The View From Ajdna

Yesterday I went for a hike with my friend Ana. We drove about 15 minutes to the base, and climbed for 2 hours. You're looking at Triglav straight ahead (the tallest mt. in Slovenia). All of the snowy peaks you can see are part of the Julian Alps. The emerald river is called Sava Dolinka- it joins a second to form the Sava.

I like this.

Some things you do for money, some you do for love love love

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qv3-vANWwcU

Yesterday I got up at 5:30- changed into my hiking clothes, drank some hot tea, packed a sandwich into my backpack and hit the road. I arrived 4 minutes late to the bus station, where I was the last person to board. It may seem amazing to you that I held up an entire bus by being 4 minutes late, but I should also clarify that I was the youngest person on the hiking expedition by about 30 years.

We rode the bus for 3 hours, stopping once for tea and toilets. I woke up a few times to see the sun rising over the hills, and eventually stayed awake as my friend Jože, the hiking instructor, told us the plan for the day.

Our plan? To go for a 4 hour hike through the snowy forests of Štajerska.


It took me a while to decide if I wanted to go on this hike or not- I really like the instructors, but I knew that I would be one of the youngest people, plus my health has not been the best lately (just a cold ma, nothing to worry about). However, when treading through the fluffy snow in the company of 35 Slovene retirees, my mind got caught up on some lyrics to a song that I couldn't remember, but now know to have been 'Love love love' by the Mountain Goats.

Do you know this song? I personally give this song an A++, and as a teacher, that obviously holds a lot of weight (also, noted that as a teacher, there is a very fine line in between what I do for money, and what I do for love).

From the title of the post, you might assume the song to be adorable- that the things you do for love are cute and sweet and perfect. This is not the case... rather the song expresses a complex reality where some painful actions ultimately lead to love, often in ways that we do not understand.

In a way, this song seems to relate to my life here (although it's, thankfully, not so painful). I don't really understand why I feel such an intense calling to be here. My life is more... simple I suppose. I like my job in theory, but in actuality I am ''working'' with a woman who is constantly against me. I am far away from many people that I love, who also love me. But reality is not so simple, is it?

Yesterday I trudged through the snow for 4 hours with 35 people aged 55-80 (seriously). I had a cold. My Raynaud's hands were killing me. I had nobody to dance the polka with at the veselica that followed... but even as I was hiking, a piece of my brain picked up on something that the rest got later.

Some things you do for money, and some you do for love love love.

Cinderella and the Glass Copat

In a splurge of something that might have been creativity (note: might also be called 'vanity', although I cannot speak for my co-writer and director who probably was always a bit more humble than I), JRog and I wrote and directed 2 fairytale spoofs in high school. The first was a lip-sync musical of 'Little Read Riding Hood' which made absolutely no sense anywhere except for in our heads. The second a comical rendition of Cinderella.

Last week I got the brilliant idea of tying to direct a play at school- in English. I cannot see how this could be anything short of amazing for the kids that participate: they would be memorizing lines (read: sentence structure) in English and also focusing on saying words, properly, aloud. Unfortunately, I don't know that I will get permission to carry this out.

Below is the, a-hem... MODIFIED version of Cinderella: A Story of Hope, which was written by Jessica Rogers and Nicole Schmidt 8 years ago, which was also, of course, modified by Disney from the Original- which was what, the Grimm Brothers? It is quite possible that it will not make any sense. Quite a lot of the humor depends on the acting and fluency of it all... but if you'd like to read and give me your feedback as to if I should fight for this, I'd be grateful.


Now... without further adieu, I give you: Cinderella and the Glass Copat (*Which, by the way, is a simple slipper in Slovene... basically a sole and flap of fabric over the front half of the foot).

CINDERELLA AND THE GLASS COPAT (Slipper in Slovene)

Narrator: Everyone has heard the nice fairytale of Cinderella. Some sweet, beautiful girl lives with her evil-step mother and step-sisters who try to make her life horrible. However, she is magically is saved by her fairy godmother, Prince Charming falls in love with her, loses her at midnight, but then finds her by her glass slipper, and everyone lives happily ever after. Blah blah blah blah. Now, I’m not saying that I don’t believe in magic fairytale endings, but maybe things don’t always turn out like the story you all know.

