Language Progress!

It was interesting... I spent Sunday in the Center of the Universe*, as usual... and stayed up rather late talking with Bizarro, Syd, Mr. P., Biff and Tobi. One thing I've noticed lately is that I can understand and speak German on a similar level during all hours of the day, including rather late at night.

"So, what's the point?" you might ask.

Well, earlier, I'd hit a wall towards the end of the day. This phenomena phenomenon was especially noticeable Wednesday nights during Bible Study, Friday nights with the youth, and when I was out late with friends. It was as if I'd simply run out of words and hit a language wall - I couldn't remember words I ought to know, couldn't formuluate sentences, and couldn't even understand that much anymore. Recently, this hasn't been happening.

Last night, some of the topics of conversation were a little new and difficult for me (tractor technicalities and earthquake geology, for example)... there are simply words I've never used and have no way of knowing. And even though it was 11 at night, I could follow most everything, and even chime in here and there - whether it be a question, a comment, or a word-definition-request (unfortunately, Leo decided to stay in Neukirchen, so I had to ask Syd).

Earlier, I would have simply had to tune out.

Language Progress! Yay!

I think that if I can manage to stay here, say, two or three more years, you won't be able to tell that I'm an American. I've always thought it'd be interesting to be able to fit so well into a different culture that people don't know you're a foreigner. :)


*Hoerstgen