Three weeks in, and the light bulbs have started to go off! It’s so exciting to have been in the country less than a month and to already be making connections. It’s also often surprising; you never know when something from a random vocabulary exercise is going to spring up in every day life.
For example: one day we decided to dive into a giant pile of toy animals laying in the apartment. I discovered essential vocabulary like “rhinoceros,” “goat,” and “dinosaur.” Just kidding. When am I going to need those words in my life in the city? (Or in modern history, haha).
A few days later I was at the grocery store looking at the cheese, wishing I had a way to know more about which type was which. Suddenly, I realized I DID recognize one of the words: goat!
“That’s goat cheese!” I exclaimed enthusiastically to my friend.
It felt great, but the best moments have been conversing with my nurturer.* Earlier this week during my session I got up to go get some coffee.
“I need to grab my coffee,” I said in English. Then it struck me: I have learned the words for coffee, go, and kitchen. So I started over in my new language. I had to be corrected in my conjugation, but I tried it again, and then cheered victoriously as I walked into the kitchen. We had actually communicated in conversation!
I’m investing a lot of time and money to invest in my language learning like this right now, but it’s definitely been worth it to me. I realize other people have more responsibilities they have to manage alongside language, and I am so thankful this gets to be my primary focus right now. And if our local grocery store starts carrying rhinoceros cheese, I’ll be totally ready.
*nurturer: teacher