As the title says, it's our second Thanksgiving here. Last year we went to our shared professor's house for dinner, but this year I want to put on a dinner... I still have to check with a few friends to see if they can host it - work on timing and such, but I think we can work it out.
There are a few obstacles and so I'm reaching out for some help:
I've never cooked a full turkey on my own - I don't know how to do it and I don't know how to gauge how big of a turkey I will need
I do not know how to make a pie crust - and the microscopic kitchens here aren't conducive for rolling out pastries
I want the sweet potato dish with pineapples and sugared nuts and little melted marshmallows on top - sweet potatoes are a bit of a novelty here but I can find them... the marshmallows I can't find (same with cranberry sauce - can't find it)
The ovens here are kooky - everything is Celsius and it jumps huge bits between the different temperature settings!
I don't have a lot of confidence when it comes to cooking new things... it takes me a few times to get it down
So - I'd appreciate some tips or advice, encouragement or discouragement... anything at all, actually. Thanks :)
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Visa - approved!!!
We first applied in May 2008... there was a huge debacle (previously detailed) and we reapplied this year... FINALLY after many months and an inexplicable silence on the Los Angeles Consulate's part.... after a late night email spurred on by 3 weeks of messages without the courtesy of a return call, a bit of pain, and having been awake for 3 hours and unable to sleep at 5 am - we got a response.
They called my Mom and told her it had been approved.
Woo Hoo!
That wasn't the only wild and crazy thing to happen today... I was offered another private tutoring position by the university president - for his child. That makes 3 students through my school, 3 private students in the Russian not-in-the-mafia family, and 3 private students through an adult education school. AND that makes 3 pre-school courses I am about to let go as the hours are horrible and the pay is far less than 1/2 what the other people are offering... in fact, for some - only 1/3. AND my friend also set me up with another school on the weekends which will pay an amount that includes the digit '3' - there were just so many darn 3s I figured I should list that somewhere.
They called my Mom and told her it had been approved.
Woo Hoo!
That wasn't the only wild and crazy thing to happen today... I was offered another private tutoring position by the university president - for his child. That makes 3 students through my school, 3 private students in the Russian not-in-the-mafia family, and 3 private students through an adult education school. AND that makes 3 pre-school courses I am about to let go as the hours are horrible and the pay is far less than 1/2 what the other people are offering... in fact, for some - only 1/3. AND my friend also set me up with another school on the weekends which will pay an amount that includes the digit '3' - there were just so many darn 3s I figured I should list that somewhere.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Out, out damn.... mosquito!
I am starting to wonder if there is some basis for the vampire legends... I can envision someone rationalizing vampires after the past week's experiences. I am being haunted by a demon mosquito.
I have killed this thing at least once a night, every night, for over a week. And each night one mosquito comes back and bites me. Every single night. It stays in my bedroom, hidden during the day, waiting to return at dusk. It stalks me and sucks my blood and flies off to return at its whim... I swear it regenerates each time I kill it!!!
This thing is driving me crazy. Literally. I wake up in the middle of the night, swollen, disfigured, discolored, and in a bit of pain with a lot of frustration. Last night I got another bite and broke out in hives - my entire arm was red and blotchy.... after waking from the bite itself I watched the splotches develop and the redness spread from my mid-forearm in either direction - to my wrist and elbow. The night before it was my face.
I am so frustrated that when I hear it I start moving to the other room to sleep on the couch instead of my bed. It doesn't bite me out there.
Each night, just one dead mosquito. The windows are closed. I can't figure out how it gets in the flat. But somehow there is always one blood sucking mosquito waiting for me in my bedroom. I haven't slept well in quite some time.
If you are an expert mosquito killer please, please let me know. If you can kill it and it stays dead and gone I will compensate you with homemade peanut butter cookies. And everlasting gratitude.
I have killed this thing at least once a night, every night, for over a week. And each night one mosquito comes back and bites me. Every single night. It stays in my bedroom, hidden during the day, waiting to return at dusk. It stalks me and sucks my blood and flies off to return at its whim... I swear it regenerates each time I kill it!!!
