Denmark Fishing Trip

Last weekend we drove up to the Denmark island of Fyn to go fishing. It is complicated and practically impossible for us to get a fishing license here in Germany because we are residents (tourists can get one however), but in Denmark you just have to buy a fishing license and kids under 18 can fish without one. We stayed in a little cottage on a vacation campground. We didn't catch anything (except that Molly snagged some seaweed that put up quite a fight in the current and seemed just like a fish at first), but it was nice to be able to fish openly and legally. We tried fishing for needlefish (which Europeans call garfish, but they are completely different from gars in America), sea trout (ocean going brown trout which can get very large), and fished some in the harbor with a flouder rig baited with herring. We were a bit too early for the needlefish. The saying around here is that when the rapeseed field bloom, the needlefish are biting, and we were just before that but couldn't go this weekend because of my job. Also, the kids got to watch a movie in English! (Movies are usually dubbed in German in Germany but are in their original language in Denmark.) And, a big highlight for me, because we were outside of Germany, V was able to drive the car for the first time and I got to ride in the passenger seat for a change!

School Volunteering

The school is operating with a skeleton crew now (with the headmaster barred from entering the school). The week before last there were only two teachers Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. On those days V volunteered by staying at the school during the day with the kids and helped out where she could. I did some extra driving after school to help shuttle some kids around between activities. (I tried practicing German with them, and having them practice some English while driving, which in general resulting in a lot of giggling.) This last week some other parents came forward and volunteered. The remaining teachers have a lot of pressure on them and I really appreciate how hard they are working to keep things going. The kids split into two groups, one group worked with horses for a few days while the other group made a film at the school. Most of the film was funny and light hearted but it did contain some "angst" sections with one of the teachers "fighting evil" and with WWII bombing references, which my son told me was because the kids were worried about what would happen with the school change.

Also, V saw/heard about some advertisements to hire new teachers that the occupation adults put out. Apparently they do not have anyone in place to take over teaching, and from what the headmaster said it can be difficult to find people to hire. So this transition may continue for a long time.