Snap Happy

One thing I’ve been doing lately is snapping pictures of everyone and everything. Not that this is anything new, but it makes me happy. I’m hoping to be able to make my way through a photography course once my Dutch has reached a respectable level, just for something fun to do. Here are some of my favorites from the past little while:

Bailey spending a sleepy Sunday afternoon in the sun

For larger pic click here

My darling husband being geeky

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A rainy sunset through my diningroom window

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Bailey cuddling with his favorite toy “Dookie”
(Who has since been gutted)

For larger pic click here

Thursday I went to my school and spoke with the director of the inburgering program at our location. I was frank with her and told her everything I didn’t like about the course, what I felt I was missing, the parts that I thought were a waste of time for me. We had quite a long conversation and she was very very nice. She understood where I was coming from totally, that the langauge is more of a social issue for me than a work issue. She explained the the government wants them to geat the program more towards immigrants who come to Holland and are in danger of ending up on welfare. They aren’t as concerned with the language portion of the lessons, they just want them to get enough to be able to make themselves understood and get them out to work.

I explained to her that I am fully aware of how to find a job if I need one, that I’ve worked in the Netherlands in the past and am familiar with the temp agencies here as well. That my main purpose for taking the course was to get over my fear of speaking Dutch to people and to learn the language to improve my day to day life. If it makes me more employable here in NL that’s great but it’s not my main reason for doing it. I told her that I felt the career training was a waste of time for me as I’ve already worked in administrative positions and don’t need to learn how to use Microsoft Word, and that I think I can figure out how to fill out job applications and make my own resume.

The entire conversation we had took place IN Dutch so I was happy for that as it was an opportunity to show her that I’m not a complete numbskull and am eager to learn and use the language. When she asked me which class I was in she said (only in Dutch) “Which group are you in, B4.. ? I told her that I was in B3, she responded asking if I was about to take the test next week for B4 and I said “no.. I just took the test from B2!” She was shocked and told me that just from speaking to me she assumed I was a higher level than I actually was. That’s when she suggested that I skip B3 all together and try B4 and see if I can keep up. In doing so, I will be skipping the career training, which works for me!

So now I have to fill out a form that says I have worked here in NL and that I am currently employed on a freelance basis, which IS true. I am still technically employed by the company I worked for last year and could return there if I wanted to, which I don’t. The goverment doesn’t have to know that though. Once I fill out this form I will take it to the mentor for my group and ask her permission to move up to another level. The director said she’d speak with my mentor and suggest the move as well, so hopefully she’ll have some pull and be able to make this happen.

I’ve been asked in the past to move up in levels but I was afraid to skip material. Basically I’d be going from Chapter 17 (where I am now with my current class) to chapter 21 or so. That will mean I’ll have to do all that’s in between on my own and hope that between myself and Xander that we can make me understand it. I’ll have a huge amount of words to learn and will have to step up and work harder but I am hoping I’ll enjoy being more challenged. I’m not looking forward to leaving the people I’ve been with all these months, I also don’t know who the people are that I will be with when I move. I am a bit worried that I will not catch up properly and find myself feeling behind and getting frustrated. I also don’t know who the teachers will be and I pray that they are friendly and able to teach well, which one of my current teachers cannot.

On the other hand, I’m looking forward to learning more of the language rather than wasting my time on computer/resume skills. I’ll be happy to be in groups having conversations with people who speak as much or more Dutch than I do, rather than less. Best of all, I like the fact that if I do move I will complete the program in June rather than October. If I DO complete in June, I can move on and start a higher level of Dutch in September if I choose to. This would be paid privately and the government will have no say in it. It would be another entire year so I’m not sure, it will depend on how confident I feel with the language when this program ends.

So, as it stands now, it’s all in the hands of my mentor.. I’m hoping that she will understand and agree that this will be a good move for me. I’m really not sure what I’ll do if I’m held in the group I’m in now, most likely quit and try to study and complete the NT2 on my own and sign up for the final test privately.

Keep your fingers crossed for me!