Now I’m here at Osnovna Šola Antone Tomaža Linharta to tell you the real story of what happened to Cinderella and Prince Charming, otherwise known as Greg. He really was the typical prince charming. Kind, talented, attractive. He could lift 500 kilos with one arm, tame wild beasts, dance with the grace and beauty of a swan. Every girl in the kingdom was in love with him. Every boy wanted to be like him. Every mother wanted their son to grow up just the same. Only he was so modest that he had no idea…

Prince Greg’s father was a good King, but was terribly old and would croak any day now. The time had come for Prince Greg to take over the throne, but he couldn’t do so without first finding a woman to be his bride. His best friend, Eric, has come to the rescue.

Scene 1 (The prince and Eric are playing Rock, paper, scissors. The prince loses)

Eric…………………………………Haha- What up, dude!!! Now you have to have a ball!
Narrator.........................Oh yeah, the prince's best friend is kind of... well, you'll see
Prince Greg.....................I can't, Eric. You cannot really make me go through with this! I'm not ready, my friend.
Eric..................................You HAVE to. Your dad's getting old and really, any day now he might just (makes sound and motions death)
Greg................................Eric!
Eric..................................But really, you're the prince of Slovenia. You have to find a bride. It's the law.
Greg................................. I know, I know, it's just (sigh). What girl would ever want me?
(Eric moves to open the window. Screaming girls shouting 'We love you!' are muffled from outside)
Greg................................Ok, look. I'll have a ball- a dance for all of the girls in the kingdom, but I cannot promise that I'll find a bride.

Narrator..........................So they got to work, planning the party. It was to be a real ball- where every woman in the kingdom would come and dance with the prince, at at the end, he would find someone to be his bride and become the Queen of Slovenia. Every woman who received an invitation immediately began to get ready for the party. They did their hair, their make-up, bought expensive dresses and fancy shoes. Well, almost everyone... everyone except...

Scene 2
Evil step-mother.............Cinderella! Where are you, you nasty little twerp?!
Cinderella........................(arrives, looking tired and dirty) I am here, step-mother. I was just outside, finishing the jobs that you gave me.
Evil step-mother.............All of them?
Cinderella........................Yes, this morning I painted the house, mowed the lawn, fed the animals, milked the cows, washed the car and did your taxes. I'm just finishing cooking lunch and the potica is in the oven. Now can I get ready for the ball?
Evil step-mother.............Why yes of course... There's just one more thing. (calls off-stage) Chloe, Jennifer! Will you bring the clothes for Cinderella to iron.
(Two girls enter in fancy, ball-clothes. They are arguing about silly things, like who looks prettier in pink and which girl the prince will like better).
Evil..................................Oh darlings! Look at you! The prince will never be able to choose between you! And did you finish the talents you prepared, to show him how wonderful you are?
Jennifer...........................Of course (Chloe plays the recorder while Jennifer dances- Chloe makes a mistake and Jennifer gets angry). Chloe! You are stupid, why would the prince ever want to marry a stupid girl like you???
Chloe..............................I'm not stupid. You are! ( They end up fighting and pulling each others hair)
Evil..................................Girls... GIRLS! Remember your manners for the prince! Now,where are the clothes for Cinderella?
Chloe..............................WHAT?! Cinderella gets clothes?? I thought you said you were going to give her so much laundry that she had to stay home and iron- (Evil step-mother coughs to interrupt)
Evil..................................Where are the clothes for Cinderella to iron?
Jennifer..........................We'll go get them (Step-sisters leave)
Evil..................................Yes, Cinderella- there are just a few (A enormous bag of clothes is pulled into the room by Chloe) items here, as you can see (From offstage, Jennifer throws in several more handfulls). Just as soon as you finish them (One more shirt is thrown in), you can get ready for the ball.
Cinderella.......................But stepmother! I will never finish this before the party!
Evil..................................No? Well you won't with that attitude, now will you? Come on girls, our car awaits!
(Step-mother and step-sisters leave. Cinderella sits sadly in the middle of the lanudry. She sees a little bird)
Cinderella........................Oh little bird- I wish I could go to the ball! I wish, oh I wish... (bursts into tears)

