Life in Germany: Happy 1st Anniversary to me!

Time flies, and guess what!? I've been in Germany for a year already! A year and a day to be exact.

This is the view from my room - exactly the same as last year. What a time to arrive in Frankfurt! Cold and lifeless. But it gets better as spring knocks our doors :) I hope spring comes soon! Can't wait to see flowers blossom. Winter is no fun without snow (because there is no color!)

When I arrived here last year, I barely spoke any word of German. Although I took two intensive courses at Goethe Institute prior to my arrival, and I thanked myself for doing that, I could not understand most of the signs, conversations or whatsoever. A total alien in Deutschland.

Going grocery shopping was a big task - I needed a lot of preparation. Although counting 1-100 is not a problem, I couldn't catch what the cashier personal said. I always paid big bills, waiting for a handful changes. I felt stupid. I kept myself two weeks in my room, not meeting anyone. Computer is my only friend. I love you, bro. (Computer is a maskulin word in German, okie? :P)

Class started, and I was placed to Deutsch 4. The first two weeks was a shock. I couldn't really speak - introducing myself was already very very difficult. I hardly understood what the teacher explained. Asking her was also no help: I didn't understand what she meant.

But it got better. Slowly, but better.

When my Deutsch 8 started, it was yet another shock. Jumping from 6 to 8, it was a great leap. I knew I was probably at the bottom of the class, in all skills, but I tried to catch up. Thanks to nice classmates. They didn't seem to mind.

It's been a year struggling with this super-difficult language, though I felt it was much longer than that. I am now at Deutsch 10, the last class of "Mittlestufe" (middle level). Can't believe it myself! And I plan to continue further.

Now introducing myself is no longer a problem. Going shopping is no more nightmare. I can now e-mail in German, though a simple one. No, my German is not great: there is always a mistake here and there, and I am not too sure if other people really understand me (:P). Watching TV is still a challenge.

But for the first time in the year I feel I "can" speak this language. To my surprise, yeah, I feel confident speaking German now!

Realizing that, it was just a "wow, I have come quite far, eh!?" ;D

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PS. German is really difficult. My command in English is okay and I still struggled so much and lost tears at times. I couldn't understand how others, particularly those who also struggle with their English, get a hold of this language! It must be very very painful to them.