Grüß di Time for a confession! Since I arrived back home over a month ago, I thought I had already nicely wrapped up this blog. Whoops. Technically speaking, my year abroad isn’t over yet: I’m heading to Munich for a month in August for a German course. Munich is my favourite city in Germany so I’m… Read More Year Abroad Bloopers
Here’s a tongue-in-cheek checklist for anyone working abroad as an English language assistant – how many of these can you relate to? 1) You’re expected to know everything about the English language and the culture of every English-speaking nation of the world “Why is necessary spelt like that?” (That’s a question I want to know… Read More You know you’re a language assistant when…
So far during the second part of my year abroad, I have learnt that it is a cardinal sin to walk into a shop and fail to acknowledge every single member of staff, including the pet cat. Another grave error is to understand the phrase “staff meeting” as a serious gathering of teachers, when in… Read More How do you solve a problem like… the travel bug?
My machen is morphing into mochen, hallo has been replaced with griaß di and I no longer commit the cardinal sin of using Brötchen to describe bread (Semmel is the way forward, guys). Am I Austrian yet? I’d like to think so, but I’ve still got a fair way to go in terms of both… Read More Teaching and travels: These are a few of my favourite things
I used to think I was a morning person. That was until Monday morning, when my alarm bleeped at 6 o’clock and I thought someone had played a practical joke on me. Alas, my sleep-addled mind soon remembered that it was my first day of school and I was expected to teach my first lesson… Read More Call me Helen von Trapp! First week at school
When I told people that I would be spending part of my year abroad in Austria, it was terrifying how many people responded with “Do you speak Austrian, then?” *eye roll* It’s a lot easier to travel to Austria than it is to, say, the United States, so why is this stunning Alpine country apparently… Read More And so it begins: Ich liebe dich, Kitzbühel
[I actually wrote this while I was still in the UK, but due to not having any internet until today I wasn’t able to upload it. So here you go! Servus from Kitzbühel!] As the second half of my year abroad begins, I figured that it’s time for a little story. Are you sitting comfortably?… Read More From Anfängerin to Austrian: An ab initio year abroad
Roughly this time last year, I had selected with much trepidation the University of Geneva as my first choice study abroad location. Admittedly, it was a decision motivated by the prospect of gorgeous scenery and even more gorgeous chocolate; Academia was at the very back of my mind. But as my final exam (English to French translation, if you’re curious) looms,… Read More The end is near! Reflections on part one of my year abroad
This last Friday marked the end of the first chapter of my year abroad. Waiting beside my gate at Geneva Airport, it was strangely comforting to be surrounded by Mancunian accents talking loudly about everything British, from the football to the weather. That said, landing in Manchester to be greeted by a surly passport officer… Read More The one with the Christmas markets
To say that Switzerland is quite small is like saying that Lindt chocolate is fairly tasty, or that Roger Federer is pretty popular. Perhaps if we ironed out those pesky mountains or filled in those darned lakes, it would seem a bit bigger, but who in their right mind would want to do that? From… Read More Switzerland on a budget: Transport tricks
À bientôt, Britain 