Mind my language Results

Today I went to VHS to get my results for my German exam and it's exciting but I am not feeling it somehow. I think to really learn this language I must go for Intensive classes Monday - Friday and 3 - 4 hours per session. My next course starts in March ....

New Year's 2015 plan

Now that the festivities are over and this is the year where I plan to go back to work but somehow I am caught in crossroads. Do I pursue being on employee or should I pursue my own business - it's kinda of difficult for now to decide. So for the first quarter 2015 I will be weighing my options ......

Sylvester 

This is what we call New Year's Eve but here in Germany it's called Sylvester. I found some definition or more info what it's called Sylvester ...

 While in Cape Town I completed basic German A1 with the Goethe Institute and I thought woow I could now speak German ..... in my dreams - did you know that German is one of the most difficult languages ​​to learn and even worse when you are an adult. 

So Jim comes to Jo'burg thing in this case Jill comes to Germany and the German A1 that I completed in South Africa was not even helping except to say Guten Morgen, Danke, Entschuldigung, Mein Name ist....

So,  I decided to go for German lessons as well but the problem was I could not go to classes during the day: because I had a baby to take care of and I wanted to be there for my daughter as well during this "adjustment period". Again if you planning to stay in Germany permanently you are required to learn German up to B1 and the "Auslaender Amt - Immigration Office" does subsidize you for the course. At this point in time I was still not sure whether I was going to stay here in Germany or go back to South Africa.

In September 2013 I decided to go for the evening German classes from 18:00 to 21:15 and every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and my lovely husband took care of the kids.

Did I mention to you that German language is the most difficult language? What was consoling is that in my class we had two ladies who have been in Germany for 20 years and 16 years respectively, they could speak German but one will not be convinced that they have been here that long. How is that possible? My German was bad, okay it is still not good. So I decided to call this course " mind your language "after the English sitcom which I am sure most of you know about and hence I decided to call my blog " mind my language ".

So, I attended or completed level A2 and B1 by October 2014 and we wrote Exam on the 21 November 2014.

On the 23 December 2014 I got my report and I have passed my A2 and B1 levels - next year I am doing my B2 which is more advanced and will be good for me when I join the German Corporate World

This does not mean I speak good German but when i am with my "My your language" classmates I am confident and I can speak German or going to shops I speak German. It's always difficult to have a discussion with fluent German native speakers and it's even worse when you sitting with a group of them and they are speaking German. Who said it was going to be easy relocating to a different country with different language than what you speak. You have your highs and lows i.e. is it worth it or should I just pack my bags and go back to my familiar environment (mainly language).

It is frustrating to be in a new environment and you can't speak or understand the language, you feel "out of place", "loner" and you become "anti-social" not by choice by language limitations. I prefer to be around your "Mind your Language" crew where you are  forced to converse but the disadvantage is if there is someone who speaks English you automatically switch to English which is not good for your German language learning process. Luckily, I don't have English speakers in my class.

I am not One of those who quit that easily, if I do that I will consider myself as a failure and by 2018 I will be fluent in this language - I mean fluent to work and write technical German business documents.

2014 has ended on a HIGH for me, I have passed my A1 and B1 German - BRAVO BRAVO BRAVO to me and looking for forward to a fruitful 2015 and more German to be absorbed.

Weight Loss Stuff

This week I lost 1.8 kg and believe me I have been really good - healthy eating even though I did not measure the food as required by SureSlim. HOWEVER, I got carried away later as I had wine with my husband and did what not the end as it Carried on Saturday and Sunday. It Seems as if I am not the only one who messed up the healthy eating plan, my diet buddy Mankwane had the same problem. We promised to be good this week even though its Christmas week .... our motto is, where there is a will there is a way. Target weight loss this week is 1 kg.

Christmas Season

I feel like a small child around Christmas time, I have real good Christmas memories with my Grandma....watch the space this week for Christmas special.

People always ask me if I am not homesick: because of the wet weather and cloudy on the contrary I Actually do not get homesick, I love the cold rainy gray weather and most people do not get it. I wake up in the morning and its raining or cloudy and I am the happiest foreigner here.

Today it what One of Those rainy days and somehow my daughter loves this so rainy cold days.

My sister-in-law Usually books a table at cinnamon and sugar (Cinnamon and Sugar) on monthly basis for friends and family to get together and have a clean healthy breakfast. I am talking about the breakfast did you eat and you feel not guilty at all.

Did I mention did we had a baby-sitter today, my husband's niece stayed with the kids while we were out. She is really great.

Brunch