Good Exam

This past Sunday I took my Estonian Beginners exam. Upon completing this, I will be able to apply for a long term living permit. I hope I pass, and I feel pretty good about it, but you never know. The exam was pretty difficult. It took about 2.5 hours to complete all 4 disciplines. First I had to fill out an application and then write a letter. In the letter had to explain what I did at my new years eves party. After that it was the listening section of the exam. This was probably the easiest. Then the reading which was the most stressful and longest. I didn't really get to a point that I didn't know anything but sometimes it was a little confusing. I was able to make it through, but I hope I don't have to do it again. There were several exercises that were very difficult to complete including finishing the second half of a sentence. I started this section and then I realized that it wasn't just a sentence but a complete story and then I had to go back and change everything. It was with that I learned a part of the Estonian education system. If you change your answer on a test, you have to write "õige" next to the last answer, the one you want them to grade. I found it funny that I get to write correct on my own exam. I asked the administrator if i could write õige next to all of the answers, she didn't get the joke, or even that I was joking and took the paper from my hands and proceeded to walk me through the whole why we need to write "õige" process again. The conclusion of the exam was the oral portion. This was probably the easiest, but most stressful. I had to introduce myself, tell some interesting facts and then I got to have a conversation with another person taking the exam. My partner was Jegveia, a 70 year old retiree from Ukraine. The hardest part was she didn't speak or understand Estonian very well, so I would ask her a question and then there was a really long pause, followed by a few words, then another long pause, then a word or two more. The administrator was very helpful and told us both we did very well. I will find out in about 30 days how I did. Not sure why it takes 30 days to grade the exam, but it does. I will let you all know how I did.