Ordinary Isn't Boring

"X" marks the spot. We are "here" -- the end of the first full week of the New Year. It's been a refreshing return to at least some sense of normalcy. January means winter to me, and winter is exactly what we have!

It would be nice if it were even a couple degrees warmer! We haven't reached 0 (Celsius) -- and I'm talking about moving "up to"! -- yet this week, and I believe it isn't forecast for next week. Sunday/Monday brought snow. Monday was beautiful. It snowed the whole day -- sometimes enormous lazy flakes, sometimes furious little ones, but generally slow and steady. No whiteouts! By mid-day Tuesday, there was a lot of brown slippery stuff around. Because we are well below freezing, it isn't even slushy. Some (only a few) of the walks are cleared very well, but in most cases it's a sometimes thing. So in addition to bundling up, I'm walking very, very carefully and a bit more slowly than usual. It's been mentioned many times that this is more like a Prague winter -- last year was too warm. One of the nice things about "having a history" is that I can remember last Spring. And I know it will come again. I'm already compiling my new list of things I'll do when it is not quite so cold and not quite so difficult to get from here to there!

Teaching for StJ just keeps getting better. Nearly a year later, and it is still the right place for me. How blessed I was in all the events leading to this placement. And it is so nice to be told how much my work is appreciated by both my boss and my students. Sure, now and again I have a class I'd rather give to someone else. It is wonderful, however, to be in a situation where it was so nice to move past the holiday break and be able to see people I really enjoy.

Speaking of "nearly a year," Monday is my next trip to the Foreign Police. Last week was the time for all the appointments required to get it in order -- insurance papers, landlord papers, stamps from the Post Office (have no idea what that's for), photographs (and I do look a lot older than last year :-(, on and on. Of course, I am obsessing about having all my papers in order and knowing which tram/bus connection to make. It has not been many months since my last trip. Getting the visa is necessary for anything beyond the 90-day visitors' stay. From now on the visa extension will be an annual thing. It is supposed to be easier getting the extension. The hard part is decision making: Q: How early must I get there to be able to get a number for the line (think "deli") then be called and finish in one day? A: 5 a.m., and the doors don't open until 7:30. Q: Must I take an interpreter (Czech is the only language spoken at the FP)? A: No. Katerina, our wonderful office manager, will come to help me if there is any problem. That lengthens the FP visit, but whatever . . . . anything to get done. Q: Since I will be alone this year (I went with a colleague who arrived when I did last year) what do I take to "do" while waiting? A: Hmmm. A book to read, some Czech vocabulary to learn, and maybe even some knitting, I guess. A good friend spent 12 hours on her recent trip. I know myself, however, and since the big room is really chaotic, I know I won't get "real" work done -- too many interruptions, too much moving from one place to another, etc. Then of course there is the fact that I usually teach eight hours on Monday. Arrangements have already been made for the morning classes; I know I won't make them. Then yet another terrific StJ person, Jaromir, will stay in contact with me -- Czech Republic, the land of cell phones and (free) text messaging! -- and cancel afternoon classes if and when necessary. What a production. Fortunately it is only once a year!

And speaking of "schools" and "classes," I have now joined another school part time. Alka Language Specialists has been in business nearly 20 years. Congratulations to them! They're smaller than StJ and do exactly the same kind of business -- work with companies/institutions/organizations on a contract basis, sending teachers to the site for classes. Neither school offers "public" classes. I have three classes with them already -- great students in each class and at a super location for me -- and they are asking for more of my time. One of the difficult things about this kind of work is that most companies want their English classes either first thing in the morning or last thing in the afternoon. It's called "peak time." I've been SO fortunate that StJ has filled most of my daytime hours as well. Yes, I get tired; and yes, I have to prepare and do other class work at night. But it means I get more opportunities to do what I love doing. Now with the two schools it will begin to be a bit of a rub. Of course StJ has precedence -- I "owe" them my peak time, but it is difficult to sit back quietly (that's always been hard for me, as you know) when things are in such a state of change and wait for #1 to make up its mind before accepting something from #2. Oh well - - this will sort out, and very quickly, I think. I'm just so pleased to be working with the people I've met there already.

It was interesting that the assigned material for one of my classes on the first day after the New Year was about wishes and life changes. Of course we also talked about resolutions (usually kept from 3-10 days). So certainly it is in my mind as well as on the lesson plan. One of the differences between the two, we noted, is that we have no control over wishes. So yes, I have a wish, and yes, I know I don't control the outcome. I wish I could continue doing this for many years. I'm aware of all the things which could change the outcome -- health, accidents, things in the States that I would want to be available for, many other things I can't or won't imagine now. How happy and how fortunate I am to be in this spot at this time, especially since technology means I am not cut off from family and friends as I would have been even a few years ago. And I feel as though I'm just now really settling down into the routine, becoming able to do things more efficiently and effectively, and certainly to enjoy each moment more than ever before.

