Monthly Archives: October 2015

Boo! Happy Halloween!

Posted on October 31, 2015 by maryannniemczura

  Growing up in rural Western Massachusetts, I recall my father raking the leaves into huge piles in late fall and good-naturedly allowing us to jump into the piles. With rosy red cheeks, we went into the kitchen to get … Continue reading →

Posted in colors, Fall, Halloween, leaves, Massachusetts, soups | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

My Legacy

Posted on October 24, 2015 by maryannniemczura

Our legacies are passed down from one generation to another. The world is connected by stories, memories, traditions, dreams and hopes. Waxing philosophical I reflect on the legacies of my parents, grandparents, and other family members. What have I learned … Continue reading →

Posted in family, Goethe, languages, legacy, letters, memoir: A Past Worth Telling, music, teaching German | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

It Seems Only Yesterday

Posted on October 17, 2015 by maryannniemczura

Knowing more than one language is good for mental health. It is one of the side benefits that all language teachers are aware of. Both our spiritual and cultural well-being are affected. Being cognizant of other languages empowers us to … Continue reading →

Posted in bilingual brain, butterflies, creativity, death and dying, language teachers, multilingualism, rainbows, remembering, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Eyes in the Back of my Head

Posted on October 10, 2015 by maryannniemczura

Young children sometimes think their parents and teachers have a super power, a way of knowing and seeing things even when their backs are turned. Using humor, they explain to children that they have these eyes in the back of … Continue reading →

Posted in children, eyes in the back of the head, laughter, medicine, parents, schools in Germany, teachers | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

The German Teacher

Posted on October 3, 2015 by maryannniemczura

My first glimpse of the Berlin Wall happened on a cold, windy, snowy day in March 1964. Some 25 years later, the Wall came down. My first Fulbright year in Germany as an exchange teacher was in a small town … Continue reading →

Posted in Berlin Wall, Brandenburg Gate, Day of German Unity, Neresheim, October 3 1990, Schweindorf | Tagged , , , , , , | 12 Comments