When my family and I moved to Germany in the 80s of the last millennium ("Waa!"), we didn't understand any German. There was no free spot in a language class therefore I had to attend an ordinary elementary school. It was a big change for me. Before we moved to Germany, I attended a boys school where I didn't have any problems with the language and suddenly I was at a school where I understood no word. Everyone else in the class could speak fluent and without any mistake... I think. It was a difficult time for me.
There was only one subject where I did not have so much difficulties. It was the math class. One day we had a math exam. I knew we have an exam when the question sheet was handed to me. Before that I didn't have any clue. The teacher saying in German: "we will have an exam next week" - not a clue for me. But it was nothing to worry about. Some simple arithmetic equations that I could solve without any problems. Only the last two questions were text questions. I couldn't figure out what the text was saying so I took the numbers from the text and applied simple arithmetic operations on them - I thought it's worth a shot. After what felt like 15-20 minutes, I finished my exam while all the other pupils were busy with theirs. The teacher was delighted. I had everything except the text questions right. In the movie "Contact", someone said math is a universal language. I like that particularly because I can relate to it.
Unfortunately, school is not only math. After half a year I still couldn't follow, that's why the teachers wanted to regrade me in a year below. But before they could do that I got a spot in a language class. Half a year after I entered my first school in Germany I left the school for good.
There was only one subject where I did not have so much difficulties. It was the math class. One day we had a math exam. I knew we have an exam when the question sheet was handed to me. Before that I didn't have any clue. The teacher saying in German: "we will have an exam next week" - not a clue for me. But it was nothing to worry about. Some simple arithmetic equations that I could solve without any problems. Only the last two questions were text questions. I couldn't figure out what the text was saying so I took the numbers from the text and applied simple arithmetic operations on them - I thought it's worth a shot. After what felt like 15-20 minutes, I finished my exam while all the other pupils were busy with theirs. The teacher was delighted. I had everything except the text questions right. In the movie "Contact", someone said math is a universal language. I like that particularly because I can relate to it.
Unfortunately, school is not only math. After half a year I still couldn't follow, that's why the teachers wanted to regrade me in a year below. But before they could do that I got a spot in a language class. Half a year after I entered my first school in Germany I left the school for good.
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| The school changed beyond recognition since the 80s. |
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