CHELSEA
Elementary Education Undergraduate |
CHELSEA
Elementary Education Undergraduate |
Friday was my last day in Germany and it was a bitter sweet moment. I was excited to finally get home, but I was a little sad I was leaving because I was going to miss the place and my host. I had such an incredible experience from this trip that I will never forget. The incredible views I got to see, the impossible hikes, the tasty foods, and the people I got to spend it with. On my last day, I went to school with Luisa and it was soccer day for the whole school. We got to sit in this little booth while she played the music and announced scores over the loud speaker. The teams were all different countries that were split up by the whole school. he children were so excited for this, and you could tell which students were soccer players by the way they dressed. A lot of the students kept coming up to me and telling me to cheer them on, which I did! The teachers were really into it too because a lot of them were super competitive. The time came when I had to leave and the students were so sad, as I was myself. I felt like I just got to know them and now I had to leave. Luisa and I came up with an idea where I can video myself back home and show them around Buffalo, my life and what I like to do in Buffalo. Which I think is a great idea because then they won't forget me and get a little preview of my side of the world.
Luisa and I also went to the city center to do some last minute shopping and take in all of Germany one last time. We went to this cute little café to get some ice cream and enjoy the weather. My ice cream was massive and so delicious! After that we went home and I finished packing and then got ready for our last dinner with everyone. Of course the food was good and the dessert was even better! I tasted almost like a pancake and dipping it in with the applesauce was the cherry on top! I was actually a little sad to say goodbye to everyone, especially the hosts because they were all so nice and welcoming to us all. But the group and I decided that we all became close from this trip and that we should all stay in touch! When we got back to the flat, I did last minute packing and Luisa cut up some watermelon for her, myself, and her friend Kelsey. I enjoyed the last hour with them and I was off to bed. Getting back to Buffalo is going to be a little tough getting back into my normal routine and going back 6 hours. But as I said before, I wouldn't trade this trip for anything. I am so happy in myself that I took this chance and went. I'll never forget the memories that I made and the things that I learned. I hope that maybe one day I can go back or that the hosts can come to Buffalo and visit us all again!
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Being in the classrooms here was such an incredible experience. Where I was, the school was out in the middle of the country and was surrounded by trees and nature. It reminded me of a forest school because of how unique it was built. The outside had trees all around the building, and in the middle of the school was an outside courtyard. Here is where students are allowed to sit and enjoy the weather, with the sound of a little water fountain playing in the background. The classrooms were different to me, they weren't as bright as I imagined and they did not really have a lot of art work or posters on the walls in the classroom. The desks were formed in a U-shape and the class size was a bit bigger than an American classroom. In the hallways, they just put up these huge paintings that each classroom made and they turned out amazing! The colors were so bright that it made the hallway so lively and beautiful.
To be able to sit and watch and Miss Becker taught was such an incredible feeling. I was able to see how she teacher her students how to speak English. She started off by having a category when they learned certain things. On my first day they talked about summer activities and learned how to say "I like to......in the summer. Miss Becker would ask me if she is saying the words right in English which I loved because I felt included in the classroom. The students were shy at first with me but then they opened up a little but and tried asking me questions in English, which was the cutest thing ever! Miss Becker also had a corner in her room called the English corner where there were worksheets and books in English that the children can work on and read when they were done with an assignment. I got the opportunity to watch a child work on it and I was amazed to see how well they could figure out the worksheets. I was also able to play games with them where they tried to guess what animal, color, fruit or vegetable I was thinking of. Being in the classroom was such an unforgettable moment, and I can't wait to bring back home what I learned there and apply it to my future lessons! The reason why the I am different from the other candidates is because they never had the experience that I did. I was able to go into a foreign country and get a taste of how a German class runs. I was able to point out what you should do and what you shouldn't do in a classroom. I used those points to realize how I should be with my future classroom. I was able to interact with the children by trying to talk about similar topics that they would understand. The teacher included me as much as she could and she also asked me what certain words were called in English so that the German children were able to learn it, whether they knew how to say it or not. The students would always ask me questions about my life back home and I would try to tell them how it was and where I came from. Even the other teachers would ask me if their school is different from how schools are from Buffalo. This experience shaped me into becoming a better teacher because it made me love what I go to school for. I connected so well with these students that it got me excited to have my own classroom and my own students. It was a great way for me to go out of my comfort zone and be able to be interactive in a German classroom. I believe that I have a lot to bring to the table as a teacher, and having this experience made me want to be a teacher even more. This also showed me why I am in this program and why I started this path in the first place.
During my time in Germany, the role I took on was being the photographer. I had to take pictures of everything and upload them to the google slides for everyone in the group to see. Everyone in the group knew that this was the perfect role for me because I have a professional camera and I love to take pictires in general. I take a lot of pictures because it is memories that I can look back on. I know they say pictures don't do justice (which is true) but I try to capture the moment and then take it all in. It was hard to take pictures here because I felt like I had to take a picture of everything little thing that I passed. With that being said, unfortunately I lost my charger for my camera so I was only able to use it for two days of my trip :( But I did take A LOT on my phone. I have always wanted to be a photographer every since I was younger, I admire beautiful pictures and what they represented. After this experience, I have a whole new perspective on life, to always enjoy the moments while you're in it. Because one day I am going to look back on these pictures and thank myself that I took the chance of being out of my comfort zone and doing something that could make me happy and shape me into becoming more independent. I am glad I took on this role, because I feel it fit me the best and this where I could get creative and really shine.
