Old email: next brief

Subject: next brief

Date: Thu, 6 Oct 2005

Well, we have moved. No more going on the train to get to my language classes at the university. Now I can jump on my bike and be really dutch.

My language classes started a few weeks ago. It is advertised as a 'semi intensive' course but there is absolutely nothing 'semi' about it. The work load is really heavy and the people who run it obviously think we have nothing else to do except grammar activities whenever we are not in the class. There seems to be no allowances for a life outside of learning Dutch. I guess it is fortunate that in my class, pretty much everyone is unemployed or waiting for work permits (or a visa in my case).

And as to how I am coping with the classes.... well on average I come home once a week on the verge of tears because its just so hard! But I get over it and sit down to learn my vocab and do my grammar activities. Most of my frustration comes from the fact that my vocabulary is not as wide as most others in the class. Some people have been in NL for years... I tell myself that I am doing really well for under 3 months.

And I have made a friend! You have no idea how happy I am about this. She is about the same age and is from Slovenia. We have found a cheap place for coffee and sit there regularly surrounded by 'real' dutch people and talk away in our broken Dutch. Yesterday we decided to join a Capaoweria (dont know how to spell>it) dance group... Let me just say it was a fairly funny sight.

Funny for reason 1, have you ever seen me trying to do this type of dancing/fighting before, and 2, all the instructions were in Dutch. We had no idea. We would just call out things like "which leg goes up?" "left or right?" "Where do I put my head?" You get the idea.

Anyway, I learnt some pretty impressive moves! At the end of the class we had to "play"/"fight" against each other. I had no idea what I was doing.. Very funny.

Do people know what I am talking about?

Today (day after the lesson) I am in serious pain. My body was not used to doing moves such as that!

Now I have to go brush my teeth and jump on my bike to go to uni. I have some sort of test today and I really dont want to do it.

Will send the new contact details soon.