The Melbourne German Language Meetup May 8, 2008
Posted by madam in german.trackback
Tonight I tried something different in my effort to learn German. I attend a meeting of the The Melbourne German Language Meetup. The group just meets at a bar and talks German… well there is some English for those of us who’s German is not so good.
Some of the people were native speakers and others learners. The other learners were more advanced than me.
I really enjoyed myself. Of course I hardly said a word in German, but I did listen to the others intently. I was surprised just how much of what was said I could understand. I couldn’t understand all, but that didn’t matter. I got most of it!
The best part was hearing the language spoken in real life.I haven’t heard that since I was in Berlin last year and my comprehension has improved considerably since then. Normally, I only hear German spoken in a very laboured fashion in German class or in stilted conversations with my German friends.
Regular attendance at these meetings has potential for me. In time I will be more confident to speak, because the conversation is not too complex. Additionally because there are other learners I feel that I am in a group where I belong. By that I mean, me and only native speakers is very intimidating :)
I intend to go along to further meetings and I will write about those here.
Madam, It was great to have a new member come along!
Hey Hey Paul,
this took you one step closer to get a German speaker.
I subscribed your RSS feed.
Yes Torsten. I figgured that you would have subscribed. You like to know everything that is going on in Australia :)
After I wrote this post, something occured to me. Back in October last year when I was in Berlin I would not have understood conversations similar to those last night.
It is always difficult for me to judge my progress, ie it usually seems like I am learning nothing or at best a little slowly.
Last night proved to me that I have learned a lot since October.
Casual meetings in German sounds like a great idea. I wonder if there’s one around my area….
Attended my second meeting of this group tonight. Enjoyed it as much as the first time. There were a lot of people that I hadn’t met before. I was by far the worst speaker there, so I didn’t really say anything. While I enjoyed myself I think I was intimidated by the native speakers going at full speed. Again I could understand a lot, but towards the end of the evening I tired and got lost with the fast conversations.
Despite my negativity, I was a a good experience. I’ve learned that every little exposure to the the language is good, even if it only amounts to a drop in the bucket.
3.12.2008
Where and when is your next meeting?
I listened to SBS Radio this morning when a group like yours was
interviewed. I am German, have lived in Australia for many years and would like to have more contact with other German and English speakers.
Thanks, Brigitte
If you register on the meetup site http://german.meetup.com/356/ you will be automatically e-mailed the date, time and place of all future meetings.
… and the SBS Radio program Brigitte refers to can be heard here http://sbs.com.au/elg/german-081203-c5d.mp3