Looking back and ahead

 Ein gutes neues Jahr ! Happy New Year ! Feliz Año Nuevo ! xin nian  kuai le ! gung hay fat choy ! Bonne Année ! Buon Capadonno ! Feliz Ano Novo !

The days after Christmas are full of TV programmes that try to show us the "highlights" and "most touching moments" of the past year. It is the attempt to catch and hold the time that is passing. Well, apart from the fact that we know we cannot really do that, we should also be aware that December 31st is an arbitrary date to do so. For me the end of a school year (in Germany it is in summer) has always been more important as a point of transition from one cycle of my life to the other. My Chinese friends celebrate their new year on February 3rd. So one could just ignore the date, celebrate a party and then battle the hangover the next day.

However, I have also looked back and found that the past year had the usual mix of ups and downs:

Some of the happiness I found turned out to be an illusion - but most of it was more substantial.
I made an exciting journey and met friends on another continent.
I had success in my job, but also a lot more work and less free time.
I was sick and healthy, like every year. 
I was worried and scared, sad and in tears, happy and full of laughter.
I made mistakes and learned from them.

I guess, the next year will not be much different. I have things I can look forward to (si Dios quiere), I alreaday know at least one moment that  makes me apprehensive, there will be moments of fear, there will be challenges and joys... There will be LIFE !

At the end of this year I say a deeply felt "thank you" to all the people who  crossed my way last year- to the ones I will never see again as well as to the ones who stay with me.  I am thankful for the laughter you gave me, the support, the lessons you taught me, the sorrows you let me share ... I am  thankful for you being in my life.

I wish us all a peaceful new year !

                                                      

Merry Christmas !

Frohe Weihnachten! Feliz Navidad ! sheng dan jie kuai le ! 

Yesterday afternoon I visited a friend and his wife. Although they really have serious problems and worries, it was an afternoon of warmth and laughter. They keep their house open on Christmas Eve for everybody who feels lonely - and I thought that as long as I have friends like these I am truly rich.

I wish you true friendship and love  - and if you celebrate it: may you find the true spirit of Christmas.

 And may you have fun as well !!!

Little Big Soldier

Today on the Facebook status of one of my American friends I read about an American soldier who died shortly before his baby was born  and my friend asked to think (and pray) for him and his family. I am not going to write about the sense or non-sense of American military interventions in the world. This remark made me think of war, of violence and of a movie that I watched recently and that impressed me deeply.

It may not surprise the regular reader that it is a movie with Jackie Chan . Da bing xiao jiang/Little Big Soldier was released in February 2010 in China and is available on DVD also in my country. In fact, it was shown at the Berlinale film festival this year and Jackie was in Berlin as well.

Jackie plays an old and experienced soldier who kidnaps the only other surviver of a battle, a young general from the enemy's army (Wang Leehom). He wants to take him home, collect a reward and then buy a piece of land and retire. The kind of down-to-earth and cunning old man is ideal for Jackie. But what touched me most was the message of the movie. Deep down we don't want to be heroes, deep down human beings just want to survive, to live and grow old in peace. Several times I had tears in my eyes seeing the simple dream Jackie's character pursues - simple and profoundly human.

I had to think of this movie when I read my friend's message. I thought of all the soldiers all over the world, no matter which nationality. I thought of their dreams, their families, their friends. I thought that I cannot prevent wars - and this weekend my heart and my prayers go out to all of them.

Dreams - is the impossible really impossible ?

The impossible is impossible.(Sam C. Chan)

Recently, I have come across several of the "don't give up your dreams and they will come true" sentiments that give so much hope, but also  seem to me like an order to stop thinking rationally. Dream your dream and stop looking at the real world, is that a way to live?  I thought about it.

We all have dreams - big and little ones. We dream of a Sunday without work or a journey to Mexico or meeting our favourite star. Good news: dreams can be realized ! Some of them, at least. If you set yourself a realistic goal and if you think about what you must do to make it come true,  you can work for the realization of your dream. You can also set yourself a more realistic goal, or one on the way to the final destination. This way, dreams can come true - and you may have noticed I spoke of "goals" rather than dreams. Because most of our "dreams" are goals that we can achieve if we work for them - or change if we see they are wrong or impossible.


The word "impossible" reminded me of the simple  statement on a friend's website that I quoted above:The impossible is impossible. I find this important to bear in mind, because it is so true. I am dreaming of being 20, slim, young and ravishingly beautiful. As I am a normal middle-aged woman, this is impossible, and as the impossible is impossible, I can stop wasting my time dreaming of this and go for something more realistic. Of course, my friend's statement is a useful thought in a lot of situations - if politicians promise the impossible, we should not believe them.

This leaves the question who determines what is impossible. Of course, we can use logic, our  knowledge of the laws of nature, our general knowledge and experience. And yet ... there are dreams that seem impossible, but can be the driving force behind our activities. The dream of peace and justice for all the world, for example, has made a lot of people make a lot of little steps. The dream that all these little steps will one day add up to a great change for the better, is also at the back of my mind and it will be with me until the end of my life. And maybe it is not so much  a dream, but mankind's long-term goal...

And what is your big dream ?

Visiting Hong Kong in 2007 - a dream came true !

About a good teacher - or a true friend

When I was 30 I took up skiing. Right in my first winter I had an accident and hurt my knee severely, which resulted in six weeks of leg in plaster and a lot of pain.

The year after, we went skiing again and the skiing school  put me into a group of people who had been experienced skiiers, but had not done the sport for some time and needed practice. It was the wrong group for me, for, despite my obvious talent and skills, I was so scared that I really panicked at one point. So they "downgraded" me to a group of slightly advanced beginners and here I met the best instructor and teacher of my life.

