Olympic Horses in London

London 2012 is almost a fact and Stallie is totaly fired up for such an Olympic event.  I then change into a person who wants to find out everything there is about a sport.  Yes, I cheer many of them on and when they have date with history then I am genuiely happy for them.  Because after all the Olympic Games are still something special.  Many of the athletes that will come in action in the following 3 weeks have been longing perhaps for this event longer then we can ever imagine.  It is the icing on the cake!
 
The thing is that this year I will be hanging out somewhere else while many of the best of the best will perform there in London.  I will be in a city where I have been longing for and this for a very long time. It has been on my wish list of places I wanted to visit for sure in my life.  When the Olympic flame will enlighten the British capital I will be having a Martini Bianco on a terrace or a 'gelato' for dessert.  Firenze is calling and I can't wait to fill up my suitcases with my Summer wardrobe!  Yes, I even bought 3 dresses in order to survive the Italian sun! Not that I will forget to take along my sun lotion ph50 in order to come out unharmed!  Stallie and sun do not agree always.

This means that I will miss some Olympic highlights and that I  will have to catch up once I am back from my 'Room with a view'-holiday in 'la dolce Italia'.  And therefor I already leave out here  an Olympic entry.  Because Stallie wishes to express her admiration very openly for one kind of athlete that will be out there pursuing the Olympic fame and glory .   It is the kind of athlete that we tend to forget.

Because let us be honest in the first place we think of people when we think of athletes.  Bet that Usain Bolt,  Michael Phelps,  the Dream Team (US basketball players),  Rodger Federer are just a few that pop up randomly in your head.  I mean how many of you have been thinking of Chippieh, Rubi, Kenny, D'Niro, Painted Black, Vrieda O?  How many of you have been thinking of horses when hearing the words Olympic athlete?

Some of these athletes will have to run very fast, others will have to be able to jump with precission and others will have to perform a kür with perfection and there will even be a few who will have to combine all of this in what we call eventing.  And they will do this in most cases in a very focused state, or with grace or perfection.  It are these athletes that I will be cheering on.  Because let us be honest we tend to forget them that they are out there during these 3 Olympic weeks.

I can't wait to see some of these very special animals in action.  Some have been on boats, planes and trains and trucks to get to their Olympic stables.  If I come to think of it , they even have to overcome jetlag and in some cases even first have to go in quarantaine before they allowed out to perform.

Do I have a special reason to be so into horses?  Well, it is not that I ride myself a horse. At least not anymore.  There was a time I did but then there comes this moment that you need to make choices. I then did prefer ballet slippers above some shiny riding boots.  But still, the love for the horse is still there and I do try to keep it alive and kicking! 

I have had tons of kids in my classroom who just went in overdrive once the did hear the word 'horse'.  Some of these 'special ed' children were able to get me back into the world of horses.  Because in the world of special ed, horses have gained a very special spot.  Especialy in the world of children with autism.   I challenge you to google 'equine assisted therapy' and there will open up a whole new world you might not have known the existence of.   The first time I did hear of it was during my special ed teaching training. The positive side effects I saw in my pupils after being allowed near a horse for a few hours made me as a teacher become aware that a horse can make a difference in the live of many childeren.

Horses can also trigger something in Stallie her mind.  Some of you might now how far the love goes. And no, it is not only because of Mr Darcy being so handsome on a horse in 'Pride&Prejudice'! Nope! It does go a bit further then that.  They inspire me and do so much more then I can express out here. Yes, they have been part of my childhood. A happy time where I got to meet up with gigantic big mares by the lovely names like Mephisto, Fiber and my favorite and most loyal friend Pedro.  Vividly I remember the smell of leather that hit my nose and crispy sound of the saddle that my ears did pick up once I got into the saddle.  Also the very special sensation I felt like once that animal moved.  The world looked quite different from up there.

The fact that your feet are from the ground and that you have to let go so to speak is quite a challenge.  Yes, I did fall of them and I can tell you that it did frighten me. The funny thing was that I never did hesistate to get back right away into the stirrups and that the trust was still there once we were linked back together. Strange what a horse manages you to do!

I also remember how the older ones got to ride their favorite horse into the woods and when they came back they all looked so happy and content. Like the had been on ride through paradise. Also as a kid I always envied the horse riders that I got to see in action during the evenings out at the beach!  The way the water was splashed up by them running through it made me already feeling a bit more refreshed.

Now, I could go on for hours about horses and even start to mention some very historical horses like Bucephalus (Alexander the Great), Marengo (Napoleon), Copenhagen (Duke of Wellenington) and Traveller (General Robert E. Lee.). There is also the endless list of fictional horses that did add some speed to a good story or two: Frou-Frou (the race horse of count Vronsky in 'Anna Karenina'), Shadowfax ( Gendalf his white stalion 'the lord of all horses' in 'Lord of the Rings), Hengroen ( the loyal King Arthur's horse), the Trojan Horse (a gift that won't be easily forgotten!) and the so funny horse Jolly Jumper (who always puts up with the cartoon cowboy Lucky Luke) , 'My Little Pony' (the plastic toy horse that colored up my room and even took along to bed!)and the list could go on and on...

