this is hans. he lives in our street, and was the first resident we’ve met when we moved here. in the beginning, he scared us quite often… we’d be walking down the street and suddenly notice him right above us, looking out of his window!
we used to think he was creepy, but now we’re used to having him there and always greet him on our way home :) he’s like the neighbourhood watchman!
last year, the boy decided he would pick up running again. he set a goal of 500km for the year, which he completed, and also ran the 30km path of remembrance (above) around ljubljana for his birthday. this year he decided to up the ante and run a total of 1000km plus real races, like he used to do in high school. he ran the 10km race on the brand new brandenburg airport (now late on its opening), and two weeks after that, he ran the half-marathon from the olympia stadium, finishing it in 42th place (out of 600 participants).
he’s still quite good at it, and i’m bursting at the seams with pride. :)
last week i finished b1, the third level of my german course – this week we started b2, and i’m officially an intermediate student. almost suddenly, i’ve noticed that i can understand a lot of what people around me are saying – even if i’m not able to answer back as fluently as i’d like to. i’ve reached the point where german is no longer background noise, making it impossible to tune out.
i persevere because there’s a sort of magic in languages, like a key to the country’s culture and modus operandi. i’m also fascinated by the unexpected and delightful words – like glühbirne (glowing pear = light-bulb) or bauchredner (belly speaker = ventriloquist).
sometimes i wonder – will this be the last language i learn? i find it a sad prospect… but at the same time, language learning is so time consuming, and i don’t see the point of doing it if you’re going to do a half-assed job. what’s the purpose of speaking just a little bit of anything? either you do, or you don’t. still, at each new language, the previous ones get dimmed, put aside… not forgotten but just lulled into a silent corner, their words mingling with the new ones. which reminds me, i really should dust off my mandarin books someday…
I’ve searched the holy books and I’ve dogeared every page
I’ve stolen secrets from the sorcerer’s own sage
Although a connoisseur of fine legerdemain
I’ve just one word for you……extraordinary.*
after raising me and my brother, my nanny had grandkids: two boys, who were not exactly easy children – they were rowdy, loud, often getting themselves into trouble. i remember once, one of them broke his head while horsing around, and my mom took him to the hospital. when he returned home, fresh stitches on his forehead, his first concern was to show his wrist to everyone in the street. on it, my mother had drawn a big watch.
after that, i’ve seen her pull this trick on unsuspecting children a few times. if they’re crying or fidgety, she’ll quietly ask them the time, and whether they have a watch? when they say no, she pulls a pen from her pocket and proceeds to draw them one on their wrist. it’s always a big success, and the child will go off, big-eyed and proud, pain already forgotten.
she is extraordinary.
* song by jill tracy.
grandpa died today, after a long, painful battle. he was a good man, a man of the land. i hope he’s in peace now, and that wherever he is, there are plenty of grapevines to prune and vegetables to plant. i know he’d be happy there.