He was a young Norwegian and he listened to my story of the accident with little visible sympathy (which I had gotten used to) , nodded and told me to get going. Whenever I fell, he waited until I was on my feet again and asked : "And what did you do wrong this time ?"  I soon realized that the accident had not been the work of some cruel fate, but my own fault. Which meant, I could learn to avoid this mistake and not have an accident again. This was one of the most important lessons of my life.

Sometimes I feel as if a giant wave of despair and bad luck is washing over me and I feel like drowning. In this situation there are friends who pull me out of the water and provide me with a towel and hot tea and a box of tissues. But the really precious friend is the one who teaches me to swim.

If you have a friend like this, you are lucky. I am that lucky - although I sometimes swear at the tiring lessons...

Photo: Sam C. Chan

Viva México !

VIVA MÉXICO!!!!

Today is the 200th anniversary of the day on which the fight for Mexican independence started.

Happy Independence Day to all my Mexican friends... I wish I could celebrate with you !!!

Esperanto

The other day I read an article  on Esperanto. This first part of four dealt mainly with the idea that Esperanto is a suitable means of worldwide communication  due to its ability to express even complex and litarary contents and the fact that it is easy to learn.

This made me think about English, which is considered "the" world language. I teach English, I converse in English with most of my international friends and I love this language.  Of course, English is also a rich language, one that can express a lot of thoughts, emotions and facts (like all languages that are spoken by thinking human beings).  I realized that "English" (like all languages) has so many facets. For me it is not the language of the US political, economic and military leaders, for me it is first of all the language of literature that I love very much. The language of Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Mark Twain, Paul Auster. The language of books like "To Killl a Mockingbird", or the language of Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest." The language that created immortal lines in "Romeo and Juliet" or "Hamlet".

English got this image of "world language" not because it is spoken by so many people. If that was the criterion, we would all be learning Chinese or Spanish. It is true that English grammar is easier to memorize than French or Spanish verb  forms, but the details of expressing things can be just as complicated and delicate. English is a flexible language, one that has absorbed words from a lot of languages, and it is a language that is used and adapted to individual needs in its local varieties.

But the main reason why English is considered a  "world language" is one of power, history and politics. The British Empire also spread its language (made easy by the facts  I mentioned above) and today the USA are the remaining superpower... American politics, economy and culture rule and so does the language.

And when I got to this point, I thought that a "world language" that has nothing to do with power and oppression, but was created as a means of peace could maybe really help us. I should find out more about Esperanto ...

The article mentioned at the beginning is:
Guillermo Macías y Díaz Infante: Pasado, presente y futuro del Esperanto (Primera de cuatro partes), in: La Jornada Aguascalientes, 2nd September, 2010, p. 6  (written in Spanish and Esperanto)

The Paricutin ... one of the wonders of Mexico

After a few quiet days in Pátzcuaro I moved on a bit further south to the city of Uruapan. It is again an interesting city with old houses, churches and museums (and a building that once was the oldest hospital on the American continent...) plus a wonderful park with fountains and waterfalls, the Parque Nacional. But my main objective was a trip to the village of Angahuán, to see the ruins that were left over when in 1943 the volcano Paricutin was born.

The Paricutin is the youngest volcano in the Western Hemisphere and during the years it took for it to be created, an Indian village was destroyed (the inhabitants could be relocated). Everything is covered by a mountain of black lava... and plants growing again out of it. Only the church towers can still be seen  - and the altar. It is really a miracle that the lava stopped and spared the altar of the church. I just had to see this with my own eyes.

Usually you go through the village of   Angahuan to the visitors' centre where you can also stay over night and from where you can start your way to the lava fields either on horseback or on foot. On the day I was there, however, the village was closed because of a "fería", but there were "shuttle horses" between the parking place and the ruins. There and back for 150 pesos. Oh my, the last time I had been on a horse was when I was 12, so I had my panicky 10 seconds, but then decided that the horse knew what it was doing and relaxed. It was also good that I had gone fairly early, because I not only avoided the midday heat, but also could enjoy the peace and quiet on the way through the forest, which has a certain magic quality. It is a place to think and remember that nature is stronger than humans and that we cannot control everything.

My Indian guide was also with me in the ruins, which was a good thing, because climbing around on the lava rocks is quite a challenge , but I managed with a helping hand now and then. And then I finally stood in front of the altar. I remembered the first time my friend had told me about it. It is a sight that makes you wonder ...

The things I had seen, heard and smelled on this morning did not leave me for the rest of the day and even now, a few days later, I still feel the atmosphere of that place. It is a special place and I am happy I could see and experience it ... it is one of the many wonders of Mexico.

The altar .. I am standing on the lava

Hotel Estancia de al Era, Pátzcuaro

After Guanajuato I moved south to the Mexican state of Michoacán and did some sightseeing in its capital, Morelia, where I learned a lot about the fight for Mexican independence.Then I took a bus to the province town of Pátzcuaro, which is a lovely place that reminds me a bit of South Austria... if it was not for the language. But here I stayed in the cutest hotel I have ever seen: Estancia de la Era.

The owner is a painter and you can see her artistic touch in every corner. The beauty and harmony of the place comforted my soul and gave me peace after all the hustle of the big cities. I had time to think and to write and was spoiled like a queen. I got a different Mexican breakfast every day, good tips what to do and where to go and always a cup of coffee or a glass of wine in front of the fire when I needed it.

