I dreamt a few nights ago that two other Fulbright ETA's lost their apartments somehow in their respective cities/towns here in the Czech Republic. I met them at some conference and found that they had been forced to purchase houses here, leaving them in debt, and crown-less. I pitifully gave them each 50 crowns (about $2.50). I only had a few coins with me.
(Earlier in the day [before the dream] I had discussed renting and buying flats and homes in the Czech Republic.)
Friday, January 6, 2012
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Bad Teacher
My most frequent stress dreams are those in which I am a terrible teacher. I had a few of these over the Christmas holiday, likely because I was thinking of lessons I ought to be planning. One went as follows:
I was substituting for a teacher that I had in high school by the name of Tammy. She is a language arts teacher and she had great confidence in me. In my first lesson I collected exercises that the students had done. They had created literacy and ESL activities for the schools library to use. I spent way to much time going through the assignment, and felt guilty because I knew that I was just eating up class time rather than making the most profitable use of the time.
Frustrated and disappointed in myself, I decided to change the format and organization for the next class. We did some different activities including going through some scripts and doing theatre exercises. All in all, the lessons seemed a terrible mish-mash of lame attempts to fill time and kind of meet objectives. My guilt was compounded by the fact that I didn't think Tammy would believe me when I told her how terrible the lesson went; she just has too much confidence in me.
I was substituting for a teacher that I had in high school by the name of Tammy. She is a language arts teacher and she had great confidence in me. In my first lesson I collected exercises that the students had done. They had created literacy and ESL activities for the schools library to use. I spent way to much time going through the assignment, and felt guilty because I knew that I was just eating up class time rather than making the most profitable use of the time.
Frustrated and disappointed in myself, I decided to change the format and organization for the next class. We did some different activities including going through some scripts and doing theatre exercises. All in all, the lessons seemed a terrible mish-mash of lame attempts to fill time and kind of meet objectives. My guilt was compounded by the fact that I didn't think Tammy would believe me when I told her how terrible the lesson went; she just has too much confidence in me.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Crocodiles, China, and a mini-poodle
Last night, my dream began in some trail/forested area. It reminded me of the Green Belt Trail in Iowa. The path was quite wide, and at times we would see people driving their cars on the trail. After going into the thick of the wooded area, we somehow ended up on a mountain surrounded by a large bay. I had the feeling I was in the Czech Republic, though there were no cues for it to be the CZ. While we were on this high cliff, someone took a photo of Sarah K. (whom I went to China with in real life) doing a handstand near the edge of the cliff. I climbed down to where the photo was taken and realized she must have been bracing herself against some rusted iron stairs.
As I beheld the view before me I noticed that the bay was thick with crocodiles. I was quite surprised, for I had already swam in the bay myself. I saw a person swimming in the midst of the crocodiles. She had a baby crocodile or turtle (fake of course) strapped to her leg, and was using it to entice the crocodiles. When one pursued her, she deftly swam off without any injury.
Soon we were back in the forest which led to this bay. As we walked the path, my companions complained of the cars which often took the trail. The trail was large enough to accommodate a single car without any shoulder. Some cars and wagons came barreling through. Then some flashy red Camaro tried to whip itself around a curve in the gravel and ended up with its nose off the road and having to back up. The driver, a white-haired mid-life crisis man, was frustrated with the lacking agility of his vehicle.
After we left that location, the dream shifted and I was suddenly in China. It was like an airport of sorts, and there were restaurants and shops around. I also ran into some of my old African-American students there. I was with Czechs or people that I knew from the Czech and we were waiting to choose at which restaurant we would eat.