But there is also the troubled horse, the horse that did come across trauma one way or other and needs time to find back its balance. Some of the Olympic athletes with shining riding boots might have come or come sooner or later across some kind of horse like this.   Top of the bill in that category is the fictional horse by the name of Pilgrim.  This horse introduced us into the rather mystical and hard to understand world of horse whisperers.  Yes, horses can get traumatized and then the rider and its companion seem to be lost together. The voyage they then have to embark on is one that is comparble to chasing after Olympic gold.  They are both lost and chances are that they might not find back the balance they once had.  That is if they are not prepared to put back trust in each other.  Use also all the patience and faith you would put in your best friend.   It will cost tears and sweat to find back that one beat you after to make it work out there together as one team. 

So I guess that are reasons enough for me, Stallie to cheer on a bit louder for the olympic horses. Because believe it or not it is not only the rider who needs to qualify.  No also the horse needs to qualify. If the horse falls out for one reason or an other then the game is over.  So the bondage that you will see at work is the result of some very hard work.  The athletes in the saddle don't take it for granted, they are fully aware of how fragile this all is.  Some horses might already get not unharmed out of the transport phase.  What will for sure hurt and believe me that then the equestrian will suffer as well.

One of the best passages I ever read about horses and people also comes from 'The Horse Whisperer' by Nicolas Evans:
"If you want the horse to do something you begin by letting the horse know it is okay to be a horse. Not your version of what you think you need. It is about understanding who you are and respecting your place with one another.  To have that kind of acceptance requires a certain degree of spirtuality.",
(said by the character Tom Booker)
I am pretty sure that many horselovers are fully aware of what this means.  The energiefield that gets activated between a rider and horse is not always visible to the untrained eye of the audience. But I am sure that the Olympic riders who are now preparing their teammates know what Tom Booker tries to tell us.   

So ladies and gentleman, Stallie is putting all her fictional fortune on these Olympic Belgian horses by names of: Dunkas-A, Cyrano, Gazelle de Brasserie, Nepal du Sudre, Donnerfee, Lully de Aulnes, Valentina Van 't Heike, Bufero van het Panishof, Cadjanine Z and for sure Vigo d' Arsouilles, the world champ jumping who will retire after these London Olympic Games.  (If I have forgotten someone, then please forgive me!)

In case you have managed to obtain Olympic tickets have a great time!  I do envy you and for sure if it are tickets to see some of the above horses in action.   Wasn't it after all an Englishman who once made an English king, Richard III say:'My kingdom for a horse.'? Well, Shakespeare would for sure be hanging out at Greenwich Park in Olympic London.  Still, in these Olympic times this sentence won't be used ironically because in order to reach for the Olympic dream the horse is essential!   Good luck, Belgian riders and enjoy the Olympic ride!  You will be cheered on by Zeus and you beloved team mate with a saddle will have Pegasus! What an Olympic combo!

And take a deep look into the eyes of the horse here above. You might be starring into the eyes of an Olympic athlete!

P.S.: Also get well soon to Mensa G, the horse of Olympic horse rider Carl Bouckaert who did get injured during the transport to London! Let them take good care of him at the Olympic stables! 

 Because my love for horses can't be just 'framed' in one clip I post here two:

1. My favorite scene of 'The Horse Whisperer'.   That Robert Redford got to play 'Tom Booker' made me just smile. Plus I do like the character Annie in this one also a great deal.  She finally finds her way back to her own 'stable' with the help of the mysterious horse whisperer.





2. Yes, I dare to admit it here openly that I sometimes even sit down to watch 'Amika'. And I do sing these songs along as well.

What A Difference A Day Made

'Oh, what a difference a day can make.', I did think last night when I was driving home after spending a day with my family. Not just a day! No, it was perhaps the first day of Summer in Belgium.  That I got to spend it with my family was in a way a last minute decission but sometimes these kind of decissions can turn a day into a special day.

I am going to be a bit selfish and not sharing you word by word what I did experience yesterday.  Because in a way it was a very intense, emotional, sunny, delightful, sweet, memorable, fun, warm, bubbling and many more emotions to describe the first day of Summer. 

Instead I am going to share a few images, words & music to get the message across about a day  that  wish to bottle up and uncork when I am in need of something to cheer me up on a rainy day! This was one of such days fit to end up in a bottle of Dom Pérignon!  And for the moment I am very grateful for what I have been given.  Even more when I get to spend that split second in the sun! 

By means of words:

"Tinkling wind chimes
Soaring kites
Scenes of Summer
Long, balmy nights
Aircraft against blue sky
Vapour trail writing
Lawn mowers buzzing
Barbecue lighting
Fun bouncy castles
Families out biking
Backpacks on
Walking and hiking
Splishing and splashing
Paddling pool or beach
Summer fruit tasting
Berries, kiwi and peach
Ice cream and soda
Picnics by streams
A slow game of cricket
On small village greens
A punt on the river
Or sail out to sea
Windsurf or kitesurf
Happy Summer Days for free. "

(Pauline Oliver)

By means of a picture of my beloved godchild Ella:

'ALICE AND THE CHESHIRE CAT'

By the means of music:

Where Is My Summer Mind?

