Woah 2 blog posts in a month?? I’m on a roll. :-P Lets see where did I leave off… I think the trip to the country. We took the train about an hour out of the city to a small town where we went to the restaurant of the mom of a girl who did the course last month (with some of my roommates). After the train it was about a 30-45 minute walk through the woods and a field and it was so beautiful. My camera died shortly into the trip and I still haven’t gotten pictures from my roommate yet. The food was delicious… I had a meat roll (filled with… more meat, and cabbage) with dumplings (Czech dumplings are basically like bread) and then for dessert a crepe/pancake thing with blueberry yogurt inside. Um, so.good. The country was so beautiful though, and actually felt like I was in Europe. The next day (Sunday 14) Sally, Amanda and I went to the zoo! Always a good time. Evidently the Prague zoo is one of the top 10 in the world. The day we were there, there were over 10,000 visitors. (That is not a typo. When we got there the ticker was at 8,00 something and when we left just over 10,000.) And it felt like it. :-P Lots of people and kids and dogs (people bring their dogs EVERYWHERE here). We got too hot and tired and only ended up walking through about half. We found a really delicious pizzeria with the nicest owner on our way home. Then came another week of classes and teaching… nothing spectacular must have happened because I don’t remember it.
The next weekend I went down to a farmer’s market on the river and wandered around the city all afternoon. I also tried to find the church I wanted to visit and was unsuccessful. That weekend was a real low point emotionally, full of self-loathing and the urge to cry every hour or so. Last week went by so.fast., which was great because I was definitely not excited about it. :-P (No really, it feels like last weekend was about 2 days ago.) Nothing real spectacular happened… besides going out to a delicious Irish pub for a roommate’s birthday. Last night (Saturday) we went out to Mexican and it was pretty good. Today I walked around the city again (also tried to find the church… you’d think they’d have better directions for a TRAIN STATION… *ahem*) and took a lot of pictures. I saw the TV tower (with the creepy baby sculptures) and walked up to the castle. I stopped along the castle steps (or whatever it’s called) and had a coffee (which wasn’t that great but the view was) and walked across Charles bridge and through Old Town Square back to the metro.
This week is our LAST WEEK of the course and I’m SO EXCITED. I’ve learned so much and it’s been a good experience but it’s getting on my nerves. Teaching has gone well (better than I expected)- all my lessons have been successful and I’ve been told I have a great rapport with students when I’m up there. It just doesn’t excite me and I think if I had to do it for a living I’d hate it. Plus the job market really sucks here… I know of 2 people who were offered jobs and then basically told “nevermind” when they went to sign the contracts. Prague is nice but I wouldn’t want to live here. I also don’t think I’m independent enough to live completely on my own in a place where I don’t know anybody. I’m also not very good at traveling on my own but too late to realize that now… :-P So I’m gonna go back home and try to find a big girl job and move out. (What else is new, you might ask.)
Anyways… I’m gonna be homeless in a week so maybe I should come up with a plan? ;-)
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Friday, August 12, 2011
Prague!
Blog tiiimmeeeee! You were starting to think it wouldn’t happen weren’t you? :-P And if course now it’s been so long I don’t know where to begin. (but that’s my own fault lol) Travelling was good… my first flight was overnight from Detroit to Frankfurt. The plane was nice, individual tv screens with a few movie selections and a live flight map on every headrest in front of you. The guy who sat next to me though was kinda bigger, so he took up the armrest and I was confined to the other 2/3 of my seat…. But I was next to a window so that was good. I didn’t sleep a wink but I watched Kung Fu Panda 2 and the first half of Mary Poppins and I think 2 episodes of NCIS on my ipod. The food on the plane was pretty decent, I had mashed potatoes and chicken and gravy for dinner and they gave some fruit and rolls and a granola bar for breakfast. Of course, “night” only lasted about 3 hours. I would occasionally open the shade and look out and it was so beautiful seeing all the stars… I even saw a few shooting stars around midnight. Watching the sun come up was cool too. By that time we were flying over Ireland (which was covered in clouds until the coast). I got into Frankfurt at 9am local time (3am body time) and didn’t have any trouble going through customs or immigration or wherever they checked my passport and going through security again. The flight to Prague was only about an hour which was nice. The plane was smaller but I was in an exit row so lots of extra leg room. :-D
The taxi driver in Prague was pretty crazy! Well, I guess all traffic is kinda crazy here. But he had to take some other people to their hotel first which was kinda downtown so I got a little tour. By the time I got to my apartment I just really wanted a shower! By that time it was about 24 hours of being awake? But I felt pretty good still. Met the other girls in the apartment (Dae and Katie took the course last month and have been so helpful, especially the first weekend when I would have had no idea how to get to the grocery store or anywhere!) and Sally and Amanda are in my course. They’re all pretty awesome. Our apartment is pretty nice too, which is good. Evidently other people weren’t as lucky… Though we do have a serious hill we have to climb up every time we come home. It’s about a 15 minute walk to the school, and about 10 minutes to the metro and shopping center. Anyway, the first day some people from last month’s course (including roommates) took Amanda and I out to a beer garden near the school. (A beer garden is exactly what it sounds like. There are tables outside and you can get beer. :-P ) I tried a couple sips and it was pretty gross actually. And after sitting there for a while I was starting to get woozy tired so after we went to the grocery store I basically crashed and went to bed at like 7. (about 30 hours of being awake) Basically took it easy that first weekend, though I did go on kind of a walking tour on Sunday that the course set up. Got some good pictures even though it was rainy.
