Benny Lewis's Blog, page 85

Is it True that German is Hard to Learn?

I’m fed up with the myth that German is hard to learn for English speakers.

Learning another language can be infuriating, particularly as you find yourself committing grammar rules, pronunciations, and a never-ending list of words to memory.

And sure, that’s true of German too. Plus, some German learners get flustered by the absurdly long words, and unusual grammar structure.

However, I don’t believe that any language is harder to learn than another. In my opinion, it all comes down to perseverance and passion.

Let’s look at it from another point of view. If you are a native English speaker, there is a strong chance that you took learning the language for granted. You had to learn it, in order to communicate with those around you, so you did. As a result, you are fluent in a really complicated language. English has many inconsistencies that leave non-native English students scratching their heads in confusion.

German is one example of a language that is in many ways easier to learn than English.

Let me explain why…

1. There is a Standardised Form of German to Learn

In 1996, German was officially standardised. This was done to simplify the language rules. It also made the spelling of words, in particular, more uniform and predictable.

The guidelines were revised once again in 2004 and by late 2005, what had become known as the Neue deutsche Rechtschreibung was in place. From then on, only the new spelling rules were allowed. These rules are now taught in schools across Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

How does this affect you as a German learner? Although dialects will differ across German speaking towns and countries, every German word has one official spelling. No matter where you are in the world, you should be able to understand most German-speakers and they, in return, will understand you.

On the contrary, there is no standardised version of English. These days, American English spelling rules may dominate the language in many places. Anyone who has tried to change their dictionary in Microsoft Word from U.S. to British English and have it stick will be aware of this.

English is also confusing, as many words have different meanings, depending on whether you are learning British or American English. For example, try talking freely about your pants in Britain and then gauge what kind of reception you get!

It is therefore incredibly handy to be learning a language that has one standardised version, as German does. You don’t need to worry so much about native speakers not understanding you… or accidentally mixing up your outerwear with your underwear!

2. The Rules Regarding Spelling Are More Structured in German

The rules for spelling in the German language are far more rigid than those in English. The purpose of German spelling is to act as a guideline for how to pronounce words. Once you’ve learned the standard pronunciation rules, you will be able to say any word correctly in German. Likewise, when you hear a word spoken, you’ll be able to write it down. There are only a few exceptions to this.

Take for example, the word for ‘time’, which is Zeit. The letter ‘z’ is always a ‘ts’ sound. ‘Ei’ is a diphthong, meaning the sound formed is the combination of two vowels into a single syllable. You would therefore pronounce the second sound and forget the first – saying ‘eye’ rather than ‘ah-ee’. In following this specific rule, you would know that ‘Zeit’ would be pronounced ‘Ts-eye-t’.

If the word is spelt with an ‘i’ before an ‘e’, then you pronounce the ‘e’. The word for love – Liebe is therefore pronounced “lee-buh”.

English on the other hand, does not tend to strictly follow any standard rules with regards to spelling or pronunciation. It’s such a mess that I even point it out in this poem about English.

Even the rules we have are frequently broken. Take for example, the well-known adage of “i before e, except after c”. This can initially be seen as a helpful mnemonic to use when trying to learn the spelling of certain words, such as “thief” and “deceit”. But what about words such as “forfeit” and “science”? Surely they would have to follow the same rule?

Perhaps you’ve made this point, and been told that this rule only applies to words that are pronounced with an “ee” sound. That’s fine. We can remember that. Yet, you will discover there are still exceptions to that rule, such as the words “caffeine” and “weird”. You’re now in a circumstance where there is no option other than to commit the spelling of these words to memory, or carry around a dictionary at all times.

Any would-be English speaker could believe that they were making progress in the language, only to have their confidence shattered when a new rule appeared, completely contradicting what they had previously learned.

Achieving fluency in German is a question of learning the rules and sticking to them. However in English, the many exceptions you encounter are just as important as the rules themselves.

3. Germans Are More Likely to Correct You When You’re Wrong

One reason I believe German is an easier language to learn than English has nothing to do with spelling or grammar. Instead, it relates to the characteristics of the people who speak it.

There’s a stereotype that Germans are rude. I don’t believe this is the right term for it, as I find them to be more honest than anything else. Germans don’t beat about the bush – they are blunt, upfront and get straight to the point. It is a trait that I found refreshing during my time in Berlin, when I was learning how to speak the language.

It is safe to assume that at some point you will find yourself having a conversation with a native German speaker. Let’s say that over the course of the discussion, you unintentionally use the word lecken. What you meant to say was lächeln, which in English means “smile”, but what you have actually said translates to “lick”. I am sure that these are two words you wouldn’t want to get mixed up, no matter what the context of your conversation!

A German would probably be quick to pull you up on your mistake. You may feel slightly put off at the time – I know it took me awhile to get used to their direct way of addressing people. Overall, they will be doing you a favour, as I daresay the surprise of being corrected will stop you from making the same mistake again!

Now imagine being in the same situation, but flipped – you’re learning to speak English as a second language and talking to a native. How do you think they would react? My guess would be that in most instances, they would smile to themselves and let it slide. This would not be done out of malice, but due to cultural differences.

There would be nothing personal about this – on the contrary, it would probably stem from a desire to not hurt your feelings. Unfortunately, it’s the worst thing they could do for you in regards to your language learning. Having not been made aware of your mix-up, you could find yourself unknowingly making the same error in future conversations.

4. German Verbs Tend to Follow Patterns

The German language has many more regular verbs than English. This means once you’ve memorised the verbs, it is fairly easy to guess how to conjugate them.

Conjugation is important as it gives the verb a context. The forms vary according to tense, mood, voice, gender, person, aspect, or number.

Verbs in German, both regular and irregular, tend to follow patterns and are therefore easier to conjugate. An example is kaufen, the verb for “to buy”. The stem of the verb (which stays the same) is kauf and you would conjugate it depending on what action is taking place.

For example, you would say ich kaufe for “I buy” and sie kaufen for “they buy” and so on. This same rule would apply for all regular verbs in the German language.

With irregular verbs, the difference is that the stem of the word changes when conjugated, depending on what tense you are using at the time.

The change in the conjugation of irregular verbs generally applies to the first vowel. One example is “to drive”, which is fahren in the infinitive (base) form and fuhr for “driven” or “drive!” in the imperative (which is simple past tense) form. The präteritum (present perfect tense for an event that has happened) form is Ich bin gefahren for “I have driven”.

Another irregular verb that follow this pattern are lesen – to read. This conjugates to las (read) and ich habe gelesen for “I have read”.

There are two other patterns irregular verbs tend to follow. Once learned, they can be grouped together in order to remember them more effectively. Some examples include: blieben which means “to stay/remain” (blieb and ich habe geblieben) and heben – “to lift” (hob and ich habe gehoben) which conjugate in the same manner. So do finden, “to find” (fand and ich habe gefunden) and stehen “to stand” (stahl and ich habe gestohlen).

Language learning consists of committing a large number of words to memory, no matter how you look at it. This does become a much less daunting task when you use your imagination.

Although you will initially have to memorise German verbs as you learn them, over time you will start to see a pattern emerge. This is because there are similarities in the way certain verbs are conjugated. You will be able to group sets of irregular verbs together, which will make them easier to recall.

Unfortunately, conjugating verbs in English is nowhere near as easy. This is because the language tends to favour irregular verbs, which often don’t have a pattern to follow.

In conjugating regular verbs, you need to add an “ed”. “Discover” is a regular verb, so in order to get the past tense, you would say “discovered”.

This seems and is simple… up until you start trying to conjugate those dreaded irregular verbs.

