Whoa! Two entries in a day! Crazy. Just need to do the stereotypical blog thing and complain some. First, I will be confident. I think I'm pretty awesome for doing what I'm doing. Not many 22 year old girls move to a foreign country just after graduating from college and teach English. Some, definitely, but not a lot. Ok, so that's how I should feel. Right now? Sick and tired of it. I just had a Turkish lesson with Sinan and I realized how hopeless I am in the language. Sure, I probably know more than most people reading this blog, but I've been in Turkey for 7 months and all I can do in a supermarket is point to something and mumble a vocabulary word? Hmmmm. Same with teaching, I'm so frustrated to not be able some of the simple questions students ask. Yesterday a student asked the difference in "other" and "else" (why do we say What else etc) and I had no answer. I think the thing that is bothering me so much is that I used to use the excuse, oh, I'm new in Turkey, I'm new to teaching etc. But now, I'm not new. Counting my studying abroad last year, I've been in Turkey for almost a year! My Turkish is so pathetic I JUST made a flashcard for "I am American" - I should have learned that Week 1 in Turkey, last year. Regarding my inability to identify student's speaking problems and answer some students' questions, that was okay to mess up the first 1 or 2 months, but by 4 months, I really should be more on top of my stuff. Now, I won't even get started on my lack of a social circle.
Ok, that's it. My plan? Feel sorry for myself for a few more minutes, then snap out of it and make the most of things. I don't expect to become fluent in Turkish or be a world class teacher. I need to have these struggles to put things in perspective and realize I am lucky to be having this opportunity. Wow my biggest complaint is that I'm having trouble speaking the native language in the awesome foreign country I live in? Poor me. I'll go drown my sorrows in a kepab and some tea.
Anyway, thanks for reading! I'm fine (Mom, no need to worry or be sad), just needed to complain for a bit! Take care!
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You can try ANKI, flash card software for learning foreign languages.
ReplyDeleteAs a linguist I will remind you that it is very difficult for someone over the age of 16 to learn a new language, especially one as crazy as Turkish.
ReplyDelete2nd great job keeping you blog up for so long! Its always fun to hear about food.
Anyways keep up the great work!!