While I am typing this entry I am under a duvet! Not kidding! I am longing for hot coco with marshmellows and perhaps even relocating the Stroh-rum to chase the cold away.  It does not help to watch tonight Tour de France journal 'Vive le Vélo' where the French sun is setting in the back. Because the closest I get to a bit of some Summer spices is filling up my bath with Lavender foam bath of L'Occitane.  And these I call rather desperate measures.
Today I am trying to come to terms with the fact that this Summer is just wet and that I mostly will need to wear not only waterproof mascara but also should opt for Wellies instead of my sunny looking sandals.  Have even postphoned buying a bikini because let us be honest when am I ever going to wear that kind of outfit?
Okay, water is in the 21st century considered rather valuable and there will be armed conflicts to get a bucket full of this fluid.  So in a way I should feel like a multi miljonair when I am looking out of the window.  But at this time I feel like I am ambushed in my own house.  Yes, I am going through the annual Summer hibernation phase! Which I hate  because my head feels then as it is filled up with cotton balls and I tend to change into a  zombie.
In the morning I wake up like I have not slept at all.  My eyes feel heavy and I hardly seem to find the way into the bathroom without tripping over some shoes or walking into a door.  Next I am so surprised to meet up with the person in there.  'Are you sure that you are the same person as last night?  I am sure that yesterday that wrinkle here and that dark circle there, weren't there yet.  What kind of magic do you know that I just did not know the existence of?'  And then I decide it is time to get the lid of of an other gigantic pot of anti wrinkle cream.
By the time I find the coffee machine, that is if I don't forget to fill up the water tank before hitting the big cup-button I am totaly convinced that the only spot that I want to hang out is my bed.  My mind is in a constant fight about waking up or not.  The caffeine-shot that I then fire into my system sometimes seems useless and this despite the 'by all means' very fitting  George Clooney mug I bought to go along with this routine.  My hair is then already telling me that it will be useless to book that family photoshoot you have already visions about for years.
I then kind of feel like there is conspiracy going on against me fighting back the Summer blues.  I hate them because I know exactly what they feel like and where they will take me.  It is a place I hate hanging out at.
Not that I don't try to fight back. The week of teaching Summer school was a way of trying to fool my body.  'This time you just won't find your way in!  Even after 10 months I can still can go very strong.', I tried to tell my mental system.   That we even planned this year the Summer fun park trip rather early on was also part of the grand escape route.
Stallie her body system in Summer mode is very hard to fool because I now even have the impression that it is hitting back big time.  If I just give in it takes me there were my mind races and at the same time makes lethal collisions take place and then I just feel like I am drugged.  I am numb and I could walk around in my Jane Austen PYs most of the day but but hardly believe in Mr Darcy anymore.  All the mindfullness I have parked in the long term parking of national airport and my multi vitamin complex tablet  with the very promising name 'Activate' seems to be a placebo.  Pretty sure that Shakespeare would prescribe 'The Tempest' instead of A 'Midsummer Night's Dream' to me if he would come across me in such a state.

But against all odds I keep on trying to fight back by many ways:
- reading the grand selection of books Nicola's Bookclub put on her Summer menu.
- playing the physics game by the lovely name 'Amazing Alex' on my iPhone.
- eating bowls of yoghurt ice-cream with Summer berries and rasperries and making it a bit more decadent with whipped cream on top.
- ironing filled up to the brim laundry baskets with blue shirts and watching Harry Potter movies
- popping an extra bag of popcorn in my microwave and sharing it with two beloved home boys.
- stopping by at the bakery for an extra croissant or pain au chocolae
- saying goodbye to tons of papers that are part of my old professional life and once more see the color of my table top of my office furniture. 
- extreme long phonecalls with friends who were tempted to order flowers.
- paying a former colleagues a visit (including the scenery route, still no GPS) for lunch & strawberry pie for dessert and just talk for hours.
- singing totaly off-key in your car and this includes and move along when standing still in front of red traffic lights.  No, I do not care that the driver next to me thinks I am insane.  Madonna her 'Holiday' song I play over and over like one of these self instruction tapes. 
- going to the movies by myself for latest Woody Allen that takes you to Rome and makes you fall in love with Italy even more and discover that Alec Baldwin does not always need to show his breast hair in order to act decent.



- jump in your car to have a lovely cupcake with a gigantic homemade lemonade in the 'Nothing Hill'-like corner of Brussels and this in great company.
- take your friend out for her first dinner date on a weekday since she gave birth and her lovely kid can almost walk to the fridge now!
- crash on the sofa in the company of a gigantic bag of crisps and not feeling guilty about the calorie intake.
- playing in the morning Italian, German and French songs to chase away those very gloomy and dark mind showers. Yes, picture me moving along in our rather small bathroom.  Yes, I then end up having some more blue spots at the end of this gym session.  But then I dive into my fridge for a tropical orange juice and even prefer an iced coffee above a warm cappucino.