Unlike German, it is not a case of adding a set conjugation on the end of a word. This is because some English irregular verbs, when conjugated, tend to change entirely. One example of this is the verb “drink”. The past participle conjugation turns into “drunk”, but the simple past conjugation is “drank”. You wouldn’t for example, say “I am drank”, you would say “I am drunk” – unless perhaps you were! This is another reason why I [don’t think drinking] (http://www.fluentin3months.com/does-d...) helps anyone when learning a language.

As a native speaker, this is probably not something you need to think twice about. On the other hand, if you were learning the language, these sort of inconsistencies can cause a lot of confusion. There is no pattern to follow – once again you would find yourself having to commit a long list of irregular verbs to memory. It is therefore much harder to make progress in English than in German, as these exceptions are difficult to apply to what you already know.

5. It is More Complicated to Read and Write German, than it is to Speak it.

It took me six months of living abroad in Spain to realise that I was never going to achieve fluency, unless I stopped speaking English.

As such, I encourage would-be language learners to start speaking their chosen language from day one.

German in the written form is generally phrased using the simple past tense. On the contrary, when you speak, you generally only use present perfect tense, such as “I have bought, I have eaten”. So if you are looking to communicate, you only need to learn one set of verbs.

If the tables were turned and you were learning to speak English, you would have to memorise multiple sets of verbs before you could even think of beginning to communicate.

This puts beginners at an advantage, as once you have learned the present perfect tense for verbs, you can begin conversing in German. You will be well on the way to achieving fluency in this particular language!

As you can see, there are many explanations for why German is a much easier language to learn than English. There is no reason why anyone wanting to learn this language couldn’t achieve fluency. All that is needed is a little persistence!

If you’re interested in reading in further details about the methods I used to learn how to speak German in only a few months, check out my language learning guide Why German is Easy.

The post Is it True that German is Hard to Learn? appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.

12 Reasons Everyone Should Learn Another Language

“I’d love to speak another language, but…”

Over the years, I’ve heard more reasons not to learn a language than I ever would have imagined. I even used to make excuses for myself, before I learned my first new language, Spanish.

I’ve yet to hear (or come up with) a single good reason for not learning a language.

That’s right. Nada.

What about good reasons to start learning a new language? I know hundreds, and hear new ones every day! Every language learner I’ve met so far has their own personal reason for wanting to speak another language.

Why learn another language?

Here are a few of the best I’ve come across. Speaking a second language will…

1.Open Up a World of Job Opportunities

Learning a second language opens up a ton of career opportunities. I’m not just talking about freelancing or working location-independently either, though these are excellent ideas which I’ve personally used. There are lots of other ways that speaking two or more languages can improve your employment prospects.

The world is changing fast. More companies than ever are doing business in several – often dozens of – countries around the world, but they can’t do it without hiring globally-minded people who can speak at least one foreign language. Ever wanted to be like those people you see in the airport travelling to foreign countries “on business” all the time? That can be you.

Even in small, local companies, chances are that the ability to speak a second language will set you apart from other applicants.

2. Give Your Brain a Boost

Speaking a second language each day really can keep the doctor away! Study after study has demonstrated the cognitive benefits of learning another language, no matter how old you are. Memory improvement, longer attention span, and a reduced risk of age-related cognitive decline, are just a few of the known positive effects of speaking two or more languages.

3. Establish Deep Connections and Cross-Cultural Friendships

I’d bet that at least once in your life, you’ve felt a pang of regret during an encounter with someone from a different culture, when you realised how the experience could be enriched by knowing that person’s language.

Has this ever happened to you? You visit a food stall at a local market while on holiday (or even in your own city), where the employees are chatting away together in their native language. You order something, in English, interrupting their fun conversation.

Another local comes by while you’re waiting, orders some food in the local language, and starts talking cheerfully with the cook about…something. A minute later, the cook stops talking and hands you your plate with a simple “Thank you, bye!”

You just missed out on an authentic cultural experience because you couldn’t join in .

Or what about this? You have a friend from another country who you enjoy hanging out with, but you only speak to each other in English. You feel a connection with that person, and think they’re a great friend. And then they mention one day about this other group of friends, who speak their native language, that they meet up with all the time. But you’ve never been invited, because you wouldn’t understand what anyone is saying.

Ok, so you can’t learn every language in the world and have an intimate knowledge of every single culture out there. But if there’s even one culture that you’d like to understand better, or even one person in your life you’d like to know better, then one of the best ways you can start is by learning to speak their language.

4. Get an Outsider’s Perspective about Your Own Culture

Trying to understand your own culture exclusively from within it is like trying to understand what a bus is like if you’ve only ever ridden inside it. You can’t see the bus’s wheels, the exterior colour, or the engine that drives it.

Want the bigger picture? You need to get off that bus and examine it from the outside.

I strongly believe that language and culture are intimately linked. Learn another language and you’ll have insight into another culture. You’ll get to “ride on a different bus” and not only see what it’s like inside and even get comfy in there, but get a clear view of your own for the first time.

Too many people go their entire lives never questioning the universal “truths” they take for granted in their own culture. But step outside this narrow scope, and it’s like stepping out of the Matrix; once your eyes are truly opened to that new perspective, you can never go back.

5. Become More Interesting and Meet More Interesting People

If your first language is English, the second most common language in the world, and yet you’ve made the effort to learn another language rather than expecting the world to accommodate your monolingualism, then you’re a rare breed indeed. This makes you interesting. People will approach you. They’ll want to talk to you. They’ll want to know what motivated you to “bother” learning another language.

Believe me, if you’re a native English speaker who speaks two or more languages, you’ll have many more lively, engaging conversations about a variety of topics than you ever would have had otherwise.

Sure, you could spend your life getting by in English everywhere you go, but that’s boring. Be fun! Be interesting! Be multilingual!

6. Stay Smart in Touristed Areas

There’s always a danger of obvious tourists being targets, or getting hassled by touts, which can ruin your experience of a place where people are actually warm and genuine. The “obvious tourist” tends to be whoever is speaking English, or some other distant tongue.

But everything changes when you use the local language.

I had heard countless stories of how a visit to the Pyramids of Giza is nothing but a frustrating chain of shooing away one tout after another, but by dressing/acting like a local and replying in (my albeit broken) Arabic the entire time, I actually didn’t feel hassled by a single person all the way there. It was actually an experience I’ll never forget!

In over a dozen years travelling the world, I’ve managed to stay sane and stay safe by attempting to blend in as best as I can, as well as responding confidently enough in the local language that potential scammers will believe you’ve been there a while, and they’ll think twice before trying to pull a fast one on you.

7. Become a Better Learner

Every time I learn a new language, I find it easier than the one before. The reasoning is simple: with every new language I study, I figure out ways to learn more efficiently. In other words, I develop language hacks.

Because of my extensive experience with this sort of trial and error, I’ve already identified many common hindrances that I can help you avoid right from the get-go, as well as language hacks that can help you learn faster.

As you spend time learning your first foreign language, you’ll identify your own inefficiencies and eliminate them. You’ll start gaining momentum in your chosen language and learn more and more quickly. Then you’ll be able to hit the ground running with the next language. You’ll be on your way to polyglotism before you know it.

8. Conquer Your Fear of “Looking Stupid”

If a foreigner walked up to you to ask for help with something like directions, and they struggled to find the right English words, and made many mistakes but were obviously trying hard, would you feel like laughing at their effort? I doubt it. You’d more likely be impressed with their courage to walk up to a stranger and speak a language imperfectly. That’s a person who has conquered their fear of making mistakes in front of others, and has managed to communicate with you and gotten help with what they need.

