Blog radio

Have you ever wondered what it is like to be on the radio? Me too. And last Thursday I had the opportunity to experience it first-hand at our local radio station “Radio Sol” where I was asked to talk about my office. I was terribly worried about it the whole week. Many doubts crossed my mind, “Elisabeth, you hate to hear your own voice recorded, what if you say something stupid? The show is live after all…” These thoughts kept me up at night and distracted me during the day. However, there was no way back. I had told too many people about it beforehand and, anyway, I am no quitter.

So, Thursday at 12:30, I shoke Gerhard Pelegrini’s hand as he welcomed me to the studio and offered me a cup of coffee. He was this charismatic man with a calm voice and a friendly smile which helped a lot with my nervousness. So did the cup of coffee and the question which music I’d like to have during the interview. I couldn’t believe it. I could choose what they played on the radio. This was amazing and overwhelming at the same time, “Should I choose what I like or what I think the audience would like? My children and my husband are listening, should I choose something for them? Or should I choose something typically Spanish or Irish to fit my subjects?” I decided on a mix of all of the above and was quite satisfied with my choice.

Mr. Peligrini led me through the interview very professionally and by doing so took away all my worries. While a song was playing, he informed me where he was heading next with the interview so that I could mentally prepare for it. He seemed very interested in my office as well as my thoughts and ideas about teaching and learning languages. He not only made me feel welcome but also special and thereby encouraged me to present my project with pride and self-confidence. He gave me a platform to present my dream, which now fortunately has also become my reality, and I am grateful for it. It was an extraordinary, mind-blowing and inspiring experience.

Before you move on to grammar and vocabulary you may want to quickly read through “How to use this blog”

Vocabulary

Wonder=sich fragen

Have the opportunity=die Möglichkeit haben

Experience= Erfahrung

First-hand=aus erster Hand

Local=regional

To be asked=gefragt/gebeten werden

Doubts crossed my mind=Zweifel kommen mir in den Sinn

After all=letztendlich

Thought =Gedanken

keep me up at night=halt mich nachts wach

distract=ablenken

there is no way back=es gibt kein Zurück mehr

beforehand=davor

quitter=Drückeberger

shake-shoke-shaken

welcome=begrüßen

charismatic=charmant, charismatisch

calm=ruhig

nervousness=Nervosität

overwhelming=überwältigend

decide=entscheiden

choice=Wahl

lead-led-led=führen

by doing so=somit

head=hingehen

so that= sodass

mentally= mental, geistig

seem=(er-)scheinen

as well as=und, sowie

not only...but also…=nicht nur…sondern auch

encourage=ermutigen

pride=Stolz

self-confidence=Selbstbewußtsein

fortunately=glücklicherweise

grateful=dankbar

extraordinary=außergewöhnlich

mind-blowing=überwältigend

Grammar

As I described a personal experience in the blog above, I used quite a few adjectives and adverbs. These word classes help make the text livelier and draw a mental image in the reader’s head. However, they also make the text more subjective.

Can you find all the adjectives and adverbs? Make three lists, one with the words you already know and use, one with the words you know but do not actively use and one with the words you didn’t know but want to learn and use. Then add the last two lists to your vocabulary log. Adjectives and adverbs are often neglected by learners and speakers because they can mostly survive without knowing them. You can also survive without chocolate or coffee but would you want to? Adjectives and adverbs enrich your language and make you sound more fluent so it is definitely worth the effort.

Neglected=vernachlässigen, missachten

Enrich=bereichern

Be worth it=es Wert sein

Effort=Aufwand, Anstrengung