17 April 2012

Officially semester-time

Classes!  Are fabulous.

First class of the day yesterday was Indigenous Cultures of North America, which I continue to find a slightly ironic topic to study, having just left North America.  But the class itself is really interesting--and small!  There's only four other people in it.  The professor went around the room asking us what topics we were particularly interested in, and when I said dying languages and language politics, he asked me if I'd be willing to present the topic to the class at some point.  I'm excited, it looks like it's going to be a really fun time.

Then came Portuguese with Roommate.  While the course is no doubt going to be really intense, it doesn't feel so much like I'm learning a new language--mostly it just feels like filling in the blanks.  Also, the professor looks like one of my uncles.

Swedish, on the other hand, feels exactly like learning a new language, except I also want to pinch it's cheeks and tell it how much it's grown since I've last seen it.  I've decided there's never been a language in existence that's as stupidly cute as Swedish. Until you have to start making the sounds come out of your mouth, then you just kind of go, "What ze fuck, nothing this adorable has the right to be this damn hard."  I'm taking it with Al, and since he's already had half a semester of Swedish, I plan on picking his brains until I catch up.

Sometime in the middle of Swedish class, I asked myself: remember all the blood, sweat, tears, money, not to mention years of your life you've spent on more or less becoming a fluent German speaker?  Do you really want to go through this entire process two more times?  I started to despair, but only until it occurred to me how cool it would be to sit in a bar and say, "I speak German, Swedish, and Portuguese." Boom, instant motivation.  Doubling the amount of languages I speak for no other reason than "it would be cool?"  Check.

My first class of this morning was canceled due to lack of furniture, but I still got up at 8 AM to start trying to get into Swedish class.  I missed the deadlines to get a spot, and when I spoke to the professor yesterday, she said I'd have to duke it out today with forty other people all vying for the same three spots.  Grand.  No luck this morning, so I gave up and got lunch with Al.  Then I came back, Roommate and I did Portuguese homework, I gave Swedish another go, and MIRACLE OF MIRACLES I GOT IN.  Best day ever!

High off that victory, I biked into town to trade Game of Thrones book with the Kiwi and eat ice cream.  Then it was off to my next class, where I sat by myself in an empty room until I remembered that class was also canceled until next week.  My bad.

To summarize, thus far I'm really happy.  Portuguese tomorrow with Roommate, and then meeting up with Al and a bunch of the sport kids to go do some activities that probably involve alcohol.  Yay!

Adios!

7 comments:

Jim said...

You mean you have to learn to say something other then "meatballs" for Swedish?

Love your writing!

Anonymous said...

...and you did not die!

Anonymous said...

Ar du ha kul anda?
...sorry missing all the little dots over the a.
mom

bevchen said...

Your classes sound fascinating! kind of makes me want to be a student again (except I already have a BA and an MA, and don't want to do a PhD. Hmmm.)

(p.s. I hope you don't mind a complete stranger commenting on your blog. I love reading about fellow English speakers' experiences in Germany.)

Tina! said...

read away! I've been reading your blog as well :D And if you're ever in the area, let me know, we can hang out!

bevchen said...

I'm actually going to be an hour away from Göttingen in 2 weeks time" Unfortunately it's for my byofriend's dad's 60th birthday and it's a really flying visit. Literally get there late Friday night, birthday party on the Saturday and train back home on Sunday ready for work on Monday. Otherwise we could totally have hung out!

Tina! said...

No worries! If your plans change for whatever reason and you wind up with time to kill, email me!