If you should be in the Morelia/Uruapan area and want to get some peace : go to Pátzcuaro and stay here. You will not regret it !!

http://www.delaera.com/

Guanajuato

After an educating and relaxing weekend in Aguascalientes, I am on the road again for the second half of my Mexican adventure. Thanks to tons of tips and ideas from my friend, I will not be bored and am sure I will get along fine.

Today I discovered the old mining town of Guanajuato, which is a maze of little streets, stairs, underground streets and coloured houses. I started the day with a beautiful breakfast : most Mexican food does not only taste interestingly, it also is arranged to look good and the colours alone water your mouth. After a breakfast like this I don't need any food until the evening.

Then I walked along the northern part of the center, past the university, to the Alhóndiga de Granaditas, a local monument from the fight for independence. A local hero connected with this place is José Martinez, called Pìpila, from whose monument high above the city you have a great view.

Unfortunately, either my computer or the Internet connection don't allow me do upload  any more pictures, so I must continue without them. You can walk up from the city center to the monument of El Pìpila, but there is also a cable car, which I took. When I came down again, there was a film crew near the Teatro de Juárez making the same 20 people walk across the same square for 100 times, so I went to the Museo Iconográfico de Quijote, which has a collection of pictures and other pieces of art inspired by the novel by Cervantes. Every year in October this city hosts the Cervantes Festival with music and theatre performances.

Speaking of music... near the central Jardín de la Union you can find groups of young men who play instruments and sing, they are called Estudiantinas and you can hire them to play a serenada for the girl you love. Or on Mother's Day for your mom... They look great in their traditional suits and, well.... who is going to pay for a serenada for me ? Nobody? Well, then I will get my own ticket for a nightly tour around the little Callejones with them !!

Mexico: Traffic

My first two weeks are over and  I have gotten used to some of the small things that are different than at home. Traffic for example.

In Germany, which is a country of rules and law and order, there are strict rules for the traffic and although German drivers feel like racing drivers on the Autobahn , as a pedestrian in a town you can pretty much rely on the rights you have. You have the right of way at a zebra crossing and when a car goes around a corner,it must let pedestrians pass. And you wait at red traffic lights. Even in the middle of the night. Even when there is no car to be seen within a radius of 50 km. You wait until the lights are green.

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that Mexico is a country of no rules. There are rules, but they are different. Rule one: as a pedestrian you have no rights whatsoever. Don't expect a car to stop just because you are crossing the street. The car is stronger and therefore always right. Look where you are going and improve your running skills so that you can escape should you have misjudged a car's speed.

Rule number two: Cross the street when it is possible, ignore the lights, trust your own judgment. Actually, this is an unwritten rule that you find in a lot of countries also in Europe. You can always spot the Germans in England or Italy, for example: they are the ones standing at the red traffic lights with the locals rushing across the street because there is no car around.

So when I am awake and alert, I make my way like a Mexican. But when I am tired, I can be found standing dreamily in front of a red traffic light, eyed suspiciously by the locals who look at me as if I was an imbecile.Or a tourist.....

Tequila

Last weekend I went on an excursion to the little town of Tequila, because I am right in Tequila country here. Actually, Guadalajara is a good place to see the "real Mexico", because this is also the region where the Mariachi music comes from.

Anyway, we first stopped at a hacienda where they make Tequila and could see all the steps of the process from the agave plants to the finished product. Of course, we got to try some and also could buy bottles of different sizes.

Then we had a look at the town, which is a typical little Mexican town with a nice marketplace and a beautiful church. In the end my friend and I got some fruit flavoured water and ice cream and sat down in the shade to have one of these endless women talks .... it was a great day !

Guadalajara:Churches

Guadalajara is an old colonial town , today the capital of the Mexican federal state of Jalisco. You can see a lot of churches here, I want to show you two of them. First the Cathedral, which for me looks more like a fortress from the outside. It was built in the 16th century and as it took them about 60 years to finish, a lot of different styles can be seen. The towers were destroyed in an earthquake  at the beginning of the 20th century and were rebuilt  in this way then.

A look at the stone masonry in the chapel to the right.

This church is called  Templo Expiatorio and was built in the Gothic style between 1897 and 1931. It is an impressive and, in my opinion, very beautiful church, as the only decoration inside are the architecture and the beautiful glass windows.

Finally I saw these guys heading for an old building of the university... aliens studying in Guadalajara as well, it is a famous university !!!

Mexican Adventure:Rain

As I said before, it is the rainy season in central Mexico and I did well to escape the European heatwave by travelling to Mexico. But on Monday I was caught in a tropical torrential rainfall that turned the streets and pavements into rivers within minutes. I was lucky, a lady in a shop asked me to come in and wait there, but still, being stuck for an hour because of the weather is something that a German finds hard to swallow.

In Germany people would get upset, look at their watches and blame the government. Or the opposition. Or both. In any case, they would expect the world to end soon. Here in Guadalajara, however, everybody just waited patiently until the street appeared again and one could walk on. And isn't that the best way to cope? After all, we cannot change the weather, so why get a heart attack about it ?

Mexican Adventure I

Finally, after months of waiting I boarded a plane to take me to Mexico City on 9th July. About 11 hours later I arrived, took a taxi to the Terminal de Autobuses del Norte and then one of the very comfortable coaches to the town of Aguascalientes, where I spent the first weekend with a  good friend. When I got there after having been on the road (or in the air) for more than 24 hours, I had indeed passed my first adventure.

