Since I wrote last week about getting serious, I've had two Spanish classes with my tutor and a exchange with an Ecuadorian living in NYC. I've realized that my vocabulary about pretty much anything other than children's sleeping/feeding/napping schedules is really lacking (I speak Spanish with our daycare provider).
I've always been great at grammar, so luckily I don't have to learn any new verb tenses, although I do have to practice working the subjunctive into my conversations. It was a bit of a wake-up call, though, and I realize it may take me a bit longer than I hoped to prepare for the exam.
Of course our laptop chose this week to break down, so skype classes may be postponed while we wait for its long-overdue replacement (my husband is jumping for joy).
So my new goal is to test by the end of June, so that if I get on the register by mid-July, we could have a shot at the Sept. class.
After dreaming of this life for so long, I'm starting to be a little scared. My husband has a point that we'd be giving up a lot. Some posts would be wonderful, others very trying. What if it’s too hard on our marriage? I’ve lived abroad in one of the most difficult environments in the world (Niger), as well as some easier ones (Dominican Republic, Chile, Venezuela) and traveled to many others. He has not done much traveling (although in the last 2 years, he led reporting teams to Saudi Arabia and Colombia and did great) and has never been a huge travel fanatic. I think that living in a country, having your own home and possessions and community, will be quite different from traveling there. But what if it pulls us apart? What if he resents me for pulling him into this lifestyle? Sometimes I think I must be crazy.
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8 comments:
I think you might be crazy too.
But then again so might I.
And so might he and she and mine and yours, and they might, and over there and there... and so on. We are all a little bonkers. Choose your crazy. Crazy bored is another kind of crazy.
Did you read the post: http://shannonstamey.blogspot.com/2007/08/cautionary-tale.html
Interesting and frightening, as someone going in.
It is a struggle to know. I wish we could all get together for dinner and drinks.
First of all, I LOVE
"Choose your crazy."
Seriously, what an AWESOME blog title that would be for a State blog. Really!
And that's just totally spot on - choose your crazy.
So you are NOT crazy, LIFE is crazy, JOBS are crazy, etc. Just take each day as it comes, and put one foot in front of the other as seems rational to you at the time, and know that it will become the way it is supposed to as you travel down your road.
And thank you so much for all the kind words you have said. I'm so very grateful for them! :)
um, yes, I think that post is responsible for these newfound doubts...
I agree, "choose your crazy" is a fabulous blog title!
:)
thanks for the support!
B,
I think you and I are in almost exactly the same place, except I do not have 2 munchkins. I passed the OA in March, and I'm taking the Russian test next week. I feel rather stressed about it, but not sure that X more weeks of study will make a huge difference since I'm only working with a tutor and not studying full-time (I also want to test before I get on the register).
And I wonder what an FS marriage is going to be like. My husband seems really game for this, but how do you know until you know?
Living in a place is much different than just passing through, and once you get over the initial culture shock, overseas is not too much different from living at home. Everywhere has pros and cons, and you have to live somewhere! :)
Hi there. I'm also studying for the Spanish test after passing the OA in March. The language folks said that Spanish testing is in high demand right now, and the first available date for me to do the phone test was one month from when I called to schedule it, but they originally told me they didn't have a date for 6 weeks! You probably already know this from the Yahoo group, but just in case - make sure you don't wait too long to schedule it! Good luck with the studying.
Hi. How did you find your tutor? I recently passed the OA and am looking for an Italian tutor. Thanks.
hey brett, can't figure out how to contact you so hope you stop back again. Congrats on your pass! My tutor was recommended on the A100 board so if you haven't already, join and do a search for italian, if nothing comes up just ask. Second, try craigslist for skype or phone tutors- if no one in your area, try NYC. Even tho my tutor is in Mexico, since we use skype I'm only paying the tutor price, not the phone call cost too. It's making a huge difference for me! Good luck!
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