Ahem, I did pass the 'English as a Second Language' test. So, as it turns out, I CAN speak English. It turns out I CAN understand English after all, who knew?
OK, on a serious note, it was not easy. It was four hours long (and yet we hear that an adult's attention span is just under ONE HOUR!!). It was pricey (the price was in US $). It was away from home (I travelled the previous night to the city where I took the test) - I slept in (a very posh, as it turned out!) back packers (but the price was not bad at all). I got lost, the police had to take me to the back packers after I wandered around like a vagabond for 4 hours (no one had any idea where Berea is :-( ) ....maybe the area was called something else the second before I arrived there......
The test was tough, I should call it an exam actually because it was a proper exam in every sense of the word. I had to think, listen, compose, comprehend, watch out for trick questions, block out noise from outside, not lose track (for four hours, that was really hard for a person like me). When I left the test room, I couldn't smile and my whole self was down and depressed for some time. And that's just part of it, I have been thinking about that test for weeks and weeks and even had dreams (or were they nightmares?) about it.
If I had the choice would I have taken the test, truly, no. I would have rather the Queen wave her scepter over my head and pronounce me a Brit for the month of May so I wouldn't have had to take the exam.
What am I grateful for? I am grateful to God that it all went well:- from the payment (thank you, you know who you are :-)), to the lekker back packers and the wherewithal to get there, to the Bereans for not knowing where Berea is and to the Howardians (especially those at the Memorial Building) for not knowing where the basement is in a buiding they attend classes/work in!!! For the nice folks I took the exams with, especially the coordinator, who helped me work out what ID docs to bring. Finally, for the test score/result and the one who emailed it to me (the envelope carrying it is transposed somewhere between the North Atlantic and South Atlantic, possibly on a boat, I don't expect it for another few yea...sorry, weeks. lol. Good times! and yes, Thank God, the storm is over!
OK, on a serious note, it was not easy. It was four hours long (and yet we hear that an adult's attention span is just under ONE HOUR!!). It was pricey (the price was in US $). It was away from home (I travelled the previous night to the city where I took the test) - I slept in (a very posh, as it turned out!) back packers (but the price was not bad at all). I got lost, the police had to take me to the back packers after I wandered around like a vagabond for 4 hours (no one had any idea where Berea is :-( ) ....maybe the area was called something else the second before I arrived there......
The test was tough, I should call it an exam actually because it was a proper exam in every sense of the word. I had to think, listen, compose, comprehend, watch out for trick questions, block out noise from outside, not lose track (for four hours, that was really hard for a person like me). When I left the test room, I couldn't smile and my whole self was down and depressed for some time. And that's just part of it, I have been thinking about that test for weeks and weeks and even had dreams (or were they nightmares?) about it.
If I had the choice would I have taken the test, truly, no. I would have rather the Queen wave her scepter over my head and pronounce me a Brit for the month of May so I wouldn't have had to take the exam.
What am I grateful for? I am grateful to God that it all went well:- from the payment (thank you, you know who you are :-)), to the lekker back packers and the wherewithal to get there, to the Bereans for not knowing where Berea is and to the Howardians (especially those at the Memorial Building) for not knowing where the basement is in a buiding they attend classes/work in!!! For the nice folks I took the exams with, especially the coordinator, who helped me work out what ID docs to bring. Finally, for the test score/result and the one who emailed it to me (the envelope carrying it is transposed somewhere between the North Atlantic and South Atlantic, possibly on a boat, I don't expect it for another few yea...sorry, weeks. lol. Good times! and yes, Thank God, the storm is over!
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