Time passing... and a few Milestones

Over here, time seems to fly by incredibly quickly, but at the same time, it also feels like I've been here for ages. 

So, today I'm celebrating three important milestones in my Year Abroad.

Firstly, the end of my first official week's teaching. 

What a week!! At times it's been tough, but the children are on the whole very sweet and willing to learn (which always helps!), and the more lessons I've taught, the more confident I've become at controlling the class and ensuring that both I and the children enjoy ourselves.

And now, I'm looking forward to next week, when two more new classes start, and I can get stuck in even further with those children I met this week.

Secondly, it's just dawned on me that I've been here in Berlin for exactly a month today.

A MONTH ALREADY!!!

It feels like only yesterday I was packing my life into a suitcase and setting off for the airport, full of excitement and nervous anticipation and more than a little bit emotional/teary-eyed.

Now I feel like a Berliner. 

Now I own a bike.

I honestly feel like this is a significant rite of passage for anyone living here in Berlin. If you don't have a bike, you're not truly embracing what it is to be German. Pedal-brakes, basket, slanting crossbar, the lot. So, yesterday, I went and bought one. :)

Admittedly, this isn't just as a metaphorical symbol of the culture, but also for me will potentially be very practical. A bike will make it significantly easier to access the schools where I'm working (which tend to be quite far away from any U-Bahn stations), and to travel between them, as well as further exploration of the local area in my free time. But it's also helping me feel like I fit in here as well, which is a good feeling.

I'm not going to use it straight away for work, as I want to be really secure in where I'm going/how to cycle on the Right hand side of the road/how to adapt to a bike with pedal brakes before I even attempt that (I'm not sure it would leave a good impression if I turned up for English class 20 minutes late, breathless, covered in sweat, having got lost and nearly caused a traffic accident!!) but hey. I'm here for a whole year. Plenty of time for all that.

My third milestone is that tomorrow, it's only two weeks until I fly back to sunny old Blighty for the wedding of two very dear friends of mine in Durham. I have been honoured with being asked to be bridesmaid, and it's been nearly two months since I've seen either of them, or in fact any of my Newcastle-based friends, so there will be a mega celebration in order. I can't wait!!!!!

So here's to time, that old friend. As somebody (I forget who) once said,

"Yesterday's the past, tomorrow's the future, but today is a gift. That's why it's called the present."

Alles liebe,

Louise :) x