Sprachkurs

As I was posting my last entry, I realized I had yet to mention the "Sprachkurs" (Language course) I have been taking the last two weeks. Oh, where to begin? It is a class 5 hours a day, 5 days a week. We review German grammar and are there to better our German. My class is primarily comprised of Europeans. There are three French students, and then one from each of the following countries: Hungary, Czech Republic, Holland, Belgium, Denmark, and Switzerland (French speaking). I am joined by two other Americans, one who just finished up at Redlands and surprisingly, a guy from Berkeley. I even took a poetry class with him last semester- talk about a strange stroke of fate. The class is held in Mitte, which is kind of like the Financial District in San Francisco, not so great to grab a bite to eat.

The instructor is a young woman in her late 20's. She has two kids and is a "Waschechte Berliner," a phrase similar in meaning to true blue Berliner. A typical day includes Grammar, Grammar, and more Grammar. I am occasionally a fan of Grammar. In particular, I am fond of crazy grammar forms- like extended adjective modifying phrases in German, and "psychoadverbial phrases" in Yiddish. But reviewing Konjontive II, Passiv, and Prepositions is not exactly my idea of fun. I don't take German because I am in love with Grammar. But Grammar review never hurts, right? WRONG!

I would like to say wrong, but I am actually not sure- so on it goes for two more weeks.


If I had a goal for this course, it would be to begin using adjective endings. I use them, I just don't pay attention to them, who does? Well some people do, I suppose. I'm just not disciplined enough. Give me another couple of years maybe. And if I had another goal, it would be to slow down. I used to speak really quickly in English, it seems I've taken on that trait in German now. Bummer.