Birthday Abroad!

Yesterday was the big 2-2 for me.  Not a very special year, at least not when compared to the year before.  I still had a good time though.  I was able to sleep in, I got some very nice presents (like the new Armin van Buuren CD's that I've wanted forever - thank you Oli, I'm listening to it right now!), and Christine even had some Baumkuchen (Tree Cake) for us to eat during our coffee break at the library.  I had a very small party at the Gutz Club that night.  I invited a lot of people, but everyone was busy studying for finals and working on papers.  That's how it is every year though.  At least I got to hear Polish kids singing American karaoke songs!

22 will be a big year for me.  I'm going to graduate, find an apartment, and find a job.  I might even become a self-sufficient, independent adult!  Since I like it here in Germany and things are going so well with Oli, I'm currently planning to move to Hamburg after graduation and try my luck at finding full-time work.  My job opportunities are limited because of my lack of German skills, but hopefully I can find some work teaching English or doing secretarial work for an American or British firm, at least until my German becomes more natural.  The idea of answering phones in German also really scares me. :-/  I also have T.K.Maxx as a back-up too.  It's under the same parent company as T.J.Maxx, so maybe I can find some part-time work there while I get on my feet.  Next semester I'm just going to be studying and working - gotta save up some money!

I'm finished with two classes here already.  I got a 1.0 Schein (grade) in Middle English, the equivalent of an A, so I'm feeling good about that!  It's really stressful when your entire grade depends on one presentation.  I'm also glad I could use a Powerpoint for it!  Transparencies are just so dull.

On Friday I had to give a presentation in Deutsch als Fremdsprache about Business Greetings in America.  I could only use a transparency (which I didn't even know the word for in English until last week), but with pictures and diagrams it didn't look too boring.  I did find it annoying that I had to figure out how to print it and pay for it myself though.  A powerpoint would have been much more fun.  I could use notecards with bullet points, but I was so nervous that I just typed up a script and memorized it before my presentation.  At least I got all the grammar and vocabulary right!

The only point I lost was for my accent, and that's the hardest thing for me in any language.  One-on-one with a German speaker I think I can pronounce my words pretty well, but whenever I'm nervous (like presenting in front of a class), my accent gets really strong.  I won't deny it, I'm basically just speaking American English with German words.  Well what can you do, it comes with practice.  The teacher did an imitation of my accent though, which I didn't appreciate much.  I realize that I speak German with "American r's", but as a Linguist I also know that r's and l's are the most difficult sounds to adopt in a foreign language.  Oh well, only one point off is good.

I have all of my written work done for my classes now, so I just need to study for my Deutsch als Fremdsprache final on Monday and my Teaching English final on Wednesday.  Neither should be that difficult.  Then it's time to start packing and preparing to move out!  Bittersweet.  On Thursday I'll be going to Hamburg to spend one last weekend with Oli.  If possible I'm hoping to look at a few job opportunities there, but I haven't heard back from any of the English Schools yet, and since I'm not actually able to work there until this summer I can't apply anywhere yet.  I'm in contact with the President of the American Club of Hamburg, and he's being really helpful about offering to send out my CV to jobs I qualify for.  I know it'll all work out in the end, but this is my first time stepping out into the real world, and I'm so paranoid that I won't be able to find any work!

This is getting pretty personal for a travel blog!