Can’t imagine having that sort of courage yourself? Well, if you decide to learn a language, and you start by speaking from day 1, then you’ll get over your fear very quickly. Not only will you be able to communicate effectively (note that I didn’t say “perfectly”) in a new language, but your confidence will get a huge boost, and you’ll never be held back from trying any new skill. Ever wanted to try dancing? Creative writing? Public speaking? How great would it be to shed your inhibitions and just go for it!

9. Bring Out Your Inner Mr Spock

This may sound surprising, but studies have shown that when you make a decision in your second language, you’re more likely to think logically and avoid basing your decision on emotion. In other words, you’ll become more like Star Trek’s Mr Spock.

There’s no way around it. Humans are emotional creatures. Everyone is guilty of making decisions too hastily and too emotionally. But if you learn to speak another language, you’ll learn to think in that language. And when you think about your decisions in a foreign language, that emotional bias tends to go away and you end up choosing the more logical outcome.

Live long, and prosper!

10. Enjoy Works of Art in their Original Language

Bollywood films, manga, telenovelas, Swah rap – the world is full of non-English works of creative art. Don’t you wish you could appreciate some of them in their original language rather than relying on badly-translated subtitles or English dubs, which lose much of the charm that made the original product popular to begin with?

You may find translations, but you’d be surprised what is lost in translation.

If you’re a fan of any type of foreign media – or you’d like to be, but aren’t interested in experiencing it in English because of all nuances lost in translation – then this is an excellent reason to start learning that new language. You’ll already have a very clear goal in mind, so you’ll know what type of vocabulary will be most useful to learn, and you can use those materials as a study aid as you progress in your new language.

11. No More Paying the Sticker Price

Tired of overpaying for gifts and souvenirs at markets when you go on holiday? It’s common knowledge that at many of these places, there are two prices: one for locals and one for tourists.

Even if you bring your best haggling game to the table, if you try to haggle exclusively in English instead of the local language, you might not get very close to that coveted “local price”. But if you make the effort to learn the local language, then you’ll start the game off with a better hand, and end up saving quite a bit more money than you would have otherwise. And the best part is that you’ll also be participating in an authentic cultural experience in the country you’re visiting.

12. Discover You Can Do It!

As I mentioned earlier, I’ve heard pretty much every excuse that people give for failing to learn a second language. Too old, not enough time, wrong genes. None of them hold water.

Whatever doubts you have, you really can learn another language. You could even hold your first conversation just seven days from now.

So What are You Waiting For?

Everyone has their own unique reasons for wanting to learn another language. But while the reasons may be different, they can all be put into action in the same way: by committing to stop making excuses, and to start speaking the language you’ve always wanted to learn.

Once you’ve held your very first conversation in a foreign language, trust me: you’ll never look back.

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French for Kids: 10 Helpful Online Resources

You can learn a new language at any age. You don’t need to be a toddler, or a kindergartener, or some other “magic age”, to become fluent in more than one language. But there are still plenty of reasons to start your children on the path to bilingualism from an early age, and French is an excellent language to start with.

Not only is French one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, but some studies predict that it will be the most widely spoken language by 2050!

Ok, 2050 is a long way away, but did you know that right now, France is the single most popular tourist destination in the world? If you’re considering a holiday in France to see what all the fuss is about, why not plan ahead to make it more fun for your children by helping them understand the language before you go?

No matter what age your children are, it’s not too late (or too early!) to get them started on French. Here are a few ideas to help them on their way.

These resources are also ideal for beginner French learners.

French for Kids: Infant and Up
French Lullabies and Nursery Rhymes

It’s no secret that babies start to recognize language from a very early age. They’re also highly responsive to music. So if you have a very young child, it’s not too early to expose him or her to French through songs and lullabies. And older children will enjoy them as well, and will probably learn to sing them before you know it.

Spotify for Android and iOS. Spotify is one of the best free music apps in the world, and is really useful for learning languages. Among other things, it contains pre-made playlists for virtually every situation or mood you can imagine.

Want to lull your baby to sleep with the soft sound of French lullabies? There’s a playlist for that! It’s called Mes 100 Plus Jolies Berceuses (“My 100 Prettiest Lullabies”), which has – you guessed it – a hundred different French lullabies to play at night, or any time you want soothing music to calm your child and immerse them in French. Just enter the name of the playlist in the search field when you launch Spotify.

Comptines Pour Enfants is an absolutely brilliant set of nineteen French nursery rhyme songs in one YouTube video. It’s better than so many others, because instead of just the audio, you get some simple cartoons to help your child see what the songs are about. Plus for many of the songs the lyrics appear on screen as each line is sung. Be warned, they can be pretty catchy! If your children have reached speaking age, they could be dancing around singing “Un, deux, trois, j’irai dans les bois” all morning before you know it.

French for Kids: Toddler and Up
French Cartoons

Most kids start watching cartoons (dessins animés in French) before they can fully understand their native language. They find the moving pictures, music, and laughter of the characters very engaging even if they don’t understand every word being said.

The higher-quality cartoons are usually so good at putting the dialogue in context with the characters’ actions that it’s quite easy to understand what’s going on, and even what the characters are talking about, without being fluent in the language. So your toddlers won’t get bored with watching French cartoons; they might not even know the difference!

Bandgee.com is a treasure trove of free popular cartoons in French, including Garfield and Les Schtroumpfs (The Smurfs). Many of the videos are available to watch immediately, but for some, you need to create a free account with bandgee.com.

Tou.tv Jeunesse. Radio-Canada, Canada’s public broadcasting network, puts tonnes of its television shows online free of charge, including a separate section just for cartoons and other kids’ shows. Unfortunately there’s a catch: you need to be within Canada to view the content, or else use a VPN application to make your location appear to be in Canada.

French Flashcard Apps

French Baby Flash Cards for Android and iOS. This is one of the few good, free French early learning apps out there. It lets you pick a category and then scroll through the photos one at a time, listening to the French pronunciation of the object in each photo. Categories include food, numbers, letters, colours, and more.

French for Kids: Starting School (Age 5 and Up)
French Games and Activities

If your children are old enough to play games and puzzles on a tablet or computer, then they can do some self-directed learning on their own time without any help. The following apps are a good place to start.

Duolingo. An old favourite here at Fluent in 3 Months (Fi3M), Duolingo is an incredibly useful app for building basic vocabulary and grammar skills. And it’s so easy to use that even a child can play. Not only does it quiz you on a variety of vocabulary, but it identifies your weaker areas so you’ll know which words to practice more often.

Hello-World French Children’s Activities. Hello-World is a free project whose goal is to teach world languages to children through fun and educational immersion activities. They have succeeded phenomenally, with over 700 activities for French alone!

If your child is close to Kindergarten age, then I recommend starting with the Children’s Games section, which has some easy, basic games such as finding the object that doesn’t belong, or connecting the dots in alphabetical order. When you click on any object in a game, you hear its pronunciation by a native French speaker, along with the spelling in a caption on the bottom of the screen.

For older kids, other activities include vocabulary Bingo, number matching, logic puzzles, and about 695 others!

French Kids’ Books

International Children’s Digital Library. If you’re looking for books to read to your child in French (or for your kids to read themselves if their level is high enough), then look no further. Here’s a collection of thousands of online children’s books in dozens of languages, including nearly 60 books in French.

