I didn't make many New Year's resolutions, I never do. At that part of a year I am not really in a mood to change the world and even my simple life. So I usually just go by and wait for some better moment closer to spring - sun and new energy, to plan something ahead. Anyway, I guess this moment is approaching. And it is thanks to my friends and very inspiring chats we always have and it is also to the upcoming spring. Days are suddenly so long. Today Tomek woke me up just twenty past six (ugh...) and it was light and sunny already! When I take kids to the bath at around seven it is still quite light. Yes, all in all I can feel and smell the change in the weather and in my mind.
My foremost spring resolution is to start working on my English. I wish I could one day be as good in it as to could write a newspaper or magazine article. I still lack those skills but it is simply because I was never trained to do so and never tried even for myself. I should start now. I need more proficient vocabulary, better grammar and advanced structure. I know, everyone can read and understand this blog, but I'm sure for all English natives it sounds 'simple English' kind of with plenty funny errors. So what's the plan? To study as much as I manage from home (now you know the answer: in a meantime and in a nap time after or between cooking and running errands there is not much time left, but my will is still big). And after summer, when our son will go to a day care I could do more, maybe even take some classes.
My second best resolution is to start (finally!!!) working on my Finnish. Hahah!!!! "My Finnish" sounds quite proud. In fact so far, during those more than two and a half years of living in Helsinki I did literally zero do learn something. But now I feel the time came for a good start. So my plan is to start a regular and quite intensive course at the autumn, again when Tomek starts his day care. Talking about studying Finnish. Recently I started to feel almost guilty for not knowing it at all. Sometimes someone asks me how old is my baby or says something like what a cute child, you know, those small things and I don't understand, don't even guess what he or she just said. It is embarrassing for I live here quite a long time and have a permanent resident status. I remember from the past when I still lived in Poland and whenever I met or heard about any expat I wondered why the heck they don't speak Polish. My reasoning was that if they chose to live in Poland, they have a good job and money in that country so why they do not bother to learn the language of that country. I know Polish is not easy but everyone can at least try. And so now, after many years I am myself in this expat situation and I behave exactly as they. And it is not because I don't want to learn, it is because it's quite hard to arrange everything having two small kids, one at home.
Last but not least, I'm going to find a job. Nice job. Interesting job. Paid job. There is no rush here. I'm still at home for the next half a year and after that for another half of the year I'd prefer to have my little boy only part time in a day care unless a great job offer appears. But yes, all of the above is going to help me in my future job hunting. Maybe I could write for Helsinki Times? Maybe I could work in a communication department in any big company? Maybe I could do some other work for any institution which has English speaking environment.
My foremost spring resolution is to start working on my English. I wish I could one day be as good in it as to could write a newspaper or magazine article. I still lack those skills but it is simply because I was never trained to do so and never tried even for myself. I should start now. I need more proficient vocabulary, better grammar and advanced structure. I know, everyone can read and understand this blog, but I'm sure for all English natives it sounds 'simple English' kind of with plenty funny errors. So what's the plan? To study as much as I manage from home (now you know the answer: in a meantime and in a nap time after or between cooking and running errands there is not much time left, but my will is still big). And after summer, when our son will go to a day care I could do more, maybe even take some classes.
My second best resolution is to start (finally!!!) working on my Finnish. Hahah!!!! "My Finnish" sounds quite proud. In fact so far, during those more than two and a half years of living in Helsinki I did literally zero do learn something. But now I feel the time came for a good start. So my plan is to start a regular and quite intensive course at the autumn, again when Tomek starts his day care. Talking about studying Finnish. Recently I started to feel almost guilty for not knowing it at all. Sometimes someone asks me how old is my baby or says something like what a cute child, you know, those small things and I don't understand, don't even guess what he or she just said. It is embarrassing for I live here quite a long time and have a permanent resident status. I remember from the past when I still lived in Poland and whenever I met or heard about any expat I wondered why the heck they don't speak Polish. My reasoning was that if they chose to live in Poland, they have a good job and money in that country so why they do not bother to learn the language of that country. I know Polish is not easy but everyone can at least try. And so now, after many years I am myself in this expat situation and I behave exactly as they. And it is not because I don't want to learn, it is because it's quite hard to arrange everything having two small kids, one at home.
Last but not least, I'm going to find a job. Nice job. Interesting job. Paid job. There is no rush here. I'm still at home for the next half a year and after that for another half of the year I'd prefer to have my little boy only part time in a day care unless a great job offer appears. But yes, all of the above is going to help me in my future job hunting. Maybe I could write for Helsinki Times? Maybe I could work in a communication department in any big company? Maybe I could do some other work for any institution which has English speaking environment.
Good luck to you about all these resolutions. Finnish has always been challenging to me. I have tried to keep it up but it keeps going on and off. Concerning the job, I have a difficulty finding one here too. But I'm trying to start with something small, even work non-paid or just work voluntarily for some events. Hope to hear good news about these :)
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