We started the course on Monday and I wrote a message to Mary that I’m just gonna copy most of here cuz I don’t want to type it all again. :-P “Europe is pretty fantastic, though I'm not completely sold on making it semi-permanent. First day of class was today and not as freaky as I thought, the teachers are super nice and make things seem doable. The school actually has real Czech students who come in for English lessons... and we teach them. Tomorrow I co-teach a lesson O.O with my group but there are 4 of us so it only amounts to about 10 minutes each. I feel as though I am prepared? This week we have 2 group teachings and I think our first 45 min solo lesson. Y i k e s. Then we'll have classes every morning and Monday afternoons, then teach on 2 afternoons (either Tuesday and Thursday or Wednesday and Friday, though in no particular order). I guess I'll find out pretty soon if teaching is something for me!
We walk everywhere all day plus there's a killer hill on the way to the apartment, so I feel I'm gonna have awesome legs by the time this is over. The food is good, nothing really too exotic. Lots of meats and beer (which I tried the first night and found to be gross). I found a good Chinese place though that's good and cheap (my 2-portion-size plate of noodles cost about $4.75). The metro is pretty easy to get around on, no different from the US. Still haven't attempted to figure out the busses and trams though. Starting to think about a day trip outside the city... we'll see how this weekend looks homework-wise. It looks like most of the homework is gonna be lesson planning.”
My first 45 minute solo lesson was today and in the words of my observer (one of our teachers) it was barely successful, which I felt as well (it was about ecological footprints and I had to teach words like “inevitable” and “disturbing” to upper intermediates). I think by the end they basically understood and they completed the activities but it was kinda rough getting there. It’s weird though, teaching doesn’t really phase me at all. I wasn’t a bit nervous. Obviously I have a lot to improve on but I feel like I kind of know what to do? So that’s weird. I never thought teaching would be something I would do even remotely good and not dislike it. I’m still not sure it’s something I want to pursue so I’m going to give it another week… cuz then if I do want to continue I’ll have to start looking for jobs ASAP. So we shall see.
Tomorrow we’re going out of the city to some restaurant that is owned by the mother of a girl who took the course last month? I’m a little sketchy on the details but there’s food and going out of the city involved so I’m there! We have to leave by 8.45 though… not my idea of sleeping in when you have to get up earlier than you do during the week. ;-) It’ll be worth it though. Maybe zoo on Sunday?
So was this a thorough enough post? I feel like I’ve talked about everything important. Much love!
The taxi driver in Prague was pretty crazy! Well, I guess all traffic is kinda crazy here. But he had to take some other people to their hotel first which was kinda downtown so I got a little tour. By the time I got to my apartment I just really wanted a shower! By that time it was about 24 hours of being awake? But I felt pretty good still. Met the other girls in the apartment (Dae and Katie took the course last month and have been so helpful, especially the first weekend when I would have had no idea how to get to the grocery store or anywhere!) and Sally and Amanda are in my course. They’re all pretty awesome. Our apartment is pretty nice too, which is good. Evidently other people weren’t as lucky… Though we do have a serious hill we have to climb up every time we come home. It’s about a 15 minute walk to the school, and about 10 minutes to the metro and shopping center. Anyway, the first day some people from last month’s course (including roommates) took Amanda and I out to a beer garden near the school. (A beer garden is exactly what it sounds like. There are tables outside and you can get beer. :-P ) I tried a couple sips and it was pretty gross actually. And after sitting there for a while I was starting to get woozy tired so after we went to the grocery store I basically crashed and went to bed at like 7. (about 30 hours of being awake) Basically took it easy that first weekend, though I did go on kind of a walking tour on Sunday that the course set up. Got some good pictures even though it was rainy.