Miscellaneous French Resources for Kids

Monde des Titounis. This website is an absolute gold mine, containing a little bit of all of the above suggestions. What I love most about this site is that it has a lot of the classic children’s songs and stories that your kids probably already know in English, like Goldilocks and the Three Bears and Little Red Riding Hood. Hearing a story in one language that you already know well in another is a very useful way to make connections from your native language’s vocabulary to the new language.

What’s more, this resource isn’t just stories and songs. Click the “Apprentissage” icon for some very simple activities to help young children learn basic French vocabulary, such as the alphabet, colours, names of animals, and much more.

There isn’t much reading required to enjoy this site if your child is too young to read French. The fairy tales and other stories are actually narrated videos that let you turn the captioning on or off.

French for Kids: Any Age
Start a French Bilingual Playgroup

I bet you’re not the only parent in your area who is interested in giving their kids a head start in French. Depending where you live, there might also be some French-speaking families nearby who would love to give their children some exposure to French outside their home. So, why not start a French playgroup?

There are resources all over the web on how to go about starting a bilingual playgroup. The website Bilingual Parenting has put together some very useful guidelines to help you start your own local group, including some advice on how to grow your membership and keep them coming back for years.

Have you helped your children learn French? If so, please share the resources you’ve used in the comments.

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Language Learners: 9 Ways to Stay Motivated When You Feel Like Quitting

You can learn a language fast if you approach it the right way.

Yes, learning to speak a new language takes time, dedication and hard work. But it also takes a smart approach. That means using study hacks to get the best returns on the time you invest in studying.

Anyone at any age can learn any language from anywhere – and these hacks will help you learn a language faster.

1. Read Something Written By a Person Who Inspires You

Even when you’re feeling impassioned to learn a language, some days that fire under your belly just refuses to be lit.

If I’m ever lacking incentive, I turn to a blog, article or book written by someone who inspires me, such as Steve Kamb or Matt Kepnes.

As I read, I’m encouraged by their success. I start thinking: “What is stopping me from doing the same?” These people aren’t magic beings – they’re normal folk, just like you and me. The only difference is that they’ve given themselves a goal and worked towards it bit by bit, to achieve what they set out to do.

Realising this gives me the motivation to start working towards my own goals. I am usually encouraged enough to jump feet first straight into study mode.

2. Stop Wasting Time Online

It’s time to learn and you’re eager to get started! You switch your computer on, poised over the keyboard, ready to rock and roll.

Then you think:

I might just quickly check my emails.

An hour later you’ve organised your inbox, created a new playlist on Spotify, stalked your ex on Facebook and spent a good ten minutes wondering what that unidentified $17 payment on your bank statement could possibly be.

That’s a whole hour which could have been otherwise spent learning adverbs, practising pronunciation, speaking with a language exchange partner… anything other than wasting time on the Internet.

In a world where an individual’s attention span lasts as little as nine seconds, it is incredibly challenging to motivate yourself to focus on the task at hand.

It would be nice, of course, to simply use a bit of self-control. Yet sometimes we need a little extra help.

If you find yourself easily distracted while online, consider installing an extension on your browser that forces you to keep on task. StayFocusd for the Chrome web browser is perfect for this. Once installed, you can configure it to restrict the amount of time you spend on certain websites. For example, if I were to allocate myself ten minutes a day on Facebook, after I had reached the time allowance StayFocusd would block Facebook until the end of the day. If you’re using Firefox rather than Chrome, Leechbox does the exact same thing.

3. Put Pen to Paper

Why not go one step further and ditch the computer entirely? Handwriting has been shown to be a more effective way of learning. That’s because the slower your write, the more likely you are to absorb information.

Tasks you can do with pen and paper include:

Creating flashcards
Writing to a penpal in your target language
Creating a script for your next Skype call with your language exchange partner
Taking notes on a movie you’re watching in your target language

4. Set Yourself Realistic Mini-Missions

So many people start learning a language, then quit before they’ve reached fluency. Why does this happen? Often it’s because they start their language learning mission with no clear objectives.

It’s incredibly easy to quit learning – or even to fail to start learning – when you don’t have a clear objective. If your aim is along the lines of: “learn to speak such and such language at some point in time”. This goal is much too big. It also doesn’t have a deadline. For both of these reasons, it’s a motivation killer.

A house is built through the laying of hundreds of single bricks. Learning a language is very similar. That’s why I recommend setting yourself mini-missions.

Give yourself a goal you can achieve this week. Your goal could be:

Learning 20 new words a day on Anki
Finding a language exchange partner
Holding a conversation about your favourite foods.

The most important thing is that you have something to work towards that you can realistically achieve in seven days.

Want an extra motivation boost? Write down your mini mission each week, then display it somewhere you’ll see it every day.

5. Eat Your Vegetables First

There will be aspects of language learning that you enjoy more than others. Some people take to reading and writing like fish to water, but are terrified of speaking. Others plunge into conversations, but would never pick up a grammar book if they didn’t have to.

Identify what it is you like the most and least about learning a language. Then at the start of your learning session, when you’re ripe and raring to go, concentrate on those aspects you find most difficult.

Why do these first? It’s human nature that if there’s a task you dread, you avoid it. That can mean you end up avoiding language learning completely, or feeling distracted by the difficult task that’s coming up.

Get the difficult task out of the way by completing it first, and you’ll have extra motivation the parts of language learning that you enjoy more.

6. Treat Yourself When You’re Doing Well

Learning a language is its own reward. Even so, we all need extra incentive from time to time.

Perhaps your sport shoes are starting to look a little worse for wear. You wish to buy a new pair and decide to reward yourself with them, once you’ve made a certain achievement in your study.

For example, you could strive towards reaching the CEFR level of A2. Once attained, you’ll not only have rewarded yourself with a sense of achievement – you can go out and buy those new sneakers you’ve been eyeing off. You’ve earned them!

This will work as extra incentive to get you working step by step towards achieving fluency.

7. Get Out into the Fresh Air

Do you suffer cabin fever when you’re learning a language on your smartphone or laptop? Then get outside and get moving!

Exercise has been proven to help improve your memory as it stimulates growth factors in your brain. When I’m learning a new language, I make it my prerogative to sweat it out at some point every day if I can. The best time for me is usually first thing in the morning – it’s then out of the way and I am able to concentrate on my work.

What’s more, when you exercise, you dispel energy. I find on the days I go jogging, I am a lot less distracted when I sit down to work. My body moves into recovery mode and I am able to focus my full attention on the task at hand.

8. Integrate Your Chosen Language into as Many Aspects of Your Life as Possible

I believe the desire to learn a language should stem for an appreciation and love of the culture behind that language. It should never be about bragging rights.

In many instances, I have achieved fluency via immersion. If this is not an option for you, there are other ways you can live a language, without even leaving your own home.

Eat the meals of your chosen country. Find recipes on the Internet. If you’re eating out, check to see if there are any restaurants in town, which serve that country’s food.
Search for bands or solo artists on YouTube or Spotify, who originate from countries where that language is spoken.
Watch your favourite TV shows subtitled or dubbed in that language.

Surround yourself with the things you love about that particular culture and you will feel encouraged in your quest to become fluent.

9. Put the Heat On With a Tight Deadline

If you’re struggling to find the motivation to study, then set a deadline. When I was living in Berlin, I gave myself a deadline of three months to sit the C2 German exam at the Goethe Institut.

Although I had some exposure to German at school, I was very far from fluent when I began my mission. The pressure of sitting the exam was enough to motivate me to study, despite the fact I was working full time and had a side project going on. I missed out on getting the diploma by a hair, but accomplished what I set out to do – achieve fluency in German. I also learned a lot about my own approach to studying, information that has proved useful in other missions.

