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A lot of people have been asking me: "Why are you taking an English course? You have been to America, you must know the language already!" Well, for one year I have spoken and heard English every day but that doesn't necessary mean that I know everything about the language. I speak English almost fluently and I understand just about everything. But there is a lot more to learn...
I divide my English learning into two phases, before and after my visit to America. For a year I worked as an aupair (nanny) in Hackensack, New Jersey. Before I came there my English was decent. My vocabulary was not that large and my pronounciation sounded like the average Swede; pretty good comparing to other Europeans, but not excellent. Then I made the best descision I've ever made; to go abroad and work in America.

In school back home in Sweden the English teacher talked pretty slowly with a clear British accent. If you didn't understand what she was saying you could always ask her and she explained it in Swedish. 
Standing in the kitchen in Hackensack, New Jersey trying to understand what my mumbling, Brooklyn born, host dad Fred was saying while he was doing the dishes, was somewhat harder. Many times I just said "yes" and prayed that he didn't ask me if I was doing drugs. But, as time passed by, I learned more and more to listen extra carefully when he was talking. At the end of my year I understood nearly everything he said. Thanks to him I've become a more attentive listener. 

I've always read a lot of books but I didn't start to read English books until I was 19 years old. In America I was so tired of speaking and hearing English all the time I found out that I really required a Swedish book or a magazine before I went to bed. I didn't want to read books in English too. 
I've noticed that it takes me twice as long time to read an English book than a Swedish one. The reason why is because I have to look up words and sometimes read paragraphs more than one time to really understand. 

When it comes to my speaking skills I've adopted an ugly American accent. I would rather speak Australian English which sounds more beautiful or British English which, in my opinion, sounds more proper. But any accent is better than a Swedish accent!

My vocabulary has grown, especially with words that are related to babies and household. For example; bib, pacifier, cupboard and sink are words I didn't know before I came to America. I remember one time, in the beginning of my year, when my mumbling host dad asked me to give him a paper towel. Since I'd never heard of paper towels (only towels) and was a little bit shy, I gave him a towel from the bathroom. He started laughing and I stood there, looking like a questionmark, with a towel in my hand wondering what was so funny. Everytime he met someone he never had met before he told him or her about his Swedish aupair, who didn't know what a paper towel was. (In Swedish it's "hushållspapper"!)

I don't have much problem writing. I like to write essays and I've written a few essays in English. Spelling has always been one of my strong sides, both in Swedish, German, Spanish and English. My grammar skills, though, are not what they should be. The grammar course is hopefully gonna change that. I really have to improve my grammar! 
In America I didn't write much. I only wrote shopping lists and a few letters to my foreign friends. Before I left for the USA I planned to take a writing course besides taking care of the children. I ended up taking a self defense course... So much for those plans!

I really like the English language and I think that I'm doing pretty well using it. Nine years of learning English in school and spending one year in America should be a good basis for future Englishstudies. I plan to take the B-course in English here in Uppsala and after that, maybe go back to America, this time to study. One of the many reasons that I want to learn more about the English language is that someday I want to work abroad and maybe even live in the USA, Great Britain or Australia for a couple of years - or a lifetime!
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