Getting out of the plane and through immigration was like everywhere else in the world, but Mexican customs has a kind of lottery for the passengers: you push a button and when the green light appears, you may walk on, if the light is red, you must have your luggage inspected. I was lucky to get through everything in no time, so my next task was to find a desk where I could buy a ticket for an authorized taxi. No problem. Then I bought a telephone card - again no problem - and then tried to ring up my friend . Hmm ... several times I dialled something wrong, but in the end got the right number. Mexican telephones work like phones all over the world, it was just me who was too stupid to dial correctly.

Well, the taxi ride was amazingly fast considering that it was Friday evening and Mexico City was hit by two storms. At some point I thought I should have taken a boat instead of a taxi, but the driver sailed through the water bravely.

In Mexico you don't have railways like in Europe, you travel by coach, and although everybody says that they are cheap, comfortable and very reliable, they really are. I could sleep well during the night ride of 500 km, and the reason why my bus was nearly 2 hours late was the storm in Mexico City. I got a document from my school stating that I am a teacher in three languages: German, English and Spanish (Gracias, Guillermo!) and so I got a discount on the bus and for someone who is used to German railway prices this was like travelling for free. And how can you not like a country where teachers get discounts ????

My first weekend was spent seeing a bit of the city of Aguascalientes and its food (very important) and after the World Cup final I took the bus to my next destination: Guadalajara, where I am doing a two-week Spanish course.

That's all for today ... nos vemos !!!

Internet Friends

I have already written something about the positive sides of the Internet here, but  I would like to add another aspect:   there is more to Internet contacts than "not being only bad." Let me explain:

- You can keep in contact more easily. I know a lot of families that are spread all over the globe and thanks to email, IM and video chat they can exchange information quickly and keep in touch. 200 years ago, when a member of the family emigrated to Australia, it meant that a letter travelled about half a year ... nowadays, an email reaches its destination in half an instant.

 - You can really get to know someone . The anonymity of the Internet can create an atmosphere where very personal talks are possible that would not happen in real life. If (big IF!!)  both partners are honest with each other (of course, with due caution), we come to the next point:

- You can make  good friends on the Internet. Long chats, exchanging photos and information and seeing each other in a video chat, all this can lead to a point where you get really close.  I have talked to hundreds of people and gotten to know a bit about their lives, but some of them have become  good friends. Some I have already met here in Europe - others I still have to meet.  Some have become very important for my life and I owe them a lot (for example the courage to start this blog - xie xie, Sam)  ...  and all this has made me curious as to where life will still lead me.

So next Friday I am travelling to Mexico for four weeks to see a new country, learn more Spanish and meet two more of my Internet friends ... one of them a young woman who I have known since she was a teenager. I am happy about how the Internet has opened the door to the world for me  - so that we all can become friends and be united in peace.

(photo: "Friends" by Guillermo Macias)

Happiness

Happiness is a warm gun (Beatles) - or a warm puppy (Peanuts).  Finding the love of your life. A baby. The baby moving out after 18 years. Leaving the love of your life, because he wasn't right after all.

Some people think, money means happiness. Living on a tropical island never having to worry about a thing. A house, an expensive car, a boat.

As you know, greater minds than mine have already thought and written about this topic, so I can only add my own personal idea of moments of happiness.Of course, unhappiness is a part of it,too, without it you would not recognize happiness. And remember, that the American Declaration lists "the pursuit of happiness" as one of the unalienable rights of every human being. The pursuit of happiness, not happiness itself. Happiness is a tricky thing (Sam C. Chan), maybe it has more to do with ourselves than with symbols of success and wealth.

Well, here are some of my happy moments:
- the smell of coffee early in the morning
- a phone call without bad news
- going to bed knowing that the alarm clock will not ring the next morning
- seeing the sun rise after a night of talking to a  good friend
- seeing myself in the eyes of someone who cares
- being here at this time and place, living this moment and taking it as the gift it is
- being allowed to be me

And what are yours ?

The Forbidden Kingdom: Last Quote

When Lu Yan is deadly wounded and confesses that he is not an immortal, Jason is shocked, but Lu Yan does not seem to be so unhappy about this fact and says:
  
"If one does not attach himself to people and desires, never shall his heart be broken. But does he ever truly live?"

I love this scene , because the character played by Jackie Chan suddenly gets so much depth, you feel, there is a long and interesting story that can be told about him. The amazing thing: Jackie can only create this with his face and voice, as he is lying motionless on the bed.

The first time I saw it in the cinema, it gave me goosebumps. And every time I hesitate to leave the safe path of my comfortable life to embark on some adventure, I hear Jackie's voice speaking these words. Yes, it is safer not to open myself to a new friendship, not to allow my heart to love, not to try something new, because I cannot be disappointed and hurt.  But if I  act like this, do I truly live ?

It took me many years to grow courageous enough to adopt this attitude, but now I have reached the point where I am aware that there is only one short life for me and that I should live every moment of it. And accept everything it has to offer...

(Photo: JC Group 2007, www.jackiechan.com)

"Empty your cup!"

Jason, the Boston teenager who has been transported into a mythic world, has met Lu Yan who helps him to return the magic staff to its rightful owner, but Jason must learn to fight. Lu Yan decides to teach him Kung Fu.

So in the scene I am talking about they sit at the campfire after a day of travelling, Lu Yan has made some tea and Jason is very enthusiastic about  learning Kung Fu. He has seen so many Kung Fu movies, he is looking forward to learning the "Buddha Palm Technique" and the "Shadow Kick". Listening to Jason's talk, Lu Yan fills his cup with tea and keeps pouring even when the cup is full. When Jason protests, he explains:  "How can I fill your cup when it is already full? How can I teach you Kung Fu when you already know everything? Empty your cup !" Jason pours the tea into the fire  - and Lu Yan is quite desperate about his new student.

