Anyway, in preparation for the exam our teachers are giving us exercises which are the same with what we’ll be doing in the test proper. They let us listen to conversations and ask questions to test our listening ability. They also give us situations where we have to write letters or e-mails in German. And the hardest part for me is they ask us questions to test our verbal communication skills.

Honestly, I have really been struggling with my German, especially on the verbal part. Funny thing is the question that was asked to me this morning is “Welche Probleme haben Sie mit Deutschlernen?” or Which problems do you have in learning German? Of course I answered that it is my Deutsch sprechen. It has been a problem for me since my only chance to speak German is when I attend my Deutsch course and whenever I buy something from the market. Sometimes I get to talk to my kids’ teachers and I really thank them for being patient with me. So to compensate this, I search online on applications or software which I can use where not only German translation is available but ones that have interactive features. I have tried a few free sessions and I can say that they can also be beneficial in practicing the language. I use them usually to review myself and see if I still know the basics. But I’m still looking for something that could help me in my verbal skills. An American classmate told me of the Rosetta Stone software she was able to buy when she had a vacation in the US. According to her it was really good because she’s able to train and hone her verbal skills and it also checks on her diction. I thought it was really cool because the ones I’ve tried only let me follow the audio and no feature of correcting me in my pronunciation. I also went to its website and I saw that it also offers different languages. I was even glad to see my own language there. Hehe.. Just what my classmate told me, I can see that anybody who wants to learn a new language or develop their communication skills foreign to them can achieve it through Rosetta Stone with its vast features. And with live coaches to teach you online, you can’t go wrong.

Good thing we did! We found out that it is the Hellenstein Castle which Heidenheim is famous for. (Will post about the castle on my travel blog. Hopefully soon. Hehe..) Actually, there’s nothing much outside the castle to see aside from the castle’s remnants and its beauty.

A view of the town of Heidenheim

 It has a museum inside but we didn’t go in ‘coz we only paid for the parking space that’s good for less than an hour. We decided just to take a tour outside and check out what could we see.

It was sunny and yet very windy. I was feeling the chills while we were having the tour. After walking around the castle we decided to take pictures where there was a wide open space. That’s when I really had fun. The kids were both in the mood, especially Zyc who’s the one who didn’t want to go out at first. Actually we all were, including hubby who gamely posed for the camera. He seldom does this and that added to my delight!

I felt the happiness every mom should feel yesterday. I laughed out loud which I haven’t done for a long time. The day was just perfect! It was definitely MY day!

We are very excited to be working with Tammilee Tips, Fabnab and Planet Lulu to bring you this fantastic celebration giveaway! Tammilee Tips recently hit 20,000 Facebook fans and is celebrating with a Summer Fashion Giveaway! There is over $2,000 in Summer Fashion prizes available in this giveaway!

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2 winners will receive a Summer Fashion Clothing Set – Value over $150
Prize includes clothing and Cosabella products

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Good thing I saw a site that sells discount fragrances. I can just buy one online and get it delivered to our Philippine address.

Thought of giving this to him. I want him to try those used by younger men. Hehe..

Lately I have been frequenting our Hausarzt or family doctor due to chest pain, so I thought. But based on my ECG, my heart is normal and he thought it could be coming from my back. Anyway, while waiting for my turn, other patients coming in to the waiting room always say this greeting, “Gruß Gott“. I also hear this whenever I enter in a department store. Honestly I don’t know what this phrase means. All I know is “Gruß” is greetings and “Gott” is God. What I liked about the Germans is they actually answer back when they are greeted with this. I mean, we Filipinos don’t do this, right? I don’t know but sometimes I find myself smiling when I hear it. You might say I’m weird but I just feel good about. It’s just so polite.

• Study Every Day – The best way to learn a new language is to study and practice it every day. Language is a skill best learned through repetition, and the best way to achieve that is through daily study sessions lasting about 30 minutes; cramming for three hours in an afternoon simply doesn’t work.
• Build on Foundations – Languages are best learned if you only tackle things that you know you’re ready for. This means that you should focus on perfecting one thing such as basic grammar or vocabulary before moving on to something else. Never rush your studies; you may think you’re making progress by covering several topics in a day, but in the end you’re really only hurting yourself and slowing the learning process.
• Focus on the Things That Interest You – Just like any other subject, learning a new language is easier when you can incorporate your own interests into the lessons. Write about things that interest you such as your hobbies, your favorite foods or anything else that you enjoy. When you practice speaking a new language in a conversation, stick to similar topics. It will at the very least make the learning process easier and more fun.
• Don’t Get Discouraged – There’s a big difference between being a native speaker of a language and being a student, and that difference can be intimidating for a lot of people. As a student of a foreign language, you will make mistakes, and it will sometimes seem like you’re not making as much progress as you would like. Remember that you’re still learning and unless you immerse yourself into another culture completely you will probably always be learning. Don’t be afraid to ask questions of your teachers, tutors or whomever might be teaching you a foreign language and don’t be afraid of letting people know that you’re still learning.

As always, education and diligence are very important in learning a new language or for learning anything for that matter. If you would like to find more information about colleges in your area or about how to earn your GED online, there will always be resources available to you at your local library or even through an Internet search of schools in your area. Just remember that it’s never too late to learn something new.

Sources

English-Zone.com (2012)

Omniglot (2012)

Below are the blogs of the fabulous moms who’ve teamed with me for this grand giveaway. Feel free to visit their blogs for other giveaways and deals, parenting insights or just drop by and say Hello.

So go on ahead and enter through the Rafflecopter form below, and on behalf of the host and all the sponsors, Happy Mother’s Day to you (or your wife/mom).

This will welcome you at their main entrance. From this you will know right away that they have a very nice ambiance. As expected, it was full already when we came in. It was a Sunday and many Germans dine out during this day as they spend time with their loved ones.

Here are what we got from the buffet spread.

This is plate #1 for me. I so missed the dessert, buchi, I put it on my first plate.

Now this is plate #2 for me. Haha! Yeah, I have that big appetite. But I think this was my last plate ‘coz I was really, really full I couldn’t breathe!

 The Mongolian Barbecue hubby got for us. He got the mussels for me ‘coz he knows I really miss eating them. He’s not into it so I don’t cook them at home.

 Our dessert made by hubby. Vanilla, chocolate, cookies & cream flavored ice cream, on top of the fruits.

Let me share the ones we had when we celebrated hubby’s birthday two months ago. Pardon for the shots, it was night time and the lights inside the restaurant were a little bit dim.

This was my first plate (again with the buchi). Start counting!

My second plate…

The Mongolian Barbecue…

Of course dining in an Asian resto is not complete for me without my fave California Maki.

Yes, I ate all of those. I find buffet dining in these Asian restaurants expensive so I was thinking I have to have our money’s worth. 

I suddenly remembered my own 15 years ago. Actually we just had a small celebration that day. I knew we could not afford a party that time so we had a family dinner in a simple restaurant. But to my surprise my parents gave me a personalized graduation gift. It was a wooden photo frame with my name engraved on it. They told me to put my photo taken when I was receiving my diploma at the stage. I was really happy for the gift because it will hold something that I know was my greatest gift to my parents. Finishing studies was of great importance to us, especially to them. Since we are not rich, I remember clearly how our dad tells me and big bro to finish our studies because education is the only thing they could pass on to us .

I am thankful for my parents for instilling in us the value of education. I have seen their hardships just for us to graduate and I know they are happy that we have fulfilled their dreams for us. And this I will also impart to my kids because knowledge is something that you could be proud of and no one can ever take it away from you.