Kassel: Fun to be had

So.  What's been goin' on?

Still here in Kassel, working my ass off and with unfortunately not a whole lot to show for it yet.  As something that should come as absolutely no surprise to anybody (including me), certain aspects of this job were not exactly as described.  I still really like it here, and enjoy the actual teaching part, which is a step up from past locations.  But a few very significant details are going to need to be tweaked in the days and weeks to come.  Days, more so than weeks, really.  I have a meeting with my employer on Friday to hash some stuff out, so I'd like to stay vague until then, at least.  I'm really hoping we can come to some sort of arrangement or solution that works for everyone, because I really love living here and I'd very much like to stay.  (To say nothing on the truly incredible sum I've already spent making the investment to come and to live here.  Just sayin'.)

Work is... good and bad.  Like I said, the classes are all pretty decent.  Some are better than others, and there are certainly some challenges and frustrations, but there are also classes that are a genuine pleasure, and they outweigh the other side considerably.  The prep and paperwork is significant though, and eats into my free time like a fat kid diving into his birthday cake.  And the travel/commuting sucks rocks.  Basically, I work six days a week, and get paid for an average of 24 hours, and I don't even have a full schedule yet.  But, that's just the way it is.  This is what I get instead of feeling like the worst human being on the planet because I just spent six hours screaming at children.  I'll take it.

When I'm not actually working, here's some of what I've been getting up to.

One of the best things about Kassel is its green spaces.  A couple weeks ago, I went out for brunch with my new friend Jocelyne, and afterwards we wandered around this very pretty park, enjoying the fall colors.

As I think I've mentioned, Kassel has a fairly significant Turkish population.  This means a decent number of Turkish restaurants scattered about town.  I'd gotten Iskender for lunch in one cafe and had been very disappointed.  But this night, Jocelyne and I tried a Turkish place that had been recommended, and it was amazing!  And -- they even had Efes.  I ordered in Turkish and charmed the hell out of our waiter.  My efforts earned us several free shots of raki!

What country am I in??

On my next official Free Day (Saturday), I took myself back to the Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe and hiked around for about two hours, taking advantage of what was likely to be the last of pretty fall.  (Rainy, windy, cold, horrible fall has taken over now for sure!)

I've said it before, but Germany is nothing if not The Land of Fairy Tales.  Everywhere I look I see the beginnings of a story -- and every one of them have elves and princesses with swords.

Aquaduct!

Whomping Willow

I really loved this walk around the park.  Since I'd been there before, I didn't feel the need to truck it all the way up to the Hercules.  Instead I explored side paths and wandered off into the woods in search of witches.  I didn't find any, but I did find these!

Mysterious dark circle of trees

Tiny gingerbread house at a crossroads

And wtf is this??

Needless to say, I did not manage to lose my way and find myself in Fabletown despite my best efforts, and got myself down the hill just before sundown to enjoy a fantabulous bacon cheeseburger at Kassel's very own American restaurant, Route 66.  An excellent day.

But don't think that it's been all work and communing with nature!  Oh no, there have been shenanigans.  Of course, nowhere near Georgia-level shenanigans, but still.

Two weekends ago Jocelyne and I happened upon a small fair going on downtown.  I had my first currywurst (and ruined a white sweater in the process), and failed to convince her to ride the ferris wheel with me.  Lame! :p

This night was significant mainly because later we would happen upon an Irish bar and find it completely overrun with pigeon racers (truth), but also because it was here that I had my first beirgarten beer.

It's Germany, motherfuckers

And finally, Halloween happened.

I was an evil nurse, a costume born out of the fact that they had a nurse costume (coat and hat) and some devil horns for sale when I stepped into the Tedi, which is the European Dollar (Euro) Store.  I picked up some fake tattoos from Claire's at the mall (that's how you know I'm back in civilization -- mall and a Claire's), and doctored up my outfit a little with a red whiteboard marker.  Add a little makeup, and...

Jocelyne injecting me with my own "syringe" (also found at the Tedi)

It was a great party, thrown by three other teachers working for my company.  Lots of good times (and beer pong!), and then the next day I went back there with my friend Will and we made up some of the best chicken wings I have ever had in my whole life.  And yes -- of course the sauce had been brought from America!

So that's been life in Kassel.  Not a bad scene at all, except of course for those pesky things obliquely mentioned in the first paragraph.  Again, really hope some sort of solution can be reached, because how in the hell could I ever leave the Land of Fairytales (and pigeon racing, and second-best shenanigans) to come home to the cold shower of American reality.  I mean... yikes.

Hope everyone is well and happy.  Here's to following your dreams -- even if they do turn out to be scary hella expensive.