church was free (I didn't know that). We still bought tickets as there are a lot of other exhibits, a few art galleries, and some fascinating tours. We didn't get to see even half of it. I really recommend coming early in the day with comfy shoes, a light sweater, bottled water, camera, extra batteries, and either getting an english tour guide or renting the audio machine for the english guided walks.
The tour guide is probably better, but definitely more expensive. We didn't do either - we just wandered around and listened to different guides when we happened to meet up with them. I know there will be plenty of other times we'll take the tours - and complete the tour of the castle complex - and most likely within a year or so I will be able to offer a tour to my houseguests - but there's so much information right now that I couldn't possibly retain it.
The main Church does not have any english inside - you will see tremendous historical information, creations of such beauty, and truly awe inspiring works of art - and not have a clue exactly what it is you're looking at. Some of the other buildings do have information in english as well as czech.
They have pottery fragments from 5000+ BC and intact pottery from 2500 BC - from the area. There are burial robes from various saints and kings, and chain mail, and daggers over a thousand years old. It was fascinating. This is the second time we've been up there, and the second time we had to leave due to exhaustion and sensory overload. You can really spend a few days just touring the castle complex.
Our camera died way too early. We'll be back up there soon and take more pictures then...
(Right now the pics won't load so I'll get them up another time)
The tour guide is probably better, but definitely more expensive. We didn't do either - we just wandered around and listened to different guides when we happened to meet up with them. I know there will be plenty of other times we'll take the tours - and complete the tour of the castle complex - and most likely within a year or so I will be able to offer a tour to my houseguests - but there's so much information right now that I couldn't possibly retain it.
The main Church does not have any english inside - you will see tremendous historical information, creations of such beauty, and truly awe inspiring works of art - and not have a clue exactly what it is you're looking at. Some of the other buildings do have information in english as well as czech.
They have pottery fragments from 5000+ BC and intact pottery from 2500 BC - from the area. There are burial robes from various saints and kings, and chain mail, and daggers over a thousand years old. It was fascinating. This is the second time we've been up there, and the second time we had to leave due to exhaustion and sensory overload. You can really spend a few days just touring the castle complex.
Our camera died way too early. We'll be back up there soon and take more pictures then...
(Right now the pics won't load so I'll get them up another time)
A few tasty food items
The picture of the caesar salad prompted me to take a few more pics of the foods we eat here... so here are some gyros -the kidl's new favorite food - and the goulash she had at the castle. I tried to take pic of my potato- bake (we'd call it a casserole) thingy from the castle, too - it tasted like smoked potatoes with ham and spongy melted cheese which sounds horrid but was deliciously good - but the batteries died as I took the goulash photo.
We were super amused by this particular gyro stand - they gave us forks, as most of them do, but look at the size!!!
We were super amused by this particular gyro stand - they gave us forks, as most of them do, but look at the size!!!
My computer lab workspace
Here are some pics from my computer lab job - there are two looking out the window/door to the courtyard on the left - those are the ones with the cars. In the one with the railing on the left side, the restaurant I get the caesar salad from is on the ground floor, in the pic with the railing on the upper right side, under the arch is where the entrance is, and the school library.
In the pic with a door, that is the entrance to the Knights of Malta Church - I don't know the official name, but that's what it is. A lot of tourists come in and out throughout the day. In that courtyard there is an art gallery and an antique shop as well.
The pic with the computers - that's the computer lab. Duh.
In the pic with a door, that is the entrance to the Knights of Malta Church - I don't know the official name, but that's what it is. A lot of tourists come in and out throughout the day. In that courtyard there is an art gallery and an antique shop as well.
The pic with the computers - that's the computer lab. Duh.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Dog Poo, People Poo
Two things I'm not sure I mentioned:
One - there is dog poo everywhere. People will say, oh, just like Paris - NO nothing like Paris - the stench is unreal, and I do mean everywhere. Not so much in our district as the downtown area - it's horrible, you really have to watch the sidewalk or you'll step in it.
