Happy Thanksgiving!

It's crazy to think Thanksgiving is tomorrow. No sign of that anywhere here in Germany. But it's obvious Christmas is coming! Decorations are going up in the train stations everywhere! This city will look so cool decorated for Christmas and covered in snow (hopefully)!

Well, Heather and I are almost half-way through the course we're taking in Berlin. This has been a really intensive course. Before we came here, I kept saying it would be intensive. But I don't think I had any idea what that meant. I should have meant that I would eat, drink and sleep teaching English. It's been intense.

We got here and started classes, and they threw us in right away. We had to teach a class of English learners on the second day we were here. Total, we have to teach 8 times, 2 times a week for the 4 weeks. Tonight Heather and I completed our 4th lesson, so we are half way. There is so much planning that we are required to put in to be prepared for each lesson. Then we're observed as we teach it. And get feedback the next day on how bad or good we were. Last feedback session I had, it was bad.

Anyway, it's been a great experience so far. We may be completely wiped at the end, but it'll pay off when we're actually in Southeast Asia doing this stuff. The preparation this is giving us is priceless!

Berlin is so interesting and diverse. Our class has 13 people in it. Beyond that, they've split us into 3 groups (4, 4 and 5). It's so interesting in my group. When we are in our class teaching (the 4 of us, our tutor, and 8 students), there are 9 different nationalities represented. 9 nationalities in 13 people! Wow!

British

Irish

Iranian

Hungarian

German

Australian

Azerbaijan

Syrian

American

I think that is so cool. Anyway, Berlin is definitely an international city. Ben and Jasmin's apartment (where we are staying) is in the Turkish section of the city. There is this nice little Turkish bakery down the road that Heather and I have fallen in love with. We love to go there when we have time to get something to eat.

So tonight is the first night since we started that we haven't really had any homework to do. We had a little, but nothing compared to normal. So it was kinda nice to settle down. No one will believe this, but I made dinner. Don't laugh. Rice and green beans. I made them totally on my own. And it wasn't bad!

Well, it's sad to say, but our time in Berlin is going way too fast. This city is incredible in its history and diversity, and it kills me that we can't spend more time getting to know it. We've already been here for 2 weeks, and feel like I have only seen the train (which is awesome, by the way. I love public transportation!)

Pray for us as the course only gets harder in the last half. We know it'll be over in no time, so we don't wish for that. We want to enjoy this country while we're here!

We miss you and love you all. Happy Thanksgiving!

Later guys,

Matt