26 Juli (teil drei)

I am about to go down the hall to the kitchen area where there are some couches and tables to study with James, but first I had to write down this brief story before I forgot it.

Earlier in the day, while at the Mensa’s computer area, a small group of ISUers were reading the text for today’s class (myself included—and what a text it was, more on that later). A Studentin (female student) came up with a clipboard and paper and appeared to be asking for something. Ah, a petition! I understand what this is, I thought. A girl in our group knew German quite well, and she told her she’d sign it—it was a petition against the rising university fees. We all signed, happy to participate in an authentic German protest.

Well, a few minutes ago another Studentin appeared—this time outside the door to James’ dorm. She had a clipboard and similar looking paper, and looked quizzically into the room. I stood, went over to her, and looked at the paper, probably muttering “what is this” in English to myself. I looked at her and said, “Wir haben…schon … unterschriften,” paused, and waited to see if it worked. Ah, yes, she was nodding her head—it worked! I used my German to actually communicate an idea effectively in casual conversation with a fluent speaker! I realize now that my conjugation of the last word—unterschriften (sign)—should have been unterschrieben, but still, it worked, she understood. I did not know that the verb for “to sign” was unterschreiben, but I had seen the word somewhere on the sheet earlier and figured I could make a verb out of the word for signature. After the girl walked out of James’ room into Suzanne’s, I looked at James, smiled, and said, “holy crap it freakin worked!” We were ecstatic. Almost a real conversation…and that’s my short story.

Gotta study, Tschüß!!
-BW