Alternative Ways to Improve Your German

When we first moved here, I had some basic knowledge of German which I hoped would help me make myself understood in everyday situations like ordering food in restaurants and grocery shopping. Some days, it went okay, other days, I couldn't make myself less understood had I tried to. My nightmare example (and one which Paul loves to bring up!) was when we had been here for two weeks and needed to buy some special rubbish bags, Züri-Sachs, which are the only acceptable bags to put into rubbish containers. (A Swiss friend told me that the people in charge of emptying containers have been known to open 'non' Züri-Sachs to see if there was anything (an address on an envelope or so) that could identify the 'sinner'!). And though they are expensive, they are quite sturdy. Anyway, I'm digressing...

So, we went shopping in the local supermarket, and I decided to ask for these rubbish bags. I'd forgotten that they were called 'Züri-Sachs', and I didn't know the German word for 'rubbish'. What do I do? I decide to talk about bananas. I think the conversation went a bit like this (in 'rubbish' German): 'You know, when you have a banana, and you have the, you know you eat it, and you have the yellow bit, and you want to...' Including a strange demonstration using a real banana. The cashier looked blank - and slightly scared, before she was saved by the lady behind us, who luckily spoke some English and explained to us where we could buy the bags. Paul found this pretty amusing and I felt like a pillock having told him that I spoke some German...

Not long after having almost been arrested for threatening a supermarket worker with a fruit weapon, I signed up to an evening class in German (which I wrote about here my-weekly-german-class-german-at-work.html) and it was okay. I enjoyed the first semester the most as the group was great fun and highly motivated, but the second semester, the group had expanded along with my pregnant stomach, and I stopped going after a couple of times.

Luckily, it turns out that you don't need to attend German classes in order to learn German, instead, if you put yourself in one / some of the following situations, you're very likely to improve your German automatically (Some knowledge of the language is desirable.)

1. Get pregnant. (This mostly applies for the female part of the population, though I think there was a story about a man who carried a baby. I don't really want to think about that too much...)
2. Sign your child up to a local nursery.
3. Become a victim of a crime.
4. Join a local gym.

Ad. 1) In Switzerland, all women have a gynaecologist who follows them throughout their pregnancy. This means no visits to your GP, no special trips to the hospital for scans: That's all taken care of at your gynaecologist. I found a local lady, who, according to her receptionist, spoke great English. Unfortunately, she only showed that skill, when Paul came along with me. For some reason, she was hell-bent on sticking to German, when I turned up to my appointments on my own. 

Ad. 2) Choose a local nursery where the person in charge is from Brazil and only speaks Portuguese or Swiss German. The staff speak some English but I prefer to conduct any communication in German as that leads to fewer misunderstandings. Stefan is slowly picking up Swiss German words, and has started saying 'ufe' for 'up'. 

Ad. 3) In October last year, my purse was stolen (without me realising; I wasn't mugged) so I went to the police to report this. The friendly police person, who took on my case, didn't speak much English, hence I was interviewed and replied in German. 

Ad. 4) Another quick way to learn German is to join a local gym and do some of their group fitness classes as they are all conducted in (Swiss) German. And you can always see what the other people are doing, if you're not entirely sure of what the instructor's saying. (But there have been times in Zumba, when I've happily been doing a full body turn and everyone else is jumping on one leg.)

Having a small child is also a great way to get to practise your German, as particularly older people often stop to compliment you on your cute child. (At least that's what I think they do, I make sure to do a lot of smiling and saying 'Danke!')

Project Karen

TWO posts in under TWO weeks, what is going on with the previously post-publishing-sky Karen? Who knows - but I think this is a good sign. People who know me well are perfectly aware of the fact that I never shut up when experienced live, but it now looks as if this torrent of words (not always with any specific meaning) has found its way to the screen. My plan is to only write meaningful sentences - only time will show how this pans out.

Before I get started with this year's second post, I want to say a BIG THANK YOU for the kind, lovely and loving messages I received from near and afar after my previous post. I'm really grateful for your thoughts and uplifting words which have reassured me of my choice in making my battle with depression so public - though I'm aware that I'm only a small blogger-shrimp compared to the blogger-whales out there in the deep and never-ending cyber-sea. 

Last year the lovely Maria recommended the book 'The Happiness Project' by Gretchen Rubin. I swallowed her quest for finding happiness along with numerous coffee lattes (from Starbucks, more about that later) and got very inspired to do my own version of her project.

As I'm in a place of my life where I'm battling numerous issues / facing several challenges, I've decided to, magnificently unoriginally, call this project 'Project Karen'. The aim of the project is to, through mastering various tasks, manifesting certain habits, motivation and mindfulness, end up with a happier, healthier and more well-balanced me.

Below is a random list, in no order, of things I'd like to change, try, turn into a habit, finish:

• Be more conscious of what I'm eating and drinking. I started writing a food diary a couple of weeks ago and it's proving very useful. (But my gosh, is it boring reading!)