This thing is driving me crazy. Literally. I wake up in the middle of the night, swollen, disfigured, discolored, and in a bit of pain with a lot of frustration. Last night I got another bite and broke out in hives - my entire arm was red and blotchy.... after waking from the bite itself I watched the splotches develop and the redness spread from my mid-forearm in either direction - to my wrist and elbow. The night before it was my face.
I am so frustrated that when I hear it I start moving to the other room to sleep on the couch instead of my bed. It doesn't bite me out there.
Each night, just one dead mosquito. The windows are closed. I can't figure out how it gets in the flat. But somehow there is always one blood sucking mosquito waiting for me in my bedroom. I haven't slept well in quite some time.
If you are an expert mosquito killer please, please let me know. If you can kill it and it stays dead and gone I will compensate you with homemade peanut butter cookies. And everlasting gratitude.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Flu & Good King Wenceslas
We haven't gone to the doctor cause it's not too serious, but she's sick. We had to skip out on the trip to Dresden we'd had planned for the long weekend... long weekend, you may ask, whatever for?
Czech Statehood. Now that looks like a rather obvious statement, but I'm still unsure which statehood that's referring too. It's not the creation of the modern day Czech Republic, and it's not the liberation of Czechoslovakia, so I made a half-hearted attempt to look it up.
Good King Wenceslas was the answer. You know..... good King Wenceslas from the Christmas carols... that guy. He wasn't actually a full fledged king - actually he was Prince Wenceslas... or Prince Vaclav as it would be over here - but he was a much loved leader and had a kingly type role and did some good stuff over here - until his brother killed him in a terrible power play. So, yesterday was a holiday surrounding good King Wenceslas and Czech Statehood.
I'm not sure but I think it was the anniversary of his murder. We spent it at home. She's still sick.
(Hey, I just did an instant of research cause I had my own questions, and came up with THIS RIGHT HERE. It's a nice little bit on King Wenceslas (Saint Wenceslas, Prince VACLAV)- the man, the myth, the Church's legend... propaganda from the Premyslids on through Vaclav Havel who led the liberation in Wenceslas Square.)
Czech Statehood. Now that looks like a rather obvious statement, but I'm still unsure which statehood that's referring too. It's not the creation of the modern day Czech Republic, and it's not the liberation of Czechoslovakia, so I made a half-hearted attempt to look it up.
Good King Wenceslas was the answer. You know..... good King Wenceslas from the Christmas carols... that guy. He wasn't actually a full fledged king - actually he was Prince Wenceslas... or Prince Vaclav as it would be over here - but he was a much loved leader and had a kingly type role and did some good stuff over here - until his brother killed him in a terrible power play. So, yesterday was a holiday surrounding good King Wenceslas and Czech Statehood.
I'm not sure but I think it was the anniversary of his murder. We spent it at home. She's still sick.
(Hey, I just did an instant of research cause I had my own questions, and came up with THIS RIGHT HERE. It's a nice little bit on King Wenceslas (Saint Wenceslas, Prince VACLAV)- the man, the myth, the Church's legend... propaganda from the Premyslids on through Vaclav Havel who led the liberation in Wenceslas Square.)
Thursday, September 24, 2009
the world works...
Mysterious ways and all that.
No - I firmly believe that what you put in you'll get out. Not on your time line, and not if you try to force it, but things will turn if you keep at it.