I first heard this story from my own martial arts master who had got it from a book where the author got it from his master.For most of us the idea to completely forget anything we might know about a subject and start learning from the start is probably  strange. In our Western culture we are encouraged to learn with a critical mind, to question what the teacher says and to draw our own conclusions. Eastern martial arts teach you to submit yourself to your master as he has undergone years of training and knows best.

So I was curious what my students would say to this quote. Amazingly, they understood the  meaning at once. There are teachers and students. Students have to learn, teachers have to teach. It is a tedious fight if you question everything your teacher says, first you have to learn the basics and advance in the topic,  and only after some time of learning are you able to judge yourself.

One student added a further idea: we should be open and curious to learn something new and not let our learning be influenced by preconceived opinions. When you go to a foreign country, for example, it is best to be curious and experience the strange culture with a free mind, not tinted by what you may have heard or read.

So I think, sometimes it is good to empty your cup and give a new point of view a fair chance.

(Photo JC Group, 2007,  www.jackiechan.com)

"Don't think. Just do !"

Recently I did a project with my 11th year English group and as they wanted to see a Jackie Chan movie, I chose "The Forbidden Kingdom", which came to the cinemas in 2008 and united the action stars Jackie Chan and Jet Li. The plot is a typical story of initiation: Jason, a Boston teenager, is thrown into a mythic world by a magic staff, where he has to fulfill a task and learns how to become a man.

One thing I did in class was take some quotes from this movie and discuss them with the students. The quote I want to talk about here is taken from the beginning of the relationship between Jason and the Drunken Scholar, Lu Yan, played by Jackie Chan. In a tea house they are attacked by the soldiers of the evil Jade Warlord and have to flee. At one point Jason is standing on the roof top, in front of him darkness, behind him the soldiers, but he hesitates. Lu Yan shouts: "Jump!", but Jason replies: "I don't think so." Lu Yan's order : "Don't think. Just do!"

Now Jason is torn between two evils: he can be killed by the soldiers or he can be seriously hurt or even killed by jumping down the roof. In the end he jumps, is caught by Lu Yan and they fall together, both surviving and making their escape.

I thought that life is sometimes like that. Like my first jump from the three-meter board in the local swimming-pool: it scared me to death, but the thought of all these people seeing me climb down again was even more scary, so I stopped thinking and jumped. My students gave another example: falling in love.It can give you happiness, but it can also cause you a broken heart. You can try to reflect and think about it for ages, trying to eliminate every risk, in the end you still have to "just do". Or remain lonely and wonder what you might have missed.

There definitely are situations in life when too much pondering means not going forward, when you have to stop thinking and jump. In the end it might be better than just standing there paralyzed and being killed by the soldiers. At least you have the chance to be caught and saved...

(Photo JC Group, 2007, www.jackiechan.com)

Berlin: Buddy Bears

Everywhere in Berlin you can find these guys. This  is not the famous "Berliner Bär", the bear of the Berlin coat-of-arms, but a Buddy Bear. Never heard of them? What a pity.

They are the invention of two Berlin residents, Eva and Klaus Herlitz. They thought of the idea to ask artists around the world to decorate these fiberglass bears and then the United Circle of Buddy Bears travelled around the world to promote the message of global peace, tolerance and friendship. In the cities, where the bears are shown, charity auctions and activities raise money for good causes and from time to time some of them are sold for charity.

I was introduced to the Buddy Bears by Jackie Chan's website, to be more precise, the Kids Corner of it. When Jackie Chan learnt about these bears, he became a fan and has supported the project ever since. You can find more information on his website and you can also download your own Buddy Bear to decorate.

http://www.jackiechankids.com/files/Buddy_Bears.htm

Oh, I forgot, the Buddy Bear is the chap in the suit, the bear in the anorak is me on a cool May day in Berlin...

Berlin: The Reichstag

Berlin has not always been the German capital, mainly, because for most of our history there was no "Germany" that needed a capital. In the Middle Ages there was a German Empire that consisted of a loose connection of territories. After the Thirty-Years-War in 1648 they gained a lot of independence and the Kaiser just had a pretty crown, but no power over the whole Reich. So Berlin was the capital of the territory of Brandenburg that later became the kingdom of Preußen (Prussia).

In 1806 even this loose-knit empire was dismantled and not restored after Napoleon had been sent to exile. It was not until 1871 that a German national state was founded by Otto von Bismarck. The capital was Berlin and the King of Prussia became the German Kaiser (emperor).
This Reich had a constitution and even a parliament that was called "Reichstag", just like the building where the representatives met. However, at that time the main power still was with the Kaiser. After World War I the German people established the first real democratic state on German soil and the Reichstag became the building where the representatives of the people controlled the government and made the laws.

But in 1933 Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor. In February 1933 there was a fire in the Reichstag, which Hitler took as an excuse to abolish the basic human rights of the constitution, which was the first step to establishing the Nazi dictatorship.

After the war the building was restored, but without the dome that was blown up in 1945. It was situated next to the Berlin Wall and hosted an exhibition about German history. When Germany was reunited in 1990 and Berlin became capital again, also the Reichstag got its old function back: since 1999 it has been the place where the representatives of the German people meet, discuss and rule. Today it is one of the most famous attractions of the city - from the roof and the top of the new glass dome you have a wonderful view of the city.

