Re: tiia's log (Finnish, Spanish, Swedish)
Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2018 12:32 pm
Oh my... I really posted the last real update 2 months ago?
Okay so... I moved to the flat close to the forest. (Haha, as if there would be any flat really far from a forest in this city.) I sent applications, got rejected by at least two, but have an invitation for this week! I have very few information about the job so far, but it might be really interesting. Can I prepare myself for it? ehm.. not that much. Find proper clothing (hoodies, might not be appropriate, right? ), maybe print myself some papers.
Writing applications in Finnish is still hard, but at least again some writing practice. I don't believe I write them without any mistakes, but I cannot send every single one to someone and have it corrected, especially if a deadline is already close. Of course I use the normal orthography check for all application related issues, because that's a minimum one should do and when I'm not sure, I try checking stuff via googling it.
Today's Finnish practice: Discussing about the heating, which didn't/doesn't work in my room. Now it was okayish, as the nights were rather warm, but imagine this when the temperature dropped below zero at night. (It already did.) I kind of managed to get the talking done today (and on the phone beforehand), but it was definitely one of the more difficult tasks as there were two craftsmen speaking rather fast.
Otherwise, I'm having again weekly meetings with my Finnish tandem partner, whom I had gotten to know in Germany just 1-2 months before I left. It's really great to have these weekly talks and learn a few words.
Then I finally went to Migri for the registration of the right of residence.* I don't know yet, whether I'll get it, because in my situation the only reason I can choose on which the right is based on, is "sufficient funds". Seriously? Seriously.
I have never seen any other person having to take this as a reason. It also meant, that the decision is not made directly when visiting Migri as it would be if you have a work contract or a spouse, but instead in some central office somewhere else. Yep, I'm an exception. As usual. Really, I kind of get used to never to fulfill any standard case. But the staff at Migri was nice and gave some more advice and what documents might put me into favour. Plus, if I don't get the right, I can just apply again.
But indeed I was lazy and used English during the visit, except when it came to my occupation, as the person seemed not to know the English word. I still think the English word is not too self-explanatory.
*In case you're wondering. This used to be done at the police stations until last year or so, but they moved it to Migri.
I did Anki two or three times again for Swedish. Why? Because my account got nearly deleted. But as Anki takes the length of inactivity into account, I can now put the next repetition for some words to 2 years. So probably I will never repeat them again? This might be an easy way to get rid of all the super easy words.
Spanish gets sometimes some practice at the language cafe. I don't really do anything else, although I once noticed, that watching TED talks in Spanish might be agood idea. I think there's still some Spanish routine missing. Anyway. it's nice to realise, that I can actually speak with people even though I lack words. A bit more fluency and I might be at the stage that I had been looking for, when I restarted learning Spanish. Or am I already at that stage? (My ambitions in the beginning were not too high.)
Pictures from the lake and forest a few minutes walking from my new room. Isn't it beautiful? Okay, but there're quite some noisy streets, too, so it looks much more idyllic on the pictures than it is in reality. A huge part of the lake's shoreline is on private ground. (I tried not to have the houses too visible.)
Okay so... I moved to the flat close to the forest. (Haha, as if there would be any flat really far from a forest in this city.) I sent applications, got rejected by at least two, but have an invitation for this week! I have very few information about the job so far, but it might be really interesting. Can I prepare myself for it? ehm.. not that much. Find proper clothing (hoodies, might not be appropriate, right? ), maybe print myself some papers.
Writing applications in Finnish is still hard, but at least again some writing practice. I don't believe I write them without any mistakes, but I cannot send every single one to someone and have it corrected, especially if a deadline is already close. Of course I use the normal orthography check for all application related issues, because that's a minimum one should do and when I'm not sure, I try checking stuff via googling it.
Today's Finnish practice: Discussing about the heating, which didn't/doesn't work in my room. Now it was okayish, as the nights were rather warm, but imagine this when the temperature dropped below zero at night. (It already did.) I kind of managed to get the talking done today (and on the phone beforehand), but it was definitely one of the more difficult tasks as there were two craftsmen speaking rather fast.
Otherwise, I'm having again weekly meetings with my Finnish tandem partner, whom I had gotten to know in Germany just 1-2 months before I left. It's really great to have these weekly talks and learn a few words.
Then I finally went to Migri for the registration of the right of residence.* I don't know yet, whether I'll get it, because in my situation the only reason I can choose on which the right is based on, is "sufficient funds". Seriously? Seriously.
I have never seen any other person having to take this as a reason. It also meant, that the decision is not made directly when visiting Migri as it would be if you have a work contract or a spouse, but instead in some central office somewhere else. Yep, I'm an exception. As usual. Really, I kind of get used to never to fulfill any standard case. But the staff at Migri was nice and gave some more advice and what documents might put me into favour. Plus, if I don't get the right, I can just apply again.
But indeed I was lazy and used English during the visit, except when it came to my occupation, as the person seemed not to know the English word. I still think the English word is not too self-explanatory.
*In case you're wondering. This used to be done at the police stations until last year or so, but they moved it to Migri.
I did Anki two or three times again for Swedish. Why? Because my account got nearly deleted. But as Anki takes the length of inactivity into account, I can now put the next repetition for some words to 2 years. So probably I will never repeat them again? This might be an easy way to get rid of all the super easy words.
Spanish gets sometimes some practice at the language cafe. I don't really do anything else, although I once noticed, that watching TED talks in Spanish might be agood idea. I think there's still some Spanish routine missing. Anyway. it's nice to realise, that I can actually speak with people even though I lack words. A bit more fluency and I might be at the stage that I had been looking for, when I restarted learning Spanish. Or am I already at that stage? (My ambitions in the beginning were not too high.)
Pictures from the lake and forest a few minutes walking from my new room. Isn't it beautiful? Okay, but there're quite some noisy streets, too, so it looks much more idyllic on the pictures than it is in reality. A huge part of the lake's shoreline is on private ground. (I tried not to have the houses too visible.)