Language Skills

My Dutch class officially ended on Tuesday, the 10th of May. I've made progress, I would say. I can read basic signs and headlines, fool - or at least least think I'm fooling - cashiers to think I can really understand them*, and I can have a conversation with a two-year old. Wait a second, is carrying on a conversation with a two-year old a sign of progress? "Wie is dat?" "Waar is papa?" "Lorna ook." "Wat is dat?" "Tot ziens" Sounds like progress to me!

*Story behind the cashier reference. If a purchase looks like it will be a gift, the kassa will ask if you would like it wrapped. I bought a gift last week, and anticipated the question. "Ja," I said. (This is after I already said hello and asked how much in Dutch.) I was feeling pretty good about myself, until she babbled something else. Uh-oh. Mind racing. What could she be asking? I hear "blauw"...something about blue. But it's not as simple as that. Ah...she figures me out, probably from the blank stare on my face. "Would you like blue paper or white paper," she asks. In English. I respond. In English.