We started the course on Monday and I wrote a message to Mary that I’m just gonna copy most of here cuz I don’t want to type it all again. :-P “Europe is pretty fantastic, though I'm not completely sold on making it semi-permanent. First day of class was today and not as freaky as I thought, the teachers are super nice and make things seem doable. The school actually has real Czech students who come in for English lessons... and we teach them. Tomorrow I co-teach a lesson O.O with my group but there are 4 of us so it only amounts to about 10 minutes each. I feel as though I am prepared? This week we have 2 group teachings and I think our first 45 min solo lesson. Y i k e s. Then we'll have classes every morning and Monday afternoons, then teach on 2 afternoons (either Tuesday and Thursday or Wednesday and Friday, though in no particular order). I guess I'll find out pretty soon if teaching is something for me!
We walk everywhere all day plus there's a killer hill on the way to the apartment, so I feel I'm gonna have awesome legs by the time this is over. The food is good, nothing really too exotic. Lots of meats and beer (which I tried the first night and found to be gross). I found a good Chinese place though that's good and cheap (my 2-portion-size plate of noodles cost about $4.75). The metro is pretty easy to get around on, no different from the US. Still haven't attempted to figure out the busses and trams though. Starting to think about a day trip outside the city... we'll see how this weekend looks homework-wise. It looks like most of the homework is gonna be lesson planning.”
My first 45 minute solo lesson was today and in the words of my observer (one of our teachers) it was barely successful, which I felt as well (it was about ecological footprints and I had to teach words like “inevitable” and “disturbing” to upper intermediates). I think by the end they basically understood and they completed the activities but it was kinda rough getting there. It’s weird though, teaching doesn’t really phase me at all. I wasn’t a bit nervous. Obviously I have a lot to improve on but I feel like I kind of know what to do? So that’s weird. I never thought teaching would be something I would do even remotely good and not dislike it. I’m still not sure it’s something I want to pursue so I’m going to give it another week… cuz then if I do want to continue I’ll have to start looking for jobs ASAP. So we shall see.
Tomorrow we’re going out of the city to some restaurant that is owned by the mother of a girl who took the course last month? I’m a little sketchy on the details but there’s food and going out of the city involved so I’m there! We have to leave by 8.45 though… not my idea of sleeping in when you have to get up earlier than you do during the week. ;-) It’ll be worth it though. Maybe zoo on Sunday?
So was this a thorough enough post? I feel like I’ve talked about everything important. Much love!
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Chicken Sausage with Sweet Fennel and Gnocchi in a Blushing Cream Sauce
So I guess I'll post recipes on here when I can't find them online. That's what blogs are for right? ;-) This one is from Rachael Ray's 2, 4, 6, 8, Great Meals for Couples or Crowds.
Chicken Sausage with Fennel and Gnocchi in a Cream Sauce
Serves 6, but me and the parents definitely demolished most of it for dinner
Salt
3 tbsp. olive oil
8 precooked chicken sausages, sliced (the original suggests an Italian inspired flavor, I used our fav chicken and apple variety and it worked out great)
2 onions, thinly sliced
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced
2 tbsp tomato paste (the kind in a squeeze tube that can be refrigerated)
3/4 cup of white wine (I used chardonnay)
2 pounds gnocchi (potato dumplings, found in the Italian or refrigerated or frozen section)
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 oz. cream cheese, cut into small pieces
1 cup fresh parsley leaves (4 generous handfuls) (I used dried, and not nearly that much)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, plus some for the table
Set a large pot of water to boil for the gnocchi and add some salt. The gnocchi will only need about 5 minutes to cook, so wait to put it in.
Heat the oil in a very large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the sausages, then add the onions, garlic, and fennel (plus salt and pepper to taste) and cook for about 5 minutes. Then scoot everything to the sides of the pan and add the tomato paste to the middle and spread it around a little and let it cook for like a minute, then add the wine and cook for another minute, scraping the bottom of the pan to get all the good stuff off the bottom.