While we waited in a hotel room, someone gave me a present for my birthday. It was a black poodle-schnauzer mix (or something like--it had black curly hair floppy ears). Its ears were breaded--like řízek or chicken-fried steak. One of the girls was afraid she'd harmed him because she tried to eat his ears. I cleaned off his ears and gave him a bath. It was then as if I'd scrubbed him vigorously and his ears had come off. Then I realized his ears were merely cosmetic and could be pinned on. I was so overwhelmed by the puppy, and I didn't know how to express that I'd never wanted a puppy. I was worried about how I would train it, and how I would get the puppy through customs going back to the States. Moreover, the puppy didn't seem to like me very much. Finally, at the end of the dream, the dog came and nestled itself next to my sleeping form.
As I beheld the view before me I noticed that the bay was thick with crocodiles. I was quite surprised, for I had already swam in the bay myself. I saw a person swimming in the midst of the crocodiles. She had a baby crocodile or turtle (fake of course) strapped to her leg, and was using it to entice the crocodiles. When one pursued her, she deftly swam off without any injury.
Soon we were back in the forest which led to this bay. As we walked the path, my companions complained of the cars which often took the trail. The trail was large enough to accommodate a single car without any shoulder. Some cars and wagons came barreling through. Then some flashy red Camaro tried to whip itself around a curve in the gravel and ended up with its nose off the road and having to back up. The driver, a white-haired mid-life crisis man, was frustrated with the lacking agility of his vehicle.
After we left that location, the dream shifted and I was suddenly in China. It was like an airport of sorts, and there were restaurants and shops around. I also ran into some of my old African-American students there. I was with Czechs or people that I knew from the Czech and we were waiting to choose at which restaurant we would eat.
While we waited in a hotel room, someone gave me a present for my birthday. It was a black poodle-schnauzer mix (or something like--it had black curly hair floppy ears). Its ears were breaded--like řízek or chicken-fried steak. One of the girls was afraid she'd harmed him because she tried to eat his ears. I cleaned off his ears and gave him a bath. It was then as if I'd scrubbed him vigorously and his ears had come off. Then I realized his ears were merely cosmetic and could be pinned on. I was so overwhelmed by the puppy, and I didn't know how to express that I'd never wanted a puppy. I was worried about how I would train it, and how I would get the puppy through customs going back to the States. Moreover, the puppy didn't seem to like me very much. Finally, at the end of the dream, the dog came and nestled itself next to my sleeping form.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Umbrellicopter
Many people know my current Czech city for its historical smog. This association has apparently become very integrated with my own perception of the city as seen in the following dream . . .
In the dream, Minneapolis, MN was integrated with my current Czech city. Using an umbrella which functioned as a helicopter, I began to enter into Northeast Minneapolis from Brooklyn Park around 694. However, as I got closer to the city, the smog was unbearable and visibility was almost completely impossible. Moreover, the sky was dense with helicopter traffic. These were proper, enclosed helicopters and not merely umbrella helicopters. I was worried about potential accidents in the smog and decided to turn around. As I left the city, the sky quickly cleared up and I found myself over the lawn of some pleasant rural home. There were lovely tall trees which I had to carefully navigate under. I also saw my mother walking and I flew above her. I thought that it might be nice of me to write to her about my umbrella helicopter experience. I didn't have much control over my umbrellicopter, and I was thankful for the landing which I was finally granted.
In the dream, Minneapolis, MN was integrated with my current Czech city. Using an umbrella which functioned as a helicopter, I began to enter into Northeast Minneapolis from Brooklyn Park around 694. However, as I got closer to the city, the smog was unbearable and visibility was almost completely impossible. Moreover, the sky was dense with helicopter traffic. These were proper, enclosed helicopters and not merely umbrella helicopters. I was worried about potential accidents in the smog and decided to turn around. As I left the city, the sky quickly cleared up and I found myself over the lawn of some pleasant rural home. There were lovely tall trees which I had to carefully navigate under. I also saw my mother walking and I flew above her. I thought that it might be nice of me to write to her about my umbrella helicopter experience. I didn't have much control over my umbrellicopter, and I was thankful for the landing which I was finally granted.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Home Alone and the Bayou
In part of my dream last night, I was at some beach-side eatery with some friends. I have the feeling that it was owned by someone that I knew. At this eatery, I was just lounging with some friends, and they announced some beach-side film. It was to be Home Alone. I overheard a group of Brits behind me; they either hadn't heard of the film or hadn't heard the name. I turned around and told a distinguished looking middle-aged man wearing white that the movie was Home Alone, one of the quintessential American Christmas films.