If exams really aren’t your thing, there are other alternatives. Use Meetup to find a language group in your area. Go there with the objective of trying to speak as much of that particular language as possible. If you’ve got holiday time coming up, consider scheduling a visit to a destination where your chosen language is spoken, using immersion as a learning tool.

Creating a concrete goal will work wonders for your study motivation.

Over to You

Remember, the only thing holding you back from achieving your language learning dreams, is you.

Are there any hacks you personally use to stay motivated in your studies? Please share them in the comments.

The post Language Learners: 9 Ways to Stay Motivated When You Feel Like Quitting appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.

How to Give a Toast in (Almost) Any Language

It’s no secret that I don’t drink. But clinking glasses with friends and toasting other people is about so much more than alcohol, and it feels appropriate to bring this up as Oktoberfest just started last weekend.

Giving a toast is a cultural experience. It gives you insight into what the people in a particular culture see as important. When you know the way people toast, then you get a glimpse into their most important values. That’s what matters, not whether you have alcohol or orange juice in your glass.

I’ve asked Team FI3M to help me put together what they know about the different cultural practices of drinking and toasting around the world – from Mongolia to the United States.

The next time you see people raising their glasses to say “cheers”, here’s what they’re really saying…

China: Honour, Respect and Finishing Your Glass

Mandarin Chinese: “干杯” (乾杯 traditional) (“Gānbēi” = “dry cup”)

 

China is a huge country with a lot of different sub-cultures. Some toasting traditions are universal across China, and others are unique to a specific region.

Lower Your Glass

When you’re toasting in China, try to clink your glass so that your rim is lower than the rim of the other person’s glass. This shows that you’re honoring them by lowering your relative position. This can end up being a funny game of “who can get the glass lower”, as each person tries to put their glass lower than the other… often ending with both glasses on the table.

Tap Your Knuckles

This isn’t technically a toast, but it’s part of the drinking culture in many parts of China. When someone pours a drink for you, politely acknowledge them by tapping your first two knuckles (or fingers) on the table twice.

The origins of this tradition aren’t known, but an interesting story suggests that it comes from soldiers eating at an inn or restaurant during wartime. They couldn’t salute or bow to their commanding officer and risk enemy soldiers finding out who he was. So they’d bow with their hands to show their respect.

The Dry Cup

Since the term for “cheers” is 干杯 (“dry cup”), it’s polite to finish your first drink in one swift chug, then show the bottom of your glass or place your cup rim-side-down on the table. This way, your drinking partner sees that you did, indeed, dry your cup.

Japan and Across Asia: Find Someone Else to Fill Your Cup

Japanese: 乾杯” (“Kanpai” = “dry the glass”)

Vietnamese: “Dô” / “Hoan Hô!”

Thai: “ไชโย” (“Chịyo”)

In Japan and in many other places across Asia, it’s rude to pour for yourself. There are superstitions that those who pour for themselves are doomed to live many years alone. So it’s good to find a drinking buddy.

It’s also rude to fill a glass that already has something in it. So when someone offers to fill your cup, quickly finish up what you have, and present them with an empty cup.

When you’re in Japan, here’s the trick to get out of drinking when you’ve had your fill: just leave your glass mostly full. It might be perceived as modesty, and you may be encouraged to drink up, but keeping your cup mostly full is a clear sign that you don’t need any more. This trick also works with food.

A common mistake travelers make is to empty their cups and clear their plates, thinking that it’s polite. Big mistake. Your host will just think you want more and offer you endless refills. By the end of the night, you’ll come across as an over-eater and a lush!

Korea: Use Both Hands, then Look Away

Korean: “건배 ” (“bless this cup”)

When someone hands you a drink in Korea, take it with both hands. This shows that your full attention is on receiving their gift. Likewise, when you give someone a drink, use both hands. You’ll also notice this practice in shops when people hand you money or goods.

The first glass of the evening is the most important, so to show respect it’s a good idea to drink it entirely, all at once. Fortunately, the drink of choice in Korea is usually Soju, which is served in smaller cups. Unfortunately, I’m told Soju can be pretty strong.

In Korea you also show respect by turning away from your superiors when you drink. You don’t have to do a full 180, but 90 degrees to either side is a nice touch.

Mongolia: Don’t Refuse the Mare’s Milk

Mongolian: “Эрүүл мэндийн төлөө” / “Eruul mendiin tuluu”

When you’re in a yurt in the grasslands of Mongolia, you’ll be invited to partake in some sour fermented mare’s milk called airag.

Your host will offer it up in a small bowl, ladled out of a larger container where the drink has been brewing over several days. You don’t have to empty your bowl, but you should at least take a sip – refusing the drink outright would be rude.

One of our team members, Joe, experienced this first-hand during his time in Mongolia. Yes, he drank the mare’s milk, and yes, it burns going down.

You’ll also find fermented mare’s milk in Kazakhstan and all across the northern Eurasian continent, where its called by its Russian name, kumis.

Just be careful not to waste a drop; their tradition is to pour the leftover liquid from your cup back into the main pot of kumis. You have to applaud them for not wasting resources.

France: Respect the Wine

French: “Santé !”, “À votre santé !”, “À la tienne, Etienne ! (“to your health”)

France is of course known for wine, and there’s definitely a right way and a wrong way to drink it.

First, the glass is only filled half of the way, so don’t think your waiter is cheating you. Apparently it needs room to breathe.

They also usually don’t drink the last half inch of wine from the bottle, since it contains sediment, and that would be a tragic insult to the quality of the wine.

When you get your glass of wine, wait. You can’t touch a drop until everyone at the table has been served their wine and the host has given their toast.

Italy: Pre-dinner Drinks

Italian: “Cin cin!”, “Salute!”

In Italy, a favourite tradition among locals and travellers alike is aperitivo.

Before dinner, you’ll meet with your Italian friends or a pre-dinner drink where you’ll talk, relax, and enjoy some complimentary snacks to tide you over.

That’s right – complimentary. When in Italy, head to the nearest bar between 6 and 9pm. After you order your drink, you’ll likely be offered a plate of sandwiches, a slice or pizza, or sometimes even a free buffet.

All Across Europe: Don’t Break Eye Contact

Danish: “Skål!”

Greek: “Yamas!” / “Geiá mas!” / “γεια μας” (“health”)

* Finnish: “Kippis!”

Lithuanian: “Į sveikatą!”

Swedish: “Skål!”*

Given all the cultures and languages in Europe, you can bet there are lots of different cultural perspectives on drinking across the continent.

Czech: “Na zdraví!” (“to your health”)

In Prague, the beer is some of the best and the cheapest in the world. To toast, lightly clink your glasses together while looking your drinking partner dead in the eye.

Hungarian: “Egészségedre!” (“to your health”)

In Hungary, though, clinking is a no-no. And while in Hungary you can sip your drink more slowly, whereas people in Poland are fine to gulp away.

Polish: “Na zdrowie!” (“to your heath”)

There’s variation even within the same country. In Belgium, people in Brussels might stand to toast, where in Antwerp they may raise the glass twice.

The important thing to remember in Europe is to maintain eye contact during your toast.

In Germany, breaking eye contacts brings you 7 years of bad sex.

German: “Prosit!”, “Prost!”, “Zum Wohl!” (formal)

Coincidentally, in the Czech Republic, crossing your arms while maintaining eye contact also brings 7 years of bad sex. So be careful with your arms.

Spain: If it’s Your Day, You Pay

Spanish: “Salud” (“Health”), “Pura Vida” (“Pure Life”), ¡Arriba, abajo, al centro, pa’ dentro!

