“Understanding doesn’t mean that you can suddenly speak the language. Far from it. It’s a small step, nothing more, yet its rewards are intoxicating and deceptive. The teacher continued her diatribe and I settled back, bathing in the subtle beauty of each new curse and insult.”
Sedaris, David. “Me Talk Pretty One Day.” Me Talk Pretty One Day. New York: Little, Brown, 2000. 166-173.
After a lot of soul-searching, internal conflict management (wanting to go back to the San Francisco Bay Area), frequent emotional rants and the occasional rational discussion with the Dutch husband (Bram), I’ve decided to take another shot of learning Dutch. Specially, I am going to make another whole hearted attempt at mastering the Dutch language.
I enrolled at the University of Amsterdam’s Instituut voor Nederlands als Tweede Taal (Institute for Dutch as a Second Language, INTT), a 30 minute train ride away from the comfort of my Utrecht apartment. The other local alternative would be Utrecht University’s James Boswell Institute (JBI). Knowing my own personal discipline in regards to studying Dutch, or more accurately lack there of, I choose Amsterdam’s INTT. The winning attribute was INTT’s structured 36 hour work load per week consisting of four hours of lessons four times a week plus 20 hours of mandatory self-study. I was afraid that the JBI’s program of two hours of lessons four times a week fell shy of enforcing discipline.
I’m also a firm believer that in order to really speak the language, it’s crucial to immerse yourself in the culture and live in a Dutched reality. What better way than to take a Dutch language course in the heart of Amsterdam’s historic center, a block away from the Dam Square?
The JBI is located in a secluded campus far removed from Utrecht’s city center, probably more ideallyic in the summer where biking would easily compensate for the lack of available public transportation. With the infamous Dutch winter notorious for rain, hail, snow and a predicted average of two hours of sunlight everyday, I would find it rather difficult to get out of bed and get on a bike to make it to class at the JBI. Forgive me for being a princess, but at least I know my limitations…
My acculturation in the Netherlands took a long time and it left a scar on my heart. The type of scar that protrudes from your skin such that if others (mainly other expats) stared hard enough, they would recognize it immediately. However, like all scars, in due time, healing takes over. A renewed interest for giving life in the Netherlands another chance (or two or three….) gently nurtures the soul and pulls me out of my melancholic slumber.
My attempt in mastering the Dutch language stems stems from my own innate desire to materialize my dreams, our dreams, in the Netherlands (even if it’s temporary…). Being an educated illiterate can only get me so far and there is so much going on all around that it’s a shame not to be part of it. I hope that at the INTT, I can not only learn how to speak Dutch fluently, but also re-define my own understanding of the Dutch culture and give life in the Low Countries an honest chance. After all, I owe it to my wonderful Dutch husband faithfully standing by my side. Now I’m looking forward to what dreams may come…in Dutch.
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I completely agree with you the best way to learn language is to immerse yourself.
I’ve been through it. I moved to the US after high school. Granted I’d been learning english prior to that, but it’s a whole different thing to speak and use the language, than to understand and write it.
After these many years I realize foreign language is not like math. It’s not knowledge you acquire. It’s not something that you study and then put the books back on the shelf and go to bed. It needs to be a part of you. You’re not learning a new language if your dreams are not in that language.
If you can live completely without english (it’s hard though) you should try it. Join local forums is a great way to really ‘use’ the language too. It doesn’t replace talking to locals, but at least it gives you a chance to type like how you would talk.
Another unsolicited tip
, record yourself. You sound different than what you sound in your head. I’m not talking about your voice. I’m talking about your intonation and accent. The quickest way to improve your accent is to record and listen! Although it’s probably not that important yet until you’re somewhat eloquent and have stopped searching for words in your brain before you speak.
Thanks so much Becks for your tips! I totally agree with you too that you just have to completely “live” in the language that you are becoming fluent in.
As for the voice recording, I also did it. I have to confess though that I don’t like hearing the sound of my own voice.
How did you come across my website?
Cheers,
Rina Mae