An ongoing collection of little thoughts:

• Ones and sevens are written differently in Germany.  If a German person writes a phone number with 0511 on a scrap of paper, an American might dial 0577.  Nines and the letter ‘g’ in German handwriting are also similar to an American.

• You get what you give.  If you never recommend fellow teachers, they’ll stop recommending you.  If your lessons are skimpy, so will be your reputation.

• Don’t expect people to pay for your services if you steal the services of others.  If all of your materials are stolen from the internet, your students could just use that same internet without you.

• “Fake it till you make it” only applies to confidence before a presentation, not your qualifications to give it.

• Be on time.  Be on time.  Be on time.  Be on time.  In Germany, “on time” means 10-15 minutes early.

• If it feels like cheating, it probably is.  If someone wants you to correct their essay portion of a scholarship application, turn them down.  Beware of the “Facharbeit” for the “Abitur” as well.  Correcting homework can be a serious no-no, so before you look at any lengthy texts, get the school teacher’s number or e-mail address from the student and ask about the particulars.  If your student turns white and puts the text away, you’ll know that they were asking you to help them cheat.  If you do, you could be slapped with criminal charges, and possibly be deported.

• Jumbled word order does not a profound sentence make.