LOCKING IN (I HOPE)
My German-learning journey and next steps.
Today was the beginning of the B2 PrĆ¼fungsvorbereitungskurs, that is, the exam preparation course.
I have to admit, I'm not a very good student. I'm not studious, at all. I took level A1 four times before I made any actual progress. Then, I was taught by a private tutor who I met at one of my previous jobs. It took us two years to get through A2, and then another for B1. We met only once a week for one hour. I didn't do my homework most of the time. So as you can imagine, progress was slow.
German isn't an easy language. Of the languages I know (incl. English, Mandarin, and Spanish), German is the only language where the verb position changes depending on the context of the sentence. So, forming a sentence always feels like a complex puzzle. Plus, Iām not really interested in German media, so my motivation has been pretty low.
Last year, I had to apply for my residency permit so a B1 certificate was needed. That's when I cranked my motivation up a little higher. I managed to get my certificate, but just barely. In fact, the TELC Institute suggested I retake the B1 course. Źā_āŹ
As part of the unemployment program, I was enrolled in a B2 course that was four months long. Finally, things were starting to click. However, while some classmates made flashcards, I did nothing, because one of my principles is you either get it, or you don't.
You can't learn a language by studying, you must immerse yourself until it comes naturally!
That's what I told myself.
But of course, I didn't do that either. The only thing I can do well is order food, because I do that all the time.
However, today in class, I realized that this is it; this is the end.* So, I'm ready to give it the final push. I'm gonna make flashcards. I will study. I WILL IMMERSE MYSELF.
*I mean, I could continue onto C1, but that's entering academia territory, and even my teacher said that most Swiss people don't even have a B2-level grasp of grammar theory. By B2, you should be pretty comfortable speaking the language.
A few days ago, someone asked me if there was any activity I could see myself enjoying in German. And I couldn't. Not even rewatching my favorite shows. But I do love writing, so maybe I could try writing in German! I've seen bloggers write in a language they're currently learning, and I think that's such a great idea. Writing is also an important part of the test, so the more practice I get, the better.
I think I'll start writing my weeklies in German because that's more journal-like, but eventually I should write a blog post in German too, to challenge myself to be more expressive and whatnot.
Earlier today, I pulled out ErzƤhlt euch mehr and forced Daniel to have a discussion with me. I'm going to do that every day now.
As they say in German, wir schaffen das! (We will make it!)