This week, for the first time since September, I was asked to give a formal introduction of myself to a new group of people. I dug back in my brain to the presentation I made last summer in preparation for meeting my students at the beginning of the school year that showed pictures of the … Continue reading Czenglish
Even back in June when I was pondering about what this year would bring, I knew to watch out for January. I knew the Christmas season would be over, my visitors would have left, it would still be cold and gloomy, and I still would not have reached the half way mark. Surprisingly, after 22 … Continue reading The Longest Month
Ok so now that the holidays have settled down I will do a small recap of my winter break from school and the culmination of the Christmas holiday. The school “semester” ended with a marathon of American Christmas lessons to 12 classes of jaded students, anxious to just be done with school already. I wore … Continue reading A Central European Holiday
In honor of the New Year and before I recap my winter holiday, I would like to dedicate this post to a reflection of my year through the amazing travels I have had. The past year for me has been one of great learning experiences, primarily brought about by experiences through traveling. As much as … Continue reading 2013: My Year in Travels
The Czech Republic has become a Christmas wonderland! In just one week of the Advent period (the 4 Sundays before Christmas), I have now been to four Christmas markets and witnessed several important traditions leading up to the ultimate tradition of Czech Christmas. The week started with the beginning of the Advent period in Prague. … Continue reading ‘Tis the Season
*"It will be winter, it will be frost." A traditional Moravian folk song I have learned to play in my guitar lesson and now hum and sing in my head as I walk around in the cold. First of all, HAPPY THANKSGIVING AMERICA! As I sit here in my new local café hangout spot, I … Continue reading Bude Zima, Bude Mraz*
One of the first events I was invited to upon arriving in Znojmo and starting to teach was the Ples. I was told over and over that this could be considered the Czech high school prom. So with small warning and description of what to expect, I went into this weekend expecting something like an … Continue reading All “Proms” are Not Created Equal
This weekend was jam packed with Czech culture and I truly felt immersed in life here. Starting with Friday, I helped out with my school’s “Open House” by teaching an optional English lesson for students. A surprising number showed up and I tried to make it fun by teaching about Thanksgiving. We learned some history, … Continue reading Cultural Observer
As my second official month here comes to a close, I am feeling more plunged into this experience than ever. It feels as if I have been here for a least 5 months and it is hard to believe I still have so much time here. Both September and October followed a similar pattern. The … Continue reading 2 Down, 8 to Go
While my official title and Fulbright grant say that I am an “English teaching assistant,” I think a more accurate description of my activities, as a teacher is an “American culture specialist.” Almost one of my three to four lessons each day involves giving an overview of some topic as it relates to American life. … Continue reading What is American?
Mariel Sporn Tavakoli 