(music starts to play- music from The Godfather The fairy-Godfather enters)

Godfather.......................What is it?
Cinderella.......................(Looks up, startled) Who... who are you??
Godfather.......................Who do you think I am? Prince Charming? Naw- I'm your fairy Godfather. Now, you gotta ball to get to, or what?
Cinderella........................Yes, but- I have all of this laundry to do--- and nothing to wear!
Godfather........................Honey, let's just say your fairy godfather's gonna take care of everything... A-hem: Salagadoola mechicka boola bibbidi-bobbidi-boo Put 'em together and what have you got bibbidi-bobbidi-boo (points a wand at his briefcase. Pulls out a stack of folded laundry and a bag for Cinderella. She eagerly looks inside)
Cinderella……………………...Oh Godfather (pulls out a dress). It’s beautiful! But what are these? (Pulls out a pair of copati) Aren’t I supposed to wear shoes?
Godfather……………………..Huh? Those are your glass slippers- wadda you want? High heels? They’re healthier!
Cinderella……………………..Ok- well. Thanks.
Godfather…………………….No problem. Now watta you waitin for? I’ve got a limo waiting out front. Get dressed- let’s go! (Cinderella leaves- godfather calls out to her) Oh! And before I forget- you’ve GOT to get back by midnight. Let’s just say the car’s got some places to go.

Scene 3

Narrator………………………..So Cinderella was able to go to the ball. She gave her fairy-godfather an awkward hug, put on her dress while her godfather ironed the rest of the laundry, and they left for the limo… which was not a limo. In fact, it was a hearse (one of those cars that dead people are driven around in)… but what else can you expect from a fairy-godfather?

At the prince’s house, the party was off to an interesting start. The prince declared that he would dance with each maiden one time and one time only. Girls arrived by the thousands… Each tried to get more than their fair share of time with the Prince. Some ladies were clearly too old. Some much too young. However, most of the girls were just not a good fit.

(The prince dances with Chloe)
Chloe…………………………….So what’s it like to be the prince of Slovakia?
(The prince trades Chloe for Jennifer)
Jennifer………………………..My sister and I have prepared our talent for you. I know you’re going to love it. But just know, I have so many other talents too… I can cook, I can shop for a really long time, I can-
Prince……………………………You know, I’m getting quite hungry- I think that I’m just going to go grab something to eat.
(Prince walks over to the food bar where Eric is attempting to catch grapes in his mouth)
Eric………………………………..DUDE!!!!! How great is this party? These girls are SMOKING HOT!
Prince……………………………These girls are (sighs) not for me. I’ll never find a bride- look around.
Eric.................................Come on, there must be someone you want to dance with!
(At that moment, one of the bored guests starts to tap on the table in a melodic rhythm. This spreads- people everywhere are making nose and it ends up in a miraculous STOMP. Cinderella walks in and everyone stops).
Greg................................OH DANG!
Prince..............................Her, her. I want to dance with her.
(Prince walks to Cinderella and sweeps her into a magical polka. The step-family looks really angry.)

Jennifer...........................What's SHE doing here?!
Chloe...............................Who? Oh, yeah! Well, the prince will never want someone like HER.
Jennifer...........................It LOOKS like the prince likes her just fine
Evil..................................Girls, we'll handle this if it's the last thing I do.

Narrator..........................And the party continued like this. The prince danced with Cinderella while the other girls were ignored. It seemed as though they were falling in love when...
(Clock strikes 12)
Cinderella........................Oh! Midnight already! Oh my, I have to go!
(She runs out)
Prince..............................Wait! But I don't even know your name!!!

