when thinking changes

When thinking changes...

I'll tell you one thing, when your thoughts change from one language to another it is involuntary. I cannot do anything about the change, I cannot make it happen and I cannot make it unhappen. Many people asked me when I first moved here if I thought in English or in Dutch - and asked when that would change. I couldn't predict when it would change and couldn't decide how fast it would change. When I was in Dutch conversations those first weeks I could feel the energy being sucked out of me, it took so much more effort to speak Dutch... I got tired after being awake for a few hours and noticed that I often stumbled over the simplest sentences and words. I noticed that I would change to English when I was tired, when I struggled to find words, or when it was a little bit of a sensitive/emotional topic. I noticed that I would change to English when I would get frustrated with situations at the bank or in the shops. I would switch to English when I had to ask for directions or a silly question that I felt would appear lame if I asked it in Dutch.

Then, suddenly, 2 weeks ago, I woke up in the morning and said my 'to-do' list for that day to myself in Dutch!

Say what?!!!

Thriftshop finds. Uncle Tom's cabin, an edition like we had in my
elementary school and Lewis Carroll's work. Two books in
languages dear to my heart.  

I know.

It shocked me too. I don't know how it happened but it seriously is kind of freaky. Now I notice myself having to think more about English, having to be more conscious and intentional about choosing English. When I read Dutch in those first weeks in the Netherlands it was very difficult and time consuming. It is fun to be able to read Dutch newspapers and get what they ware saying, read a novel in a relatively normal amount of time and mostly understand what is being said. What I really enjoy about learning or relearning Dutch is that I get to quickly advance from a 13-year-old vocabulary (that's when I moved away) and learn many difficult and less difficult new words. The difference between similar words is sometimes very small but you gotta know when to use what word and in what context. I have fantastic people around me who correct me and tell me why it was used incorrectly.

So people, within a month my thinking has completely changed from English to Dutch in day to day life. I can easily switch back to English too, and don't have to make that conscious decision. One of my co-workers, who also teaches English, addressed me in English and I immediately switched to that language.

Bilingualism is freaky, exciting, and an adventure in itself.

Meanwhile, I keep reading English and Dutch.

And, while I teach English I speak English 85% of the time. Poor grade 7s and 8s, so many of them have no clue what is going on. But they will get there, immersion is the best way to mastery!

This summer I have spent so many hours reading books.
Don't take it away from me!