If you’re ever in Spain, you have to know this: the tab is usually covered by the guest of honour, not the host.

So, if it’s your birthday, you’re buying. In fact, the Spanish phrase te invito has more of a connotation of “I’m buying” than “you’re invited”.

Turkey: Anise and Water

Turkish: “Şerefe!”

In Turkey they drink rakı, a drink made from distilled grapes and anise. I had the privilege of smelling rakı once, and it smells like painful licorice.

Rakı is always served with cool water (I imagine to put out the fire) and drunk with a large group of friends in a Turkish tavern called a meyhane. Just like the Turkish hero, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk… who coincidentally died of cirrhosis of the liver.

Russia: A toast for every round

Russian: “za zdarovye” За здоровье (“to your health”)

In Russia, the drink of choice is vodka, straight. Don’t even thinking about mixing it with something fruity. And if you’re going to open a bottle, then you’d better be prepared to finish it.

Also be prepared to give a new toast before each round. A fun second toast to have ready is “May there be a short break between the first and second rounds!”

UK, Ireland and Australia: Buy a Round, and then Another…

Irish:”Sláinte!” (“to your health”)

Scottish: “Sláinte!” (“to your health)”

Welsh: “Iechyd da!” (“good health)”

A night out in the UK and Ireland is often based on rounds. So rather than buy your own drink, you buy your entire table of friends a round of drinks, and everyone takes it in turns.

It’s more efficient that way, since only one person ever has to waste time at the bar!

This can get pretty serious. A round of drinks bought for 3 friends, for instance, means that each friend, in turns, buys a round for everyone and ends up having at least three pints. Soon enough everyone is obligated to buy multiple rounds until they go broke or pass out.

In Ireland, the pub is a place to hang out even if you’re not drinking. You’re just as likely to find my grand-aunt at the pub as you are to find anyone else. You can expect to hear music playing and people singing.

And when you do hear someone start a rendition of a song in countryside pubs – even if it’s for the third time – you’d better pipe down and listen. Only when they’re done, you can continue your chats. (And those songs can be long, trust me).

In Australia the tradition of buying a round is called a shout. Those who ignore their obligation to shout are in for serious trouble from those who shouted them first. Probably the best thing to do is just not step in the pub in the first place

Listen to Russian: 50+ Incredible Russian Listening Resources

Due to popular demand, we’ll continue to expand on languages we share resources for, here on fluentin3months. Today, I’ve invited native speaker Anna Breslavskaya to help us dive in. Let’s see what she came up with:

Привет всем! Hello everyone!

It’s impossible to overestimate the importance of listening when learning a foreign language. Being able to understand others is the key to effective communication and to getting the feel of a language.

So, I’ve collected a number of Russian listening resources that can help you improve your Russian listening skills as well as get to know more about Russian culture and its trends.

I’ve organised the resources into nine categories:

YouTube Channels: Watching videos helps you understand body language and provides valuable visual cues for your listening practice.
Live Video Chat. Thanks to to the internet, it’s really easy to find language partners to learn with. I’ll show you the best software to use for chatting.
TV and Radio: This media gives you full immersion into the Russian speaking world.
Video Lessons: It is helpful to listen to Russian in a structured environment, especially when you are first starting out. Lessons and courses provide this.
Online Lectures: Lectures show a more formal, standard use of Russian, combined with the opportunity to learn something new.
Music: Listening to music gives you a look at the creative side of Russian.
Podcasts: These are the best way to learn on the go and make use of downtime.
News: Russian spoken in a formal way.
Audio Books: Fiction demonstrates the poetic side of Russian.

Whatever your Russian level is – beginner, intermediate or advanced – you’ll find Russian listening resources for you.

Поехали! Let’s go!

Russian YouTube Channels

This is хорошо : The host of this channel shares and comments on hilarious videos found on the internet. One of the most popular YouTube channels in Russia. Fantastic for advanced learners or for those who’d like to get a taste of spoken Russian.
100500voprosov : The host asks embarrassing, funny, stupid and serious questions in public places. The best way to see all sorts of people and ways of speaking Russian.
Ugrant Show : An extremely popular TV show in Russia that now has its own YouTube channel. Intelligent and funny!

Live Video Chat with Russian Native Speakers

Google hangouts : Make voice and video calls with this user-friendly programme.
Skype : The most popular way to make video calls. Make the most of your sessions by recording voice calls with MP3 Skype Recorder , and video calls with the Free Video Call Recorder for Skype .
Viber : Every second Russian has got Viber on their phone. A very convenient way to make voice and video calls.

Of course, all this assumes you have someone to speak with in Russian. If you need a language conversation partner, be sure to check out iTalki, where you can find amazing native Russian speaking teachers and tutors.

Russian Television and Radio

Note: If you’re based outside Russian, you made need to use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to access some of these TV channels and radio shows.

wwiTV : A list of the main Russian TV channels. Click on the title of any channel to start watching.
Squid TV : A collection of links to a huge number of Russian channels divided by topic and location.
IVI : A collection of the best Russian TV series that you can watch online for free.
Vizeozal : Another source of series that can be streamed for free. Choose from almost 100 Russian series.
Reddit : A Reddit thread that provides links to Russian films with English subtitles.
RussianFM: A minimalistic webpage with a number of Russian radio stations that you can listen to online.
Listenlive : A much bigger list of radio stations grouped by topic and region.
Tunein : Tunein connects you with hundreds of Russian radio stations, as well as various podcast channels.

Russian Video Lessons and Courses

RussianPod101 : These short video lessons are a great add-on to the podcast of the same name. They are especially useful for beginners.
Easy Russian : A channel created by a very funny woman teaching vocabulary and grammar in an entertaining way.
Weekly Russian: Russian lessons for beginners.
Learning Russian from the Streets : Short videos of people in the street being asked different questions. Each video has subtitles with an English translation. This is real spoken Russian.
Mini-Videos for Learners of Intermediate Russian: Short clips from a comedy serial accompanied by a transcript and vocabulary notes. Laugh and learn at the same time.

Online Russian Lectures

Universarium : I love using MOOCs when I’ve reached a B1/B2 level in a language. Taking a course designed for native speakers is an opportunity to progress to a higher level in a natural way (the way we did it in college) through studying subjects like maths, literature and science. Universarium is the first Russian MOOC platform. Currently there are 84 courses available. I’d recommend you to check out these ones .
Lektorium : A good collection of lectures on academic subjects.
Nowchpok : A YouTube channel with awesome animated videos answering curious questions, such as “why do we laugh, kiss, blush?” Good training for getting used to fast Russian speech.

Russian Music

Lyrics Gaps : Here you’ll find a useful way to practice your listening skills with Russian songs. Listen to a song and fill the gaps in the song lyrics.
Songs with Lyrics and Translation : Head over to YouTube to sing-along to some well known Russian songs.
Disney Songs with Russian and English subtitles :

I love listening to Disney songs in any language. This is a special playlist of songs that have Russian subtitles.
Disney songs playlist : Even more Disney songs in Russian.
Popular Songs with Lyrics : A number of music videos of popular Russian songs together with lyrics.