(Silence. Eric comes over to consult the prince)
Eric..................................Dude- Great party man! Who was that chick?
Prince.............................I don't know. Surely I've never seen her before. And now I'll never see her again.
Eric.................................Naw- course you will. What's that?!
(One of Cinderella's slippers is thrown back onto stage)
Prince.............................Ah! Her shoe! It must have fallen off as she ran out. Eric! We will find her indeed!

Scene 4
Narrator.........................And thus began the search for Cinderella. The very next morning, the Prince and Eric began to visit every single house in the city in search for Cinderella. The prince took all of the houses on the West side, Eric on the East. House after house they visited, but no woman fit into the glass slipper. Meanwhile, Cinderella began her regular life again, doing all of the work for her awful step-other and evil step sisters.
Evil step-mother.............You really made a fool of yourself at the ball last night.
Chloe..............................Yeah!
Cinderella.......................What makes you say that?
Jennifer..........................Ug- everything. The way that you were dancing with the prince, that horrible dress you were wearing. Your face.
Cinderella.......................I thought I was fine.
(Cinderella resumes cleaning. There is a knock at the door.)
Evil..................................Who is it?
Voice of Eric....................It is Eric, the royal best friend. I am here by order of Prince Greg to have every girl in this kingdom try on the royal copat. The prince's bride lost it when she left the party last night.
Evil...................................Oh! I'll be right there. (More quietly- to Cinderella). Cinderella- get in the closet.
Cinderella........................But stepmother- I... (Cinderella is pushed into the closet. Chloe opens the door).
Eric..................................What up????
Jennifer...........................Oh, my slipper! You found it! Thanks, I'll just put it on- don't know where the other one went... oh- it fit last night it's so strange that it isn't fitting now...
Chloe...............................That's because it's mine. I'll take it and... boo. What happened? You must have shrunk it.
Evil step-mother.............Don't be silly dear- nobody could have done such a thing. After all, I think that it's mine-
Jennifer...........................Mom!
Evil step-mother.............Oh hush up, it's not like the prince is that young.
Eric..................................I think that the copat did not belong to any of you ladies, so I really need to be going-
(There is a noise from the closet that is hiding Cinderella)

Eric.................................What was that?
Evil-stepmother.............Oh nothing- it's just our pet!
(Even larger noise from the closet)
Eric.................................THAT is from a pet?
Evil-stepmother..............Well, it's a rather big pet- a Gorilla in fact...
Eric..................................I'll just open the-
(Evil step-mother jumps in front of the door)
Evil stepmother...............You can't it will--- (Eric opens the door. Cinderella jumps out)
Eric..................................Oh hey! Do you want to try on the slipper?
Cinderella........................Of course (Everyone gasps as the slipper fits perfectly. Eric bows)
Eric...................................Your highness- it fits perfectly!
Cinderella.........................Itak- it's my copat.
Eric...................................I must take you directly to the prince.

Scene 5
Narrator...........................And so he did. Eric and Cinderella walked together through the town all the way back to the castle. It was a long walk, but they found that they got along quite well. Perhaps better than any two people had ever gotten along before. Finally, they arrived to the room where the prince was nervously pacing around, waiting for Eric to return.
(Eric and Cinderella enter arm in arm, laughing at a joke Eric is telling)
Greg................................(gasp) Eric! You found her! Oh my beautiful, wonderful girl. I cannot believe that you are with me here again! (Turns to speak monologue to the audience. As he speaks, Eric and Cinderella get closer and closer in the background). Before I met you, my world was nothing special. Ok, yeah, I'm the prince of a country, I'm talented, funny, and smart- but days were just days. Last night, I felt like I lived for the very first time. And now, everywhere I go I see signs of you- It's like beauty is taking over the world world- seeping out of every corner... covering every empty space. And now- I ask you, wonderful girl. Will you marry me?
Cinderella.......................Oh! Wow- that is so... so sweet. Only- I don't think of you like that. I think of you more as a... a big brother!
Greg................................(In shock). Oh. So you won't marry me?
Cinderella.......................mmmm, yeah- not I don't think so.
Greg................................But- is there someone else?
Cinderella.......................Actually, yeah. (Turns to Eric). What do you say?
Eric..................................Let's go grab a pizza?
Cinderella........................Deal.


