#booksIlove: the Millennium trilogy

The whole original series by Stieg Larsson was shrouded in mystery. He appeared out of the blue with all three books more or less complete and then disappeared, unfortunately dying before the books were published.

The stories are dark and often violent, which is not something I normally enjoy, yet they are riveting. It is mainly the Lisbeth Salander character that I am enthralled with. I read the series (but skip over the worst parts) every year or two and feel that they have travelled well in time.

Then there is the story of Stieg Larsson's partner, Eva Gabrielsson, who insists she is a co-writer of the series and goes into a court battle with Larsson's family. Was she, was she not, what will happen? All very mysterious. 

    

#booksIlove: Mycroft Holms and Sherlock (series)

Title: Mycroft Holmes and Sherlock (series), by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Anna Waterhouse
When I read the book for the first time: 2018 and reread the series about one or two times since, last month as well

I like that the series focuses primarily on Mycroft but still leaves room for a young Sherlock as a teenager on the cusp of discovering his life purpose. The stories flow, and the characters are very much alive. The authors make claims about the characters without becoming obsessive about them.

Suspense and excitement

Wedding is today
The sun is playing such games
Umbrella ready.

Waiting for my taxi to arrive

Such peace and quiet
Streetcleaner brumming away
Packed luggage at door.

Hamburg airport

What is he thinking...
Wearing old "free hugs" t-shirt
So been-there-done-that! 

A gift and privilege

Adopted daughter
Ask me to attend her son's birth
Boy, am I nervous.

#booksIlove: Precious Bane

Title: Precious Bane, Mary Webb
When I read the book: for the first time in 1980, and numerous times after because I was a helpless romantic

When Virago Modern Classics came into being, Pat sent me many of their books, and she opened my world to women authors. Precious Bane was one of many works I read and reread. Prue Sarn, the main character, abounds in strength and sensitivity. 

Taking a break from day-to-day stress

Man sits under tree

Face to the sun, phone in hand

End of his workday. 

At departure gate C16

I love to travel
Trains more than planes, both fun
So much to look at.

#booksIlove: The Book of Night Women

Title: The Book of Night Women, by Marlon James
When did I read this: last year after Caroline recommended it, and again last month as well

The characters Lilith in this book and Lisbeth of the Girl with the Dragon Tatoo inspire me with their intensely disturbing strength. Also, the 18th-century setting and the depictions of slavery make witness to horrors inflicted upon humankind.

I always thought coming from "poor Irish" excused me from a part of the history of slavery. I cannot explain why, but this book made me realize that no matter where they came from, my forebears were culpable, and therefore I am as well.

Opening my bedroom window

Summer festival
Lots of colour and music

Someone is singing. 

Learning German in Germany as an adult (part 2)

In part 1, I explained why it is challenging to learn German quickly through government-supported language programs. In this blog post, I'll share how to maximize these programs' benefits. Besides helping you learn basic vocabulary and grammar, these courses offer a unique opportunity to meet a diverse group of immigrants. Use this time to connect with people you might not normally encounter.

Regardless of who is in your language course, everyone has taken a significant journey to get there. They have navigated many experiences, often harrowing, with German bureaucracy. To truly understand a country, it’s essential to experience how it treats its marginalized populations. Moving to Germany means that learning the language, integrating into society, and making this country your home will forever be part of your life story.

You can learn a lot about yourself by observing how others cope with the challenges of integration. It's often easier to recognize mistakes in others than in yourself. By becoming aware of how other people's mindset or approaches influence their ability to cope, you are taking a step in the right direction in self-awareness. Also, having a few buddies to explore the city can make you feel more brave about doing things outside of your comfort zone. Knowing these two things, you might see the advantage of befriending your fellow participants, even if it is for a short while.

When I first arrived in Germany, I attended language lessons at a night school. The course was filled with other businessmen and women, some spouses, and a few university students. It was incredibly boring, and most of the participants, including myself, were bad at class participation and about doing our homework. The language teacher was understandably frustrated with us and likely taught for the money rather than a passion for teaching German.

The first person I befriended was Cenera, a Brazilian woman whose husband worked for Siemens. They had a son who attended a German kindergarten. Cenera spent her mornings cleaning their apartment and shopping before picking up her son at noon. Her afternoons were spent with him at the local playground. She had no friends or hobbies.

When we discovered that we lived near each other, she asked if we could go jogging together. Neither of us had ever run before, but her husband ran marathons and so explained how we could best start. Cenera didn’t speak any English or French (my active languages), and I didn’t speak any Portuguese. Our initial months of jogging together were awkward. It took us many weeks to keep up a slow jog for twenty minutes. And, our conversations were limited due to our rudimentary vocabulary and nonexistent grammar. Between being constantly out of breath and wracking our brains to dig out some words to express ourselves, "going jogging" during those early months was rather painful.

However, a miraculous thing happened: we started paying more attention to what our German teacher was teaching us. We began doing our homework together and, most importantly, we started teaching each other how to speak German. Though our German wasn’t perfect, bit by bit, we became more fluent. As she improved, so did I.

The second person I befriended was Karen, whose husband was an officer at the American Army Base. Karen and I struck up a conversation and discovered many shared interests, from Bach to Victorian literature. Her husband was often away on maneuvers, so we spent a lot of time together. She spoke fluent German because her father, a history professor specializing in the Lutheran church, took sabbaticals in Germany. Thus, she had lived in Germany numerous times as a child.

