It had been over ten years since I'd taken an official English test. So that was the goal no.1. I decided on the PTE for faster results. My first Mock Test was terrible—listening and writing especially (OMG, I'm so screwed). I couldn't even study the next whole week for my youngest got sick. My husband had to push me to just take it after several days, so I booked the exam two days out.
Test day. We left early for the test center and nearly arrived at Gangnam Station. Then my spine went cold. "No waaaaay!!!!! I forgot my passport!!!!!!!!" I chose to shut up while my husband—protecting my mental state—turned the car around without a word and drove back home. After grabbing the passport, I headed back to Gangnam Station, trying to memorise templates. I'd read reviews about bad keyboards and noise at the test center, but after studying at home with three kids running around, the test center felt like pure silence. Results came the same day. Overall 69, barely hitting Each 65. I was genuinely thrilled to save the expensive test fee.
But wait. I got an international call from a professor saying that Massey University doesn't accept PTE. Right after hanging up, I booked an IELTS test for five days later and started cramming. The gap between my Reading/Listening and Speaking/Writing was way too big. I spent entire days focusing on Writing, then Speaking, then finally took the test murmuring 'you can retake sections if needed, just do it'. The earlier speaking test didn't go well—I clearly ran out of things to say, and the examiner smiled and encouraged me like an angel. After finishing the other sections in the afternoon, I went home completely exhausted. Results came that Monday. Overall 7.0, barely meeting the requirements again. The score gap between sections still worried me, but anyway, I finally got the admission. One major hurdle cleared (Anyway, $600 for two tests?! Call the authorities!).
I recall the day when my mom told me she'd wished she could have supported my further studies. I was like frightened to hear it, then waved it off: "Mom, I've done my study part in my life, never want to study anything again!"
I haven't been changed at all. Even with graduate school admission ahead of me, I still have no feeling for study. But you know, that's how life goes.