- letting my son A imitate Mr Bean and LOL so loud that he even is startled by the effect of it.
- trying to follow the travel itenaries many friends have given me before they took off to exotic places like Capri, Aix de Provence, Costa del Sol, Mexico City, Noosa (Australia), Sankt Moritz and trying to be very happy for them that they get to have a great time out there on our amazing blue planet while I just once more am able to destroy an umbrella in a record time of 3 days  and walk into a door and create tons of extra blue marks on my body.  These marks are for the moment  the closest my mind and body can get to the color of the tropical sky I am after.  But hey, I am not giving up yet!

The Lego-memories

 
 For the moment my son is putting an other box of Lego together. It is one that is considered for 14+ and that looks rather complicated.  So the Lego-force is still strong in this 8 year old one and also the 41 old inhouse doc who is asisting him. Sadly to state is this the last box of the Lego booty he put himself together while being over in Legoland, Germany last week.  A and Lego that is like a magic combo and a few weeks ago we finaly managed to get into a car and head for that one spot where most things are made of Lego and where shops are filled up with bricks.

Not that I was in the best mood ever for such a fun trip because right before take of my stomach decided that it wished to host some less nice behaving bugs.  So this mum had to get into a car for over a 600km ride feeling rather lousy.  I can tell you that my closest companions during that trip was a bucket and a can of coke.  Bet that our driver M was glad that I kept the content of my stomach inside of me untill we arrived safely to Lego-Kingdom.

In case you wonder if this is a worth while travel destination because let us ladies face it how in the world can a Lego-brick entertain you for over a day?  Well,  let me try to convince you to book a few days of construction fun:

- First of all is it the scenery route you get to take.  More then once I got to lay my eyes on some wonderful landscapes.  So if you own a blue Alfa Romeo Spider with leather seats take the roof down and you will have the best ride ever.  We did spice up our ride with some oldies like 'Top Gun Anthem' or some French chansons by pop-queen Myléne Farmer. 
- It might not be Disneyland but this also means that for once 'It is a small world' won't get stuck in your head.  There is music but it is more background music.  The one that your ears can pick up while standing in line for the 'Flying Ninjago' makes you almost go into a state of zen.  You might even fall asleep while flying 22m above the ground and trying to make sommersaults.
- You get to meet up with sharks and clown fish in the Atlantis underwater world experience and when you then show the pics of the sea star you were allowed to touch people will wonder if that this made up out of Lego-bricks. 'What do you think?', is then perhaps the best ever response.
-Signing up for Lego-academy is putting together something challenging.  Nope, these are not the designs that you might have found in a box of bricks you own.  Nope, here you get to program or put together a design that Einstein has given his blessing of.  The smiles your kid will produce when one of the Lego-instructors hands over their diploma you will never forget.
-It is one of these spots on earth where the shops mostly attract men.  This time it was A who got to spend a fortune on souvenirs.  The booty he did drag home was gigantic.  I had to settle for cool icecube forms, a Princess Leila keychain and a tiny purple make-up bag from their girls line 'Friends'.
- You get to sleep in a room that is just breathing Lego all over  and trust me it will be quite different to any room you had before.  I am not just talking about the box of Lego you will find in the room to keep the small ones entertained. The doorstop is just the start of some amazing interior Lego-designs.
- Food is serious business in Lego-land.  No, it is not just about hamburger and fries. If you feel like having something more Asian or a some Bratwurst with a giant mug of German beer it is possible.   The kids their favorite foodplace was  the Dino Grill.  Don't worry you won't find T-Rex spare ribs on the menu but a nice selection of food to fill up your hungry stomach and also the best sparkling water of the whole parc.  M&I even asked for a 2nd bottle and did compliment them about this choice. Yes, after a few days in Legoland the taste of water becomes important!  And then there are the buffets!  Ladies, just skip the soup, the salad and main dish and move directly on to the Kaiserschmarren or Krapfen.  DESSERT heaven!  I can tell you that I did curse my stomach bug more then once on this trip. Fortunately did my travel companion M eat for two when it came down to the sweet delights!
- You can buy, write and mail postcards from this cool spot on earth.  And I still consider postcards a bit more special then sending out a Tweet or posting a pic on Facebook.   Just make that effort and many of your friends can then show off to their house guests that they own a post card of Legoland. 
- In the world of Lego transportation matters greatly and some rides are rather fast.  You can opt for a slow scenery ride through the woods on horse back, a smooth cano cruise through the jungle or being a test driver on Project X.  If you want to make sure that you get home safely then first make a pit stopp at the Legoland Driving school but then you need to be prepared to sit in class for some serious instructions.
- The force is strong in Legoland since Star Wars found their way in.  You will encounter the whole Star Wars gang and even being able to pose with Darth Vader and R2D2 if you wish.  And in one of the stores you will find tons of Skywalker inspired brick fun.   
- You get seriously wet in Legoland! You will try to avoid it but chances are likely that sooner or later you will get soaked.  Especially when you decide to board for Captain Nick's Splash Battle.  Just give in to the water.  Don't try to hide from the splashes and LOL!  I can tell you that the sheer laughter I did produce was for sure sincere.  But it is quite a comfort to know that at the end of the battle there is a solution. No, Stallie did not have to walk around all day grumpy because of wet jeans.  Picture here some gigantic hair blowers and all you need is a coin to make it work.  It is one of the rather suprising attractions that are not mentioned in the guidebook but worth to pay a visit. Great Kodak-moment.
-  Friendly staff who tries to please you.  From the moment we arrived till we drove home we got to meet sincerly nice people.  Not just the waiter but every single person we met was friendly.  No, it did not sound fake at all.  
- It seems on paper rather not a big place to hang out at but believe me you can get lost there! Because in the era where we are getting used to having a GPS you tend to forget what direction to walk when you are searching for a certain ride that you saw this morning. M hanging out with you without a GPS is already a funride! ;-)
- Being able to buy Lego bricks by the piece.  I can tell you that here A just went insane and did try to play tricks on the sales assistant.   You also can put together your personalized Lego-figurine to take home or as a gift.  We tried to put P together but in the Lego-world curls do not exist!

