Day one of language training and I am drained, spent, devoid of any desire to think about anything. Except you, my dear readers, except you. Today was not difficult at all. I had to be at the Foreign Service Institute at 9:00 A.M. - not too early. There is a shuttle service from our apartment to the Institute so I didn’t have to drive. Good, good. I was on the student list so I got my student security badge with no problems. I even (eventually) found my way around.
All language students met together for a short orientation. We were then dismissed language by language to meet the department heads. From there we were divided into classes and introduced to our instructors. I was put in the later starting class:
10:40-12:30 classroom, speaking
12:30-2:30 lunch and one hour lab work
2:40-3:30 classroom, speaking
3:40-5:30 classroom, reading, writing
I am in a class of four. Our teacher showed us briefly around the building and we got library cards and non-classified system access codes. We then had about two hours break before we were tested. We were given the Meyers/Briggs test along with three other ‘How Do You Learn’ tests. I was the last one to finish. This was interesting because in my past I can remember taking tests and feeling very anxious when people started turning in their papers when I was barely half way through. Today, it absolutely didn’t matter to me. I’m glad I was so relaxed about it.
The day ended at 3:30. A short day. Why was I so (and I quote) “drained, spent, devoid of any desire to think about anything”? I think I have myself worked up into a nervous knot about learning Russian so intensely. I am actually quite calm now that I’m writing to you, dear Readers. Thank you.
I am worried that I won’t be able to sit still and concentrate long enough. But I know that these teachers are the best and they tailor the classes as best they can to how we learn. I’m worried that my memory is not strong enough. I, however, am in a fortunate position to be living with a Russian speaker. I can go home in the evenings and practice, even though it means he’ll correct me. I’m worried that I’ll be the slowest learner. I’m used to this. I was the slowest swimmer in all the YMCA trainings I attended. I was the lowest level player in the piano pedagogy classes I took. I’m really used to it. I guess I’m worried I’ll be too slow and hold the class back. I spoke with a man in language training who told me that he was quite slow. They wound up pulling him out of the class and giving him one-on-one tutoring. I’m worried that when I hear the Russian words I’ve ‘learned’ that they’ll come flying out of someone’s mouth so fast that I won’t understand them. This morning the head of the department stood at the door and as I walked in said good morning in Russian. It took me a few steps (too late to say it back to him) but I got it!
This is like a cheap psychotherapy session! Cheap for me. It’s at my reader’s expense, I’m sorry to say.
I’ll finish with please – oh, please – pray for me. Send me encouraging words. I’d love to know from you when you last challenged yourself whether intellectually, physically or otherwise. How did you get through it?
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Found you!! Had a computer misbehave, get wiped clean, etc! ***Praying for you.*** Have to send you longer email, but I can't sit up very long to type--it's frustrating!
ReplyDeleteSince not doing well at German when I was at U of M, for thirty+ years I felt I was just stupid at all languages. Then, in 1991, when I was 53, we knew we would be spending a summer in Japan, and we knew a year in advance, so that I could audit a full year of Japanese (taught by a native speaker) at Pete's school. I actually did pretty well at it (liked practicing the kanji and making them look pretty!) and that one year was very useful on the trip. It felt good to be doing something that, to me, felt really worthwhile, and it restored some confidence and feelings of self worth.
When we got home, I took a second year, just because I think you shouldn't stop at just one year of a language.
When I finished the two-year sequence of Japanese, and had done pretty well, I thought, "Well heck, if I can do Nihongo, I sure as heck can do Deutsch," and I did the entire four-year sequence of German, all the homework, all the tests. The last year was technical translation. I chose to translate (German into English) journal articles on breast cancer treatments and child development and archaeology. I was the oldest student in the class and the only female, and a few months into it, my male, smart, engineering student classmates were really respecting "non-traditional" students.
Yes, you'll go thru the "understanding but not being able to respond" period--we all do. Hang in there! And just how lucky are you to be taking Russian from great teachers, where the teaching will be tailored to your learning skills. I'm so proud of you!!
You write so well! Many things I want to comment on, but maybe more privately would be better.
Carol
XOXOX
Day before yesterday marked 22 years past diagnosis. I'm so grateful!!!
Me again, but different user name...
ReplyDeleteStill sending up prayers.
Flashcards!!! For every single vocabulary word you get. You can practice your Cyrillic writing at the same time. There's something about doing it with the hand that helps get it into the brain. Don't bother with 3x5 cards--they don't need to be nearly that big. Get a pad of 1/4" graph paper, take it to a Kinko-like place and have them cut it up for you. I think my German ones were about 1-1/2" x 2-1/2". Use rubber bands to restrain them and organize them somewhat. Carry them around with you in a flat-ish Rubbermaid or Glad food storage container in your backpack, and use odd times to study them. Onward!!
By the way, I'm going to have to bill you 50 cents for this psy session. Sorry for the inconvenience. ;)
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