Diary15 April 2004, 5:57pm
No really, I wanna learn…
I am hoping to take language lessons while I am here. I am looking to get just the basics so I can get a little more comfortable independence, and generally interact more.
After settling in, I started asking around a bit. With the help of the office, I found a place in town that offers classes. I would forget about going to see them, or just be feeling listless, or actually not have the time. When I finally got in, I was a little crushed that the price was more than was quoted on the phone, and it would not be a class.
The idea of private lessons makes me nervous. It makes me pretty anxious because of past experiences trying to learn languages, and because I tend to be a pretty tense guy. I found out that an employee in OSCE had the same tutor who was recommended to me, so I hankered down and made the call. She initially called me, but I wound up in Sarajevo an extra day, so missed it. In the mean time, I worked through all the anxiety stuff.
Once I made the call, it wound up being a fair amount of calling. The mobile phones here don’t come with voice mail, so it took a couple weeks for us to finally get each other. Earlier in the week, I met Sandriela and worked out what sort of lessons I would get.
We were supposed to meet from 11a to 1p today. I even wrote it down. She saw me write it down. So, as you can imagine, it is well beyond me why I was so confident we were meeting 1p-3p, that I didn’t check my notes. I feel like an ass and am horribly embarrassed.
We try again Friday! 11a-1p.
::sigh::
Posted by Andrew
Andy – I have been catching up on all your postings and you are doing a great job of letting us all know how things are going for you.
Hopefully you’ll get into the swing of things with your new language tutor and be able to make all of the meetings… I expect for you to teach Demi some of the new words that you are learning – No! Not those…. I mean the nice ones….
It is interesting to see that you are planning on another 6 months. Although I’m sure that Dana is missing you good and proper, she’s a great person who will cut you some slack. I bet your going to have to make it up to her when you get home though!
Keep writing for us. We love to read about your experiences. It gives a gret vicarious experience to some of us poor slobs back home that have no chance of getting to experience first hand the amazing things that you have seen. I expect to be receiving some of those recipes that I have read so much about…
Kris
Comment by Kris — April 29, 2004 @ 5:24 am
lol – I can give a good and proper missin’ when it’s called for! ::grin::
You’re right – I do cut a lot of slack for folks when it comes to exploring the world for months at a time. I keep Andrew around, though, because he’d do the same for me. (well, he already has…)
This whole six months thing, though… that’s another story. There may not be enough slack to last 6 more months. So, if Andrew lands a job in Eastern Europe, I most certainly won’t be spending the summer in Chicago…
It’s good to see you online!
:-)
Cheers, Dana
Comment by Dana — April 30, 2004 @ 2:36 am