Housekeeping
I see now that I really didn't clarify much about the school system from what I explained in the last post. There are a few classes, but their occurences are scattered over the week haphazardly. Each day is different. Each class is about 45 minutes, and there are usually six classes, although some days also include afternoon classes. School is usually let out before 1:00, lunch is not provided, then with afternoon classes, students return for two hours at about 4:30, twice a week in Geli's case. All sports and activites are done not through the school but through specialized Vereins, clubs such as the Tennisverein which organizes tournaments not only for students but for adults as well. There are sports classes in school, though, and they are much more broad than American sports classes and tend to focus actually on (gasp!) education rather than just throwing balls at people, i.e. the boys in Geli's class are currently learning shot put, while the girls are working on gymnastics.
Also about this blog. I see that I've just totally screwed up and deleted the post with all the comments on it rather than the copy without. Sorry, everyone. I did read all of them beforehand, though.
There have also been some questions about how to comment. At the bottom of the post are a couple things. On the left is 'posted by Houley @ etc...' Over on the right is an underlined portion that tells the number of comments. Clicking on this will bring you to the comments section where you can post a comment directly to the blog. To the right of that is a small envelope symbol, which will allow you to send a comment to my hotmail account. I would strongly prefer comments posted to the blog since that's much easier for me. Remember to sign your name, please and thanks.
One more thing- not really Germany BUT it is important to me and I know people will want to know, SO
SAT results:
Critical Reading - 800
Math - 780
Writing - 740
Multiple Choice - 70
Essay - 12
(Each section is out of 800. Writing is derived from the two scores below it: MC is from 80, and the Essay is from 12. Total points possible on the new SAT:2400)
My total: 2320
It's not a "36" but I'm pleased with the results.
Now on to what you really came here for: The German Adventure.
Tuesday morning Geli had a big standardized test of German skills. The test took 2 1/2 hours in the morning so i didn't have to be in until 10:30. They had 150 minutes to write on one of their choice of 4 topics. Definately no AP Lit test (3 essays, 2hrs vs. 1 essay, 2.5hrs) but they're tenth graders, and besides, German grammar is way tougher than English grammar. We only had two hours of Math and one of French, so it was a really easy day for me. There are two more standardized tests they need to take, one in their main foreign language (English or French - surprisingly Geli's is French!) on Friday and one in Math on Monday, I believe. Or Tuesday. Who knows.
That evening we went into Stuttgart with the German class to watch a play by Ödön von Horváth called Glaube Liebe Hoffnung (can't exactly translate it, but something about belief, love, and hope). Naturally, it was all in German, and, being the fine theater it was, I was pretty much lost. I could only watch what happened on stage. Probably the most confusing thing I've ever experienced. There were these planks in water, half the time this guy wasn't wearing pants, there were doors and ladders all over... To compliment this, someone in the row behind me nearly died. At least, there was a small commotion, I heard someone swear, and someone ask if there was a doctor around. I guess one of a group of little old ladies had her head lolled back and her girlfriends couldn't feel her pulse. I think she eventually just woke up, but all I know for certain is that she didn't die - at least not in the theater.
Today - Wednesday, that is - we were excused from the first two hours (German) because of the play the night before. We went for Math and French again, then were excused from Religion and Chemistry to watch a presentation on water. Using an elaborate set-up of slide projectors, the group that put it on nearly succeeded in putting me to sleep. They also followed the presentation with a discussion leading to the fact that an American uses, on average, twice as much water as a European. For some reason, we were also excused from our afternoon classes of Spanish and Biology, so Geli and I went back into Ludwigsburg, met up with her friend Valerie, and wandered through shops, an ice cream parlor, and the 'Beach Bar' (outdoors, complete with sand volleyball) before finding our way to a park. Ludwigsburg is really a cool place.
Parker Kienholz, if you knew this, I certainly tip my hat to you. Making German headlines recently is the story of a group of Germans that had taken an Urlaub (vacation) to Turkey. Whilst they were there, their airline (Interflug, I believe) went bankrupt, stranding them there far from home. I'm not entirely sure how they're getting back or who's paying for what, but I found it to be quite an interesting story.
9 Comments:
"There were these planks in water, half the time this guy wasn't wearing pants, there were doors and ladders all over... To compliment this, someone in the row behind me nearly died."
Sounds like my kind of play.
Your updates are very thorough and entertaining to read, keep up the good work! Sounds like your having a blast...
Steph Branshaw
Nice scores...I know they switched up the reading SAT part a bit...no analogies or something?
Math: 780 Verbal: 740. That's what I had. "Verbal"
Considering I took the SAT II Subject Writing test (which is like a carbon copy of the writing on the original SAT I now) and got 800...wow Jason.
We basically tied. At 2320. I'm so proud :-)
Jason, thank you for your updates. Lots of information. More than I am used to getting from you - maybe you should blog us at home during your senior year!
Nice job on your SAT!!
I can't quite figure out how school is going for you from your various comments. Easy? Challenging? In between?
People seem to fall asleep easily - you on the water presentation and the lady behind you at the theater. Be nice - you don't want people falling asleep when you are making a school presentation or when you are in a play!
Ludwigsburg sounds like a neat City, and it sounds like you prefer the ability to be able to walk to different activities.
Gotten used to clay courts yet? Have you been able to chat with any German tennis players about your ability? Boy, we went to watch Josh and Sean. There are sure a lot of good tennis players in Section 8. You will have a very challenging 2006 tennis season.
Hope I am not breaking any blog or 17 year old kid rules by sending this message to my son.
Take care, make good decisions, we love you and miss you.
Dad
i cant believe you Houle! Surrouned by beautiful German chicks! first its the ACT then the SAT and then your surounded by hot foreign (sp) chicks!
Houle you animal!!!!
I now hold the second highest SAT essay score out of the entire junior class. Second to Jason Houle really isn't second in my book. Still got the one up on Timmey and JD.
John, if I ever end up taking the SAT (unlikely), I will pull all of the Hewitt skills from my repertoire and smash you. They will "hear my voice."
Not only did they hear my voice, but my thesis statement was "solid" and they were compelled to nod and stroke their chins several times each paragraph.
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