Gut gelaunt

Lately I have been in high-stress mode with projects but extremely 'gut gelaunt' (in a good mood). I have been really active with my Landeskunde project and was at a Montessori school today scheduling an appointment for visitation. Next Wednesday I will observe a classroom for my project and also out of personal interest in the school structure. I also intend to ask after assistant or volunteer positions there, either as a native English speaker or general aide. I applied to a bilingual preschool a couple weeks back but have not received an answer. Following up is absolutely required here, not that it isn't in the rest of the world. I just see the German system as far more bureaucratic and less informal than in the US, in all regards.

A major source of fear, however, is the psychology presentation I will give this coming Monday. I realize I keep mentioning this... nerves lead to redundancy? Mostly I am in paralyzing shock which comes across as indifference, and also trying to comprehend the topic while imagining how I can avoid sounding like an idiot in German.

Today was gorgeous here. Between 23-42 degrees (we never have such extreme daily variations in Portland, do we?) but brilliantly sunny. I went for a long walk with a friend through Olympia Park, a large well-known park here. The Montessori school is situated nicely in the middle and we took advantage of the surroundings afterward.

Olympiapark im Winter. Photo credit: KWalk (flickr)

I am going to Amsterdam in March, as I mentioned in a previous post and as Facebook has broadcast all over everyone's newsfeed. This is thrilling and I cannot wait. I plan to also go to Copenhagen that month, and have been messaging with many couchsurfers in the area about the pronounced bike culture in both cities. Amsterdam also has three large art museums that I am eager to see, and I have become attached the city through literature, films, and an intuitive leaning toward its sophisticated quirkiness.

Someday I will learn to play the cello. For now, however, I must settle for listening to contemporary avant-garde string quartets (that such a phenomenon exists is glorious in its own right) and dreaming. I have been dancing again, just on my own, since the past few months. Es tut mir gut. It is good for me.