Berlin: The divided city

Last week I was in Berlin with a group of students. Berlin is not only the capital of Germany, but it is also a city with a lot of tragic history, particularly when you consider the time of the Cold War. Between 1949 and 1990 there were two German states, a Communist eastern state (German Democratic Republic) and a parliamentary democracy in the west, the Federal Republic of Germany. West Berlin was sort of part of the FRG, whereas East Berlin was the capital of the GDR. And West Berlin was an like an island in the Communist system, always in danger of being cut off from supplies. This happened in 1948/49, when the Soviets blocked all the roads and railways from West Germany to West Berlin and American and British planes flew everything that was needed into the city. There is a monument for this "Luftbrücke" (literally: air bridge) at Frankfurt airport and when you see that the planes used were so small compared to modern freight planes, you get an idea of the enormous task that was done then.

In 1961 the East German government decided to stop people from trying to leave the GDR via West Berlin and built a wall that was to divide the city until 1989. Today you can only see a line on the ground where the wall once was and some remains that show visitors how it was. The most famous one is "Checkpoint Charlie", which was the place where international military and diplomats could cross to the other half of the city. In October 1961, Soviet and American tanks stood here facing each other and ready to shoot ... Berlin was right in the middle of all the tension of those days.

The first picture shows the Brandenburger Tor (Brandenburg Gate), which used to be on East Berlin territory - how wonderful that everybody can walk through it again ! The other pictures show how "Checkpoint Charlie" looked when it was still in use and the line that signifies where the wall used to be.

Cave Woman

Last weekend my computer crashed - first I thought it was only the system that had been affected by a virus, but in the end it was the hard drive that was broken and had to be substituted by a new one. On Sunday morning it ceased to function, on Tuesday evening I was reconnected to the world. THREE WHOLE DAYS without computer !!!!!!

To give you the good news first, I had done a backup of my files on Saturday morning, so in the end only one school worksheet and five photos were lost. But I found it amazing, how handicapped I felt without my computer. To mention just a few things:

- I had to write an important letter
- I had to design a test for my 5th year English group
- I wanted to work on some more writing
- I wanted to upload and send away some photos I had taken that day
- I needed some information for my lessons
- I could not talk to my friends around the world

I had to go down on my knees to beg my son to allow me to use his computer for five minutes for two emails, one professional and one private one. Reluctantly he let me approach his precious machine for five minutes, standing next to me counting the seconds and suspiciously viewing my every move. After all, my role in this household is that of the computer idiot and I probably had done something that caused the hard drive to break. I could also do some things at school on Monday and Tuesday afternoon, but that meant I had to stay in school longer on days with an already very busy schedule.

So, the computer makes my professional life a lot easier. But what I missed most were the conversations with my online friends - sure, we could exchange emails, and those are faster than the old, pre-Internet method, but still, I have so gotten used to a little chat here and there with someone on the other side of the globe.

Well, in the end I could leave the age of smoke signals and was reconnected to the world again. But it makes me wonder, what would happen, if by some disaster we were thrown back to an age without electricity and gadgets that pass a message around the world at the click of a button...

PS:
I have to add that after my son had built in the new hard drive, I was able to set up everything that was needed, but had problems with my old monitor. I asked my son to help me and that caused him to raise eyes to the sky and declare mothers the most annoying people on this planet. I pointed out to him that his annoying mother was paying for the new brakes for his car... it turned out to be a convincing argument...

Learning from my Cat

Today was one of the first warm and sunny days of this year - did I go out to enjoy the sun ? No, I had to sit at my desk and work all day. During a short break I watched my cat who had taken up her favourite place on the table on the balcony … she was lying in the sun, totally relaxed, eyes closed, the ideal of well-being. Later she came into the house and sauntered into the kitchen to get some food before she elegantly jumped onto the sofa.

I looked at the furry ball on my most expensive silk cushion and thought that I could learn a lot from my cat. For example she always does what she wants, she never does what others expect from her. When we get visitors, she does not play the cute little friendly kitty, but throws a cold look at the intruder and then disappears until the strange person has left. Sometimes she grants the great privilege of her presence and people feel flattered when she comes. Nobody takes her for granted, not even I, her main food giver, can do that.

Her pride and elegance in every situation is something I would love to have as well. She knows very well that she is the most beautiful creature on earth. Never does she stand in front of the mirror scrutinizing her face for wrinkles or her aging body for fat. In fact, she ignores mirrors. Last year she reacted to the winter by extensively cleaning her fur which had the effect that she lost almost all her hair on her hind legs and stomach. A human woman would never go out of the house looking like this, but my cat walked around, tail raised proudly, totally ignoring the fact that she might look, hmm, “ugly” - and I am worried about a few wrinkles and pounds too many?

We women could learn a lot from cats !!!

About a real man

What is a real man ? Apart from the obvious biological differences - what makes a man a man ?

A few months ago I was on a sailing trip with a group of 18/19-year-old students . On the first evening the chores on the ship had to be organized. One young man, very masculine appearance, made it very clear that he would do a lot of things but not clean the toilets. In his opinion a real man did not clean toilets. In fact, he refused to do anything that made it necessary for him to let his hands touch water. A real man is allergic to water !?

Another young man was (well, still is) a completely different type and a lot calmer. But in his quiet and modest way he made a deep impression on me. For example, he quickly learned how to steer the ship, and he was so good at it that the captain called him whenever things got complicated. One morning I got my chance at the wheel and I made a real mess at first, until this student came and stood next to me for about an hour, quietly explaining and giving tips. Suddenly he was gone and that meant he felt I could cope on my own.

Now, who is a "real man" ... someone who does not clean toilets or someone who can steer a big sailing ship with 25 people on board safely into the harbour ?

Animal Farm and a Lesson

In my 11th year English class I am reading George Orwell, Animal Farm, with the kids. You may know that it is a sort of political fable about a revolution and the subsequent establishment of another dictatorship, until at the end the pigs (the new rulers) and the humans cannot be distinguished any more. Orwell wrote this under the impression of Communist dictatorships, particularly that of Stalin.