Okay, I was not the most pleasant sport on this trip because I got to spend quite some time in the tiniest room of all in Legoland.  My sense of humor was also not always there and do regret that now but I know for sure that my son A had the best time ever.

So thank you M for taking us there and putting up with a Stallie in a less nice state of health!  And you did a great job getting out of the way of all of these Audi's who seem to own the 'Autobahn'.   A big hand of applause also to Lego-fan/mate M who did manage to keep up with A once more for a few days.
Also a very big thank you to the Danish carpenter Ole Kirk Christiansen who decided that due to the economic crises of the '30 he had to downsize!  The force of such a tiny brick is still going strong.  Here at this house we keep up his moto 'Leg Godt' proudly but Ole, it still hurts when I put my bare foot down on one of them!  ;-)

 

P.S.: M, I have to admit that you have the talent to crack me up in the most stressful situations and that parody you came up was just so insane for words but it has got potential.  Plus the choreography we did on this song while in standing still in that gigantic traffic jam driving home  I will never forget. Also that serious looking driver next to your car! LOL  You rock!  And the love many men have going on with Lego goes along very fitting with these lyrics.






 Note: We did visit Legoland Deutschland.  There are already a few others to visit.  More info you can find here.  And no, there are not all the same! So Lego-addicts get a Lego-passport and start to travel the Lego-world:  
http://www.legoland.de
or if you rather wish to combine it with a Royal touch or flavor of some Earl Grey tea:
http://www.legoland.co.uk/
or if you only want to settle for the original box:
http://www.legolandholidays.dk/engelsk/?gclid=CJ_Ds6y5m7ECFSgntAodiE4lQA
or if you wish to go totaly insane and combine it with some other funparks:
http://florida.legoland.com/

Summer School is out!

Summer school is out!!!! Yesterday I signed about 100 certificates for boys in football shorts who I did manage (I hope so) to teach a few English words or Dutch.  In a way this was the best way to make the transition between my 'old' and 'new' professional life.  Because I got to spend 5 days in my new professional habitat and this close to my boss S, whose shadow I am going to be.   So for once it was me who had to get out of bed early and had to make sure that P wasn't waking up because of the noise that the electric toothbrush produces.
Highlights of this summer school experience:

