Examen hecho

Exam finished; and whew!

It all started with a months intensive course in another city, Cáceres. A Spanish course. Four weeks of studying vocab, grammar, nexos, objectos indirectos, directos, pretérito pluscuamperfectos, etc. And I loved it. That was September.

At the same time I got to thinking about doing this exam called the D.E.L.E. Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera. Or a Diploma in Spanish as a Foreign Language. Let's just say you can't be Spanish and take it cause its like a level test. See where you are at in your language learning. It's recognized all over the world and in fact you can take it all over the world. So I got to thinking that it would be something worth having.

There are three levels. Beginners, Intermediate, and Superior. I figured there wasn't much sense in going for anything less than the top one, and if I fail you can always go for it again! It can serve for many things, but the main thing is that it's an official document that shows your language level. In my case Spanish.

That led to buying a book to prepare for the thing. And lots and lots of mornings dedicated to passing the thing. It's not free by the way, so all the more motivation!

Well a couple of months went by like so. Mornings studying and afternoons teaching. And then the 21st of November arrived and it was the day of the exam!


Hour 1- read three texts and answer questions. Read questions from an interview and match the appropriate responses. Sounds easy but believe me they find ways to make it complicated!

Hour 2- write a formal letter about a certain topic they give you and then write an essay on another topic they give you.

half hour for coffee and mental relaxation!

Hour 3- listen to a bunch of interviews and readings on a cd- answer questions accordingly.

Hour 4- vocabulary and grammar. answer loads of questions about, well, grammar and vocab.

lunch.

and finally the oral exam! Really it was lots of nerves for nothing. In the end I sat down for this bit and it was no problem. We usually just fear that which we don't know. In the case of the oral exam that is true.



Well that was the exam and by the time it was finished I was exhausted (more from the stress than anything) and quite pleased since it had went well. So I went home and took a siesta. Several months of hard work and stress and wondering how the exam would go can take it out of you.


Now I sit and wait. Till February when the results are released. Not exactly overnight service, but I guess since they do the exam all over the world and then they are all sent to Madrid to be graded, well that takes time.

So I don't know if I passed or not, but I have a good feeling. And that's all we have to go on for now!