ENDING TO BE DETERMINED
(open to suggestions!)

Living in the Future

Are you satisified with living in the 21st Century?

Seriously. Think about it. And then think about it with all of the things that the past thought we would have it the 21st Century. Flying space stations. Inflatable clothes. Flux capacitors powered by plutonium.

Still, we are not left empty-handed. What do we have? Google. And for the most part, it provides the simple, computer-ignorant human being with the newest technology that is appropriate for them. And I am SO THANKFUL. Because of google, I can talk to my family for free from Slovenia (note: A different country than Slovakia). And because of google, I can laugh forever when they call me back and I don't answer. Why? Because google voice transcribes messages. Sometimes they do a fine job... although, usually not. For example, this is the Christmas message that I got from my family:


Boulder Creek. Love, Chris and I, Thank you for the wonderful deals, on the waters. You were just that we've part. Thank you so much. Absolutely makers minutes without you being there we were sure thinking about Jeff to what to do it off. Well, I hope you're enjoying your stay day and thanks again for everything. You really need Christmas. So hope you're having a good 10. Love you, love you, and pie.

Boom boom boom. Love, your super-nova girl.

Once a Princess, Always a Princess

There are days when I really should be focused on all of the things that I have to do, and I should absolutely not be writing blog posts.

There are days when I need to lighten up and focus more on what is actually important.

I'm pretty positive that today is one of the former days, but I'm going to pretend like writing this post is life-changing. If it changes your life, whoever you are, please tell me so I can justify all future entries.

______________________

Let me tell you where I am with school. To be honest, I've had a bit of a rough time lately. Some of the complications are derived by the fact that my job is a bit nebulous still- and it doesn't help that the FBI takes every bit of 8 weeks to process criminal record checks...

So I have been making it through the day just doing what I think that I should do. I'm not like the typical Slovene teachers. Obviously. I am an American- I was trained in a totally different system and was raised in the Heartland. I AM different, plus I am young and like to smile... a somewhat-difficult disposition to gain ultimate respect sometimes.

Additionally, there are times when I do not know the where to put the border between how I should act and how I want to act. Don't get the wrong idea- I understand the things that are really unacceptable, however there is a fairly large 'gray' in teaching. And then there is the small but NOT-insignificant fact that I'm teaching some really young kids this year in addition to the older ones. Now, I haven't had much experience babysitting in my adult life and don't really know all that there is to know about 5th graders. I've learned quickly, however, that they really like me. When they see me in the hall, they gasp, sometimes drop their folders, and wave with both hands. ''UČITELJICA!'' they call me. It's adorable. And anything that I tell them is pretty much considered gold. This is the reason that they start each class by chanting 'English, English, ENGLISH!' with fists in the air (hey, we were learning the parts of the body- what a better way than to teach them how to make a fist?). This is also the reason that they do the Michael Scott 'slow' run every time I ask them to slowly line up by the door. However, sometimes they start things with cues that I didn't even mean to give.

Last Friday, we were reading together. The Princess and The Pea. I made a big mistake:
I told them, just to make conversation, that we have this big dance at the end of high school in America, and the school decides that one person should be a queen, and one should be king, and they're crowned. Obviously, I thought that this would impress them, however, I didn't realize that they would change their excited-hallway-yells. Now, whenever I enter a hall for the lower grades, I will hear an excited gasp or a fake trumpet blow. ''Your Majesty!'' they call me. Though this is hilarious, it's possibly NOT helping some of the more-stressful relationships around.

Because I don't think that they're ''ready'' for postering.

I need a creative outlet- itak. In the past, that has taken many forms- in high school, it was theater. Writing and directing plays... being the reject understudy in just about every single play that MHS performed. And, of course, later my creativity took a spin for the better/worse (you decide) when I decided to perform my own comedy act.

