I don't know if this photo portrays accurately just how steep the hills actually are. Some of them, especially in the ice, are lethal. Anywhere you want to walk, you are usually either going dramatically up or dramatically down. On the way to the British Institute you have to walk down a hill, up one, down one and then up again.... at least, I suppose, we will both become fit. I'm sure also that Spring will improve Ankara and walking will become more pleasant. Hopefully by the Spring, as well as being fitter, we will have aquired more language ability. We were disappointed to discover that although we thought we had enrolled, our places in language school had been taken. It will be another two weeks before we can start. Meanwhile we continue to practice our minimal sentences in the shops and cafes. Sometimes, when I have understood something or am understood by someone, I feel encouraged, at other times I remember the mountain I must climb to really get to grips with the language. Very little English is spoken here, so to have meaningful conversations we are going to have to work very hard. It is expected that we will spend two months in the A1 class, which is pre-conversation. After that the next ten months will be spent improving to the point when we can really communicate with people. We are going to spend three mornings a week in language study to give us time to use and practice everything that we learn on the unsuspecting neighbourhood. I think our language learning will be like our Ankara walks...very up and down!!
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