The fun of language learning

I've been having lots of fun starting my dutch classes this month. At first, it was overwhelming, all the new words and concepts. But after a few weeks, I am just having fun with it. I wish I could go back to learning like a baby does. I watch Grayson absorbing our words and starting to understand more and more. He can understand most of what we say now, but still struggles to speak. I am in a similar place...althought I don't think I understand as much dutch as Grayson understands english! Well...I am in process right?

I've started to try to use dutch when I shop, buy a train ticket or even ask where the bathroom is. I know that should be standard...but I still feel silly calling it a "WC". A lot of my learning is coming from watching Dora the Explorer in dutch and listening to Grayson's dutch toys talk. Gray just found the on/off button on his car and he is constantly pushing it. It turns off with the phrase, "tot de volgende keer!" which means, "until next time." I use it everywhere now and people think I am a natural. It's amazing what hearing something a million times will do.

The best thing about speaking dutch here is people are so happy if you just try to speak. I asked the guy at our little Natuur Winkel downstairs (kinda like a raisin rack - but not as good) how he was doing in dutch and he lit up like it was Sinterklaas (or Christmas for you Americans). He was so excited that he started speaking dutch so fast, I was totally lost. I didn't have the heart to tell him though, so I just said, "tot de voldende keer!" That was a winner.

I've made lots of mistakes too though. One time, when addressing a friend's mom, I neglected to use the formal form of "you". You are supposed to use the formal version when you address someone you don't know or someone older than you. She was both. But I think I won her back when she confessed how old she was, 85 I think...and I responded immediately with a phrase I'd heard a million times in class, "wat jong!" which means something like, "that's so young!" It fit perfectly.

It's fun faking it, but I am finding it difficult to really be able to communicate with a new language. I feel that I can relate to Grayson's frustration as he grunts and points to something (who knows what) and tries to communicate. I hope that I can move past the grunting and pointing stage soon. As long as I am having fun, I think I can handle the pain.

Tot de volgende keer!