The One with a Second Language

Language learning is insane. Komisch, einfach nur komisch. Before coming to Germany, I had so many misconceptions about what it would be like to be immersed in a new culture and a language I'd half-heartedly learned online for two years. Let's be real, "learned online" actually means my mom helped me with 70 percent of it and I complained the whole time. After two months of being here, which is feels like nothing but is a significant amount of time away from home, it's very difficult to remember what I could and couldn't understand or say before coming here. I had a basic understanding of German grammar, could probably give you the wrong article (der, die or das) for any given noun, and say that I was hungry or needed help, using the wrong verb tense or direct object. I could understand the general gist of a conversation and use context clues when reading to be able to text casually in German. However, I had very little practice actually conversing in German or thinking with German word order. Lots of Google Translate and literal translations from English were utilized. But after being completely bombarded with German for 2 months, I thought it would be fun to make a list of things I can do/say in German, and things that I hope to be able to do soon. 

Things I can (usually) accomplish auf Deutsch:

-I can make it through the whole day with my host family speaking only German. This ranges from normal things like talking about school and work to cracking jokes or talking about politics with my host mom.

-I can order things (bread, I know it's a shocker) from the bakery in front of hoardes of kids from school and have only asked once for an entire apple cake when I meant a piece. The word "Stück" was quickly noted. 

-I can write a one and a half hour long test essay with incorrect grammar on the Enlightenment, population development in Germany or the late Middle Ages. All of which my teachers said they would give me the texts we had to read to formulate our essays in English and did not deliver. Schade, but it wasn't all too shabby.

- I can flirt in German. Moving on...

- I can understand derivative calculus in German, and actually got a better than average score on the first test, which is actually crazy because I do not enjoy math and after the first day I was like soooo where is the closest exit from math in German?

-I can inquire about the well being of someone after I run into them with my bike. Which, as an update, I can ride with an umbrella now! One day I got my shoe lace caught in the pedal while holding my umbrella but we don't need to speak of that...

- I can read Pippi Longstocking (shoutout to those of you who know the books about her) in German without translating.

-I can dream in German and some phrases I think of come into my head in German first. Can't think completely in German yet...

- I can sort of magically put some words in correct word order but actually German word order is ridiculous.

-I can learn Spanish in German without going to English too, it's still a mess in my brain nevertheless (nevertheless, ah yes, a direct translation from "trotzdem" in German, which is an everyday staple here)

- I can really laugh from my stomach at jokes told in German, as opposed to the fake obligatory laugh I used for the first couple weeks like, "haha I'm sure that would be funny if I wasn't still translating what you said in my head"

On to things I cannot do in German/ like a German...

- I cannot yet text like a true German teen. Heavy on the emojis, low on the "haha" or "lol" which I normally use. The See No Evil monkey can be used on almost any occasion. 

- I cannot properly choose movies when they have German titles. Cue story where I accidentally end up watching The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in German...

- I still say random knee jerk reaction phrases in English, for example when I accidentally do something I still break out my Wisconsin "oopsie" or "oh boy" on occasion. 

-I cannot pronounce my friend Laura's name properly... I can roll my r's just fine but in the word Laura it's like a weird back of the throat thing which I either throw out all the way or it sounds like I'm gargling mouthwash. 

-I still answer people with many different intonations of the word "ja" which I'm very good at (who knew one word could be said at so many different levels or with so many different voices) but isn't practical for speaking practice. 

-I walk around barefoot in the house like a ragamuffin which is really not supposed to happen, but I just got some house shoes today which are all wooly and warm!

That's all for this post people, I've got to do some homework before I head to the Netherlands for vacation tomorrow! Next week Clara comes to visit me for a few days and I cannot wait! Hopefully a collaboration from us if you guys are interested?? I thought I'd throw in a couple pics at the end from the last few weeks too:) 

Schönen Tag euch!

Hannah