Russian Podcasts

A Spoonful of Russian : A podcast for beginner and intermediate learners.
Learn Russian Step by Step : The perfect podcast for beginners. It does what it says – taking you through Russian grammar and vocabulary step by step.
A Beginner Course of Spoken Russian : Simple dialogues recorded in two voices and easy stories with comprehension questions.
Ochen po russki : This podcast is a must for those interested in Russian slang.
Speaking Russian : A beginner podcast suitable for those looking to pick up some basics before a trip to Russia.
RusPod : A fantastic podcast for the beginner and elementary level. The website is user-friendly and provides perfect supporting materials.
Russian Made Easy : A good podcast for English speakers just beginning to study the Russian alphabet.
Survival Phrases : Eighteen short episodes to listen to on your flight to Russia.
RussianPod101 A famous and professional podcast from RussianPod101 that Lauren of Fluent in 3 Months used in her Russian mission.
Russian Podcast : This is a treat for intermediate learners. The host creates dialogues on a variety of topics and explains new words and expressions. The accompanying PDF guides are free.
A taste of Russian : A great podcast for learning informal language and slang. A must for intermediate learners.
Russificate Podcasts : Advanced learners welcome! Russian idioms, proverbs, poetry and much more.
Business Russian Podcast : If you’re learning business Russian and have reached B1 level, these podcasts are for you.
Shkola zhizni Podcast : Podcasts on all sorts of topics from an online Russian magazine targeted at Russians.
Airing Pods : Over 30 Russian podcasts to choose from.

Russian News

News in Slow Russian : The only source of news in easy and slow Russian. Unfortunately, new content hasn’t been posted for a while. Nevertheless, it might be useful, if you’d like to understand Russian news programmes.
Echo of Moscow : Russia’s best news radio station.
Radio Potok : A collection of many other Russian news radio stations.

Russian AudioBooks

Loyal Books : Russian books and poems recorded by volunteers.
Auguo : Pearls of classic Russian literature for reading and listening to online.
Listening Gallery : A collection of Russian poems with translation into English.
My Chekhov : Listen to and read the best short stories of the renowned Anton Chekhov
Anna Ahmatova : Audio poems of best Russian poetess of the 20th century.
Asbook : A huge collection of modern audiobooks and radio shows.

Where do You Listen to Russian?

This is a huge list of resources. Where should you start? Choose the resources that best suit your interests and your level and listen to Russian every day. Over time, you’ll develop confidence in listening to spoken Russian.

If you have any suggestions for other Russian listening resources, or questions about listening to Russian, please share in the comments.

Удачи! Good luck!

About the author: Anna Breslavskaya is a language coach and a blogger who writes about learning and teaching English on AnnaEdu. She teaches English and Russian online. She is also part of the team in a unique 12 week Russian study project launching on 5th October 2015. Check out the website Language Heroes to learn more about it.

The post Listen to Russian: 50+ Incredible Russian Listening Resources appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.

10 Must-See Movies in French (With Language Hacking Notes)

Watching movies to help with your language learning missions is really effective.

One of the main reasons I study languages is to get an inside view of the culture. Movies are a perfect lens to peek through when you’re learning how another culture works. What’s more, unlike textbooks, movies help you get to grips with how a language is used and spoken in the real world.

The following French films will give you insight at the language and culture of French speakers. They’re perfect for when you want a break from intense study. But remember, foreign language movies are most helpful when you study them properly.

1. L’Auberge Espagnole (“The Spanish Apartment”)

Released: 2002

Directed by: Cédric Klapisch

Suitable For: Expats and study abroad students

IMDB Average Rating: 7.3 / 10

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 77%

The Story

A straight-laced French student studies abroad in Spain and has his life changed through meeting other international students from around Europe.

Language Hacker’s Notes

I have a deep affinity for this story of an Erasmus (Europe’s study abroad programme) student studying in Spain, since I had spent so much time in Spain with Erasmus students when I first started on my language learning journey. This film is like looking at a pivotal time in my own life, and brings back lots of great memories.

It’s also my top recommendation for polyglot movies, as you’ll hear some dialogue in multiple languages (Spanish, English, Catalan, German, Danish & Italian), although the core of it (including the voiceover) is in French. For bonus points, check out its sequel Les Poupées Russes.

2. Le Dîner de Cons (The Dinner Game)

Released: 1998

Directed by: Francis Veber

Suitable For: Those into comedy and #revengeporn, where mean people get their comeuppance.

IMDB Average Rating: 7.7 / 10

Rotten Tomatoes Rating:73%

The Story

A group of friends compete against one another to try to find the stupidest person they can to bring to dinner. It backfires though, as the guest unintentionally starts messing up his host’s life, always with the best of intentions.

Language Hacker’s Notes

The “con” (dimwit) has several misunderstandings and you can figure them out easily enough. The story is hilarious but not extremely complex, so it’s pretty easy to follow, but would require subtitles for many.

3. The Intouchables

Released: 2011

Directed by: Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano

Suitable For: People who love to laugh and cry at the same time

IMDB Average Rating: 8.6 / 10

Rotten Tomatoes Rating:75%

The Story

A street-wise young man becomes the caretaker for a quadriplegic aristocrat.

Language Hacker’s Notes

The intersection of straight forward street slang with cultured high level French makes this movie an ideal viewing experience for French language learners.

4. Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain (“Amélie”)

Released: 2001

Directed by: Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Suitable For: People who like a happy ending

IMDB Average Rating: 8.4 / 10

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 89%

The Story

One woman decides to make a positive change in the lives of those around her.

Language Hacker’s Notes

This film presents a positive look at French daily life, and provides insight into a lighter side of being human. This is the movie that inspired me to move to Paris for 9 months!

5. Bon Cop Bad Cop

Released: 2006

Directed by: Erik Canuel

Suitable For: Fans of Quebecois and Buddy Cop Films

IMDB Average Rating: 7.0 / 10

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 67%

The Story

Two cops from different Canadian provinces must work together to solve a crime, where a man is found dead exactly on the border between Quebec and Ontario.

Language Hacker’s Notes

This film is gold for those who want to hear a good dose of the Quebecois French accent. The Ontario cop speaks great Parisian French, so it’s an entertaining look at the funniest differences between these two accents and cultures in the French speaking world. Prominent use of English also makes this a great ease-in before you dive into 100% French movies.

6. Kirikou et la Sorcière (“Kirikou and the Sorceress”)

Released: 1998

Directed by: Michel Ocelot

Suitable For: Families and Children

IMDB Average Rating: 7.5 / 10

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 96%

The Story

An amazing child in West Africa goes on a quest to stop an evil sorceress.

Language Hacker’s Notes

This family-friendly animated story based on West African folklore has easy to understand dialogue combined with rich visuals and a compelling story.

7. Les Visiteurs (“The Visitors”)

Released: 1993

Directed by: Jean-Marie Poiré

Suitable For: Fans of Historic Comedies

IMDB Average Rating: 7.0 / 10

Rotten Tomatoes Rating:33%

The Story

A medieval nobleman and his squire are accidentally transported to 1993 and must enlist the help of his descendant to find a way back home.

Language Hacker’s Notes

The fact that this movie is the highest grossing native film in French history means that you will instantly be “in the know” when you hear people quoting this film. The most interesting part of the film is how characters using an older version of French try to make sense of the landscape of modern French usage.

8. La Marche de l’Empereur (“The March of the Penguins”)

Released: 2005

Directed by: Luc Jacquet

Suitable For: Families and animal lovers

IMDB Average Rating: 7.7 / 10

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 94%

The Story

Follow the migration of emperor penguins as they march to their traditional breeding grounds.

Language Hacker’s Notes

You may know of this documentary already, but it was first made for a French audience. Be sure to pick up the original French version of this film, which, unlike the American-released version (narrated by Morgan Freeman), has voice-over dialogue between penguins. Clear and understandable French makes this great for beginners.

