Hello Again

Finally getting around to updating my blog. I had a GREAT summer in Colorado, and I've been back in Prague for almost 2 months. It's nice to be back here too. Things are a lot busier this year at the school. I'm teaching 1st and 3rd grade English, English club twice a week (kids from 1-4 grade come to that), and preschool English once a week- but for 2 hours- which is a long time to keep a preschooler entertained, especially in a different language! The regular English classes (1st & 3rd graders) are different this year, because our program was approved by the Ministry of Education. So we are more integrated with the school rather than just being an after school program. And I am in charge of teaching and giving grades for music and art- we have to fulfill the Czech requirements, but in English. Fine by me, since music and art are two of my favorite things. So each week the kids have 1 hour of music, 1 hour of art and 2 hours of English from the textbook. My 1st graders are really advanced- some of them went to all English preschools so they're basically fluent. And I have one girl who has one parent who is American. Every time I ask the students if they understand something, this girl raises her hand and says, "I understand because I'm American. I was born in New York." Adorable. My 3rd graders are great too- I taught most of them last year, so it's nice to get to see them again. They teach me Czech during our breaks in class. I learn a lot from them. I have one 3rd grade boy who watches a lot of TV/movies in English- so he knows a lot of phrases (and cuss words...) that I don't expect him to know. If I have the kids act out a story in class, he always adds in some of his own lines. If the line is, "Who are you?" he'll say, "Who the hell are you?!" Never a dull moment.
I'm also teaching the adults with mental handicaps again- 2 classes a week. I enjoy it more than I ever thought I would. It's challenging, for sure, but they try so hard and they're so excited to be there. I've been playing a lot of music for them this year- Johnny Cash, Led Zeppelin, etc. They don't understand everything, but they try to sing along anyway.
I'm also helping out a little with Young Life again, playing some guitar. And volunteering at one of the high schools that doesn't have very many native English speaking teachers.

I think that's about it for now. I've taken a few trips since I've been back, and will post pictures soon. I was Berlin 2 weeks ago, and they were preparing to celebrate the 20-year anniversary of the wall coming down on November 9th. Here are a few videos about it:
Video #1
Video #2

And this Tuesday, the 17th, is the 20-year anniversary of the end of Communism in the Czech Republic. Click here to read more about that. There was also a concert by Lou Reed, Joan Baez, Suzanne Vega, etc. on Saturday night to celebrate 20 years since the Velvet Revolution. I would have loved to go, but it was by invitation only. Click here for a video clip. And here's one more (you'll recognize this song).

Pretty exciting!