After our travels in Slovenia we went back to Austria because I started teaching again October 1. This year I'm back in Berndorf teaching at the gymnasium (or high school), and teaching at a business high school in Baden (called HAK from now on). My first day back in Berndorf was great! I talked to a lot of my colleagues, who were glad to see me back, a few of my students from last year, and I taught 3 new classes. I have yet to teach any of my students from last year since I haven't made it back to Berndorf since that first day...
The HAK is quite different than a gymnasium. Students come there from all different schools- gymnasium, mittel schule and who knows where else. Honestly the Austrian school system is confusing to me, so I won't try to explain it because I'll get it all wrong. Anyway, they go to the HAK for 5 years, or the HAS (which is another school within the same building) for 3 years. Schools in Austria re-start numbering their grades at each level of school, so instead of 1-12 grade like we have each type of school starts over at 1. So be prepared to get confused when I talk about 5th form at the HAK (which is the last year, and the students are generally 18) and 5th form in Berndorf (my youngest class, and they're 15).
Anyway, after getting a schedule hammered out- this year I'll have Tuesdays off- I did a few intro lessons, and got to know some of my new colleagues and classes at the HAK. I'll also be teaching HAS students on Fridays... but I really don't know what the difference between the HAK and HAS students are, so more on that later.
I also got to know my new roommate. She's also a teaching assistant from the states, she's at the sport gymnasium in Gainfarn, where I worked last year. It was fun to tell her about some of the students and some stories for my year to get her ready to meet all of them- I don't think I scared her too much! ;)
I only worked 3 days, because on Thursday my parents and I flew back to the states. I flew back with them so I could be in one of my oldest and best friend's weddings. It sounds crazy, to fly 10 hours to be in the states for a weekend, but I love her, and I couldn't imagine missing her big day. The wedding was a lot of fun- pictures to come later, once I get back to Austria and my camera cable.
While dancing a bit too enthusiastically towards the end of the evening my knee cap slid all the way to the outside of my knee and I fell on the floor in an excruciating amount of pain. Once my knee cap was back on the front of my knee, and I could sit up, my friends helped me to a chair on the side of the dance floor. I sat there and iced it for awhile, and when the party was told to move to the bar upstairs I decided I had to go back to our hotel across the road. Good thing the reception was so close to the hotel!
My friend Allyssa and her boyfriend Josh were really helpful and attentive through the whole thing- Josh was also hilarious, and made me laugh through the whole thing. I iced my knee and slept for awhile, and when I woke up at 2 something in the morning I decided I just wanted to go home- so I did. I'm glad I drove home when I did because there was next to no traffic, and the next morning when I got out of bed my knee felt a lot worse than it had when I was in the car. Long story short- I didn't make my flight back to Austria because I went to the hospital to get everything checked out. I'm now wearing a knee immobilizer (a large leg brace to keep my knee from bending or shooting out again), and I've spent a week sitting around with my leg up and ice on it. I fly back to Austria tomorrow- with the brace and crutches- to get back to my life and work.
My colleagues will probably think I'm crazy for coming back so soon, but honestly, I can just as easily sit in the classroom and talk to students as I can sit and read, or look at a computer screen... so I might as well do SOMETHING with my time!
Now that I'm heading back to 'normal' life I'll update the blog more regularly. I promise...maybe.
*New= School, Old= Friends, Borrowed= Crutches, Blue= Dresses & leg brace
No comments:
Post a Comment