IWSG January 2016

Anna Nordeman

IWSG - Insecure Writer's Support Group for Wednesday,6th January 2016

This is my thirtyth post for IWSG, written on 9th January 2016:

 

It has been such a busy time that I did not post anything for December. Alex may have already removed my name from the list because of my tardiness with this January post. 

Oh well. I'll still here. I am still struggling with my schoolwork for the university, but the good news is that I actually got a part time teaching job! Surprise! Surprise! I'll be teaching English for teenagers at a local gymnasium! (gymnasium=approximately the same as high school) I have already been given the key to the school and I will start teaching next week, on Wednesday. (Yippee!!!!!!)

I am sorry to have to cut this short. I need to write three papers for the University. But I promise to keep in touch and write more as soon as time allows. 

Best wishes to all for a happy 2016!! 

Best wishes,

Anna

First Commenter:

Lexa Cain

IWSG - Insecure Writer's Support Group for Wednesday, 7th October 2015

Anna Nordeman

IWSG - Insecure Writer's Support Group for Wednesday, 7th October 2015

This is my twenty-eighth post for IWSG, written on 6th October 2015:

 

There is nothing more humbling for a wannabe writer than reading very, very good literature from the Literary Canon. I've decided to write a term paper on one of Jane Austen's novels, Northanger Abbey, and I am also doing a group presentation about  Ann Brontë's novel, The tenant of Wildfell Hall.

So much to read and write about, besides the daily struggle of making ends meet. 

My eleven year old daughter, Elisabet, had two free days from school last week and could accompany me to the university in Linköping. We rode the special campus commuter bus together and Elisabet got to meet my classmates and instructors. But Elisabet was too shy to speak English with any of them. And she almost went through the roof when we discovered that I had forgotten to pack her head phones the second day out. She used them on Thursday when we were in the group presentation class. She could look at her I-pad while the rest of us spoke English. 

But on Friday, she really needed the headphones again because it was a high-level lecture about grammar. Interesting for us students but super-boring for her. Lyckily, I could buy a pair of ear phones in a shop (Pressbyrån) that has everything from coffee to sandwiches to newspapers. (I thanked the shop-keeper profusely.)

We came early enough to stop by the office of the grammar-teacher, Emile Farmer, whom I have mentioned earlier on this blog. He's a charming, funny Brit who still only speaks just a little Swedish. When I tried to persuade my daughter to say something - ANYTHING - and in any language, to Mr Farmer, she said nothing and just looked grumpy.

(Swedish) "Han förstår svenska!" I said, " He understands Swedish."

"It's just not going to happen," replied Mr Farmer with a wry smile. 

Elisabet and I left Mr Farmer to continue his preparations for the lecture. And when it was time, we sat in the back of the classroom to not disturb others.

Afterwards, Mr Farmer said that Elisabet was "as good as gold", and that I had succeeded in making the experience as tolerable as possible for her with I-pad, ear-phones and a bag of chips.

"I've been doing this for thirteen years" was my last words to him.

Best wishes,

Anna

P.S. Sorry. No photos from our excursion to the university. I had my hands full.

First Commenter:

 

Alex J. Cavanaugh

IWSG - Insecure Writer's Support Group for Wednesday, 2nd September 2015

Anna Nordeman

IWSG - Insecure Writer's Support Group for Wednesday, 2nd September 2015

This is my twenty-seventh post for IWSG, written on 30th August 2015:

 

I have already started my course-work at the university of Linköping, which means that I have spent the past week taking the free campus shuttle-bus to neighbouring town, Linköping. 

As I have mentioned before I am taking English 2 this term. I like my teachers. They are excellent. So far, I have met three of them, a very thorough and serious Englishman, named Nigel, who is an old aquaintance from earlier courses in English; and a new face, a very, very, very funny, strawberry-blond, bearded Brit, named Emile, for English Grammar and Language Studies. I first met Emile in the spring for my incompletes. (He could have been a stand-up comedian. He keeps us in stitches.) And then there's a very pretty Swedish woman, named Anna (who speaks better English than I do) for English Literature and History. For Anna, we are reading Shakespeare's tragedy, MacBeth. I may write my term-paper for her. If I choose a literary topic. Or for Nigel, if I choose a linguistic subject.

I am enjoying the lectures and seminars, but there is so much reading to do, so much work to keep up with.

And I am still working on my term paper for History 2. [Sigh].

And working part time as a telephone-interviewer. I will be working with that, this evening.

And I am also working slowly on restocking my jewellery-shops. My creative writing is on the back-burner this term. I need this teaching degree. I need a job. TIme is running out for me. Money too.

But I still want to keep in touch with Alex and all of you lovely people at IWSG. I still have hopes to finish a translation and send it off to a publisher here in Sweden. I still have hopes of writing something of my own, but it will take time.

Best wishes,

Anna

First Commenter:
Julie Flanders
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