“Was learning the language difficult?”
Both Matt and I will agree that learning Indonesian was not difficult. But we wouldn’t qualify it as easy, either.
The language itself is pretty easy. It uses the Roman alphabet and each letter makes the same sound with very few exceptions.
When we first moved to Sumatra in 2019, we enrolled in language classes right away. Matt and I were in class together and we had 6 units to complete. Each unit was 4 weeks long. We had class 2 hours a day and 5 days per week. Each day we were expected to spend 2 hours after class interviewing the locals and practicing our verbal skills and 2 hours on our written homework and general studying. So for about 6 months our full-time job was learning Indonesian. While we were exhausted during this time, the schedule made it easy for us to learn the language because we were constantly immersed in it.
Matt and I on our way to our last language class on March 20, 2020.
Let’s fast forward to almost 5 years later. How are we doing with language now?
Matt has retained most of his language skills and has added to his vocabulary exponentially. He even did some translating when other LCMS workers came to Medan for our family retreat in January.
My language has definitely lessened. I am good with everyday tasks and getting around, but I struggle having an in depth conversation in Indonesian. I’m hoping to go back to “school” for a language unit this summer when I have a break from teaching the kids to help me improve.
Laurel has even take a language unit with other expat kids last spring. It was a good introductory course for her and taught her the basics. She is more willing to ask how to say things in Indonesian and to try and figure out Indonesian signs when we are out and about.
What do you want to know next? Please comment with a question for next week’s installment of “Ask the Woods Wednesday.”