When our youngest daughter was 5 years old - the youngest of six - my husband passed away. And after spending more than 20 years in our jungle home, I moved to the city, where most of the children were already studying and where my mother had made her home.
I did some more courses in French (DALF) and English (CAE - Cambridge Advanced English) and started working as a translator via the internet: oDesk.com mainly.
After my youngest daughter got married, I went to Germany for about 6 years, where I worked as a gardener, started writing in earnest and enjoyed the family of my youngest son.
Back in Bolivia for some years, but the last two years back in Germany, this time in the north, enjoying the family of another of my sons. I travel to Southamerica at least once a year, however. My children are living in Bolivia, Brazil, Peru, and Germany... Not to speak about my 15 grandchildren and so far 2 greatgrandchildren!
Thursday, April 30, 2015
languages...
My first language was German - I'm born in Tübingen, Germany. French was all around us, because this part of Germany was occupied by France after the war (I'm born in 1943).
Things like: "Aus der Bahn! Attention!" when the children started their sleds. Or: "Qu'est-ce que c'est que ça?" in the shop where my mother worked later. "Le boeuf - der Ochs, la vache - die Kuh, fermez la porte - die Tür macht zu!"
I would have liked to go to a French Kindergarten, but it was too expensive. My children would grow up bilingual, this was my firm wish - I had no idea at the time that they would grow up with 3-4 languages...
In high school I learned a lot of Latin, Greek, French, and some English.
When we emigrated to Bolivia - my Dutch husband and I with our first baby - we had to study Spanish. and when we moved to the Amazon region, we had to do all the shopping in Brazil.
Things like: "Aus der Bahn! Attention!" when the children started their sleds. Or: "Qu'est-ce que c'est que ça?" in the shop where my mother worked later. "Le boeuf - der Ochs, la vache - die Kuh, fermez la porte - die Tür macht zu!"
I would have liked to go to a French Kindergarten, but it was too expensive. My children would grow up bilingual, this was my firm wish - I had no idea at the time that they would grow up with 3-4 languages...
In high school I learned a lot of Latin, Greek, French, and some English.
When we emigrated to Bolivia - my Dutch husband and I with our first baby - we had to study Spanish. and when we moved to the Amazon region, we had to do all the shopping in Brazil.
writing...
Writing and reading were my favourites from an early age. Later I started translating as well, due to our many friends from abroad.
Sometimes I helped my mother with proofreading, and in fact, I can't enjoy an article, if there are too many errors!
Sometimes I helped my mother with proofreading, and in fact, I can't enjoy an article, if there are too many errors!
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