So yesterday – Monday – I arrived at 11 at the school I’ll be studying at in the afternoons during my stay. I was expecting a placement test and was explaining to the receptionist who didn’t seem au fait with my arrival when the manager (imagine a confident, youngish efficient woman!) came up and took over She knew what my plan was, so she booked me in. Then instead of a placement test, she took me straight a class going on from 11, due to finish at 11:45, to “get me quickly started”, so she said. A big surprise to the teacher, and to the four rather quiet introvert types who were in the class. The class was on past participles which I haven’t studied but have a vague awareness of – mostly the teacher talking and then going around the class getting each person to answer a question from the handout. It was called “A+” and (I discovered later it is the level above my current level) One poor young English girl seemed very nervy, shaking even, when answering. Poor girl. The teacher was perfectly pleasant – just brusque, efficient. I did, however manage to answer my questions but mainly because I simply counted up to the question that was my turn and worked on figuring out the answer while the others were answering theirs!!
Then we finished at 11:45 and the next class was at 12. The class wasn’t as active as I’d wanted, and certainly harder than expected but I could cope.. so was steeling myself for the next session 12- 1.45 when my weekly Skype teacher came in and said she personally thought I should be in the class next door – bigger class, nearer my level. So she took me into there, introduced me to the new teacher and I sat waiting for the next lesson.
Then the manager woman came in – walked right up to my bit of the table, leaned her elbows on it , over to me and asked, very sternly, почему Bы здесь? почему Bы здесь What are you doing here? What are you doing here? If I’d been a young girl I’d have been so upset and scared!! And I am a paying customer! But luckily the new teacher came over to the manager to explain they thought this level class would be a better fit, so they’s suggested I move, so the manager left me alone. Phew!
Anyway this class was/is much more my level. more interactive – 9 students – a mix of some older men from USA/Germany and some young Italian, French and German student, girls and boys. Some are not quite as good as I am and some are better than I am but on the whole, this is just the right class for me. I attend the 12 – 1.45 class each day. (They also have a morning class but I can’t attend that as I have to work)
It’s so nice to be in a class of students -of varying ages and nationalities but all of whom were very motivated to learn. Today (Tuesday) we continued looking at motion verbs and their prefixes – perfect complement to the Tips4Russian courses I have been working through. I kind of wish I could attend classes all day – but Moodle 3.5 new features screencasts and screenshots beckon, and I have a job and a life outside of Russian 🙂