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Chapter 7. For the first time, Noy was having tons of trouble believing Ms. Kastner. Although the Germans Noy had met so far were quite kind to everyone around them, Noy thought that German men could be different. She had met just female Germans, so she had no proof that males were kind at all. But Noy knew that she had to try many more things in life, including meeting a German male. Once Noy found a couch in the Free Time Room, she wanted to take a nap. But, just as she was about to curl up, she heard a voice calling her name. This was the voice of Ms. Lohmar, the free time teacher. She was welcoming Noy into the classroom. Ms. Lohmar, who was also German, made Noy feel content. She was very patient and positive. "Ms. Lohmar, are German men nice?" Noy asked, remembering all the grammar rules Ms. Hall had taught her. "All the German men in this school are," said Ms. Lohmar, "I know that Herr Steinecke is taking you to your next class." "Who is Herr Steinecke?" Noy asked. "Oh, right. You're in Year One," Ms. Lohmar remembered, "I mean Mr. Steinecke. You will learn what Herr means later on." While Noy was asleep, Ms. Lohmar went around, talking to other Year One and Year Two students. They were all relaxing and just waiting for their next classes. One group of Year Two boys were fighting over a foam block, probably unaware of there being more of them. "Boys, there are more blocks here," Ms. Lohmar said patiently, grabbing more foam blocks for the energetic boys. Noy had been dreaming about Thailand when she felt a hand on her side. She woke up' hearing Ms. Lohmar's voice. "There are ten minutes left in the period," said Ms. Lohmar, "Mr. Steinecke is coming in five minutes. I'll wait at the door with you." About five minutes later, Ms. Lohmar opened the Free Time Room's door, just as Noy thought she would. The person who had come in was definitely male. He was speaking German to Ms. Lohmar, so Noy couldn't understand a thing. So she just listened until she heard English again. "This is Mr. Steinecke," Ms. Lohmar explained, "and he is the German teacher for Year Six through Year Ten students. He's taking you up to Ms. Mehlberger's classroom." "Hello Noy!" Mr. Steinecke called, "I'm Mr. Steinecke! I'm here to take you up to the Year One language arts class." "Hi," Noy responded sheepishly. "Hey, it's all OK!" Mr. Steinecke said with a laugh, "I am friendly, if that's what you're worrying about." Noy decided not to mention her uncertinties about German men as Mr. Steinecke walked with her to an elevator. He told Noy that he was one of the few teachers who got an elevator key. He wished all teachers could get one, but Ms. Gunnarson had forgotten to give away the rest of the elevator keys she had left after Mr. Steinecke, along with other teachers, received keys to test the elevator system when it was implemented the year before. On Floor Five, Noy finally decided to mention her uncertainties. "German men are nice?" Noy asked. "I am nice," Mr. Steinecke assured Noy, "so don't worry at all, OK?" "Yeah, thank you," Noy ackknowledged, succeeding in finding Mr. Steinecke's rough hand. In Year One language arts that day, Ms. Mehlberger let the whole class socialize, just like every other class. But the only difference was that each student got an English ABC book in print and braille. Although Noy was learning to speak English with Ms. Hall, she was not required to learn how to read or write yet. Now that Ms. Williams was also teaching Noy English, she was getting a lot of experience with it. "Mrs. Merkel's off Period 8, so she's coming to take you to math," Ms. Mehlberger told Noy at the end of class. "Oh wow!" Noy said, remembering what Ms. Hall had said about, "Power words!" "Yes, I know!" Ms. Mehlberger cried, "German teachers have been taking you everywhere today!" Low and behold, at the end of class, Mrs. Merkel came in. The math classroom, which was also Noy's homeroom in the morning, was room 402. When Noy and Mrs. Merkel entered the stairwell, Noy made sure to take Mrs. Merkel's hand so she wouldn't fall again. She tried telling Mrs. Merkel the story of the incident, laughing all the while. "I'm happy you are OK, dear," Mrs. Merkel chuckled after Noy was done talking about the incident. "Hey!" Ms. Edwards called once Noy walked into her classroom, "is that Noy? I can hear that little voice!" "Yeah!" Noy cried, "it's me!" "I walked her down," said Mrs. Merkel, "and Ms. Kastner will get her for her 9th period free time." "That sounds nice!" Ms. Edwards said, checking her attendance. Just like every other class, Noy and her new math class got to know each other while a playlist called One Two Three played in the background. Ms. Edwards also passed around a math counter to show the class. "These little thingies are counters," she told them, "and we will use them in Counting Land every day!" By the end of Period 8, Noy was ready for free time again. She was absolutely exhausted, so once Ms. Kastner dropped her off with Ms. Lohmar, she found the couch she had used last time and took another nap. School seems to be exhausting, Noy thought. As Noy slept, she dreamt about her house in Thailand. Being only three, she didn't have the strongest emotional connection to the house though. Instead, she mainly dreamt about her parents. They were hugging Noy so many times that she kept on smiling. But when Noy woke up, she was still in Ms. Lohmar's room. Tears began streaming down Noy's face. The dream she had just woken up from made her overwhelmed, scared and homesick. "Noy sweetie, it's time to go," Ms. Lohmar whispered, "all three of the German teachers are here to... what's wrong?" "I want home!" Noy sobbed, barely able to control herself. "It's OK," Ms. Lohmar soothed, "you are going home on the bus now." Once Noy stepped out the door, she could hear the German teachers in front of her. "Noy, it's time to go home!" Ms. Kastner announced. "She's crying, Lilly," Mrs. Merkel said to Ms. Kastner in English. "What's the matter?" Ms. Kastner asked, coming toward Noy's sobbs, "are you OK?" Noy couldn't say a single word. Instead, she just cried and cried. "I'm right here," Mrs. Merkel whispered, stroking Noy's back, "I know this is hard, I know. But I'm right here." "We're here for you," Ms. Kastner added, "it's all right." "Don't cry," Mr. steinecke breathed in Noy's ear, "it's all OK." Poor little Noy was feeling so overwhelmed that she could hardly speak. But Mr. Steinecke, Ms. Kastner and Mrs. Merkel never left her side until she had finally taken a deep breath, remembering something. "Mrs. Merkel says no more tears," Noy murmured. "Yes," Mrs. Merkel responded in a whisper, "no more tears."