It was funny, when we started reading and the students read that the animals were talking, they at first did not know what to make of it. They soon realized that this was not a children's book ("No pictures!") and then someone mentioned the word "fable" and another one "Russian Revolution" and so we got on the right track.

Today we discussed chapter three. The revolution has taken place and life is better for all the animals on the farm. No more oppression, no more being exploited. But already in this second chapter after the rebellion you can see how the three leading pigs establish a privileged position on the farm. It is interesting to see how they do that: a subtle mix of fake altruism ("we are doing this for your good") and threats ("the farmer will come back if we, the most intelligent animals, are not there").

I asked my students if we could learn something from this for our own lives. Because the names are different, but the system of establishing and preserving control is the same, so we can recognize a lot of our politicians' behaviour if we look closely. What I want my kids to do is to be critical and vigilant.

In the break I talked to a colleague teaching politics and we found out that the state curriculum sees the independent critical citizen as the goal of our education. But, of course, there is the "hidden curriculum" of economy as advertised in the media: what is wanted is the obedient consumer slave. It is hard work being a teacher...

But, I have yet to come to a point where I want to give up.

On Presents

Valentine's Day made me think of presents, probably because I usually ignore this day. It is not a traditional German festival and seems to have been invented to make card manufacturers and flower shops happy.

But there are other occasions for presents. Presents are something nice, they are supposed to be a joy for the one who receives them and give satisfaction to the giver. But they often cause stress: you are obliged to give one, you don't know the person you are giving something to, you feel you must give a present you cannot afford, you simply have no idea what to give

My idea of a good present is like this:

a) It is given voluntarily. Not as an obligatory return task, not as the pre-Christmas shopping horror. It is given, because the giver had the perfect idea for someone and therefore bought or made it.

b) It is a meaningful for the person you are giving it to. This means you know the one you are giving something to well or it refers to something in your common history. It need not be expensive, of course, a true present does not depend on money. Writing a poem, doing the washing-up, baby sitting... there are a lot of meaningful gifts that don't cost a lot of money, but they mean giving time, i.e. part of your life.

c) It is received with gratitude as a sign of friendship or affection, but not with a bad conscience and the thought "OMG, what can I do in return?" One day the occasion for returning it will arise, but it should not be forced.

Of course, there are obligatory presents and in this case, flowers and chocolates are never wrong. But maybe we can avoid them for the ones we love -- and if flowers, maybe a single rose and a long talk is more appreciated than an expensive bouquet.

Happy Chinese New Year

xin nian kuai le-
gong hay fat choy





Happy Chinese New Year to everybody who celebrates.


More Chinese greetings can be found here:
http://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/interactive/huichun/index.jsp

Before the lesson.....

5th year English. Before the lesson has officially started:

"Mrs K., the page of my exercise book is full, may I use the next one?"

"Mrs K., Max always breathes loudly in my direction."

"Mrs K., I cannot find my pencil case."

"Mrs K., err, hmm, what did I want to say, oh yes, I remember, hmm, you see, my dog......"

"Oh, nice picture on your note book, Mrs K."

" Mrs K., Max is eating !!!!!!!"

" Mrs K., do we have to learn the vocabulary on page 170 ?" -
"Yes, page 170."
"Only 170?" -
"Only 170!!"
"And page 171?"

"Mrs K., Max has taken my pen !!!"

"Mrs K., hmm, err, well, my dohog has ....."

"Mrs K., may I use a pencil for writing?"
"Yes, of course."
Another pupil: "Ahhh, I have forgotten my pencil!! What am I supposed to do now?"
"Take a pen."
Third pupil: "How about a pencil?"

"Mrs K., listen ! My dog has , hmm. err. eaten. hmm...."

"What is our next lesson?"

"Mrs K., what is our maths homework ?"

"MY DOG HAS EATEN MY ENGLISH BOOK !!!"

*Mrs K., why are you lying on the floor and crying ???"


*sigh*
I love my job !!

(Picture: a poster on friendship (Freundschaft) made by students, 2009

Jackie is on Twitter

I have thought for a long time if I should post this, but then, why not? Jackie Chan is on Twitter and the fans are going wild. News from him around the clock. WOW !!!!!!

Hmm, I must admit, I am not that enthusiastic. Yes, it is amazing that this man, who a few years ago said of himself that he was a computer "illiterate", now posts something by phone or computer or however. But, well, do I really want to know what he is doing every minute of his day ? It might be cute or wonderful for other people, it is not really for me.

Because, what are the Twitter "news" ? Short sentences, little snippets of trivia - let's face it, how many interesting things happen to you in one day ? If I was on Twitter, it would be "Just cleaned the kitchen," or "School was tiring," or "Auntie rang," or things like that. Does the world really need this avalanche of information? I don't think it does, so I am not on Twitter.

In a way Twitter is typical of our times. Fast information, quick to digest, nothing that really matters - and then move on. No pondering, reflecting, philosophizing. No need to really think about the words you use, to carefully select and re-write to get the best effect. It is like fast food - convenient, fast and tasteless - as opposed to cooking yourself with fresh ingredients, which makes you feel a lot more satisfied on so many levels, not only as far as filling the hole in your stomach is concerned. And we all know that fast food leaves you hungry in the end, craving for more. Twitter has the same effect, at least on me.

To be fair, it can be fun to get quick information and convenient to grab a burger when there is no time. But I also need more substantial food - and more substantial pieces of writing.

