Inspired by translator Matt Popplewell’s LinkedIn post on preparing for a half-marathon, I’d like to share my own experience—not of “pounding the pavements” (as Matt puts it), but of twirling and swinging across the dance floor.

As an experienced Nordic walker and home exercise enthusiast (“wer rastet, der rostet” – s/he who rests, rusts!), I decided to take on a new challenge in February. Unlike my classmates who started in September (“Class” as we are affectionately dubbed), I was a bit late to the party.

Let’s have a look at how the six principles Matt discovered apply to my (sometimes fumbling!) square dance adventure:

New things can be scary, but you can do them.

At first, it was much more difficult than I had expected. The steps were like a secret code and the calls sounded like gibberish from a foreign film. (We never know which moves are coming next; it’s the caller’s job to let us know.) But with practice and support from the others (I’ll tell you more about them later), it slowly began to make sense.

Everyone makes mistakes, that’s okay.

So I started with stumbles, wrong turns, and not understanding the calls. What did I do? I smiled (sometimes cursed under my breath or out loud) and kept practising. And now I’m dancing with much more confidence.

Getting better takes work.

Square dancing may not be a marathon, but it keeps me on my toes (literally!). The choreography requires focus, coordination, and surprisingly, a good dose of memorisation. Going through the steps at home with the help of a small app and YouTube has been incredibly helpful. And it’s a wonderful feeling when you realise you’ve just mastered a new move.

Compare yourself to yourself, not others.

If I compare myself to the experienced dancers (those who dance Mainstream), I might feel discouraged. So instead, I focus on my own progress. Being able to navigate the square with fewer mistakes than the week before is a victory in itself.

You need others to succeed.

We beginners are supported by helpers called “angels,” experienced dancers who gently guide us. We are never alone. There’s always someone willing to help. In fact, the camaraderie and sense of community are just as rewarding as the dancing itself.

Things are not always what they seem.

I used to folk dance in my school days and thought square dancing would be similar. But while it might look like fancy steps and easy twirls, there’s so much more to it. It’s a fun way to exercise, meet new people, and challenge your brain.

Are there some new activities you’d like to try but feel hesitant about?

Ever wonder why we say “splish-splash-splosh” instead of “splash-splish-splosh”? Or why “ding-dong” sounds better than “dong-ding” when someone rings the doorbell?

It’s because of a sneaky little rule in English called “ablaut reduplication” (don’t worry, it’s simpler than it sounds!). It basically means our brains like certain sounds together, especially when we repeat words for emphasis.

When a word is repeated, the vowels often change according to a pattern we follow automatically: The I-A-O pattern

For three words, the vowels change like this: “splish-splash-splosh” or “ding-dang-dong.”

For two words, the first vowel is “I” and the second can be “A” or “O.” Like in “ping pong,” “King Kong,” “hip-hop,” “flip-flop,” “tick-tock,” “dilly-dally,” “chit-chat,” “zig-zag,” “riff-raff,” “wishy-washy,” “pitter-patter,” and “mish-mash.”

Now it’s your turn. Can you think of any other fun or cool-sounding examples of “ablaut reduplication” in English?

How would you explain the German phrase: “Das Leben ist kein Ponyhof” to an English speaker?

Literally translated, it means: “Life isn’t a pony farm”.

But you’d have to explain more.

Imagine living on a picturesque farm with fresh air, adorable ponies, and the sun shining all day—it sounds like a dream, right? 

But this phrase tells us that life isn’t always as easy and carefree as spending time with those ponies. Instead, it’s filled with challenges, stress, and tough moments.

In English, we have similar sayings that remind us that life has its share of difficulties:

• Life isn’t all sunshine and rainbows.
• Life is full of ups and downs.
• Life’s not a bed of roses.
• Life is no picnic.
• Life is a rollercoaster.

But here’s the thing: even though life can be tough, it’s also full of exciting opportunities and adventures.

So let’s embrace the challenges and do our best to enjoy the journey.

Now it’s your turn! Do you have any more funny sayings you’d like explained? I’m eager to hear them!

Gestern war wieder Englischtraining mit Christine. Franz war endlich aus London zurück und hatte viel zu berichten.

