Highlights in April
From mid-April onwards, I had the wonderful opportunity to experience an immense amount of growth and activity both inside the classroom and out exploring local culture.
Language Certifications & Creative Workshops
A major focus during this window was the official German language certificate exams. Across two highly intensive days, we spent the entire time on campus running the grammar, reading, and listening comprehension modules. For the oral portion, students gave individual presentations on a topic of choice before conversing with us. My task was supervising and engaging the students between testing segments. To ease their natural jitters and lighten the mood, we played numerous rounds of Pictionary, which beautifully broke the ice and lowered anxiety.
In the weeks following, morale soared. A standout event was the visit of a German rapper and actor who ran an immersive poetry and lyric-writing workshop. The students discovered how to express themselves creatively within the German language, resulting in everyone confidently performing their own original rap. It was exceptional fun and highly impactful.
Dignitaries, Traditions, and Culinary Growth
We were deeply honored by a visit from the Austrian Consul, who arrived to tour the German School Campus now that the school is authorized to conduct the Austrian Language Diploma (ÖSD). We celebrated the milestone with traditional Bienenstich, Donauwelle, coffee, and lemonade! I also took over full lesson planning and instruction delivery during this time, gaining irreplaceable practical teaching experience while practicing our end-of-year school play. Meanwhile, our cooking courses moved forward; it was incredible watching our youngest four-year-old students carefully and confidently handle knives to prepare fresh recipes.
California Culture & Historic Excursions
Outside the school framework, I dived into checking out iconic spaces. I attended an action-packed baseball game at UC Irvine to learn the rules alongside an American family, and visited the striking Getty Villa in Los Angeles. The villa’s ancient Greek, Roman, and Etrurian art collections, coupled with Roman country house architecture and perfectly landscaped gardens, truly transported me back to antiquity.
To cap off recent weekends, a friend and I took a gondola ride over the massive LA County Fairgrounds to explore the petting zoos and food stalls, followed by a trip to Old Town San Diego. Founded in 1769, this historic cradle of California functions as a spectacular open-air museum detailing early regional roots. Naturally, I balanced these trips by spending a few beautiful afternoons letting the day wind down along the stunning beaches of Orange County. The school year is wrapping up quickly, and I am excited for these final weeks!