• Practise mindfulness daily, including meditation. (I can recommend the app Insight Timer, to those of you who might want to start meditating - again a recommendation from the ever-resourceful Maria.)

• Read German for a least 15 minutes every day. (During my therapy I cover the action (Swiss) German conversation, but I think it's almost equally important to read texts in German as well in order to improve my German language skills.) At the moment I'm reading 'Mord auf Raten' by Andreas Franz. If anyone can suggest any fiction books in German, please let me know.

• Update my blog at least once a month. (Hey-ho, what a great start to this 'task' already!)

• Bake one type of bread and / or cake a week, as we are a family of bread and cake lovers. And continue to experiment in the kitchen. Please see below a couple of previous bakes:

Focaccia

Tin loaf

Red onion quiche

Tin loaf, second batch, cubed for Swiss cheese fondue

• Find a yoga class I enjoy and attend regularly.

• Continue to do Zumba at least once a week. (My class consists of a bunch of people of all ages and flexibility (flexibilities?). It's good to know that there are other brave people out there who don't care about their lack of coordination either. In my head I'm a gazelle, but when I catch my moves in the mirror I look more like a three legged, sweaty - but happy - elephant.)

• Continue with or finish the following craft projects:

My current collection of knitted socks (some almost there and some half-way)

The very beginning of a scarf. Yes, I will be knitting it using sharpened drumsticks. 

Finish the Cross-Stich Bitch

Finish this Raffaello puzzle (loads of sky left...)

• Aim to reach 10,000 steps daily using the pedometer which Paul has given me. (Even if it means walking around in circles in front of the TV whilst watching 'The Bridge' with Paul in order to get the last 200 steps in.) Paul and I talked about planting the gadget on Stefan for one day to see how many kilometres he walks / runs a day, but it will probably mess up my current stats.

• Continue to take a daily picture and post it on http://instagram.com/; you can find me under: @stefansmor. The pictures are of pretty random things often with an even more random text, but it's a fun, quick and easy daily task to do.

• Continue to write reviews for Trip Advisor. The aim is to be among the top 10% reviewers in Zurich; at the moment I'm among the 20% top ones. I'm quite strict when it comes to choosing what to review. The experience has to be exceptional - either good or bad. Anything mediocre doesn't make the cut. 

• Avoid Starbucks but instead get my coffee kick from one of the many cafes here in Zurich which are not part of an international chain. It's about time that I make myself familiar with what Zurich has to offer: not only when it comes to cafes, but also guided tours, places to visit, quirky shops, restaurants etc. which I can then take visitors to - and review for Trip Advisor. Paul and I would like to stay here for a very, very long time, so it makes sense to start looking at Zurich as 'our town'. 

Main goal for 2015:

Find out what I would like to do professionally.

However, over the next couple of months, I will be getting different kinds of therapy a couple of hours a day, four days a week and the fifth day I have my weekly session with my psychiatrist. My goal there is to stay motivated and learn as much as I can from the therapists, other patients and not least myself in order for me to overcome this depression and avoid future ones.  

I look forward to updating any progress here over the next couple of weeks / months. And do let me know if you have any suggestions / want to do a project X yourself.

I'm aware that all of the above might come across as an incredibly self-indulgent and self-obsessed exercise, but I would like to add that none of the above mini projects / self-improvement tasks will ever take time away from Stefan and Paul. They are and always will be my main priority. (Hopefully, they (and us as a family) will also benefit from any improvement and development of 'Project Karen'.)

Depression (postnatal and current)

Happy belated New Year from Zurich. It's been a while since I last posted something on my blog and there are reasons for that. I've been debating with myself as to whether I should mention what has actually been going on behind the happy pictures on Facebook and have decided that why not. I have nothing to be embarrassed about and those around me already know and have been fantastic in showing their support and love. So here goes:

In January last year I was hospitalized in a psychiatric hospital here in Zurich for eights weeks with postnatal depression. This is obviously an experience both Paul and I could have been without, but fortunately I was able to get treatment when I needed it most. Since my 'realease' I continued to see a psychiatrist once a week. Unfortunately, in November, after having had three different jobs since March (made redundant from the first one; didn't pass my probation period in the second one and left after four weeks in the third one after a breakdown) it became clear that I was / am still depressed and in need of more help. Hence, I am now receiving treatment at a day clinic where I go four times a week for different kinds of therapy – and I continue to see my psychiatrist. This sucks and was definitely not how Paul and I envisaged starting family life. But hey, trials and tribulations are all part of being human. 

I don't want to belittle or attempt to appear flippant about my condition, but I'm pleased to have realised that something good has emerged from this situation (apart from me getting help):

1. My German has improved considerably! All the staff as well as the other 'patients' at the hospital and now clinic speak (Swiss) German and so does my psychiatrist. (She does speak some English but I prefer to be the one looking for words and not the other way round.)

2. I have been introduced to 'mindfulness'.

3. I have discovered that I find baking and cooking relaxing! (!!)

I wish you all a happy and healthy 2015 and am looking forward to updating this blog more regularly this year.