Two Years Later...

It's Monday morning and normally by now i would be hitting the shower and getting ready to catch the 8:30am bus to my German class. But last Friday was our last day.

L to R: Mustapha, Evsi, Ludmilla, Aldona, Fatma, Alexander, Jade, Delman, Chiraz, Sona, Joanna, Gallini
+
a few others who are missing.

Instead of learning the usual grammar and doing past B1 German exam papers, we celebrated our last day by stuffing our faces with yummy food that everyone baked/cooked/bought and of course chatted in German with one another.

It feels kind of strange knowing that the course is done. Where has the past four weeks gone?

And although i am far from knowing everything that i need to know for the B1 level, i at least have a better understanding, or so i think. And out of the 3 practice tests that we did in class, i am proud to say that i got more than the minimum amount, meaning that i understand B1 German and i actually learned something, Danke schoen, Joanna!

I had the option whether or not i wanted to do the exam in March but i chose not to.

It costs a whopping 100 Euros just to do the exam and it doesn't guarantee that one will pass. But seeing that i don't really need the certificate as i already have a European passport and i'm not working somewhere that requires proof i know German, i decided to save my money.

But the next level up is B2 and that starts in a few months. I'm hoping to be more disciplined now and when i'm not working on my project, to actually go over my notes and study. Apparently, those doing the B2 course should already have a sound knowledge in the language and be quite fluent in speaking. Most importantly have a broad vocabulary - which i don't have at the moment.

But we're hoping that will change.

Yes, i am making more of an effort to try and speak German with J and vice versa. My sentences are still very basic like, What would you like to eat? or Do you know, what Time it is? Or repeating random phrases that i hear on TV and hoping that it sounds correct, or even asking J to translate something.

And as a result, i know J is proud of my effort. He often tells me how much i'm improving - a definite boost to my confidence.

I even try and speak to the kitties in German. Disciplining them with the word, "Nein" when they do something naughty or something they're not allowed to do. Or "Runter" [pronounced Ruhn-tuh] when they jump on a surface they're not allowed on. Or calling them "Kinder... Essen" [pronounced Kin-duh... Ess-sin] meaning Children... Food when i want to inform them it's their dinner time.

It's a slow process.

But i've noticed when i speak in English i frequently insert German words in my sentences. It comes almost naturally and much easier than trying to figure out what English word i actually wanted to use.

Did you know? Two years ago to this date [February 22nd] i packed a suitcase and got on a plane to this side of the world to see my sister. And in turn, turned over a new leaf.

Not knowing what the future had in store for J and i or whether or not i would even like it in Germany.

I took a chance.

And two years later, i can finally say, Oh mein Gott! Ich verstehe und spreche ein bisschen Deutsch. And actually mean it.