Meet Victoria Budesa, a 2017 graduate of the Special Education: General Curriculum teacher education program, who is spending her first year teaching abroad as a special education teacher in an international school in Stuttgart, Germany.

Her blog, “The Teaching Adventures of Miss B,” shares a weekly recount of the many experiences, funny moments, travel adventures, and reflections as an international school teacher over the course of her first year of teaching abroad.

Below Victoria shares her insights for the month of December.

“It seems like I just arrived here in Germany, and I have been here for six months already! I am looking forward to spending time with my family and friends back in the states for the holidays. School has been a bit hectic, with the Christmas break a week away. I have been busy with finalizing students’ paperwork, tying the loose ends up before the holidays as well as subbing quite often the last couple weeks. I have loved getting to see different classes and meeting new students. My classes have been going really well. I am really impressed on how much my students have grown so far this year, which makes me proud.

My days have been filled with teaching and sub teaching, which has truly kept me on toes the last couple weeks, which has kept me busy! Things are finally starting to settle in, which I am so happy about. Feel like I have found my niche here and now it’s time to start thinking about next year already (which is crazy!). The international teaching job market starts full swing at the beginning of January, which is less than a month away. I have been working on compiling my application for an international job search agency, the one which I used to get this job. Just keep reminding myself that things will work out the way they are supposed to in the end and keep hoping for the best.

Since the holiday season is in full swing here in Germany, the famous “Weihnachtmarkt” (Christmas Market) have started here as of last week. It has been a great thing to be able to experience with my close friends here and getting to travel to visit others outside of the city. I have enjoyed getting to eat some yummy treat and of course having lots of glüwein, a warm red or wine wine with spices- which is a Christmas market tradition.”