The stranger creations of my creativity led to many adventures, a police-call (mum, don't worry, it was all a big misunderstanding), and skills to leave things secretly... like posters, muffins, or Rick Astley music videos.

I can't give up on my creativity here. In fact, it is being called on with even more vigor as I find myself in a place where I am not understood 100% of the time. However, my former methods are often lost. The Rick-roll becomes infinitely less funny when you have to explain who Rick Astley is, why it's funny, and how you aren't trying to imply anything with the song choice (and when Graham is not your victim).

So I've turned to my journal- it's a new one that I bought here. Dark green, gridlined paper. A little piece of elastic to hold my pen. I love it. It's something different than my former journals- it not only holds thoughts, ideas, prayers, reflection, Slovene notes and ticket-stubs, but holds the outbursts of creativity that come when I am sitting in the same class for the 4th hour in a row.
I've been writing a lot more, but not just journal entries- stories about characters that I've met or dream up- often that are completely fictional and hopefully capture something bigger. Some truth that is more real. I promised some kids from Perry that I'd write a book some day, so maybe I'll squeeze that in, somewhere in between teaching kids, playing sports, and tutoring.

Love you all. Miss you like whoa.

Hvalezni dan

When I was little, homesickness manifested itself in me as a physical pain in my stomach. Whenever I would go places with new friends I would have to go back home to my mom, and only then would the pain subside and I would be able to enjoy again. This went on long enough to drive my mom insane: She told me next time my stomach hurt, I needed to remember that I was probably just homesick and try to push through it. Shortly after this conversation, I was invited to go to the pool with Lindsy Cusic. Promptly, I told Lindsy and her mom that I was ill and needed to go home. My mum was pretty frustrated (and legitimately so- I think that this went on for quite a while). She was in the middle of telling me how much I needed to get over this silly homesickness when I actually threw up all over my room.

I cannot say that I haven't had my fair share of being homesick since I have arrived here. Ok- maybe it doesn't look the same as it did when I was a child, but I have had those moments of longing for you people, and I am sure they are not over. Sometimes I even physically hurt. I suppose to a certain degree homesickness can also mean loneliness or boredom. I (probably more than most) have this incredible ability of remembering only nice, positive things, and thus looking back to my life in Lawrence seems full of excitement and activity. More and more I feel that homesickness has a bigger role in my life, as I meet more people that I do not want to let go of, and thus more people that I will miss in some way when something reminds me of them and space or time or death or life prevents us from being together. And of course I still feel the most basic form of homesickness- where I want my mum to hug me and tell me I am ok.

Homesickness is not a daily struggle here. No, as I grow up and continue to love traveling and meeting new people, this homesickness becomes more of a regular part of me. Not necessarily a pain, but a beautiful longing. And, of course, I have people here also that I would miss if I wasn't here. And yesterday, we had Thanksgiving together.

Sort of?
It was a mash-up Moving in, half-birthday, Pumpkin day, Thanksgiving. My amazing friend Sara and I went on a mission to find all of the pumpkins that we could on Friday. 2 weeks ago she suggested we 'just ask' the bars if we could have their pumpkins. They said no... 2 weeks ago. This Friday we walked back and forth through Radovljica, carrying 3 large pumpkins home (as in, they let us this week, not we stole 4 pumpkins). In the spirit of Pumpkin day, we had Pumpkin Rolls, Pumpkin Soup, Pumpkin Seeds, Roasted Pumpkin and Wasserman Squares. Pero brought Pumpkin Ham ('Really?!' 'no'). And we ate together.

It was lovely.
I realized about half-way through dinner that this was my first Thanksgiving. True, we didn't have turkey, we didn't have stuffing, but I did make sweet potato french fries and there were some mashed things... all in all, very successful. However, the thing that made it the most successful was that it was a table of people that I am thankful for. A table of people that I am a little homesick for when I am away.


Hey- maybe some day we can all do it together?