Soltau

die heidepark.

Growing up 25 minutes from Valleyfair and 10 minutes from the Mall of America made me kind of forget that going to an amusement park isn’t always a spontaneous weekend adventure. But to Berlin kids, they dream about going to the Heidepark – which ended up being about a five hour bus ride each way after taking into account a forty minute break.

So I had to be at the station at 6:15 – meaning that I had to leave my place at about 5:20 to get there on time. If you think that I can just sleep on the bus – you are just as mistaken as I was. Falling asleep on a double-decker bus full of high school students was not as easy as I anticipated. I mean, you would think they would themselves be tired for having to wake so god-forsaken early, but it turns out that the anticipation in having the opportunity to go so far outside Berlin to the Heidepark.

The bus ride didn’t go as slow as I anticipated, and interestingly enough I didn’t mind the fact I couldn’t fall asleep. The student next to me didn’t speak English very well, and at first he was pretty shy at trying to hold a conversation with me. But I started asking him for words in German, which ultimately lead to him writing the German and English words.  

(wait).... what?

you mean to tell me, that all of those dictations we spend so much time complaining about in school... can actually spontaneously pop up in real life?! No. Not possible.

FALSE.

Look, I'm not saying that this is proof that current instruction modes are the best, but I am saying let's not be so quick to dismiss the value of the seemingly torturous monotony of basic dictation that is so common in traditional classrooms. 

I think I've spent a lot of time dismissing traditions as only manufacturing models that don't resemble the world, before I even really stopped and looked at any potential. There's going to be a different post dedicated to this... actually, that's what my whole research project is becoming... 

so let me get back on track (ha, rollercoasters)

 It was a day full of walking, rides, and extreme exhaustion. If you think this led to a nap on the ride home.. you could not be more wrong. If it was impossible for me to sleep on the way to - it was equally against the laws of nature to even think about getting a drop of shut eye. Not that I would have wanted to miss what happened next...

the bus driver was the dj, and the students were the people. 

Maybe it was an hour in, or maybe two- but as soon as the beats got turned up... there was no return. The bus erupted in dancing, singing, and a cloud of happiness that was impossible to escape from. Yes, this bus was fall of kids who may not have graduated with the strongest guarantee of successful futures/educational opportunity - but this sort of trivial fact could do nothing to the soul of these kids.

In fact, I couldn't help but submerse myself in their dancing and singing. Because in that moment, it didn't seem so important that we couldn't communicate in the same language or hold the same value for education. These kids wanted to have fun, socialize, and enjoy their lives with one another. I'm not sure where the critical period is that seems to go askew... but I sure had a hell of a time learning how to sit back and enjoy the present moment with others.

I kind of started to get that cliche about happiness being the simple things.