Disconnected.

Well, it was the 100th time trying to unlock my beloved iPhone I brought from home and I think I just have to give in to the fact that I will never be "connected" here. It just keeps searching for the network while whispering "I hate you...I hate you..."

Exhibit A: My crappy phone that literally ONLY calls. 

And I hardly even remember how to text with those keys. 

Arrival home in July #1 goal (after burrito and sushi). New iPhone that actually works here because 

I AM DYING. 

Spring.

Well, I have to say that spring time BY FAR is my favorite season.

Especially in Europe...

The cafes and restaurants have started to put out their tables. People sit bundled up with provided blankets, it really isn't too cold, but snuggling is better.

They are cleaning out the long forgotten fountains preparing to turn them on in the squares.

There are now street vendors out selling little tourist wooden items and flowers out of old carts.

The musicians are playing classic tunes around the square.

The tourists are standing around the square with their maps and cameras.

The sun is out until well after we're home and I get to wear my sunglasses even to work in the morning.

Getting the kids dressed to go outside takes 15 minutes instead of 30 (haha).

And there are fresh flowers at your table for brunch.

Happy Spring from Bratislava!

My Import From Sweden.

My love Cassie came to visit me from Sweden on her way to a nerd convention in Austria. 

Best and shortest 2 night visit ever!

Miss you already friend.

She visited me at school and we walked around the river and castle...

And went to the CLUB...

Everyone, including me, is in LOVE with my new coat...

We got her dressed up...

Brunch out at my favorite restaurant here before she left me...

New room mate was our 3rd amigo for the lovely 2 days...

This Week in Bratislava...

My new presidential palace bus stop. 

Walks with the kids along the river. Castles. Pony riding behind old churches. 

R is for...

BIG NEWS.

Ok friends and family, BIG news.

This week my director offered me to extend my contract at the school until the December break. Then I would get paid for the summer and all of December even though I'd only work September until Christmas break. So lets see...6 months pay for 3 months of work? Definitely something to be considered. So after thinking about it all weekend and discussing it with the boy, we decided it made sense for me financially and career-wise for me to come home for the summer but back here for the fall term. I do have a break in October though...and will be convincing a certain someone to try and get his butt out here so I dont die of missing someone so much.

I am excited to get to work on developing our switch to the British curriculum though and further develop the Early Years program at my school. PLUS I am pretty much in LOVE with my new flat, room mate, city, and friends...so I think I could "suffer" through another few months of this.

Think I can handle a little more of this?

R is for...

This week we learned about the letter R and did such fun things! I wish you could see my class now, I've taught them to get their own chairs for learning time, many of them raise their hand before speaking, they all line up perfectly and quietly everyday, are quiet during story time, they know to do their handwriting sheet after the art activity everyday automatically and to put it into their boxes afterwards...I mean, we've whipped these little maniacs into shape!

Letter R fun...

R is for raccoon...

 R is for rock...

R is for rabbit...

Last week Q was for quilt too!

We painted rainbows in water colors and added little pots of gold to them on St. Patricks day too, but you will have to wait to see them until next week.

I LOVE my class:) 

Signs of Spring.

Bratislava is starting to blossom! Signs of spring are everywhere! And being that it is my first real spring anywhere (Socal doesnt have such foolishness such as varied weather), I am REALLY enjoying watching the change. Suddenly bushes have a few little red berries on them, dead looking trees have buds, grass is greener, flowers and bugs appear...its been amazing to see!

Some signs of spring...

St. Patricks day in Bratislava...

 A traditional Irish band played out in rain while we stood under the overhang drinking our beers and having a BLAST!

my new Bratislava bestie/roommate and me!

note my new gorgy red coat for Spring!

New Flat!!!

Hello dear friends and family from my NEW living room in my NEW flat!! I just snapped these really quick today to give you an idea of where I am living. If you need reminding, heres where I was living before. It was a very old and not updated place in the middle of nowhere, I could have made it work, but once I got my housing allowance figured out I was out of there!

I now live on a pedestrian only shopping zone above a French cafe...

This is the view from my balcony. The gate on the end is where I enter and exit, its also where you enter/exit for the French cafe below me. 

Welcome to my new home! Our entry way, the first door on the left is my room. The second door on the left leads to the living/kitchen area, and the door at the end is the toilet.

I just can't get over how cool this is, when someone wants to come in they buzz me and I can see their face on this thing and let them in. So cool!

Sneak peek into my room...the rest of my furniture comes next week so I am living out of suitcases right now and its just a mess...

The toilet room

Living room part 1...

Living room part 2...

The kitchen

To the left of the kitchen is my room mates room and the bathroom/washer...

After I took this in our entryway I laughed, "Oh Esther you look so Euro with your puff shouldered sweater, all black, and random gold scarf thing...hahaha" and then straight away afterwards I put on huge nerd glasses. Ridiculous!

So there you have it! I will try to take some more of my new neighborhood over the next week and the presidential palace I now live down the street from...teehee.

Now back to working from home on a Sunday, my new life..at least Im working from home in style now!

From Slovakia with LOVE!