German Language School (GLS)

Hey everyone,

Well, I don't want to say how long it's been since I've updated, but if you would like to shame me, you can probably tell from the previous entry that it's been awhile. To be honest, I had the intent for the past week and a half to update, the 'blogger' window has been open on my laptop for that long, and I would always put my computer on hibernate at night to save such precious tabs for the next hopeful day. I have been staying busy what with seeing the city, getting adjusted with school, spending time with some friends and und so weiter...

It's been three weeks in the apartment and it feels like home (away from home, of course). I realized this some days ago when I was coming home and it was a little later in the evening and I was pretty tired... once I got off the U-Bahn at Goelitzer Banhof (the station about a block away from our street and pictured above), I had the nice familiar feeling you get when you're almost home and you see familiar sights that you see everyday; and you know that soon there will be some nice food and a comfortable place to sit or lay down, some privacy, some quiet. Sometimes I think that's really neccessary when you spend time in Berlin. Berlin is always moving, there's always new things around, new experiences, and people, and it's so alive that coming home means that much more. You can really get out and experience Berlin because you know there is a nice place with familiar things where you can finish the day.

The apartment is close to everything we need, grocerie, bio grocery (for strictly organic foods which are popular with our flatmates), 2nd hand bookstore, clothing, bakeries, an indoor pool, and soooo many cafes and ethnic places to eat. Kreuzberg is so multi-kulti. It's the center of alternative living in Berlin. It's also the center of Turkish culture. Back in the day, when Germany was looking for low-cost labor, Turkish workers were granted residence in the country. Where we live, it's totally normal to see store signs posted in Turkish first and then German just below it, or vice versa. My favorite bakery is Turkish and just across from the U-Bahn station.

School is really cool. I'll explain it a little for you. I get up around 7 am so I can leave the apartment by 8. It takes anywhere from 30-40 minutes including walking and the U-Bahn (the underground) to get to school. I really prefer to get there a little early, especially if I stopped by one of the many many bakeries for a Broetchen (bread roll) or something for breakfast. School starts at 9a.m. everyday except Monday when it starts at 10. My class consists of about 10-12 people. This changes every week because each Monday we get new students in our class and other students leave. It all depends on how many weeks you booked with the school. There are four people that I know of who will be at GLS about as long as I: Frederick (an American from L.A, Sarah from Sweden, and Maria who is from Guatemala. I've made other friends that I've already had to say goodbye to, and another is leaving at the end of this week. :( But, what can you do, really?

Continuing on, the class starts at 9 with one teacher and goes on for an hour and a half. Then, there is a half hour break followed by another hour and a half class with another teacher. I've already had 2 sets of different teachers; my favorite being the first pair, but perhaps these other two will grow on me... The classes consist of doing a little grammar, and vocab, usually on one theme or another out of the book, and some conversation. With the first pair of teachers I had, it was mostly grammar and structure in the first bit, and then the next bit was mostly talking and discussion with the teacher and other classmates. It was great. Now, it's mostly grammar and not so much challenging conversation, but I hope it will get better. I feel like I've already learned a lot. (This pic is of my class from last week during our "Goodbye Jeremias {our teacher} Picnic". Such an awesome class!)

I have gone to each of the Monday Stammtisch meetings, and it's been a great opportunity to meet new people. You can't really attend that school without making some friends, and there are so many countries represented. Because our German is not too advanced past regular conversation and questions, we usually use English at the Stammtisch and when we meet new people, though I have noticed sometimes I can't think of the word in English and then have to use German. With David, who always speaks German no matter what, I've had conversations with him where I can't keep up in German, so he'll ask the questions in German, and I'll have to keep answering him in a mix of Germglish. It's really quite cool that with one person you'll be talking English and then the next minute speaking in German without thinking about it, really.

Well, seeing as today is Monday, I have to get a quick shower and then head to Stammtisch to meet up with Frederick, David, Lucie, Maria, and Paolo. I hope all of you that started college back home in the Fort are enjoying your classes! Everyone else, have a great week. :)

Tschuess!