oh to understand the post!!

Many goals we set ourselves include life time pursuits such as mountain climbing, starting a business or becoming debt free.  My goal since living in Germany is to simply read my post and understand it.  What a joy that would be.  We take so much for granted until we are taken away from, or move outside of our comfort zones. Simple things like answering the telephone, chatting with neighbours, locating something you want to purchase in a shop or reading your own post seem near impossible.

I often enlist the help of google translate. Sometimes I hear people knock it but I really rely on it.  Although there are grammatical errors etc, I find most of the time it helps me to understand the general subject and the request that is being made from the sender.  At other times we have to enlist the help of friends and work colleagues to help us to understand and what response is necessary.  It makes you feel like this ....

I got the image from http://www.strangecosmos.com 

... except he's a lot cuter!! haha 

It certainly makes you humble in the aspect of needing help for the simplest of tasks.  I feel it helps friendships form and service is given and definitely appreciated.  One day I will love reading for someone else.  Often people joke and ask me to translate for them, but I yearn to be able to offer that service to others.  I am amazed at how well my children have picked up the language and often translate for me nowadays.  Even our 5 year old translates little Kindergarten conversations with his friends for me.  How thoughtful is that???  I mostly understand his little interactions in German but I never tell him to stop translating because that is a skill he will use all of his life and I don't want to dampen that. It will help him in his progress and understanding of the language.

Yesterday I had a little conversation with a Kindergarten teacher who is leaving.  We will be sorry to see her leave but I was excited to tell my hubby that I'd been able to do it.  You certainly learn to appreciate the simple things in life. Counting these little blessing makes life happier.