Hey all,

One of these days, I'm going to get around to posting some of the adorable pictures from the KiLa Christmas party (although I think under German law, it might be just a tiny bit illegal...I won't use full names.)...it's been an interesting first two work-weeks of the year. We got a new colleague Roland, and he and Marcus have been barely getting along. The male ego is such a fragile and amazing thing. Marcus has made comments in the past that have made me think "...ummm, okay, bizarre individual...", but I thought he would be happy to have a new team member helping us out.
Apparently he views Roland as competition for the pseudo-daddy role in these kids lives. I mean, I don't delude myself. I love "my" kids, but they're not mine. I teach them words, I change their diapers, I sing them songs, but only for five hours a day, max. I think that the unlimited trust these kids and their parents give us can lead to some types of people having serious power trips. I mean, sure--it's the most amazing thing I've ever felt to hear a child say my name for the first time, or to use an english word all on their own. Some of them are so cute, I wish they were mine. But they're not. I'd never say to any of my colleagues "I think that I'm a really important person for Tommy right now" because it's not true. Kids are fickle--their needs change daily, if not hourly and different people are better at meeting different needs than others. It's also not good for a child to get too attatched to one person or another in the Kindergarten setting. The goal of the whole Kindergarten concept in Germany is that small children become little independent, socially competent mini-Germans. Anyway, the long and short of it is that my boss is now dropping serious hints that Marcus's contracts will not be renewed in August when it runs out.
Aside from the male bitch-fest, things are cool at work. Most of the kids are readjusted from the Christmas vacation. I'm putting together my application for the early-childhood education training program. The deadline is March, but it's a private school and an overly punctual application=a slot in the class. As soon as my degrees from the US have been officially recognized in the Bundesrepublik, I'll be able to hand the whole shebang in.

In other news, I paid our "outstanding debt" to our landlord this week. I say that with great disgust and utmost irony, because they actually owe us money. However, before we take the matter to court (again), our lawyer advised us to sort things out, so that they don't have any grounds to evict us. Bastards. I'm so not impressed. But yeah. Not too much I can do about it.

Upcoming events in the Hauptstadt include a visit from a friend of Jordy's next week and Jeffy sometime in early March. And the Spring Semester of my adult ed classes starting. Is it bad that I'm crossing my fingers that they don't fill up? I've got enough stuff going on without working 5 nights a week. I mean, the money is good, but it's not that good. So we'll see. Keep your thumbs pressed, as the Germans say. After all, all work and no play makes for a very sad Mia.

So, I'm starving--which is a class A sign that it's time for me to sign off. I think I'm getting tandoori pork tonight...if all goes well.

Take care and stay healthy!