-I had fun entertaining the demanding football boys and some of them did surprise me.  Especialy the 16 year old ones.  Hard core teenage boys who I kind of assumed to boycot my classes.  But they did not.  Their level of English even surprised me and we were able to have even very long class discussions. 
-The demanding 9 year old ones who were harder to teach because the weather conditions also affect your class atmosphere.  Because for the moment we rather are dealing with showers, wind, and puddles did my younger pupils consider the classroom as a cool hangout place to show their circus-talent.
-I met up with some very talented boys whose ball-skills are just breath taking and who can kick a ball in a way that you are tempted to never kick an other ball in your life.
-I got to hang out with kids who love the green pit above all and who consider the shirt of Barca of Chelsea as their most valuable possession.  I did run through the rain with teenagers who did not once complain once about the wet weather. They just seem to deal with it in a very mature way.
- Was welcomed by some nice coaches who did find the way to my heart with lovely tasting Danish and a kiss.
- Supervised lunch when I got to observe some loud kids who seem still to have a love&hate relationship with veggies.  And that I still need to spend more time with the Japanese mothers next to baseball field because I still suck at basic Japanese vocab.
- Learning something about the rather abusve body language hooligans use and being even impressed that your pupils know some legends.  I bet that you did not know that 'the finger' is connected to the battle of Agincourt.  One of my football boys was able to reproduce this legend and tell it to class in English.  I just sat there and was amazed who mature he did and that his mates did listen and not once showed their finger when he did ask for attention.  
- Danced and sang in front of kids who gave me suspicious looks but this seems to be part of the job I did sign up for and so Stallie did show some of salsa-moves.  No, there are not live images recorded of this performance.  What a shame, you might think!  Well, I don't because I can tell you that 45 boys starring at you like you come from Mars make you wonder if this was such a good idea after all.
- Letting some boys beat me at playing 'Bop it' and seeing the 'competetive edge' show up in their eyes.  Their record still stands!  They tried to teach me how to play poker but I told them that this is a skill only a pro-football player will need to manage when he has got a fortune to spill. 
- Finding out that kids in my new school get to write till 6th grade with pencil only.  I did not find one pen in my classroom.  
- That there are kids who manage to only drink water between 9 am and 4 pm and consider their waterbottle as their best mate.  Not one single coke-can did I spot during this camp.
- Analyzing lyrics from the Hot Chili Peppers and finding out that 16 year old ones still appreciate a song with a deeper meaning.  But I did consider 'Blow my whistle' a less fitting choice.  'I don't think this is a song about the whistle of the referee.'
- Trying to figure out what boys are on the field the 'talented' ones and then finding out that it already shows in their attitude in class.  Yes, there was a little boy who is considered fit to become a pro.  But would you be able at the age of 9 make up your mind about the rest of your life?  For now he seemed to be enjoying his ability to kick a ball in the right way.   His name will stick with me for a very long time and if he does I will cheer for him.
- Being very surprised by some of the oneliners these kids produce.  'I don't like teamspirit!', made me wonder what this kid was going to do out there on the field.  
- Getting to know my boss S, who is a a very sparkling personality.  Who is not your ordinary teacher and not afraid of trying out something less forward.   Her singing abilities are so much better then mine and she is a fighter.  Fast very fast she is and she would be a great mental coach for the Belgian Olympic team. 
- I also picked up some facts and vocab about football that perhaps will make score better when I go out during happy hour. 
- Witnessed some boys crying!   Big boys do cry when it involves a round flying object and they have to face bruises or painful muscles. That we had physiotherapist close by did seem to come in handy the longer the week lasted. 
- That in football numbers matter greatly and that these boys are very superstious.  Not that they will admit it! Plus routines also matter.   Autism and football that is perhaps an unknow field of expertise but I can tell you that some these boys just seem to be programmed to do a few things and all the others they panic about.
- Spotting a 9 year old one with a Twilight Breaking Dawn, part I red wrist band while he ran out of the locker room .  I bet he would love to have the speed of Edward when he is out there trying to run after that leather object.  It made me smile and this time I did not make a remark about it because he might have been given this by a WAG and I did not want to create any tabloid headlines.  But let me put this way that it still amazes me where I meet up with 'Twilight'!  The football pitch is so far the most surprising spot.  After all the Cullens prefer playing baseball to football!

To end some nice words by others:

" Football is all very well as a game for rough girls but is hardly suitable for delicate boys." (Oscar Wilde)

"Football is the ballet of the masses.' (Dimitri Shostakovich)

And because from September on I will be basically teaching on English territory this is I guess the only correct clip to go along with this entry:

My Teacher's Heart

The emotional ride has still not reached the finish line and yesterday I even made a terrifying looping.  The thrills most people get out that action made me tremble with fear. Okay, it is very clear now where we heading for. Many questions have been answered but and in a way I am trying very hard to come to terms what changes will take place the coming few months in my life. Change that I bascially wanted and created myself but also will be very unpredictable.

I know, I can be so unpredictable myself!  It is like I am having a constant fight going on in my mind about how I am supposed to be feeling.  The one moment I feel quite happy and the next I am about to collapse.  Okay, saying goodbye to a place where I have been 'living' during office hours and beyond is not easy.   Ever since my college graduation I did work there and I gave my very best.  It became also more then just my work spot because it was also the building where many people are who I now consider not just co-workers.  They became 'home'!

Many have asked me why I am leaving, what has made me decided to go for something totally different.  Yes, I did make that list many of people will advice you to write down in order to visualize the advantages and disadvantages. Not that I had not made that one before but this time I took a very good look at what I had put down black on white.   Plus suddenly there was that open window of opportunity that I just could not ignore.

The thing is that my life for the moment is rather complicated. It is not straight forward.  The script and the lines that I have to learn by hard are not that easy and even cause me heartache and certain doubts.  That I then drag along a Kleenex box might not come to a surprise but chances are that I might only cry once I get into my car.   My car, my little car where I spend so much time.  The spot that is not spotless and have to put up with Stallie her rather chaotic state of mind.  It is also that car that kind of helped me to make up my mind about changing directions.

But I have to admit that I am leaving something behind that has shaped me.  13,5 years ago I did enter a school building that kind of scared me. I mean the moment that I pulled down the black board tiny little pieces of ceiling came down.  The student teacher that I was at the time had then not the intention to hang around in that place for a long time.  The idea that I had to face the worn out building made me doubt if that education had even been a good spot to hang out at.  But then I found out that a school building is in most cases just a piece of wrapping paper.  You need to peel of layer by layer to find out what is realy going on in there.

I fell in love with that tiny special ed school and I was so thrilled that I got my first job there.  That I had to commute daily I did not even mind. Because I felt that it was the right place for me as young teacher to work.  And suddenly the worn down building even started to vanish and when I then told strangers about the place where I was teaching I told stories about the inspiring pupils and great co-workers I got to hang out with.