And yes, I have a couple resolutions that I realize are dependent on me and my efforts. The first is to get serious about learning Czech! My teacher's great; the change from one four-hour class a month to two two-hour classes is really helpful; and I'm enjoying a small bit of reward for my small bit of effort. I must raise the bar on it, however. Demand more from myself and expect better results -- no more of these "my brain is tired and old" thoughts! I hate feeling stupid, and I do feel really stupid when I have no clue what a notice about tram service means or when someone is asking a question or being especially friendly and I have to reply, "Anglicky" along with some other word which means "I don't understand" or "I'm sorry." What is so terribly daunting is that it will take forever to be "good", but that doesn't mean I can't get a bit better. And I do resolve to make more regular efforts to reach that. (And it is so much more difficult than it used to be.)

Another resolution is to be even more organized about my "To Do in Prague" list. There are advertisements for concerts I'd like to attend or places with regular performances I would enjoy. As I continue reading Czech history (and I resolve to continue that -- it's really fascinating as well as difficult to retain, since I'm so unfamiliar with so many Central European rulers, wannabes, and political intrigue) I continue to learn about more places I want to visit. And Prague is full of lovely green places, marvelous parks with their own fountains and sculpture, delicious little cafes with lots of history floating about. My resolve: write these things down and start ticking them off the list!

My most important resolution: never lose sight of how blessed I am and have been -- my health-- keeping this schedule at this time of my life; my family; my friends -- those with whom I've shared years and many experiences, those who are part of this amazing new place, and those I have yet to meet; the places I've been; all the memories I have collected and cherish. Yes, sometimes I despair over the situation in the States, the malevolence and violence toward individuals and countries around the world, the rigid focus on that which divides rather than finding and placing value on that which unites. And I am always reminded that my attitude can be contagious, I can help bring about even a small change in someone else's world. Yes, I'd wish for peace, for respect for the dignity of human life, for intelligence, wisdom, and a lessening of pandering to vested interests. But those are wishes. I can resolve to be responsible for my thoughts and actions. And I do.

šťastný nový rok -- Happy New year to you.

Coming together, falling apart

It's a work day, and for a little time things are coming together. At least I feel as though I'm able to take a few minutes to think, to write, and to share a bit of the "ordinary" which is still so extraordinary to me.

Since the Velvet Revolution (1989 -- see Wikipedia if you're interested) there's been a constant growth in the number of people/schools teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL). St. James Education Centre was founded (in 1999 by a Czech from Canada) specifically to teach English to and work with the business community. The Centre doesn't offer "public" or personal classes. It has contracts with major businesses to provide language training (several others as well as English) to their employees. I still have to do a frequent reality check. It is not yet commonplace to me -- and I hope it never becomes so -- that I've been so blessed to be in this city I love doing work which seems to bring together so many parts of my life. To make it even better, I have a growing circle of colleagues I really enjoy who are becoming friends. Talk about coming together - - -

And then there's falling apart! It feels as though there is some part of every day where I am convinced I'm absolutely falling apart. Here's an RD version of a work day. This is NOT complaining! It is a look at a typical day.

Leave my pension (still am working -- and it is like having a second job -- at finding long-term accommodation) between 6:30 and 7 in the morning. That is before the breakfast buffet opens! Short walk (hooray!) to my nearby tram. I do love riding the trams and am still fascinated with the wonderful old buildings at every turn. Incredible statues looking down on you. Yes, really bending as if to watch over you. Michael called my attention to that on my first trip, and I've been watching it ever since. Beautiful ornamentation, sometimes subtle, sometimes not, in the most unexpected places. Delicate colors standing side by side with centuries old gray. This first ride is always followed by another, usually tram, sometimes metro (that's a subway with more steps and a longer walk!), and almost always a long walk to the client's office. Yep, I can be tired before I even begin to work!

My classes last from 60 to 120 minutes, some with individual students, none with more than four. Three days of the week the schedule is back-to-back, sometimes with barely enough time to make it! Lots of walking, climbing, hurrying. Also lots of shifting mental gears. Some students are advanced, some not so, and a few at Pre-intermediate. That means they know quite a bit of English, but are learning a business approach for it. Almost always they are using English with another non-native speaker. That certainly adds another level of difficulty!

A couple days include a period of a couple hours where I can go to the office -- it's VERY near my pension, and I'll miss that when I find my new place. Three days are not over till after six, and one is eight. And that is my longest commute -- nearly an hour.

At the end of every month we have to report on our classes for the month: attendance, what the goals were and how they were met, etc. And here I am at the end of my first month! I have 16 different classes during a week. I can hardly believe how very fortunate I am yet again. My schedule was filled very quickly after I arrived. And we also have the usual required faculty meetings and training sessions.

All of which leads me to the falling apart place. I have moments -- very brief, but very real -- when I have to pay serious attention to which tram will take me where I want to go. And there is comfort (small comfort when the schedule's tight) in knowing that if I ride past my stop I can always get off at the next one. And a couple times I've said "when we discussed. . ." only to have a blank look on a student's face. Oh yes, that was a different class. And there are certainly evenings when I believe I cannot move another inch even if there were a fire!

Yes, it's coming together. I can shop, feel comfortable moving through the city, do laundry, understand and do my work, all those things that move us through each day. And it seems to me I still have way too many times when I feel very close to falling apart.

Maybe I'm not one of those figures held together with elastic. Remember them? You could pull the head/arms/legs into many different weird positions, then pop them back into place. Eventually all the pulling left the elastic with no more snap! Perhaps each time I keep it all together the connections get stronger. For now - - - it's coming together!