Thirty five percent of what I say in the Swedish language is incorrect, or so I have been told by my son-just five minutes ago. I must say that I am very happy with that result and that I will stick with this judgement and I will not be seeking a second opinion. I did not think I would ever learn another language at all in my life, so on the whole its quite positive.
I live in Sweden where my son attends school here in the second grade. All students start learning English as a part of the curriculum from first class. I grew up in Australia where it wasnt compulsory to learn another language at all for me right through school. That being said it was compulsory to study French for one year in year seven, but I could choose not to continue after that, needless to say I did opt out.
My sons English is very fluent partly because I speak English with him and partly because he likes talking. His Swedish is very fluent as well. He is only 8 years old, which makes these accomplishments a great start to a well adjusted mind in the future. For him it has been no challenge whatsoever in English lessons. Which is why he has seperate advanced excersises to work on while the other kids go through the rudamentries of the language. I’m very pleased he is interested now in learning French after school hours. So we will see how he copes. As long as he is interested, I think he will be fine and on the way to multi lingual bliss!
Its a case of history repeating itself I suppose, in that I’m not the first parent to realise my child will grow up to be twice the person I am. I’m just just chuffed I can speak another language 65% correct most of the time I speak it, at the age of 41.
I’m very glad I have a child in these times of changes. America’s first black president, equal rights for men and women and so on and so on. I could list them but there is a list much longer than my arm, this list of good intentions and push to do the right thing. Not all of them are perfect, but I suppose thats what the road to perfection is all about, trial and error and after all, we are humans trialing and erroring!
The more I hear about President Obama winning the nobel peace prize, the more I am warming to the idea, it is a good one. As my good friend Tripp Hudgens, AKA (AngloBaptist) has said, perhaps it is a prize for America to grow into, an ideal, a calling to wake up and see your mistakes and fulfill this prize of peace. Tonight I see Tripp has posted a side note to Bono’s article “Rebranding America.” in The New York times,
“I did not read this before writing my sermon. Someone from my congregation approached me and said “Your friend Bono said something similar to your sermon in the New York Times this morning. I’ll send it to you.” So, he did.”
It seems they think alike, Bono and Tripp. Bono says America is an idea and through Obama an ideal to look up to, an idea of what the rest of the world wants them to be.
I look forward to hearing more good news on this new and intelligent president the whole world waits on. I also look forward to the news that I want, the news that informs and entertains, Flash News!!! Bought to you by Report Freely.
Thank you for reading, stay what ever you want to be, BC.
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