Quote of the week: 24 Jan 2015
“Don’t let the fear of striking out hold you back.” Babe Ruth
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7 ways to stay motivated in your language learning
So we’re now a few weeks into 2015, and chances are all the resolutions we made in a fit of great excitement on January 1st are a dim and distant memory. If one of your goals for this year is to learn a new language, here are a few tips to help you stick at it, even when real life gets in the way, and your motivation starts to fade…
Make it fun
You’re far more likely to learn if you’re enjoying yourself. Of course, the best way to pick up a language is to take a trip to the country where they speak it, but that’s not an option for most of us, particularly so soon after the expense of Christmas! So instead, get yourself an app like uTalk or pick up some Flashsticks to post up all over your house (and office, and car…). Or if you’re on a budget, make up your own game. There is no right way of learning a language, and everyone’s different – but wouldn’t you rather be having fun while you study than poring over a grammar book trying to memorise verb endings?
Make it a competition
I’m currently learning German, and know for a fact I wouldn’t be if it weren’t for the uTalk challenge. I don’t really need to learn German – I’m not going to Germany in the immediate future, nor do I have a German mother-in-law to impress – but I fancied trying something new and different. The problem with learning a language just for fun, though, is that it’s very easy to give up without a pressing reason to keep going. The uTalk challenge gave me that reason; I’m a very competitive person, and I wasn’t about to let my colleagues beat me (well, except Nat, who destroyed us all). Knowing that I had to come into work each morning and update my score on the board has kept me motivated, and as a result I now know probably several hundred new words that I didn’t know before.
Focus on the end goal
While there are many people who, like me, decide to learn a language just for the fun of it, there are many more who do it for a specific reason. So if you feel your enthusiasm starting to wane, focus not on learning the language, but on what it’ll mean when you’ve learnt it. Maybe it’s a new job, a new relationship or a forthcoming trip. If you concentrate on what you’re getting from knowing a new language, suddenly putting the time in to study won’t seem nearly such a chore.
Reward yourself regularly
Remembering your ultimate goal is important, but that can sometimes seem far, far away. If you were about to climb Everest and didn’t plan to stop till you got to the summit, you’d probably never start (and who could blame you). So make sure you set yourself achievable ‘in-between’ goals, and reward yourself appropriately when you get there. Personally, I find chocolate to be an excellent incentive. Or you could allow yourself an episode of your favourite TV show, or a shopping trip. Whatever works for you and will keep you motivated to press on.
Set aside time
Life can be incredibly busy, and often it feels like there isn’t enough time to do everything, so learning a language can slip down the to-do list behind other, more pressing tasks. To combat this argument, try setting aside a fixed amount of time each day, or a few times a week, which is only for language learning. Where that time fits into the rest of your schedule is up to you, but the important thing is that nothing else gets in the way. And if you can make use of ‘dead time’ like your daily commute, so much the better – that way you’re not using up hours that would ordinarily be used for other jobs.
Tell other people
I’m a great believer in this one. Tell friends and family that you’re learning a language, and chances are at some point, they’re going to ask you how it’s going. And if they don’t, ask them to. If I know that at any moment someone’s going to demand that I say something in another language, I’m much more likely to keep learning it, just in case. (Of course, when they do ask me to say something, my mind will instantly go blank – but that’s another story.)
Don’t give up, even if you slip up
As with any goal, there are going to be pitfalls along the way. You’d have to be incredibly determined (and slightly superhuman) to never have an off-day or consider giving up. And that’s ok, but the important thing is to pick yourself up after this wobble and keep going. Knowing you’ve overcome a few obstacles is only going to make the moment you have your first conversation in another language that much sweeter, because after all…
Good luck (or should I say Viel Glück)!
Liz
6 great language learning blogs to visit in 2015
So how’s everyone’s 2015 going? We hope your year has got off to a great start, and that your new year’s resolutions are all still intact…?
We’d like to start the year by thanking you all for reading our blog. With a bit of luck, at some point over the last couple of years it’s inspired you, made you smile or just entertained you for a few minutes. We love sharing our thoughts on languages and everything connected to them (sometimes fairly tenuously connected!) so please do keep coming back. Remember, you can subscribe by email to get all our posts delivered straight to your inbox 🙂 And as always, we love hearing from anyone who’d like to be a guest blogger, or with suggestions on topics you’d like to see covered.