Case in point (minor stuff but I'm grateful): I didn't get the job I wanted and started to freak out internally about how I was going to afford my life. I sent out my CV to a ton of places but it's hard with odd availability and a student visa. But things are coming together:
that anti-american boyfriend... the girlfriend just called last night with 2 new students - that makes 3 new students from her in the past week
my uni - the dean of my department (studies not work) tracked me down and asked me to teach the CFO starting immediately. additionally, the CFO has a friend who is a doctor who also wants to start immediately. i met with them today and we start on tuesday.
my uni - my Dean (employer) talked to me and asked me to stay on in a more limited capacity, adding the President endorsed adding my name to the website and handbook in my present capacity... he also asked me to teach a new course in the next academic year, once it's approved by our accrediting agency and made a core requirement. he already has the material for me and the curriculum in mind.
my private students - they were able and anxious to adapt to my schedule, enabling me to take a short vacation this weekend. the daughter broke her finger and didn't want to work so i spent more time with the mother... they adapt and pay when i leave and it's nice.
my private pre-school student - they decided to take vacation this week, and so rescheduled a full day of work to my free weekday so I won't miss any money
my private pre-school company - there are new classes waiting for me to take.
Each and everyone of those places (except the private pre-school) pays better than the school I started with last fall... the school that closed without paying the teachers.
About the private students...well... They're a Russian family and when we first talked the wife made a comment about being tired of people assuming they're mafia. I thought nothing of it. Today, after passing through the gate and ringing the bell to their beautiful brick home I looked up and realized I was on camera. Then I looked around and realized there were about 4 cameras trained on the front yard. The father works from home. He's a business man. That's all I know. I am not assuming anything... other than that they're serious about security.
No - I firmly believe that what you put in you'll get out. Not on your time line, and not if you try to force it, but things will turn if you keep at it.
Case in point (minor stuff but I'm grateful): I didn't get the job I wanted and started to freak out internally about how I was going to afford my life. I sent out my CV to a ton of places but it's hard with odd availability and a student visa. But things are coming together:
that anti-american boyfriend... the girlfriend just called last night with 2 new students - that makes 3 new students from her in the past week
my uni - the dean of my department (studies not work) tracked me down and asked me to teach the CFO starting immediately. additionally, the CFO has a friend who is a doctor who also wants to start immediately. i met with them today and we start on tuesday.
my uni - my Dean (employer) talked to me and asked me to stay on in a more limited capacity, adding the President endorsed adding my name to the website and handbook in my present capacity... he also asked me to teach a new course in the next academic year, once it's approved by our accrediting agency and made a core requirement. he already has the material for me and the curriculum in mind.
my private students - they were able and anxious to adapt to my schedule, enabling me to take a short vacation this weekend. the daughter broke her finger and didn't want to work so i spent more time with the mother... they adapt and pay when i leave and it's nice.
my private pre-school student - they decided to take vacation this week, and so rescheduled a full day of work to my free weekday so I won't miss any money
my private pre-school company - there are new classes waiting for me to take.
Each and everyone of those places (except the private pre-school) pays better than the school I started with last fall... the school that closed without paying the teachers.
About the private students...well... They're a Russian family and when we first talked the wife made a comment about being tired of people assuming they're mafia. I thought nothing of it. Today, after passing through the gate and ringing the bell to their beautiful brick home I looked up and realized I was on camera. Then I looked around and realized there were about 4 cameras trained on the front yard. The father works from home. He's a business man. That's all I know. I am not assuming anything... other than that they're serious about security.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
boredom leads to bank robbery?
Last week I was at work. I am a glorified babysitter once a week. I have to figure out my wages, actually, because glorified may be a definite overstatement. I was hired to lead a pre-school course but I have only one student, and she is only 2 1/2..
After lunch the child fell asleep for her nap. In a school with one teacher and one student. I did not have any reading material or other busy work to occupy my time. I ate my lunch, tidied up, was already prepared for my next lesson.... and so had nothing to do.
So I entertained myself.
I can now move across a room without triggering the motion detector. If you need that specific skill set - you know who to turn to.
After lunch the child fell asleep for her nap. In a school with one teacher and one student. I did not have any reading material or other busy work to occupy my time. I ate my lunch, tidied up, was already prepared for my next lesson.... and so had nothing to do.
So I entertained myself.
I can now move across a room without triggering the motion detector. If you need that specific skill set - you know who to turn to.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)