Two - We've had an occurence with our neighbor across the hall when he was, well, inebriated. His Mom kicked him out - literally, physically, he was put in a headlock and shoved out of the apartment. He then spent hours and hours hollering and buzzing at the door for them to let him in... we managed to fall asleep that weeknight, but only after midnight.
How did these two totally unconnected things happen to be raised, as if they had some importance?
Well, the neighbor, or maybe the neighbor's friend, showed up just before noon today, buzzing us, buzzing them, and finally gaining admittance to the building - and then buzzing the door across the hall. He went in and out and was trying to get back in and calling and talking and hollering, and we were in our apartment preparing to leave for the day.
I had to check through our peep hole a few times as our door was buzzed and it sounded like someone was knocking, but he was just drunk and stumbling and knocking in to things.
Not thrilled.
Unfortunately, not the worst of it either.
At some point in time he had an accident. That's the nice way of putting it, and as I know family reads this I'm letting you know to skip to the next paragraph if you want to avoid a more graphic description. Skip down now... The guy shit himself and then walked around the hall, stumbling, grinding it in to the carpet and our doormat.
For the family version... He went #2 in the hallway and didn't clean it up.
We were leaving and opened the door as the door across the hall was opening to the drunk - and there was an instant recoil on my part as the smell hit me. We had to regroup and plan our exit strategy and then we made it out - we spent hours and hours up at Prague Castle today - photos and more details later - and then started dreading coming home.
Apparently, with good reason.
Six hours later and they've not cleaned up. Not at all.
Gross stuff again so skip to the next paragraph if you want to avoid it....NOW... fortunately it's dried a little so the smell isn't so immediately nausea inducing.
I am at a loss and frustrated. And disgusted.
Just this morning the kid had mentioned how much she loved our apartment and we were discussing how much we loved being here, and had no desire to move.
The yuckiness must stop.
One - there is dog poo everywhere. People will say, oh, just like Paris - NO nothing like Paris - the stench is unreal, and I do mean everywhere. Not so much in our district as the downtown area - it's horrible, you really have to watch the sidewalk or you'll step in it.
Two - We've had an occurence with our neighbor across the hall when he was, well, inebriated. His Mom kicked him out - literally, physically, he was put in a headlock and shoved out of the apartment. He then spent hours and hours hollering and buzzing at the door for them to let him in... we managed to fall asleep that weeknight, but only after midnight.
How did these two totally unconnected things happen to be raised, as if they had some importance?
Well, the neighbor, or maybe the neighbor's friend, showed up just before noon today, buzzing us, buzzing them, and finally gaining admittance to the building - and then buzzing the door across the hall. He went in and out and was trying to get back in and calling and talking and hollering, and we were in our apartment preparing to leave for the day.
I had to check through our peep hole a few times as our door was buzzed and it sounded like someone was knocking, but he was just drunk and stumbling and knocking in to things.
Not thrilled.
Unfortunately, not the worst of it either.
At some point in time he had an accident. That's the nice way of putting it, and as I know family reads this I'm letting you know to skip to the next paragraph if you want to avoid a more graphic description. Skip down now... The guy shit himself and then walked around the hall, stumbling, grinding it in to the carpet and our doormat.
For the family version... He went #2 in the hallway and didn't clean it up.
We were leaving and opened the door as the door across the hall was opening to the drunk - and there was an instant recoil on my part as the smell hit me. We had to regroup and plan our exit strategy and then we made it out - we spent hours and hours up at Prague Castle today - photos and more details later - and then started dreading coming home.
Apparently, with good reason.
Six hours later and they've not cleaned up. Not at all.
Gross stuff again so skip to the next paragraph if you want to avoid it....NOW... fortunately it's dried a little so the smell isn't so immediately nausea inducing.
I am at a loss and frustrated. And disgusted.
Just this morning the kid had mentioned how much she loved our apartment and we were discussing how much we loved being here, and had no desire to move.
The yuckiness must stop.
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