Friday 24 August 2012

Sometimes, you've got to do what best for you!

When I decided to take up such a challenge, I knew it would be far from easy. But I believed, and I still do, that it is attainable; especially with the good old saying 'Shoot for the moon, even if you miss you'll land among the stars'.
So, I've started out well. Just over a month of refreshing basic Italian everyday, along with learning more German, I'm making progress. I've got to admit, the German hasn't gone great! I haven't extended my vocabulary as much as I'd like to have done so far, but I haven't gotten any worse! My Italian has been pretty regular and right now, the language feels more reachable in my mind. Baring in mind I've had a 2-week holiday back in Jolly-old England (where I did nothing but go to the Olympics and then watch the rest from my comfy home sofa!), I'm pretty pleased.
NOW was when the hard work was really meant to start...and it will...but on assessment of everything, I have to re-assess my goals.
'Here we go...the excuses are starting...she can't be bothered to really try.' No doubt some people will think this, but I know better than anyone what works for me. Even if, in the past I have been so afraid to fail that I haven't really tried (this mind set is probably the reason I only got a 2:1 degree and not a first).
The goals are now as follows:
By January 2013 achieve C1 German and B1 Italian.
I won't be doing an exam in Italian in December, so I have pushed that back to March next year (the C1 exam). But the German C1 exam is still ago, and might be in exactly 13 weeks time. During that time, I'll be going to school Monday to Friday, as well as fulfilling my Au pair duties (and I have to say, being an Au pair is not exactly a clock-in, clock-out job). However, to make it to the C1 course I have to pass a B2 test, which is in 8 weeks! Considering this, trying to build up my Italian as well still seems pretty nonsensical. But I'll still be doing it.
This first month was really to see if I would confuse these two languages, but as I studied Italian at home for two years and have spoken nothing but German for the last 7 months, it seems they've chiseled out their own little sections in my brain. That is something that really excites me, and makes me believe even more that what I want is reachable.
So then, here's to some funny posts about the journey ahead! No doubt that the next 13 weeks will be full of ups and downs and lingual errors!