But today we wanted to share with you a few other fantastic language learning blogs that we’ve discovered, which are full of great suggestions, advice and ideas. Please share your own favourites with us in the comments, and we’ll add the best ones to our list!
FlashSticks is a UK-based company with a simple yet ingenious idea – vocabulary flashcards on colour-coded sticky notes. Their Sticky Blog is a treasure trove of fantastic articles written by the FlashSticks team, who clearly know a thing or two about learning languages. They also have a really fun and friendly Twitter account, so they’re well worth a follow there too.
We recommend: 6 tips for getting out of a language learning rut
Lindsay Dow is a language fan who’s also an English tutor. Her blog is a great mix of written articles and videos, and includes learning advice as well as lots about language in popular culture like movies and music. Right now, Lindsay’s running a fantastic photo challenge over on Instagram, which looks like a lot of fun and a great way to learn.
We recommend: 82 British TV shows to help with your English
Sam Gendreau, the polyglot behind this great language site, is passionate about helping other people learn a language. His blog is full of useful and interesting articles, perfect for those with a language addiction or just a passing interest. We challenge anyone to visit Lingholic and not come away feeling inspired and encouraged.
We recommend: Ten amazing reasons why you should learn a foreign language
Ok, so we’re a bit biased because the author of this blog is a former EuroTalker. But that doesn’t change the fact that it’s a great site. As a self-pronounced language geek and freelance translator, she really knows her stuff. Visit the blog for tips and advice for language learners, translators… and anyone interested in how to be British.
We recommend: Don’t be scared… How to get talking in your foreign language
Probably most people already know this blog, as its creator, Benny the Irish Polyglot, is pretty famous these days. Benny is the perfect example of someone who struggled with languages at school but has since fallen in love with them. Since 2003, he’s been travelling the world, learning new languages (in three months) and sharing his experiences and advice.
We recommend: How to make a New Year’s Resolution and actually keep it
Not a language learning blog as such, but so much fun. James is an illustrator from the UK who draws fantastic pictures all based on languages from around the world. His collection includes everything from how to sound like a monkey in different languages to literal translations of the titles of popular TV shows. Be warned though, you may find it hard to drag yourself away.
We recommend: The sounds of the New Year
There are lots more fantastic language blogs out there, so please don’t be offended if we didn’t mention yours this time…
Enjoy!
10 reasons to visit… Barcelona
A couple of months ago, I visited Barcelona in north-east Spain. The city has something for everyone – history, architecture, beach and mountains. We were only there a few days – and on a bit of a budget – but we had great weather, and managed to explore the majority of this amazing city on foot. Here are my top ten reasons to visit Barcelona.
1. Fountains
Barcelona loves its fountains; they’re everywhere. My favourite of these was the stunning display stretching from the Plaça d’Espanya to the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya. It’s quite a steep climb, to the point that they’ve actually installed outdoor escalators to help you out, but well worth the effort for the view from the top.
2. Gaudí
The work of architect Antoni Gaudí is everywhere in Barcelona – from the imposing (and still as yet unfinished) Sagrada Família to the popular tourist attraction, Parc Guëll. But you can also find examples of his work in the centre of the city, in houses like Casa Batlló and La Pedrera. If you like your architecture traditional, it may not be your cup of tea, but I loved the modernist designs; there’s so much to look at. And I think the Sagrada Família may be one of my favourite places of all time.
3. The metro
I’ll be honest, Barcelona airport is pretty confusing. When we arrived, I confidently assumed we’d be able to just jump on the metro and find our hotel. It turned out to be not that easy at all, as we had to first get a bus to another terminal, then pick up the overground train, before finally arriving at the Sants Estació, which turned out to be the main railway station in the city. But from there it was dead easy – like the London Underground, as long as you’ve got a map of the network, you can’t really go far wrong. Unlike the London Underground, the trains are air-conditioned, which was lovely after hauling our bags halfway across the city. And the 10-trip tickets, which you can use on any form of transport, were perfect for our three-day stay.