Put the gnocchi in the pot and cook until they float, about 5-6 minutes (or according to package instructions.)Add the chicken stock to the pan and bring it to a simmer. Add the cream cheese and stir, simmer a couple minutes to thicken it. (It took a couple minutes for the cheese to break down.) Drain the gnocchi and add it to the skillet along with the parsley and Parmesan and stir it all together! So good!
Chicken Sausage with Fennel and Gnocchi in a Cream Sauce
Serves 6, but me and the parents definitely demolished most of it for dinner
Salt
3 tbsp. olive oil
8 precooked chicken sausages, sliced (the original suggests an Italian inspired flavor, I used our fav chicken and apple variety and it worked out great)
2 onions, thinly sliced
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced
2 tbsp tomato paste (the kind in a squeeze tube that can be refrigerated)
3/4 cup of white wine (I used chardonnay)
2 pounds gnocchi (potato dumplings, found in the Italian or refrigerated or frozen section)
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 oz. cream cheese, cut into small pieces
1 cup fresh parsley leaves (4 generous handfuls) (I used dried, and not nearly that much)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, plus some for the table
Set a large pot of water to boil for the gnocchi and add some salt. The gnocchi will only need about 5 minutes to cook, so wait to put it in.
Heat the oil in a very large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the sausages, then add the onions, garlic, and fennel (plus salt and pepper to taste) and cook for about 5 minutes. Then scoot everything to the sides of the pan and add the tomato paste to the middle and spread it around a little and let it cook for like a minute, then add the wine and cook for another minute, scraping the bottom of the pan to get all the good stuff off the bottom.
Put the gnocchi in the pot and cook until they float, about 5-6 minutes (or according to package instructions.)Add the chicken stock to the pan and bring it to a simmer. Add the cream cheese and stir, simmer a couple minutes to thicken it. (It took a couple minutes for the cheese to break down.) Drain the gnocchi and add it to the skillet along with the parsley and Parmesan and stir it all together! So good!
Monday, January 10, 2011
2010
So Hannah inspired me to write a little year in review thing! (Yep it’s all her fault :-P) She also reminded me that last year began with school being canceled for nearly a week before it even started because of the water main break in Jackson. Yeah, remember that? It feels like so long ago. Thus began my final semester of college, and the time when I lived with Ginny! It was awesome of course. I feel bad for her though (and everyone around me, really) because around the end of January I fell into a depression that lasted a good month (maybe month and a half?). That wasn’t so great. We just talked about “being for people” at church today and I’ve been blessed with some wonderful friends who are there for me and that was one of the times I could really see it. (Especially Mary and Emily- love you girls!) Fortunately, I had a pretty light load school-wise (compared to fall 2009 where I very nearly had a complete breakdown), so that was good. (… lent itself very easily into much procrastination though :-P ) It was great being back on campus and being closer to my friends and able to stop by and chat anytime. Spending hours in Hannah and Angela’s room when I didn’t want to be studying so I thought I’d distract them too = good times. :-D
By about February I was fed up with my job (though not the people I worked with ;-) ) but I hung in there. A week after spring break we went on a family trip to Charlottesville, Virginia, and it was awesome spending time with old family friends, and of course a day trip to Washington DC. Quite possibly one of the best family vacations. Graduation is kind of a blur and didn’t seem real or that big of a deal at the time… or now actually haha. Dave didn’t get to come though, and that was sad but we stopped to see him for the day on our way home before he shipped out the next week.
Of course watching all my senior friends freak out about grad school and jobs and everything made me start thinking about what I wanted to do (I’m a little slow :-P ) and I decided to apply to grad schools, which I worked on (with much complaining- sorry guys who had to put up with that!) over the summer/fall. We went up to Michigan a few times, and it was good getting to see people more often. Jenna went to college in the fall, so I’ve basically been an only child… sad! I’ve been getting to know more people at church though, so that’s been great! They’re pretty awesome.
What else did I do in the fall besides procrastinate on applications and look for jobs? Probably not much else. It’s been weird not being at school and around all my friends there, especially since most of them are still there. The week before Thanksgiving I did what I always swore I’d never do… apply for a seasonal position… in retail. *dun dun duuuunnnn* Yeah I work at Victoria’s Secret at the mall. It’s been a learning experience that’s for sure. It hasn’t been a bad job at all, I just dislike the mall environment and it’s not my dream position and it isn’t permanent. But life goes on! I guess it was a pretty okay year, all things considered. I wonder what will happen next!