Karen was the first foreigner I met who could speak German fluently and unabashedly loved living in Germany. She didn’t have patience with the other wives or attend any of the Officer Wives Club events, except those she had to because of her husband. She was unique in that way and taught me how someone from "outside" could make a home in Germany.

Language programs are often called integration programs. While the schools and teachers focus on teaching you German pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary, you can also focus on integration. Get to know those in your course; they are most likely as shy and confused as you are. Learning about their struggles and the strategies they use to survive can create true connections. Who knows, maybe you can help each other feel more at home in Germany 

Sunshine working it's magic

Plenty of couples 

Scattered all over the park

Love is in the air. 

#booksIlove: Where the Crawdads Sing

Title: Where the Crawdads Sing, by Delia Owens 
When did I read this book: 2018, when it came out, and numerous times since then, and most recently last week.

I read and reread this book regularly. It talks deeply and beautifully about solitude and loneliness. 

#booksIlove: Intimations

Title: Intimations, by Zadie Smith
When did I read it: just last week

Zadie Smith is one of those authors who lets you into her "Herzraum"... into her innermost being. I love the word "Herzraum" because it represents a space to while away in. A room where the richness of thought and imagination creates a colourful mosaic for discovery. This book's mosaic depicts a special time of her life, as well as that in the world.

Fashion statement

Bought a new suitcase

New home for my apparel

Looking so spiffy!

Books I love... new series

Recently, Nomad Son mentioned how little I share about the books I read.

Once again, I discovered a source of "feeling small" that I would like to change. I compare myself to my mother, who read a book a day for most of her adult life. As well, I follow numerous podcasts and bloggers who write so eloquently about books. So, I'm throwing these feelings aside.

The fact is, reading is a part of every day. Not that I read a book a day, but it is fair to say I usually read a book or two a week. Yet, I very rarely share this part of me with anyone.

So, this will change. I will keep it simple, though, just mentioning the title and why I like the book.   

Off on an adventure

Raps fields roll away

As the sun peeks behind clouds

I ride the bus north.

(Written nearly two months ago.) 

#lifehacks: windex

Now, I might not be quite on the level as the father in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, but this stuff is great on any surface to clean away stains or dirt of every sort. It is especially good on upholstery.  

Learning German in Germany as an adult (part 1)

Welcome to the first post in a series that will explore the challenge of learning German as an adult in Germany. In this series, I'll discuss the shortcomings of the current system of language training programs before exploring strategies you can adopt to learn a basic command of German more effectively.

To learn a new language quickly, you need to focus on two areas: passive language and active language. Passive language skills are like the part of an iceberg beneath the water, while active language skills are the visible tip of the iceberg above the water.

Passive language skills involve understanding the language without actively using it. This includes listening and reading comprehension. For example, recognizing vocabulary, understanding grammar rules, and processing spoken and written texts are all passive skills. These skills form the foundation of language learning, providing the necessary input that helps learners understand the language structure and usage.

On the other hand, active language skills involve the actual use of the language in speaking and writing. These skills are essential for communication and involve constructing sentences, expressing thoughts, and engaging in conversations. Active skills require practice and interaction, which helps reinforce and solidify passive language knowledge.

The way most language schools teach German as a second language is often unsuccessful. These schools focus on teaching students how to speak German "properly," much like the traditional methods used in schools for learning foreign languages. They believe that to learn a language, you have to expand that area under the water as much as possible before attempting to develop your speaking skills.

 
Unfortunately, the language training programs are generally only four months long, which is not enough time to build strong passive language skills, especially if there is little focus or opportunity for developing active language skills. The training programs are four months long, five days a week and usually five hours daily. The teachers work through one textbook after another throughout this time, focusing on getting the students to pass their next language exam.

Most language lessons follow an outdated formula. In a typical 45-minute lesson, 30‑35 minutes are spent listening to the teacher work through the exercises with the students. This leaves only 10-15 minutes for the students to participate in role-play exercises or practice general conversation. This means that each student might only get a chance to speak for 1-2 minutes per lesson or 5-10 minutes a day.

Language schools are required to teach German this way due to constraints placed on them by agencies paying them to teach immigrants German (e.g., the unemployment agency). The school focuses on gaining recognition and proper compensation from the agencies. They employ trained teachers, use standard textbooks, and follow set learning plans that comply with industry standards. They are concerned with doing what everyone is doing and not whether the students leave the program being able to speak German.

 
They need to prepare their students to pass exams because the success of the programs lies in their students' passing rates. The students fear the exams because they often need them for resident and work visas. So, they attend the classes, acutely aware that their spoken German is not improving and in a steady state of frustration on how slow they are in understanding German grammar rules. While the language school methods are not inherently bad, they are not the most effective or efficient for most adults wanting to understand and speak German in day-to-day situations.

 
If the schools were allocated more time or resources, they could adopt a blended approach. They could assign more preparation and homework to students, allowing classroom time to focus on active learning through group exercises and role-playing games.

By understanding how you can balance your efforts between acquiring passive and active language skills, you can begin to explore more effective ways to learn German as an adult in Germany. Future posts will delve into these strategies, helping you navigate the journey of mastering a new language.