4. Churros
Ah, churros. We took a walking tour of the Gothic Quarter and La Rambla, during which our guide pointed out a café, which she said did the best churros in Barcelona. Afterwards, it seemed rude not to take her advice, so we retraced our steps to the café she recommended – Granja La Pallaresa in Carrer Petritxol, just off La Rambla – and asked for the churros y chocolate. I don’t know if they were the best in Barcelona, but they were pretty amazing.
5. La Rambla
Barcelona’s famous tree-lined shopping street, stretching from the city centre down to the sea. It’s a pity that it’s become known more as a place where you’re likely to get robbed, but it’s still well worth a visit – just remember to hold on to your handbag. And don’t feel you have to stick to the main street; some of the little back streets have more choice and are a bit cheaper too, and you’re more likely to be offered free samples of turrón (if you’re offered, take it – it’s yummy). Check out La Boqueria too – it’s a huge food market selling just about everything you can imagine: fruit, fish, meat, sweets, tapas, paella, sangria… You could easily get lost in there, but at least you wouldn’t starve 😉
6. The seaside
My friend and I had been to Barcelona on a school trip years ago, and pretty much the only bit we remembered was the sea front. Cross the bridge to Port Vell, where you’ll find restaurants and a very modern shopping centre (I had to be physically dragged out of Desigual), an aquarium and an IMAX cinema, or keep walking along the shore to get to the funfair and, just beyond that, the lovely sandy beach. Once you’re there, be prepared to say ‘no, gracias’ repeatedly to the guys trying to sell you overpriced sangria; they’re not at all pushy but there are a lot of them.
7. Olympic Stadium and Montjuïc
The Olympics were held in Barcelona in 1992, and you can now visit the stadium for free (well, I say ‘visit’ – you can walk in, have a look and leave again). It’s looking a bit old and tired these days, but it was easy to imagine it filled with a cheering crowd just over twenty years ago. While you’re there, head around the corner from the stadium to check out the impressive Torre de Comunicacions de Montjuïc, and – you guessed it – more fountains. On a clear day, the views from up there are incredible.
8. La Sagrada Família
Possibly one of the most beautiful buildings I’ve ever seen, and it’s not even finished yet. Gaudí’s unfinished masterpiece, the Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, is one of Barcelona’s biggest tourist attractions – we had to queue for 45 minutes just to get our tickets, and then we had to come back two hours later to actually get in. But it was so worth the wait. From the astonishing detail on the outside to the breathtaking stained glass inside, I honestly can’t recommend it enough. It somehow manages to be both modern and timeless at once, and the sheer size of the place is enough to leave you speechless. I can’t wait to see it when it’s finished; I think it’s going be pretty spectacular.
9. Current affairs
This might not sound like a very interesting reason to visit a city, but there’s a lot going on in Barcelona just now. My friend and I got chatting to two stallholders in La Boqueria, who, on discovering we were English, were keen to know what we thought about the Scottish independence referendum, which had taken place the week before. Catalonia’s currently engaged in a debate about this issue for themselves, with a recent poll showing 80% of people are in favour of independence, but the vote itself being ruled unconstitutional by the Spanish government. It’s hard to know what will happen, but it’s definitely an interesting time for the region and the country.
10. The weather
Well, sort of. On our first three days in Barcelona we had amazing weather – despite being late September, it was well over 20 degrees and we enjoyed gorgeous sunshine. And then on our last day, it rained. And not just a little bit of rain; it poured, all day, to the point where we eventually gave up trying to sightsee from under our umbrella and set off for the airport early. Where our flight was delayed, because of the rain. I guess you can’t win them all.
One word of advice – although Barcelona is in Spain, and everyone speaks Spanish, you’ll find on arrival that many of the signs are in Catalan, and you may be greeted in Catalan too. So even if you speak Spanish, I’d recommend picking up a little of the regional language before you go as well. Or if you really want to impress the locals, take uTalk with you and greet them in both languages.
I had an amazing few days in Barcelona, and would love to go back soon, if only to eat more churros and visit the Sagrada Família again (seriously, I can’t shut up about it).
Have you been to Barcelona? Any tips for my next trip? And most importantly, have I really had the best churros in the city, or is there somewhere better?
Liz
10 reasons to visit… Las Vegas
I was lucky enough to visit one of the most notorious party cities last December; I, however, can not comment on what the night life is like in Vegas as I was only 19 and therefore not allowed to step foot into a bar or club! However, even without the partying there is so much to do in Vegas, as well as lots of places to see. We flew out on the afternoon of Friday 13th, on a plane which contained a lot of nervy people as well as plenty of bachelor and bachelorette parties. We were only there for four days and it was non-stop. Here are my top ten reasons to visit Las Vegas.