Heart Warming

I am one of the Protestant teachers at a Catholic school of the diocese of Mainz. Before the winter break, one of our music teachers asked if a group of students and colleagues would sing at the Bishop's New Year's reception, which was today. I agreed to take part, because I like singing and Bishop Cardinal Lehmann is one of the Catholic bishops in Germany I like and respect a lot.

In his short speech he talked about the terrible earthquake in Haiti. He talked about how Haiti became one of the poorest countries in the world and he talked about the responsibility that we in the Western world have. How our exploitation made countries like Haiti poor. This was kind of remarkable, because I had not expected a Catholic bishop to be so outspoken on political issues, but, as I said, Bishop Lehmann is a special person.

Anyway, the choir sang very well. It was wonderful to see these young people who had sacrificed free time for rehearsals and a Saturday for the event. In the end the choir was given an envelope with 200 Euros to spend on some fun activity. The man who gave it to them said explicitly that this money was not for the music department, but for the members of this choir.

It took them five minutes to decide to donate the money for the earthquake victims in Haiti. None of us teachers had anything to do with it, it was the students' own decision.

Seeing this made me very happy - as long as there are young people like these in this world, we can be hopeful.

(Photo: Mainz Cathedral, www.mainz.de)

Consider the source

We are under siege! A terrible danger threatens Europe !!!! DAISY is coming !!

Before you get worried: it is winter. It is cold. There is snow. And "Daisy" is the name of the current low pressure area that, I admit it, brings a lot of snow as well as wind, and this storm is what makes it dangerous. But I want to talk about how weather like this is covered in certain types of media, in certain newspapers and on certain TV channels.

"Why are we afraid of Daisy ?" asks the headline of an online article of Germany's biggest popular newspaper, BILD. Well, because you tell us to? "Snow Chaos" - "Supermarkets empty" - "Daisy has Europe under control " -- the headlines make it sound like some kind of war preparation. I remember a similar winter in the 1970s. Yes, there were reports on TV and advice how to prepare yourself for emergencies, but I cannot remember that this kind of panic was created.

Don't get me wrong: I know it is dangerous to drive on icy roads or in a blizzard. I have got matches, candles, a battery powered radio and some food stored in the house. I stay at home if possible. I see that I am quite lucky and that other areas of Germany are hit worse by the snow. And I look across the Atlantic to my American friends and the battles they fight with that kind of weather every year. But the news coverage makes me angry - one headline more sensational than the other which only fuels unnecessary panic. Selling the news, the paper, the time on TV, that is what it is all about, not factual information.

Let's be a bit more critical. Consider the source, if I may quote the advice of a friend's mother. Look for factual and serious information and advice.

Be prepared, be careful - but don't panic !

Internet is not only bad

Internet is not only bad. Despite all the warnings about meeting potential rapists and murderers on Internet notice boards, I have been around quite a few of them and have made a lot of new friends. Of course, you should be careful with what you publish about yourself. You should not give your real name, address and phone number to strangers. But when you observe these basic precautions, you can have a lot of fun.

Some people my age complain about the anonymity of Internet. That you cannot see the person you are talking to. I find that this is at the same time a danger and a great asset.

There is the danger that someone you talk to pretends to be someone he/she is not. This is particularly annoying when you are looking for a partner on the Internet: if the one you are interested in presents a completely false picture of himself, you waste a lot of time.

But when you are simply looking for interesting people to talk to, this "anonymity" can be a great advantage. It can enable you to find chat partners you would in real life never have considered. I have had the most fascinating conversations with younger people, who in real life would probably not want to be seen talking to a middle aged woman. Looks, age and sex don't play a role, what counts are the thoughts and ideas you want to discuss. I can share my life experience and get some fresh views - horizons are widened and new doors are opened.

Definitely, Internet has a lot of positive aspects !

Futility

When I got up this morning and staggered into the kitchen, I stumbled across the wires and cables from our Internet/telephone system. I had organized them well, had put some order into the chaos, had hung up the router and the other boxes so that nobody can step on them, had fixed wires and cables --- and yesterday my son (18) found out, we had forgotten to connect his PlayStation 3 and ripped it all apart. What he needs is a longer wire for the PS, but until he gets it, he improvises. Of course, in search of one, he dropped thirty other things and didn't pick them up, either.

*sigh*

This reminds me of the time when he was little. You may know how toddlers are, that within seconds they can turn a room into the chaos that was before God created the world. Or how kids stampede through your freshly cleaned house with muddy shoes only minutes after you have put away bucket and broom. In contrast to my ex, my son usually keeps his chaos to his own room and when it oozes into mine, it takes me only half an hour to make him tidy it up. Still - I am getting too old for that. I want some order. I need some order. Feng Shui says negative energies get caught up in the chaos and I have put up with negative energies for so long, I want some order. And I am getting tired of trying to re-establish some order that has been destroyed.

One could now think about how life is one great big struggle and how a lot of things are like that: you do something, you fail, you pick yourself up and brush yourself down and start all over again (to quote a song from a Fred Astaire movie). But surely, there can be one area in your life where you can relax and gather fresh energies? Only ONE !?!?!

This sense of futility, by the way, is also one I sometimes have in my job. No matter what I do, for the next 15 years I will have to explain the difference between "is" and "are". Those who have mastered this problem and a lot more, will leave and let university professors and employers profit from my efforts. They will pick the fruits from the tree that I (and my colleagues) planted and nursed and protected and told off for being late. My students don't get older than 19, but I see how I age when I look into the mirror. It is a weird world I live in and one that can make you crazy, if you think about it.

They say, kids keep you young. Sometimes they can make you feel very very old and tired,too.