In der Stunde erzählte ich Christine und Franz von meinem Treffen mit Freundin Gisela, die inzwischen in Slough wohnt. Gisela arbeitet für die Lufthansa. Ich dachte immer, sie wäre eine “Stewardess“, aber inzwischen nennt sie sich “Flight Attendant“.

Christine erklärte uns, dass die englische Sprache zunehmend nach geschlechtsneutralen Alternativen sucht. So sagt man heute nicht mehr “Policeman” oder “Policewoman”, sondern “Police Officer“. Anstelle von “Fireman” verwendet man inzwischen “Firefighter“. Und anstatt “Chairman” sagt man “Chairperson“.

Man muss wohl mit der Zeit gehen, oder?

Um politisch korrekt zu sein, sollte ich Gisela nicht fragen, ob sie einen Freund hat, sondern ob sie sich gerade mit jemandem trifft. Auf Englisch wäre das dann: “Are you seeing or dating anyone at the moment, Gisela?” (Ich bin ja gar nicht neugierig!)

Gar nicht so einfach, immer politisch korrekt zu sein, oder? Ich muss jetzt echt aufpassen, was ich sage.

Ob Franz das alles verstanden hat, weiß ich nicht. Ich glaube, ihm ist das nicht so wichtig. Mir schon.

Ich werde jetzt ein bisschen über “Political Correctness” lesen. Es kann doch nicht schaden, oder?

Bis nächste Woche,

Deine Greta

Isn’t it strange how a phrase from our childhood can stay hidden for years, only to pop out of our mouths when we least expect it?

It happened when I was out for a before-breakfast walk with my husband.

We were chatting away in German (our usual language), when my husband said something that I didn’t believe (I just can’t for the life of me even remember what it was). 

Without thinking, I blurted out in English, “Cross your heart and hope to die!”

You should have seen the look on my husband’s face. He had never heard me say anything like that before. 

So I had to explain the whole childhood ritual behind the phrase. 

You see, when we were children, we would say that phrase to make someone promise they were telling the truth. It was like a super serious promise, or else they’d be in big trouble with… well, let’s just say someone important.  And we’d even make an “X” on our hearts with our fingers while saying it.

Talk about a funny bilingual moment, right?  

Has anything similar happened to you? Do let me know.

The Margaret Effect

So, why did I become a bilingual private secretary? Blame it on Margaret! My best friend decided to enrol in a course in Maidenhead, England. And being the loyal (and slightly lost) friend I was, I thought, “Why not?”

Just before changing plans, I had been offered a place at a well-known teachers’ training college in London. But I wasn’t thrilled about it. The college in my hometown didn’t seem too keen on having me, so I had to find something else. And fast!

Bilingual Bonanza

It was a two-year course. I learnt all sorts of useful stuff:

• Shorthand (that secret writing for grown-ups)
• Lightning-fast typing
• Secretarial skills
• Even a bit of law and economics

And the best part? Languages. Yes! German quickly became my absolute favourite.

After my first year, I spent six whole weeks working for Daimler Benz in Stuttgart, Germany. The work was about as exciting as watching paint dry. But Germany? I was completely smitten. I knew it was where I wanted to be.

The Corporate Carousel

A year later, I was working in the export department of a famous juice company. And six months later, I switched companies and stepped up to become the Tax Director’s assistant in the music business. The perks? Fantastic. My office view? Breathtaking—overlooking the beautiful Außenalster lake in Hamburg.

But wait a second. It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. The work itself wasn’t exactly mind-blowing.

Sure, my boss loved having an English assistant—it was probably pretty cool back then. And me? I was the youngest assistant around—and bored.

Soon, I moved within the company to work with the Head of Personnel and Corporate Organisation. The boss? Great. The work? Well, let’s just say it wasn’t exactly setting my world on fire.

The Doubt Creeps In

That’s when the doubts started creeping in. What was I learning? Was my work making a difference? Was it pushing me to be my best? Was it letting me use my creativity?

BAM! The Calling

Decades later, BAM! It hit me—my true calling. And guess what? That’s what I’m still doing right now. Running my own English language training business.

You see, sometimes it takes a long and winding road to discover what you really love to do. And work that finally aligns with your core values.