1. The Shows
Walking down the strip you can see endless advertising for different shows, concerts and celebrity residences. They all seem that much better over in Vegas; maybe this is because of the additional glitz and flashing lights, or just getting caught up in the buzz of the city. I would highly recommend going to see at least one type of show, as it is a completely different energy and atmosphere.
2. The People
Everyone in Vegas was so friendly. People couldn’t do enough for you, they were always trying to make your experience the best it could be. This didn’t just include staff working in the hotel but everyone on the strip; if people saw you were a group and one was taking a photo of everyone else, someone would always offer to take a group photo of you. People were all so chatty and friendly and even when you were approached by a salesman on the street once you said no they didn’t pester you, they still smiled and said ‘Have a great day’, how often does that happen here in the UK?
3. The Buildings
When watching the films, you expect the strip to go on for miles and miles. However, when you are there it isn’t nearly as long as you expect. Also all of the different styles of buildings you see, ranging from the classic Bellagio to the new styles such as the Wynn. You also have character buildings such as the New York, New York and the Luxor; just viewing them from the outside there is always something different to see.
4. Entertainment
When you are walking along the strip there is always someone or something to see. Ranging from the famous fountains at the Bellagio, to a volcano exploding in front of the Mirage and the pirate show in front of Treasure Islands, which was unfortunately under construction when we were there. There were many different types of people in fancy dress, ranging from Alan in The Hangover to Bumblebee from Transformers, who can actually turn himself from a car to a person! It is simply not possible to walk down the strip and be bored.
5. Casinos
Every hotel has a casino and each one is slightly different. When sitting at a slot machine or one of the numerous machines they have spread throughout the floor, you can really lose track of time. There are no windows and you see people sitting at the tables for hours on end. Often in the morning when you walk through the casino you see people still playing who haven’t left from the night before. Long gone are the days of inserting ‘quarters’ into the machine and pulling the handle; it is now dollar bills and pressing a button. It was rare to find a machine with a handle and it was so exciting when you did find one. Once you are there you can see how people do become addicted; just waiting for the sheet of paper to come out of the machine to tell you how much you have won, and then queuing in anticipation to collect your money. You quickly get into the ‘oh, just one more time’ mind set…
6. Lobbies of Hotels
Each hotel lobby holds something different to entice you in further towards the casinos, restaurants and shops. You want to walk into each hotel and see what they have on show. Most of the hotels were truly spectacular, especially in December where lots had a Christmas theme.
7. Grand Canyon
Undoubtedly one of the most beautiful sights you will ever see. Even if you aren’t there for long, there are various trips you can pick from, ranging from a short helicopter ride over the canyon, to an all-day adventure including having lunch in the canyon. It is a sight you will never forget and you will never see such a vast range of colours anywhere else.
8. The Shopping
An experience I have never had before. In Caesar’s Palace, walking from shop to shop, even though you are inside, you would never know. The ceiling is done in such a way that it feels like you are outside, and even simulates rain and thunderstorms. Or there is the Venetian, with the canal running throughout the ground floor where you can catch a gondola and be serenaded by a gondolier. You won’t experience shopping like this anywhere else in the world.
9. The Chocolate Fountain in the Bellagio
Something you can stand and stare at for hours wondering how it was possible to make – at first it is very hard to tell that it is even real. It is the world’s largest chocolate fountain and took a year and a half in planning and designing alone. For all of the chocolate lovers out there, it is a sight not to be missed.
10. The Food
Every different type of food you could possibly want, you can find in Vegas. The portions are huge, so sharing is definitely recommended if you aren’t overly hungry. At breakfast, when you order pancakes you don’t just get one or three, you get a stack of at least five. Vegas is also renowned for its buffets, where you pay a fixed price and you can go up as many times as you want. These aren’t just any buffets though, they have everything you could possibly want: Chinese, Italian, Seafood… anything and everything.
Even without the partying aspect of Vegas it is still the best city I have ever been to; the list of reasons to go could go on for a very long time.
Have you been to Vegas? What were your best bits?
Amy