He curled his lip at me and told me that they were more interested in a summer film. Feeling a bit snubbed, I turned back to the bar and looked at the program played on the TV. There was a surfing show. It showed men surfing in perhaps the Bayou or otherwise in the Everglades. How they were surfing is beyond me. There were no waves, and the men were not on surfboards. Rather, they glided along on makeshift crafts made from the remains of some rickety suspension footbridge. The documentary showed them cruising through waterways filled with alligators, sharp rocks and sticks, as well as ample litter and polluted water. Apparently the man featured in the film was brother to someone connected to the seaside eatery.
Before I knew it, the conversation had changed and an old coworker, Sarah H., was present. She was talking about a former resident of the group home and how difficult it was to work with him. I was surprised because Sarah H., is the embodiment of a cheerful worker.
He curled his lip at me and told me that they were more interested in a summer film. Feeling a bit snubbed, I turned back to the bar and looked at the program played on the TV. There was a surfing show. It showed men surfing in perhaps the Bayou or otherwise in the Everglades. How they were surfing is beyond me. There were no waves, and the men were not on surfboards. Rather, they glided along on makeshift crafts made from the remains of some rickety suspension footbridge. The documentary showed them cruising through waterways filled with alligators, sharp rocks and sticks, as well as ample litter and polluted water. Apparently the man featured in the film was brother to someone connected to the seaside eatery.
Before I knew it, the conversation had changed and an old coworker, Sarah H., was present. She was talking about a former resident of the group home and how difficult it was to work with him. I was surprised because Sarah H., is the embodiment of a cheerful worker.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
I'm a graduate student . . . in mathematics.
My dream began with me in some small group perusing through graduate programs. I was on a time crunch, so I made a very quick decision. And what did I select? Mathematics.
I then found myself in a small classroom setting, akin to Mr. Armstrong's classroom in middle school. We were plotting points on grids the shape of Minnesota and connecting the points. As I exited the room, I was casually talking with another student, saying how it was an impulsive decision to study mathematics and I hadn't even studied calculus in high school.
***
A colleague and I discussed the dream the following morning. She pointed out all the stats I've been looking at about the USA and all the graphs I've been making from those stats. I then recalled that I had been working on my budget the night before. Moreover, I have been thinking off and on about what will happen when this Fulbright ends. Well, let's add graduate school in mathematics to the list of possibilities!
I then found myself in a small classroom setting, akin to Mr. Armstrong's classroom in middle school. We were plotting points on grids the shape of Minnesota and connecting the points. As I exited the room, I was casually talking with another student, saying how it was an impulsive decision to study mathematics and I hadn't even studied calculus in high school.
***
A colleague and I discussed the dream the following morning. She pointed out all the stats I've been looking at about the USA and all the graphs I've been making from those stats. I then recalled that I had been working on my budget the night before. Moreover, I have been thinking off and on about what will happen when this Fulbright ends. Well, let's add graduate school in mathematics to the list of possibilities!
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Billboard Dad
So, my schedule has put a hammer on my dreaming, but I've been remembering them again. Last night I dreamt that I was watching an old family video. I must have been only about 18 months in the video, and we were at the seaside. As I watched the video, I could hear myself speaking. I listened to my baby self, and distinguished the words "Billboard Dad." (I never actually saw this film as a child, but I remember talking about this Mary Kate & Ashley film with friends.) As I watched myself, I realized that I actually remembered this instance, making it the earliest memory I have ever had.
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