Setting Out / Abreisen

Well, here it is, the night before my departure and I haven't written in between at all. :(
Finals were so gutwrenching, senior week a tangle of relief, working shifts collecting items donated to the Habitat for Humanity rummage sale, and packing--and then once I had everything in either my Grand Ave. duplex for the fall or my apartment back here on Lexington I had one day to pack before jetting to Montego Bay. Similarly, I get about 34 hours between getting home from Jamaica and leaving for O'Hare again. (It would have been more, but my connecting flight in Miami was delayed.) I think having done it once before, and now having a much bigger bag to work with, speed-packing is coming easier to me. My essential toiletries are already set aside from my last trip. I've fit all the things I need to bring to the classroom and my lovely host (I'm not going to call her my host mother, as she is not married and has no children) into my check-in; all that's left is a few more outfits, toiletries and shoes. I think the fact that my laptop is coming with me is also really comforting; a connection to home and a great resource no matter what else I may forget.

I've video-chatted with S (decided not to use her full name, as Germans are very particular about privacy) once in German last week. She seems super nice and is less than a decade older than me, and it seems like we relate pretty well. We've IM'd three times and she uses even more emoticons than me =P. It doesn't seem like she's going to put much pressure on me, so I'm feeling good about the classroom time. There is a class of 4th graders she teaches English, and a group of 1st & 2nd graders she does projects with. I would presumably help with language-learning activities for the fourth graders, and do lessons/games/projects about America in German with the younger children.
The school I am going to be at is a public one which is Montessori and equipped to meet the needs of students with hearing impairment and learning disabilities. (The impression I get is that some of these students are integrated into classes with other students, but some are in classes of their own. I'm not clear on if this is by class subject or severity of impairment.) They have a team of speech therapists which it sounds like S can arrange for me to meet with/observe.
I've done some brainstorming with some wonderful people about what activities to do. I like the idea of tying in factual information with fun activities. Seeing as the school has a kitchen, and seeing as I love food ;) I came up with several food-related activities.

Teaching about the World's Columbian Exposition/Chicago World's Fair of 1893 (400th anniversary of Columbus' arrival in the New World) - explaining what it was, and all the new inventions introduced there, including
-Wrigley gum
-ICE CREAM CONES (invented at the fair)
-elongated coins (LOL. hope I can find a stretched-out penny to bring)
-neon lights
-the Ferris Wheel
-brownies (I'm bringing boxes of Ghirardelli brownie mix, chocolate supreme and walnut)
-Cracker Jack (although this should have its own lesson, including learning to sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame"--it sounds like S really likes incorporating singing--and basic information about our National Pastime)

Really I want to teach all about how the nation was "discovered," "founded," etc., and help them to understand that it is a nation of immigrants.

Other things I am bringing:
- cornmeal & baking soda to make cornbread (perhaps could be tied into a lesson about natural resources, or regional differences)
- peanut butter (a big jar of Skippy, and a smaller jar of JIF just in case) to make "ants on a log." Could also talk about George Washington Carver
- macaroni & cheese mix (not sure if I really want to do this, but if not S and I can always eat it)
- lychee jellies (one of my favorite snacks growing up, which also serves to make the point that Americans eat a variety of yummy foods)

Hoping to find cranberries to make cranberry sauce, and root beer to make root beer floats. Neither of these are easily obtained in Germany, but here's hoping the small American food section of the grocery store near S's home has them...couldn't find cranberries at Jewel and root beer is simply too heavy to pack enough for 25 students in my one check-in bag.

I'm thinking to make cards that suit the fourth graders' vocabulary to play lo-fi versions of Pictionary or Catchphase.
Also I think it could be fun to go through a couple decades of American music each week, maybe give a little background on a particular genre and then play it while we cook?
S said their classrooms are kind of small, but if possible it might be fun to teach the vocab in the Cha Cha Slide and then dance it...ahaha.

Anyway, I ought to finish packing while I still feel awake. I depart at 4:55pm tomorrow; land about 8 hours later at 8:00am local time in Brussels, Belgium, and then have a 6 hr 55 min wait till my 1.5 hour flight to Berlin. Ay! At least at the end of it all, what with this, Jamaica and India, I ought to have enough frequent flier miles to have a free trip someplace...if I ever feel like flying again. I love love love flying, but yesterday for the first time I felt a hint of understanding for why some people dislike it, or at least are less than enthusiastic about it, and I'm worried that after this trip I might just want to stay grounded for years. Weee shalll seeee.

Gute Nacht Ihr Lieben!