Improvising

Living overseas requires a lot of improvisation. Especially when cooking, since I often don't have the ingredients or tools I would in the states.

I wanted to make pumpkin scones for a team dinner the other night, so I assembled everything I needed and then remembered I didn't have a can opener. But the pumpkin goodness can not be stopped!
 
So, I gathered the tools I had on-hand and proceeded to open the can. 
Yes, I hammered a knife all the way around the edge of the can. It takes a long time and it slightly dangerous, but pumpkin is worth it.

While the scones were in the oven, I needed to make a glaze for them which included sifted powdered sugar. Sifting the sugar here is especially important because it's much more coarse than sugar in the States.

Unfortunetly, I don't own a sifter, either.
So I used my tea infuser.
 
This also took a long time, but again, worth it.
You'll understand why when you see the fininshed product.
 
They are pretty yummy, and not just according to me! Others liked them, too. 
Scones are pretty messy to make, but very tasty. I'll be giving this one another shot!
The Great Scone Battleground

Other places I improvise include the classroom. I got pretty used to relying on my smart board, magical re-filling stock room, and large library in the Sates. Here I have none of that! It's a lot more challenging to create the type of learning environment I enjoy with my dear, dear smart board. However, we do find ways to make it interesting.
 
Guess what we're studying in history this week.
 
A Pintrest idea made into reality!

 
Colorful student time lines. 

I also find myself improvising during conversations with people. Well, not so much improvsing and smiling and nodding a lot. On the tram yesterday, and old man began talking to me and I told him many times that I didn't speak BG. He didn't seem to mind, though. 
After I told him I was from America he got very excited and kissed my hand. 
Then he started crying. 
Then he called me a beautiful cucumber. 
Okay, that last part might be a mis-translation. But he was sad to leave me on the tram.

Today at McDonald's, I was trying to order a meal and it went like this:
Cashier: Do you want medium or large?
Me: medium with water
Cashier: Coke, Fanta, or Sprite?
Me: May I have water?
Cahsier: Coke, Fanta, or Sprite?
Me: *sigh* Fanta 

Never a dull moment! I'm certainly learning to think on my feet. 



 
 

 

 



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