By about February I was fed up with my job (though not the people I worked with ;-) ) but I hung in there. A week after spring break we went on a family trip to Charlottesville, Virginia, and it was awesome spending time with old family friends, and of course a day trip to Washington DC. Quite possibly one of the best family vacations. Graduation is kind of a blur and didn’t seem real or that big of a deal at the time… or now actually haha. Dave didn’t get to come though, and that was sad but we stopped to see him for the day on our way home before he shipped out the next week.
Of course watching all my senior friends freak out about grad school and jobs and everything made me start thinking about what I wanted to do (I’m a little slow :-P ) and I decided to apply to grad schools, which I worked on (with much complaining- sorry guys who had to put up with that!) over the summer/fall. We went up to Michigan a few times, and it was good getting to see people more often. Jenna went to college in the fall, so I’ve basically been an only child… sad! I’ve been getting to know more people at church though, so that’s been great! They’re pretty awesome.
What else did I do in the fall besides procrastinate on applications and look for jobs? Probably not much else. It’s been weird not being at school and around all my friends there, especially since most of them are still there. The week before Thanksgiving I did what I always swore I’d never do… apply for a seasonal position… in retail. *dun dun duuuunnnn* Yeah I work at Victoria’s Secret at the mall. It’s been a learning experience that’s for sure. It hasn’t been a bad job at all, I just dislike the mall environment and it’s not my dream position and it isn’t permanent. But life goes on! I guess it was a pretty okay year, all things considered. I wonder what will happen next!
Friday, January 7, 2011
When Relationships Break Down
Lately in the singles group at church we’ve been talking about community. As usual, it’s been really great and relevant to my life. So I share it with you.
Matthew 18:15- “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.”
What happens when our community (in other words, our relationships with others) breaks down? First, acknowledge the conflict. YOU go to the other person. Matthew 5:23-4 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother, then come and offer your gift.”
Don’t involve third parties. This is a big problem of mine. Of course it’s easier to talk about problems with people to someone else. But from what I’ve seen, that’s usually what makes the problems escalate and get out of hand. If you’re not part of the solution, you don’t need to be part of the problem.
Use direct communication but chose words rightly and carefully. Don’t blame others for your problem. The purpose should be reconciliation.
Next comes forgiveness. Ephesians 4:31-2 “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander, and every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” WOW. Let’s read that one again. “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander, and every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Isn’t that basically what life is all about? All the time? And how we should act towards everyone?
Forgiveness is for the benefit of others. It is the act of cancelling the debt owed to me. We need to operate based on what God’s done for us, not what’s been done to us. And we need to accept forgiveness that is being offered to us by others. Some other important points about forgiveness: choosing not to dwell on the wrong. Hard, I know. Choosing not to bring it up. Choosing not to talk about it to others. Don’t let it drive a wedge. Otherwise how can it be forgiven? We need to operate based on what God’s done for us, not what’s been done to us.
Join us next time for Attitudes and actions that should characterize the life of a Christian; notes from a sermon series.
Matthew 18:15- “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.”
What happens when our community (in other words, our relationships with others) breaks down? First, acknowledge the conflict. YOU go to the other person. Matthew 5:23-4 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother, then come and offer your gift.”
Don’t involve third parties. This is a big problem of mine. Of course it’s easier to talk about problems with people to someone else. But from what I’ve seen, that’s usually what makes the problems escalate and get out of hand. If you’re not part of the solution, you don’t need to be part of the problem.
Use direct communication but chose words rightly and carefully. Don’t blame others for your problem. The purpose should be reconciliation.
Next comes forgiveness. Ephesians 4:31-2 “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander, and every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” WOW. Let’s read that one again. “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander, and every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Isn’t that basically what life is all about? All the time? And how we should act towards everyone?
Forgiveness is for the benefit of others. It is the act of cancelling the debt owed to me. We need to operate based on what God’s done for us, not what’s been done to us. And we need to accept forgiveness that is being offered to us by others. Some other important points about forgiveness: choosing not to dwell on the wrong. Hard, I know. Choosing not to bring it up. Choosing not to talk about it to others. Don’t let it drive a wedge. Otherwise how can it be forgiven? We need to operate based on what God’s done for us, not what’s been done to us.
Join us next time for Attitudes and actions that should characterize the life of a Christian; notes from a sermon series.
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