And I thought School days where long gone ...

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After enrolling onto my German Language course back in January it seems to have been a long time coming, but eventually the 22 Feb finally arrived and off I went with my new pencil case to school …. It was just like starting school with new pens, new pencils, rubber, ruler all in a nice new pencil tin (it’s classified as new if I got it from Ian’s work doesn’t it???).

So all excited about the prospect of learning German and hopefully meeting some other English speaking people I arrived at class 11am prompt. After an hour and a half we were packed off with forms to fill in and told when the next class was, although quite what we were told during that hour and a half I don’t actually have a clue … it was all guess work.

While I knew the class was going to be taught in German, I had thought (maybe naively) that some English would be spoken. How wrong was I? The teacher only spoke in German and not even easy to understand German, she was talking to us about forms, times, and books etc as if she was teaching the advanced class. This wasn’t quite what I had expected.

I left class that day feeling rather deflated, as I had expected the first few weeks of this course to be fairly easy as it was a course for beginners, and I’m not a total beginner (all that money spent on private lesson’s in the UK had to stand for something - surely)!? Oh how wrong was I???

Oh … and did I mention the 10 page test she gave us on that first day?? I think I understood that we didn’t have to complete the test as it was purely to show the tutor what level we all were …… hello … it’s a beginners class, we shouldn’t have to know anything!!! About four pages into the test I had to give up, by page 2 I was guessing. Although luckily the girl sat next to me was pretty much on the same page when she gave up also (not that I was checking out her answers you understand).

So, during the next couple of days I had that horrible feeling that German language obviously wasn’t for me. The next lesson was on the Wednesday (my b’day - what a nice way to start the day) and I was absolutely dreading going in. Ian almost had to force me out of the front door that morning, lesson’s start at 8am which isn’t a good time to be forced out of your home to something you’re simply dreading.

But everything changed that day - thankfully. We all settled into class and with books in tow we started almost at the beginning. Mein Name ist …… Ich Wohne in …. Ich Komme aus etc etc (or as they say in German “z.B”). All the worrying had been for nothing as this was a level that I could understand and so far so good.

I have now completed my first week at school and managed a wonderful 29.5 out of 30 in our very first test. Only half a point wrong, wow how pleased was I (although I don’t think for one second that these results will be repeated). I even had the comment from the tutor that I pronounced my German very well and that she thinks I understand more than I allow myself (I did try and argue and tell her that speaking German was by far my weakest point, give me the written side any day).

During today’s class we were all working on some grammar and upon inspection of my work, the tutor held up my sheet as a good example to others and for the rest of the lesson everyone kept coming over and asking me questions about it. Not sure how I’ll live this one down but I’ll have to very quickly as I don’t want them using my next piece of work as an example as it’s likely to be used as an example of how NOT to do it!!???

Now a little about my class - On day one there were 12 people in class, some have left, some have left and come back again and some new people have also joined (which does seem to be a daily occurrence). This brings the class up to 19. We are quite an international class, I am the only English person, but there are two American’s (yeah … someone to speak English to when the tutor is out of earshot), Romanian, Turkish, Thailand and Brazil to name but a few. Most people seem pretty much at the same level and are all keen to learn. It doesn’t matter if you make a mistake as we all do from time to time.

We have one rule in class and that is that we are not allowed to speak in our mother tongue … particularly not at break time. We are encouraged to speak German at all times, but it does tend to get very boring when all you can do is asking where people come from and where they live! So much so that some of the lads have now taken to bringing in their guitar so we don’t have to talk, we can just listen - cool.

Today’s lesson has been interesting as I had to catch the bus home, my very first time on a German bus (commonly known as “Bus” in German - glad to see something’s are easy). I had to catch two buses to get home (and then a 20 min walk up the hill), all of which I managed successfully. Although for a minute I thought I had managed to hop on a school bus at one stage, until I spotted one other adult amid the throng of school children sitting in seats and standing in the aisle.

So another thing has been successfully accomplished …. I wonder what the next frustrating task will be!!?

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Comments

[lottie]

Everyday...
Everyday I have to be forced out of the door before 8am to do something I dread!! Can I come to your German classes instead please?!!? x

[Lisa Banfield]

Ach, du lieber Himmel!
Hi Steph Sounds almost, but not quite, as painful as most of my days. I hope on the whole you are enjoying the life out there albeit the language barrier but you'll get there. I studied German at school for 3 years and found it the most difficult language! At the end of 3 years i was so confused about the order in which to put the noun, pronoun, verbs in a sentence i failed my O'Level with a 'U'! Hope that makes you feel better. Must be about time you came over and visited us. Let us know when you're over next and have time to 'do lunch' Take Care Lisax