The past week has been busier than I could have imagined. Moving apartments was stressful, and work is busy, but the amount of time I dedicate to Hebrew every day is much more than I would have ever thought. Not only do I have class from 9a-2:15p, but I have a forty-five minute bus ride each way and hours (yes, plural) of homework. My life as I know it (working, swimming, seeing friends, cooking, etc.) has been put on hold, probably for the next month and a half until I finish ulpan.
The first day of class, I started in level ד, the fourth level, but because I need to finish through ו, the sixth level, I wanted to begin the summer in ה, the fifth level. This way, I would only have one course instead of two to complete during the year. The courses are long, at a different university campus, and conflict with my core courses for my master's, so any way to decrease the number of Hebrew courses I need during the semester is a good thing.
As I was sitting in level ד, I was understanding the majority of what we were discussing. I had also completed a portion of one of the text-books they were using for the course. I decided to speak with the director of the ulpan about moving up a level.
He wasn't so keen on the idea. Apparently on my placement test, I had scored in the beginning range of ד. It was so Israeli when I decided to be a little pushy. I reiterated that I felt that ה was right for me based on previous ulpanim, my speaking abilities, and also my work ethic. He decided to let me take the level exam. If I passed the exam with at least a 70%, I could move up to ה. If I didn't, then I was stuck. I hadn't prepared for the test, and I haven't studied formally in a Hebrew class for over a year. Somehow, though, I struggled through the test (it was a struggle!) and passed--with a 71%.
Moving up was definitely the right choice. I passed the test, so being in ד would have been repetitive--a waste of time and money--and in terms of my graduate course plan, taking ה this summer is essential. But the course is very hard. And even though I seem to be in the top half to third of the class, I am really struggling. My vocabulary is lacking, so even though I understand all of the grammar rules and more often, exceptions to the rules, we are learning, applying them in context is hard because I struggle to understand the words in the given contexts.
Hopefully as the course goes on, it will become easier, but regardless, my Hebrew will continue to improve, and my study-habits will be re-formed after a year-and-a-half study break.
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