GCSE

The Brits are exam-obsessed. There is the 11+, there are GCSEs, there used to be O-levels, and then there are A-levels. The Dutch only do the equivalent of the latter. At least, in my time it was like that. I think it still is! But now I'm so British I am about to do a GCSE myself. One does those when one is 14 or so, normally. No reason why you can't do them at 39.

When Jenny, my Welsh tutor, said I should do my GCSE "Welsh as a foreign language" (I think officially it may be "a second language", but that makes no sense) only a year after starting to learn Welsh I thought she was mad. But you have to register in winter to do it in summer, and you never know what you can achieve in several months, so I made sure I registered.

Then I got an email there would be a special Saturday class to prepare us for the exam, in March. Excellent! I had to seize any opportunity to improve. I imagined I would be stuttering and bungling in between all sorts of almost fluent speakers. But well, it would help anyway. I went!

I found out I didn't stand out at all. Spiffing! If my level is the expected level I might make it. That would be cool! I would be proud. It would also boost my confidence. And if I don't? Well, then I'll retake it the year after. I'd be sure to pass that time! Jenny thinks I can have my A-level before my contract expires. Who knows!