That special ed school has given me so much! Yes, it kept me awake and it caused me reflux, stress and at times I even got upset and angry because I just did not totaly did agree with the way things were dealt with.  It was a spot where Stallie met up with her herself.  Where she had to push herself in order to let others use their talents wisely.  Not that I had to do all that work by myself.  No the last 14 years I had the honor to make acquantainces with some great educational minds. People that had decided that teaching was also their thing and that they wanted give those special ed kids the best education they deserved.

In 14 years many things did change.  I have seen many pupils and teacher come and go.  I also have seen a building being torn down and moving boxes dragged into a brand new building.  On top of that I got so many opportunities to find out what kind of teacher I wish to be.  I will be honest that if I think of the place where I work that I then do not visualize my own classroom but instead I then think of many faces.  Okay not all of them have become close friends of mine.  But most of them have proven that they are worthy to be called teacher.  And most of them also taught me something that I will for the rest of my life carry close to my heart.

Yes, I did make friends and some of them I am going to miss beyond words.  They were there when I did need a shoulder to rest my head on and some of them know many things of Stallie that only a few living souls know or will ever find out about me.   Some of these teachers became much more then people that I did discuss progress or downfalls of pupils with or ate cake with during the break. The millions of cup coffees that I got to drink in the mornings in the sometimes ice cold teacher lounge became part of my morning routine.   They did manage to survive the notorious morning moods that I can so openly show.   Many of these people were there when I did need a kindred spirit who still believes that it is worth to go against the stream and that many of us deserve many chances to get it right.

Stallie has been given so many opportunities to get it right and try out new things.  I am not able to put just down a few highlights that stand out.  Because every day I did hang out in that place did matter greatly.  Yes, it is that spot that got to meet up with the best and the worst of Stallie.  So yes, it was hard to drive through that gate without keeping my eyes dry. 
 
 The best way to end this rather hard to write entry is by telling (I am fully aware of the fact that I have mentioned this before but this has been a very crucial moment in my life!) you what a person once asked me 13 years ago when I had told him about my special ed studies.    He was sincerly interested but at the end of my monologue he looked me straight in the eyes and then said:'Sounds all very interesting but what did you learn from your pupils?'

It was that exact moment that it hit me that being a teacher means that you have to listen and observe constanly your audience.   Those awesome kids did teach me plenty of facts about life.   It is now that I feel ready to go back into wide open world and put to the test what I have been taught and put it into practice.

I want to find out that what I think that I have been preaching in one spot can work in a total different environment.  Because after all the proof of the pudding is in the eating.  I just change now after almost for 14 years of the special ed menu to the more selective menu.  But I hope that I can add some of my approved-by-extremely-critical-food-critics/pupils-dishes to their haute cuisine because they deserve to get the three star treatment.

So goodbye SJH!!!!  You for sure shaped my educational heart!

 P.S.: I added this link to a story that I got to read this morning. Agreeing with most of the content of this story because I have felt or feel sometimes like I am in a strange land as a teacher. Not that I am leaving the classroom I just need a different classroom to get back into the shape I wish to be.
Not Another "Why I Left the Classroom" Story - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher







   

Facing Fate

I have been not out here for over a month! That is a personal record.  Not that I have not tried to compose an entry but after 10 lines I decided mostly to give into something else then the urge to write.  It was like my mind was triggered by the sound of my keyboard and tried to tell me that there were other things of a more urgent matter.

So what has Stallie been up to then?  Uhm, do you have more then a minute to spare because this then might end up in the longest entry I did ever wrote....  Getting the picture?  Basically I have been out living my life.  Easy pie, we all basically do the same: you get up in the mornings, take a good look in the mirror, grab some breakfast and then jump in the rat race that daily life brings along.
The fact is that this rat race in my case decided that it is time for a major ride in an emotional roller coaster.

I am not a big fan rides as such but I do not get them out the way either.  A few weeks ago I even did embark one such ride at the theme park Walibi.  I did scream my lungs out.  The butterflies that were filling up my stomach made me become very aware that enjoying such a ride does take practice.  Stallie could still not manage to open up her eyes and face the road ahead of her.   That she was sitting next a very caring colleague, who I fully trust ,did even not seem to make the difference.  Did I give up after one ride?  Nope?  I went back in, but once again I kept my eyes firmly closed.

For the last 2 years I have been actively trying to figure out what I want to get out of my life-ride and what changes or perhaps even sacrifices I am willingly to make in order to obtain them.  I can tell you that I have been many times at my dark side.  The side were I keep my eyes wide shut and even start to question every single decision I have made.  My little devil then is dancing around on my left shoulder and having a ball!

Of course there are for the moment extreme forces at work in my life.  The Gods have decided that I have to experience a death ride in order to come to a full stop.  So the mental highlights are closely followed up by rather down moments. Believe me, I do have tons of things that I wish to be extremely happy about.  I feel very blessed for the moment.  Because I finaly did something that I have been longing for since a very long time.  Still I can't believe that that time arrived.

