Category Archives: life lessons

Lessons Learned the Hard Way!

Posted on February 7, 2020 by maryannniemczura

Can we have our cake and eat it too? Recalling my student days in Heidelberg, I recall wearing skinny pointy-toed high heels with my slim pencil skirts. In the Heidelberg winter months, I wore rain coats, carried an umbrella in … Continue reading →

Posted in education, life lessons, trolley, umbrellas | Tagged Birkenstock sandals, boots, comfortable clothing and shoes, fashionable young folks, learning the hard way, raincoats, snow sneakers, umbrellas | 21 Comments

It’s All in the Detail!

Posted on November 14, 2015 by maryannniemczura

After waiting what seemed an inordinate amount of time, I phoned the roofers at lunch time. Imagine my surprise when they told me they had been to our house and had measured for the new roof to be installed! We … Continue reading →

Posted in attention, construction, corrections, details, example, failures, learning from mistakes, life lessons, roofers, teaching crativity | Tagged children, construction, creativity, details, example life lessons, learning process, mistakes in life, parents, paying attention, roofers, teaching tools | 2 Comments

Auf Wiedersehen, Until Next Time

Posted on May 30, 2015 by maryannniemczura

The German expression auf Wiedersehen seems less final than goodbye in English which implies forever or farewell. The German appears hopeful and means until we see one another again. At the conclusion of both Fulbright experiences in Germany, the Director … Continue reading →

Posted in auf Wiedersehen, education, educator, faith, German, life lessons, saying goodbyes, students, study abroad | Tagged anticipation, auf Wiedersehen, bittersweet moments, college, education, faith, German, Germany, going abroad, life's journey, nostalgia, remembering, saying goodbyes, students, study | 2 Comments

Nature Changes Clothes

Posted on April 4, 2015 by maryannniemczura

Snow fell along the lake this April morning as I walked and observed nature in its frozen glory. Birds above carried on conversations with one another. Lots of flooding and displaced ducks and geese tried to decide where to … Continue reading →

Posted in Central New York, life, life lessons, Musings, nature, reflections, snow, Upstate New York, weather, winter | Tagged anticipation, changes, changing seasons, colors, lake, life, nature, reflections, snow, spring, Upstate New York, walking, weather | 2 Comments

Childhood Freedom

Posted on March 14, 2015 by maryannniemczura

Recent media accounts of a couple in Maryland prompted me to write this week about the freedom and pleasure of childhood play. I was fortunate to start my early childhood years in rural Massachusetts in and around the Springfield, Palmer … Continue reading →

Posted in a stranger, childhood play, children, family, family stories, Fulbright Teacher, Germany, life lessons, life skills, Maryland parents, Massachusetts, Musings, Parents, rural America, school, schools in Germany, Sturbridge, Upstate New York | Tagged childhood, children, freedom, independence, life skills, Maryland parents, Massachusetts, parents, play, responsibility, trust | 2 Comments

How Learning German Changed My Life

Posted on March 7, 2015 by maryannniemczura

What do you consider most important in your life? Looking back, was there a single turning point in your life which made you who you are today? Probably, like most of us, life’s most eventful moments come in a series … Continue reading →

Posted in children, college education, customs in Germany, education, family, family stories, Foreign Language Learning, Free German University Study for American students, Fulbright Teacher Exchange, German culture, German language, Germany, global citizens, languages, life lessons, Parents, schools in Germany, Teacher, University of Colorado at Boulder, vocational education in Germany, world languages | Tagged college education, Colorado, family, flexible, German language, Germany, learning, open-minded, opportunities in life, teaching, tolerance, university study, vocational education in Germany, world languages | 7 Comments

Quick thinking…

Posted on January 24, 2015 by maryannniemczura

As part of being a teacher, parent and a mother, I have grown accustomed to “assuming blame” when something has been misplaced or heaven forbid moved somewhere such as sweaters or a sock. Even my husband claims he put in … Continue reading →

Posted in : Critical Thinking, languages, life lessons, Mother, parents, Problem Solving, Teaching, Thinking Outside the Box | Tagged children, German vs. English, humor, laundry basket, parents, problem solving, skills, teachers, teaching, tools | Leave a comment

Happy New Year 2015!

Posted on January 3, 2015 by maryannniemczura

A new year promises new beginnings and these things I wish for family and friends, both near and far away: health to enjoy your days in comfort love of family and friends beauty of nature and its changing wonders wisdom … Continue reading →

Posted in Andrew Deen, careers, Center for Creative Leadership, commitment, Dr. Jerome F. Melvin, education, family, friends, life lessons, love, New Year, People, Teaching | Tagged ability to delegate, ability to inspire, confidence, creativity, honesty, intuition, leaders, parents, positive attitude, role models, sense of humor, Superintendent of Schools | 2 Comments

2014 in review

Posted on December 31, 2014 by maryannniemczura

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog. Here’s an excerpt: A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 1,000 times in 2014. If it were a cable car, it … Continue reading →

Posted in About the book, family, life lessons, Nostalgia, People, Uncategorized | Tagged annual report, Colorado, family, friends, Germany, nostalgia, San Francisco cable car, stats helper monkeys | 2 Comments

The Importance of Friends

Posted on December 20, 2014 by maryannniemczura

It is at this time of year after Thanksgiving and before Christmas that we turn more to family and friends. We renew and form new traditions and rituals during this time. Students are home from college with new-found friends and … Continue reading →

Posted in Christmas Traditions, family, friends, life lessons, love, Thanksgiving, visits | Tagged a time for giving, Christmas, family, friends, Germany, New Year, Onondaga Lake Park, rituals, seasons | 6 Comments