Over a month ago I was ranting about me taking the IELTS again. I was quite nervous because the first time I took it, I had one part of the exam re-marked. Most bodies requiring IELTS usually just require a general average of 6, regardless of the band score for each sub-test. But like what I have mentioned in my previous blog, for teachers it is a totally different case. We need to get a general band score of 7.5, a score of at least 8 in Speaking and Listening, and a score of at least 7 in Reading and Writing. Whew! What a requirement. The harder part of it all is that it is the Academic module I need to take.
As soon as I got my confirmed booking, I immediately called my mom and told her to send all my IELTS reviewers I left in Manila. I didn’t want to get harassed again preparing for this exam. I cannot jeopardize the results of this exam because my chance to work as a teacher here in Australia depended on it. When I got my 3 books, my exam was still 3 months away. I told myself that by the time the month is over I have used up all my reviewers already. Little did I know that in the public libraries here, they have a huge collection of IELTS review materials. When I found out about it, the rest as they say is history.
By the time the calendars hit August, my exam month, I barely touched my own review materials, only because I was able to maximize the books available in the libraries. I was panicking already 3 weeks before the test since I really didn’t have the time to sit down and review. My hands were always full with the chores at home (my sis-in-law had a job already), taking care of three kids (2 are my brother’s children) and my part-time job. By the time Liam falls asleep I am dead tired as well. I cannot have the review that I wanted. Good thing 2 weeks before the exam Liam started going to the child care. That gave me two days of review. I tried to overcome the temptations of doing FB and some other chores at home while Liam was away. But most of the time, I failed. The last week before the exam, I think I made big progress because reality hit me already. A day before the exam, I tried to relax and didn’t bother opening a book again.
Finally on the day of the exam, everything was a bit easier than what I expected it to be. I knew I did good in the listening and reading parts, but when the writing part came, oh no! My heart crumbled. The first part was ok. The second part which earned more points was a total disaster. I was hoping against hope that my work will be “better” than the others. Speaking test was okay. I was lucky to have chosen a topic close to my heart, which is my home. At the end of the day I was dead tired but I knew the more difficult task awaits me, that is the waiting time before I finally get the results.
After two weeks, I got my results. I was already thinking of Plan B even before I got the results, just in case my grades didn’t make it. But God is good! All three parts which I think I did good, did yield good marks. I got 8.5 band score for Reading, Listening and Speaking. Let me just tell you that 9 is the highest band score you can get. Well, for my writing, God is good, He gave me just the right grade, which I think I also deserved, a 7. Haha, almost didn’t make it! But glad I did.
So now, I have no more reason to worry (for the next two years at that). I am glad this thing is finally over and I can already shout at the top of my lungs, FREEDOM!!!!!
