I look at this title and say “Huh?”  When I was a teacher, my favourite word in the classroom was “conversation”.   Right now, however, I add the word “Dutch” and the white turns to black.

I’m going to Amal this afternoon for a session of Dutch conversation.  It’s an organization for newcomers to Belgium.  Newbies like me will sit at a table with a native speaker … and we’ll talk.  I did this once right at the end of my Dutch Level Two course in late June, and I did okay.  A month later, I’m rusty.

Just show up, Bruce.  You’ll do fine, or you’ll do poorly.  Either way, you’ll do!

It takes so much effort to create sentences and to follow the sentences of others.  Okay.  That’s not the end of the world.

I woke up lots last night.  And I dreamt – being lost with no chance of being found.  Then I was a swimmer, tensed to dive into the pool.  Except I can’t swim!  Plus I was this skinny little guy, wearing a Speedo.  Endlessly poised to dive in.

I set my alarm for 8:00 am.  As the morning sun peeked around my blinds, I prayed that it wasn’t 7:55.  Covers to my chin, I wanted the protection to continue.

But protecting myself is no way to live.  Being away from life isn’t the real me.  It’s true that I’ve been recovering from the blood infection and have spent a lot of time in bed, a lot of time watching the Tour de France … being passive.

Yesterday I was in the gym, stretching and riding the elliptical.  Then I meditated.  When I finish this post, I’m going to study Dutch for an hour.  Then it’s off to Amal for talking, no doubt making lots of mistakes.

Get your head up, Bruce

Ik spreek Nederlands

(I speak Dutch)