A Day in the German Freshman Class

My German class here was awesome. It was just like the mutant civilizing local cultures.

What life has been as mine after acquired a foreign language skill? Of course, it was an incredible, astounding and beyond belief life. It did not come as a surprise as I had attended a German language class before. Here, the student’s body normally has a diverse and erratic profile, merely because of the common interest they shared was atypical to Malaysia’s standard education system. On their own account, they have a bunch of things to do with the foreign language. The obsessive ones were so eagle to get over the whole semester, and some were heading to live abroad. The others had chosen to wait until they have confidence on what seemed to be a fair, and rewarding proposal. 

The German freshman evening class started the semester with as many as 17 people from extremely diverse backgrounds. Half of the students left the class after the first semester. To date, we have 9 students, 4 school children and 5 working adults from varies profession. The more we spent time together in the class, the more we learned about other’s courage of learning a new language. Like the toddlers learning how to walk, we rolled over, sat up and crawled until we found a suitable form to lean on and walk along. It was overwhelming when someone made a first few wobbling steps, properly applied the words after many unsuccessful tries. In fact, age did not matter. It was just a figure when experiences ruled the whole lot.   (Prima!)

The class activities were truly testing because at these points our skills were being assessed. We practiced the conversation in pair and often teamed up with someone from an entirely different background. It was common for this class both partners embracing dissimilar attitude towards learning a new thing, and usually a little bit discomfort got underway. For this misfit team to benefit from the joint venture the partners must make an effort finding the middle ground between them, it certainly consumed time. Despite the fact that we had to thrash about catching up the program, we have learned how to deal with a completely stranger. Let’s say, “Zwei Fliegen mit einer Klappe schlagen”.   (Schön)

I lived a life different from others. In my late 30s, I took a bold move to learn a new language, simply because I believed language was another form of power connecting smart leadership. The German world, from one point to another, was so miniature and beyond detection. However, the language when combined with Penang’s society has produced a local version of German. My German class here was awesome. It was just like the mutant civilizing local cultures.	Mei Shi was an outspoken and confident medical specialist. She has all the ironic features a modern female chief possessed. Only a few students noticed that her approach in the class was passionate and prominent just like her role in the medical field. What made her so determined to start a new skill with a group of utterly strangers was the willpower to bring home medical insights about the deadly diseases. Down the road, what ahead of this iron lady was accountability and obligation on improving public health.	Sue had planned to migrate to Germany to end the long-distance relationship after the semester. For many of us, Sue was not only a classmate, she was also a talented cook for German foods. Deep inside her, we saw a loving and adoring heart. She could handle difficult people effortlessly, and get along with people of all ages.
Han Boon was the only working-class among the guys, and a role model for the younger classmates. He was a close alliance to MGS and Julia (our teacher). A person who could accommodate others, and seek for mutual agreement when assumed responsibility, he was all the time the ideal candidate for key assignment. If he could not be found in any important event held in MGS, undoubtedly it was not an important event.	Julia, our teacher?  I have no idea!	Eeling would never stop discuss her dreams in the foreign lands during the class. She saw many wonderful things and met many beautiful people during her holidays in overseas. She has yet to find something genuinely excite her, and leave a milestone in her marvellous life.
Zhihong was a quiet and soft-spoken boy at the other corner; he was also a Chong Ling High School Student. Once in the blue moon, his outrageous adventure up on the hot-air balloon sent the whole class into trauma. (:- I remembered having heard about the hot-air balloon; a little boy was too frightening, and wetting his pants during the voyage. Not sure whether he was Zhihong?	Christopher and Leonard were the two chips usually annoying the grumpy Donald in the class. Although we would feel distressed about their tricks, we just could not keep our eyes off them, and start laughing when they did some funny and crazy stuff. If they were on their own, they were just the “two Chips and acorns”. Not if, they were being challenged, this perfect team would defend their “Squatter’s Right” defeating outside treat. (:- Best advice for parents and friends, just leave them alone.	Bryan Tan was the youngest in the class, but he looked far more mature than his age. He seemed to be having lots of things in his mind, just waiting for a right moment for a right show. He has never late for class, and that exceptional records stayed for one year.

Having done with those awesome days in A1-B level, and those fantastic things we left along the way, the class had planned an earlier class party before the end of the semester. A simple and cherished gathering would surprise Julia how this bang of misfit classmates able to find a comfort zone between them, and reinstate their strength after series of freshman experiences. It was also the moment we expressed our gratitude to Julia in many ways stepped in and helped us sailed through the whole A1 level.  (Vielen Dank für Ihre Hilfe, Julia)  

It was never be an easy task to get an all-rounded opinion from this class; our view was unique to our learning experiences, and that was beyond comparison. Can a loose association become a close alliance later? Whether it was going to be a “Les Trois Mousquetaires”, “Der Wind in den Wieden” or “Donald and Chip N Dale” plot, I have faith on others. I wish to see the light of rationales among those decided to expand their horizon overseas returned home as the all-around better human beings than before. (Auf Wiedersehen!)

Wie man in den Wald hineinruft, so schallt es heraus. (As one shouts into the forest, it echoes back.)