Today was my last class, and I got everyone to stand up in front of the chalkboard so I could take their picture. I gave out my email address, and told everyone that they should come visit us in Atlanta. :)

Yesterday we were discussing how much school vacation students have in Germany and other countries, and it turns out that, of all the countries represented, American students have the least vacation. I remarked that we have our kids in school the longest, but have the worst education...which led to a public education discussion, so I got to talk about homeschooling. :) Many people said that in their countries it was illegal to teach your kids at home, but I wonder if they just have never heard of it and don't really know. Certainly a lot of people have that (false) impression in the US.

Wow, these classes have been so good for me. Some of my fellow students have been here a month, and, IMNSHO, I speak better German than they do...I'm wondering what I could do in a month. Damn. Anyway, in addition to needing to go back to work, I'm not sure how much longer I could stand to sleep in hot rooms on fluffy lead pillows; either I'd eventually get used to it, or else I'd fall asleep on the train one day and wake up in Vienna. Hm, not a bad choice either way.

Anyway anyway, we have train tickets to Füssen, and then tickets for the Ludwig Musical, "Sehnsucht nach dem Paradies," about the life of Ludwig II, who built all those castles. This looks amazing; the theater was built in the valley below Newschwannstein specifically the purpose of staging the show, and it's one of those opulent, extravagant type of things, with live horses on the stage, and a lake, and people flying about on wires and whatnot. Frankly, it could be about anything and I'd go to see it, just for the sumptuousness of the location and the performance.