besser und besser

Two months gone and since then, many new German words have floated through my brain. The course I signed up for was a disappointment on a rather grand scale, although I suppose the stories I've been able to tell from it have been worth the price of admission.

The course was taught by a middle-aged German man who seems to have lived here for many years, and as a result spoke decent Icelandic which he used far more than I was interested in hearing. I'd signed up for a German course in the hopes of hearing lots of German, not long ghost stories in Icelandic, moments of yoga and relaxation in Icelandic, and a total lack of homework. At the end of the class when I asked the teacher why there had been so little homework, he said that it was because his experience with Icelanders showed that they didn't want to take classes that required homework. For the price I was paying, I'd expected something more rigorous though.

So, on to my own teaching methods. Thankfully my good friend A, provider of German films, is also provider of websites, so I'm now learning online with a nicely organized and entertaining course. I've got books too, bought during my last trip to Germany, and A's organized a Stammtisch for students of German. Also, unlike trying to learn Icelandic a few years ago, there are lots of online ways to practice and learn- I can watch soap operas on zdf, news online, streaming radio stations from German speaking countries, and of course, ongoing contact with all my favorite German speaking people out there in the world.

It's been a strange time of limbo while S works on reconstructing himself, so having the project to learn his language as much as possible in the meantime has been really useful. I don't know what my future holds but at least it will hopefully be approached with some new vocabulary in my toolbag.

essential initialization

When I moved to Iceland, I'd spent the odd half hour here and there practicing the language on an online course that taught some of the basics, and I'd been here for a total of 2 weeks before arriving with the intention to live here. No problem since Icelanders all speak English anyway, right? This time it doesn't seem so simple. While S's immediate family is an enthusiastic group of English speakers and learners, the general theme of Germany doesn't seem to be quite the same. I keep hearing tales that most people my age can speak it, but either they're more shy about it or just don't see the point of giving it a go.

So I've got to learn German and learn it good. S and I have already been working on basic conversations, which at home naturally revolve around getting up and going to bed, cooking and who's turn is it in the shower. Not exactly workplace talk but it's a start, right? When I was there over Christmas I had plenty opportunity to try it out, to learn useful and useless new words (shall we talk about how to prevent mold in the bathroom?), and to travel on my own with only the thin thread of German to rely upon. I made it just fine and everyone I spoke to (train conductor, tablemate at the airport restaurant, even the metal detector guy) was extremely nice, patient, and cheerful. Not such a bad start, even if I did try to order späzle and the (not German) waitress arrived with a beverage instead.

Up next, while I'm still here and he's still over there, a German class! I signed up for six weeks at Mímir, the local continuing education institution. S's mom also thoughtfully gave me a pair of intro books for Christmas with CDs, so I can keep my ear in tune. My friend A is also a German teacher, and she lent me some of her teaching materials too. My favorite is Berlin Berlin, a cheesy series from the early 90s where the live acting is interspersed with cartoons for extra emphasis, making it the perfect series for me. I'm extremely good at saying keine Ahnung now, since apparently being in your early twenties and living in Berlin means you spend a lot of time having no clue. A perfect start for me in a new language in a new land!