Life decisions over a slice of manakeesh

Photo Courtesy: Space-cat- stock.adobe.com

I don’t really remember how or when we decided to move. There was a constant urge to try something new, after being in the UAE for so long. But when did we get serious, I don’t know. Our very first IELTS attempt was in December 2017. We bid each other goodbye and headed to our respective test centers, not knowing the relevance or importance of the test. We were both quite confident about our English language skills (duh) and thus did not consider it worthwhile to go over some practice sessions. Lo and behold, what came next was not something we expected. The results were out and to our surprise (then), we managed to get high scores in all 3 modules except writing. And then began, the endless attempts and the long wait. How I wish we had researched a bit more before getting our feet wet. What followed was a series of life-changing incidents, that gave us some beautiful memories along with hurdles to overcome.

Two years and a baby later, on a cold evening (yes, the desert does get cold; 18 degrees celsius used to be cold for me, who knew I would walk around in -25 degrees in a few years’ time) over some warm cheese manakeesh and karak chai, we decided to let the cat out of the bag. We discussed the pros and cons of moving to Canada, leaving behind the beautiful life we had created in the UAE, the friends who joined us on our journey and the familiarity of the place we called home. Did the pros outweigh the cons? It did. It did in terms of security and a sense of stability. Would we miss the country we called home for over 10 years? Definitely – the convenience, the proximity to our motherland, the friends, the food, the list can go on. But the decision was made.

My husband decided to give IELTS another try in the hope of achieving the magic score of 8777. Months passed by, number of attempts increased, but there was no sign of the magic score. He being an amazing listener with an impeccable ability to be succinct, managed to score quite well in all modules expect writing. Is writing his enemy? OF COURSE! He just cannot. That realization led me to step up to the plate and go the extra mile.

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Baby naps had become my solace. I looked forward to those little moments when I could be myself, catch up on my favorite shows, read a book or just browse through my phone with no purpose. I cherished those moments of not changing soiled diapers or feeding a little human. I love my child, don’t get me wrong there, but who doesn’t need a break? With the goal of achieving the magic score, IELTS practice took over my comfort time. For a month, (during those two hours), I practiced writing letters, essays, did reading and listening modules. Our evening walks turned into mock speaking tests where my husband acted as the invigilator, picking on my mistakes and rejoicing when I did right.

The day was finally here. I bathed and napped the baby and kissed the baby daddy goodbye, to appear for another round of testing my English language. I was quite confident about how I did and came home with the surety of cracking it this time. I even treated myself to Cheesecake Factory that night. How silly of me! The results were out and once again, the magic score seemed like a distant dream. Within a month, I found myself at the test center once again. I don’t lose hope quite easily, but after all these attempts and spending money over and over again, I was on the verge of giving up. An ultimatum was given to the husband. We decided to let go of our dream of migrating if this attempt failed. Once again, the test went well, but this time I did not step into Cheesecake Factory to celebrate (notice how I conveniently shifted the blame to CF). Results were out and history repeats itself. For the first time in all these attempts, I bawled my heart out. I lost hope and also took the blame for failing my family on myself.

One fine day, the husband decides to send my test results for remarking. Tests taken under the British Council are remarked in the UK, unlike the first attempts that are evaluated locally within the UAE. With a lot of hesitation, I agreed, on a condition that this would be the last thing. I filled out the form, paid the remarking fee and got back home with no hopes. Whereas my husband had high hopes that this would bring us the magic score we’ve been trying to achieve. Weeks later, one afternoon, as I scrolled through my phone endlessly, I got an email with the subject line EOR Outcome. As much as I wanted to open it, my hands trembled. I was not ready for another rejection. With all my will, I opened the email to see those golden words: ‘This is to inform you that we have received a positive outcome in response to your Enquiry on Result (EOR). The amended result is ready for collection at the British Council office in Dubai’. I bawled my heart out again, but this time in sheer joy and relief.

I haven’t rushed to a British Council office faster than this. I got the baby and myself ready and waited for the husband to pick us up. I did not give him time to change, grabbed a coffee and snack on the way, and rushed to the office to collect my result. And there it was, the magic score in all its glory, in fact, better than the magic score, my 7899 and an 8.5 band. That day, still remains one of the happiest days of our lives - the day we found light at the end of the tunnel.

So, if you are someone on the same path that I was in 2019, here are some tips that will help you in your journey to crack that magic score:

1. Prepare ahead. Don’t be the 2017 me.

2. Understand your strengths and weaknesses and practice on your shortcomings.

3. Practice, practice, practice. Take as many mock tests possible until you feel confident.

4. Set time limits. Take your mock tests just like you would during an exam.

5. Understand strategies and get feedback from experts (even if it is a paid service, it is worth it), spouse, peers.

6. Don’t lose hope. You’ve got this!