In my fridge there is still a very nice bottle of that divine drink, that I adore so much, parked to celebrate that extremely special moment.  I still seem not having been able to crack it.  Someting is holding me back.   Believe me I would love so much to jump up and down for joy but it just does not feel that right.  At least not at the present moment. 

One look at the headlines of today's newspapers adds up to that feeling.  The Greecs have decided that they still wish to be part the European Union despite the fact that their economy is in a ruined state and this even more than the Parthenon!  Or what to think about the Dutch National football team that did not manage to win one single game at the Euro 2012 tournement?  These guys went out there considered as serious throphy contenders.  After all they are the vice-world champs!  So what could possible get in their way?  Well, it seems that a lot was, because their luxery team buss will be leaving for the airport to embark the economy (?) flight back home.  This time their homecoming will be a less cheerful.  In the press it says that Pandora's box is about to be opened up.  I bet that it will be a very quiet flight home.

What happened that suddenly an extremely well functioning team seems to be on an exciting and cheerful roller coaster ride and that they then suddenly shut firmly their eyes?  I mean those 11 players once were considered almost Gods.  They showed us a game that many teams in the world would go down on their knees for and thank the Gods.  No egos on the green carpet but a well functioning team that believed in a common target.

It is perhaps a bit too far fetched but in my honest and humle opinion, beware I am only a mortal soul, the present state of the European Union ressembles in many ways the mental state in which I am trying to function and also the state of National Dutch football team.  It must be so painful to face the consequences of some decisions the coach and the EU-politicians made in the past.  So what can do about it?

I have to be honest that I don't have clue.  Okay in the case of the Dutch team you can what most national teams seem to do: blame the coach and kick him out.  You then don't need to take personal responsibilty and perhaps never having to admit that you made some mistakes yourself.  The easy way out!  In the case of the Greecs we could also kick them out because after all they seem not having kept their state finances healthy so that we can keep on believing in a strong European democracy where we all can benefit of.   But is this what we truly want to happen?  Is there an other way out of these crises?  Uhm, very hard to say so....only time might tell us what the Gods have got in store for us. 

Stallie is a very strong believer in fate.  I have got some very good reasons to do so.  Yes, I picture up there three ladies sitting next to Zeus and trying to figure out where each of us is heading for.  The Moira they are called by the Greecs.   The emotions they unleash can be very intense and they seem to have forgotten that we mortals do need  a break once in a while.  That they seem not to distribute booty in equal shares is of course in many their opinion not fair.  There are people who have been born under the right sky others face from the start tempests and hurricanes.  The odds seem always in favor of others or the ones who seem to have been able to unveil the secret of constant good luck!   Very frustrating at times to see always the same people who are having a very easy time to tackle their opponents and score one goal after the other.

I wish that I could figure out what the Moira have in store for human kind or even for me.  What I do know is that we all need to do once in a while is to let go and let things go their course.  I still suck at this. Yes, I keep on trying and this year I finaly managed to make a major change on my very own forces.  I rolled the dice and hoped that the odds were for once in my favor.

That I do now face the consequences of this winning outcome but also have to face the outcome of some less favorable numbers people threw is hard.  For the moment I am torn apart.  The order the universe is showing me does not make sense at all!  It is like I am spinning out of control and that my cart is about to derail.  And the harder I try to shut my eyes close the more speed I am picking up.  The thing is that the one split second I did dare to open up my eyes I did suddenly did see things very clear.  I then scored that one life changing goal.

Yes, I feel for the moment like Van der Vaart who yesterday did score for the Dutch team but in the end he is on the same flight home as the rest of his team.  His personal fate is after all linked to personal fate of others! Because last night the Moira decided that it was someone else his moment of glory.  Yesterday, Cristiano Ronaldo was granted his moment of glory.  He did twice kick that ball into the right corner.  He even seem to have time to spare during half time for a visit to the hairdresser.

The Portuguese captain even seem to fool us by taking a different position on the field.  The 'enfant terrible' who even dares to show a finger and tell the Gods up there to shut up and let him kick that ball the way he prefers.  He was the kid to crush the Orange dream to pieces.  Last night he was in perfect balance and he did let go everything because there is always that one split second that a football player has to keep his eyes white open to face the consequences of his kick.

Last night Ronaldo let the 3 Greec ladies sing their verse but he was having a ball! Perhaps he has finally figured out how to sing along with Lachesis,who sings about  the things that were, Clotho, who sings about the things that are, and Atropos who sings about the things that are to be.  Even if it means that he once in a while you will have to sing off key.   He just never takes his eyes of the 'score' and that score he helped to create with his eyes fully open!!!

Perhaps I am more after the Ronaldo attitude for the moment because I do wish to put up that finger and show many that I against all odds did manage to pursue my dreams.  But for the moment it seems still too early because Atropos and Clotho are having a major argument up there on Olympos.  Please make up your mind soon and this with Godspeed.  I can assure you that for the moment I have got my eyes for the moment wide open!  
 
P.S.: And yes a visit to the hairdresser does make a difference.  I can now say so!  Because for once I did have my hair done before a life changing event!  So watch those heads closely they tell you more then a team analysis on paper!