Bonjour!
What an amazing time I had in France. I can't begin to tell you the experience I had. We walked the streets and it felt like I was in a dream. Never would I have thought I would be in FRANCE. Our hotel room was right on the street and we had a balcony that looked over everything, it was incredible. Walking the streets was a little tough because most of it was brick and the terrain was very uneven. The dogs here are so well trained, that the owners let them walk around without a leash, needless to say I was in heaven. I even got to hold and play with two puppies!! I was the happiest person in the world! I never thought that I would be doing something like that in France. The building are so unique, with their cute little windows and brightly colored walls. My favorite part about France was sitting by the water on our last night. To see everyone around us just enjoying their time and company made me feel right at home. I tried macaroons for the first time, They weren't all that great like I expected them to be, but at least I can say I tried it...in FRANCE! I also tried duck for the very first time and it was delicious! I know what I am getting all the time now ! On Friday morning, we were able to walk to the Cathedral and take a look inside. It was breathtaking. The outside of the church didn't even look real to be because the craftmanship was so detailed and beautiful. We talked in the building and there were stained glass everywhere, it made the room more peaceful I think. We weren't allowed to go to the top of the tower because they were doing construction. I was a little disappointed because I wanted to see what it would be like to be at the top and I wanted to see what else the church had in store. Next stop is the Black Forrest which I am looking forward to! We arrived in Berlin on Sunday June 16th. Driving to the hotel through the city was incredible. I couldn't believe all of the beautiful architect on all the buildings, it was like looking through a magazine. The hotel had the cutest little entry way, of course I had to get a picture of it! The streets were the most interesting part. We walked around A LOT, which was a great experience because when am I ever going to be back in Berlin?! But it was cool to see the people and how they acted and talked with one another. I think they could tell just by looking at us that we weren't from Germany.
The biergartens here are unbelievable. I was so taken back by them, but in a good way. Coming from Buffalo, I feel as though these would be the hot spots back at home. I felt like I was at home because this would be something I would do back at home with my friends if we had something like that. I didn't really experience a culture shock until the last night when we were walking through the park and we just saw young kids (around the age 16) drinking alcohol straight out of the bottle, blasting music and having a good time. Now of course in Buffalo, that would NEVER be allowed and you would get a ticket or arrested for underage drinking and open container. I started to get a little homesick, but I kept thinking to myself "this is never going to happen to me again, I need to make the best if it". I've been having that mind set ever since the night I got homesick. Of course it is going to be weird without loved ones around you, but this is where you get to be independent and know what it is like to really be on your own. One of the places that made me feel emotional was when we went to the concentration camp. I didn't know how to feel about it at first because we were told we could have all sorts of different emotions. We were given the opportunity to listen through a head set about the camp. To hear all of what happen made me feeling really sad and a little uncomfortable. Just the though of these people having to live the way they did everyday and go through what they went through was an unbearable feeling. Listening to the part about where they slept sent goosebumps up my skin, I had to stop listening to it for a little bit because it was a lot to take in. I did not walk the whole camp because it was a hot day, but I got the feel for the most of it. I thought Berlin was absolutely beautiful and it was better than I imagined it. But I am glad I got to experience the kind of food they ate and to see if it was any different from what we had in Buffalo. I tried the McDonalds in Berlin, and let me tell you....the chicken nuggets are 100 times better than New York, highly recommended if you are ever in Berlin. Now we are off to Strasbourg, France, and I cannot wait to see the beautiful scenery! We are less than two weeks away, and oh my gosh I CANNOT BELIEVE IT! It really hasn't set in that I will be in Germany. I am started to get more nervous as the day gets closer because of the fact that I will be in another country that I am not familiar with. But again I am excited to see all the beautiful places! I cannot wait to meet my host and finally see how she teaches in her classroom. I have been in contact with her for a little over a month now and she has got me more excited every time we talk. I am really looking forward to see how she teaches her students and I hope that I can use it for my future classroom. Still hasn't set in that I will dog behind for three week, so the water works will start soon! I am a little nervous about traveling on the subways/trains and trying to get tickets. I am hoping that I will get the hang of it more with the help of my host. ONLY 11 MORE DAYS!
The time is coming quickly and I am getting more anxious the closer the day gets. I am very excited to be going, but a little scared at the same time because I do not know what to expect from being in a different country. I have heard nothing but great things from people that I know that have gone, so it makes me feel more excited to be going. I want to get the best experience that I can. I want to be able to look back on my life and say, "I can't believe I did it. I stepped out of my comfort zone and made the best of it."
I am looking forward to seeing how they teacher in Germany and how different it is from how we teach here. I am looking forward to all the beautiful scenery because that is what I love most about traveling. You see things that you do not see normally, and when you do, it is such an unbelievable feeling. I have been looking at pictures of the places we are going to see, and the pictures do not even begin to do justice. Taking this risk, gives me motivation to be completely out of my comfort zone and be okay with it. I am going on this adventure because I want to get a new perspective on teaching and seeing how they do it in different countries. I want to learn more about my heritage and be able to come back with stories to tell and pictures to show. I cannot wait for June 15th to come! |
AuthorHello! My name is Chelsea. I am a senior graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. I am very excited to be able to have the opportunity to travel to Germany. I have heard nothing but great things from friends who have gone there in the past. My grandfather's side is German and I would really love to learn more about my heritage. ArchivesCategories |