We Are All In School
School - Die Schule
It is official - each one of us in school.
A: I have been in German class since the middle of July. I am working toward getting through my A1 levels. There are different levels that one needs to get to for various reasons: work, university and some visas. In general, it goes A1 (A1.1, A1.2) A2 (A2.1, A2.2), B1(B1.1, B1.2), B2 (B2.1, B2.2) and it continues to C2. I am hoping by the end of September to take the A1 test. Yikes! In any case, I am working hard and trying to absorb as much as I can. My class currently has 8 people and is geared more toward the older professional learner. My class is near the main train station in Zürich so it is a 20 - 30 minute ride for me. It works out perfectly as Miriam's tram to school is across the street from my bus stop and the two are 1 minute apart for departure.
K: So K is taking her classes at a different school - it is geared more toward ... eh-hem... younger learners. She is working through her course (and doing well). Her class is a little smaller as the summer learners are leaving for college and back to work. She has made a few nice friends which has been good for her to explore the city and do activities with people her age. The great thing about her school is they coordinate a social activity every week - which allows her to meet people outside her classroom. She has been working on German 20-hours a week in the classroom this summer, which we are hoping will mean she will be able to take the A2 test before she heads back to the US. Her goal is to be a B1 (or more) by September of next year. Her school is located in the old town near the lake and the Opera House. It is a bit further than the rest of us - but the scenery - well it is totally worth it. And her other classes began on Monday - so let the homework time management really begin!
M:M has made it through one week of her new school. She is attending a small International School that is focused on Math and Science. And let me tell you - they sure are! This year she will be taking Biology, Physics and Chemistry and in addition English, Math, German and Computer Science (plus, PE, Business and a Health Class). Yikes! I sure hope she has no homework questions, because I think I am officially out of capacity! Her school is away from town - she has the shortest commute (we planned it that way). Every morning, she walks to the tram and 4 stops later she is 3 minutes away from her school. So far, so good.
S: Even Stephan is taking a course. Once a week for lunch he takes a course on Swiss German. Schweizerdeutsch is so different than German. He is taking a few classes to learn the words that are used in everyday language. That, my friends, is not in my plan book. If I can communicate in Standard German I will be so thrilled! For now, we leave the Schweizerdeutsch to Stephan and the rest of us focus on communicating in general.