9. La Grande Vadrouille

Released: 1966

Directed by: Gérard Oury

Suitable For: History Buffs

IMDB Average Rating: 8.0 / 10

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 94%

The Story

A British pilot shot down over France during World War II is helped by a group of French civilians to make an important rendezvous.

Language Hacker’s Notes

This film is an education on French stereotypes – both for the non-French characters in the movie, and for viewers. It’s full to bursting with cultural gems.

10. La Femme Nikita

Released: 1990

Directed by: Luc Besson

Suitable For: Fans of action films

IMDB Average Rating: 7.4 / 10

Rotten Tomatoes Rating:88%

The Story

A felon slated for murder finds herself enlisted to become a covert assassin and spy.

Language Hacker’s Notes

This classic French action film by one of France’s most popular directors, Luc Besson, has spawned not only a U.S. remake (“Point of No Return” with Bridget Fonda), but also two different television shows. It’s a great introduction to Besson’s work and a fun way to learn “spy talk” in French.

What’s Your Favourite French Movie?

With all of these movies you should have no problem getting in some French practice while being thoroughly entertained.

If you have a favourite French movie that I’ve missed, please share it in the comments. I’d love to hear about your must-watch French films.

The post 10 Must-See Movies in French (With Language Hacking Notes) appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.

10 Must-See French Movies (With Language Hacking Notes)

Watching movies to help with your language learning missions is really effective.

One of the main reasons I study languages is to get an inside view of the culture. Movies are a perfect lens to peek through when you’re learning how another culture works. What’s more, unlike textbooks, movies help you get to grips with how a language is used and spoken in the real world.

The following French films will give you insight at the language and culture of French speakers. They’re perfect for when you want a break from intense study. But remember, foreign language movies are most helpful when you study them properly.

1. L’Auberge Espagnole (“The Spanish Apartment”)

Released: 2002

Directed by: Cédric Klapisch

Suitable For: Expats and study abroad students

IMDB Average Rating: 7.3 / 10

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 77%

The Story

A straight-laced French student studies abroad in Spain and has his life changed through meeting other international students from around Europe.

Language Hacker’s Notes

I have a deep affinity for this story of an Erasmus (Europe’s study abroad programme) student studying in Spain, since I had spent so much time in Spain with Erasmus students when I first started on my language learning journey. This film is like looking at a pivotal time in my own life, and brings back lots of great memories.

It’s also my top recommendation for polyglot movies, as you’ll hear some dialogue in multiple languages (Spanish, English, Catalan, German, Danish & Italian), although the core of it (including the voiceover) is in French. For bonus points, check out its sequel Les Poupées Russes.

2. Le Dîner de Cons (The Dinner Game)

Released: 1998

Directed by: Francis Veber

Suitable For: Those into comedy and #revengeporn, where mean people get their comeuppance.

IMDB Average Rating: 7.7 / 10

Rotten Tomatoes Rating:73%

The Story

A group of friends compete against one another to try to find the stupidest person they can to bring to dinner. It backfires though, as the guest unintentionally starts messing up his host’s life, always with the best of intentions.

Language Hacker’s Notes

The “con” (dimwit) has several misunderstandings and you can figure them out easily enough. The story is hilarious but not extremely complex, so it’s pretty easy to follow, but would require subtitles for many.

3. The Intouchables

Released: 2011

Directed by: Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano

Suitable For: People who love to laugh and cry at the same time

IMDB Average Rating: 8.6 / 10

Rotten Tomatoes Rating:75%

The Story

A street-wise young man becomes the caretaker for a quadriplegic aristocrat.

Language Hacker’s Notes

The intersection of straight forward street slang with cultured high level French makes this movie an ideal viewing experience for French language learners.

4. Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain (“Amélie”)

Released: 2001

Directed by: Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Suitable For: People who like a happy ending

IMDB Average Rating: 8.4 / 10

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 89%

The Story

One woman decides to make a positive change in the lives of those around her.

Language Hacker’s Notes

This film presents a positive look at French daily life, and provides insight into a lighter side of being human. This is the movie that inspired me to move to Paris for 9 months!

5. Bon Cop Bad Cop

Released: 2006

Directed by: Erik Canuel

Suitable For: Fans of Quebecois and Buddy Cop Films

IMDB Average Rating: 7.0 / 10

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 67%

The Story

Two cops from different Canadian provinces must work together to solve a crime, where a man is found dead exactly on the border between Quebec and Ontario.

Language Hacker’s Notes

This film is gold for those who want to hear a good dose of the Quebecois French accent. The Ontario cop speaks great Parisian French, so it’s an entertaining look at the funniest differences between these two accents and cultures in the French speaking world. Prominent use of English also makes this a great ease-in before you dive into 100% French movies.

6. Kirikou et la Sorcière (“Kirikou and the Sorceress”)

Released: 1998

Directed by: Michel Ocelot

Suitable For: Families and Children

IMDB Average Rating: 7.5 / 10

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 96%

The Story

An amazing child in West Africa goes on a quest to stop an evil sorceress.

Language Hacker’s Notes

This family-friendly animated story based on West African folklore has easy to understand dialogue combined with rich visuals and a compelling story.

7. Les Visiteurs (“The Visitors”)

Released: 1993

Directed by: Jean-Marie Poiré

Suitable For: Fans of Historic Comedies

IMDB Average Rating: 7.0 / 10

Rotten Tomatoes Rating:33%

The Story

A medieval nobleman and his squire are accidentally transported to 1993 and must enlist the help of his descendant to find a way back home.

Language Hacker’s Notes

The fact that this movie is the highest grossing native film in French history means that you will instantly be “in the know” when you hear people quoting this film. The most interesting part of the film is how characters using an older version of French try to make sense of the landscape of modern French usage.

8. La Marche de l’Empereur (“The March of the Penguins”)

Released: 2005

Directed by: Luc Jacquet

Suitable For: Families and animal lovers

IMDB Average Rating: 7.7 / 10

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 94%

The Story

Follow the migration of emperor penguins as they march to their traditional breeding grounds.

Language Hacker’s Notes

You may know of this documentary already, but it was first made for a French audience. Be sure to pick up the original French version of this film, which, unlike the American-released version (narrated by Morgan Freeman), has voice-over dialogue between penguins. Clear and understandable French makes this great for beginners.

9. La Grande Vadrouille

Released: 1966

Directed by: Gérard Oury

Suitable For: History Buffs

IMDB Average Rating: 8.0 / 10

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 94%

The Story

A British pilot shot down over France during World War II is helped by a group of French civilians to make an important rendezvous.

Language Hacker’s Notes

This film is an education on French stereotypes – both for the non-French characters in the movie, and for viewers. It’s full to bursting with cultural gems.

10. La Femme Nikita

Released: 1990

Directed by: Luc Besson

Suitable For: Fans of action films

IMDB Average Rating: 7.4 / 10

Rotten Tomatoes Rating:88%

The Story

A felon slated for murder finds herself enlisted to become a covert assassin and spy.

Language Hacker’s Notes

This classic French action film by one of France’s most popular directors, Luc Besson, has spawned not only a U.S. remake (“Point of No Return” with Bridget Fonda), but also two different television shows. It’s a great introduction to Besson’s work and a fun way to learn “spy talk” in French.

What’s Your Favourite French Movie?

With all of these movies you should have no problem getting in some French practice while being thoroughly entertained.

If you have a favourite French movie that I’ve missed, please share it in the comments. I’d love to hear about your must-watch French films.

The post 10 Must-See French Movies (With Language Hacking Notes) appeared first on Fluent in 3 months - Language Hacking and Travel Tips.

Are Textbooks a Waste of Time for Language Learners?

Have you ever dreamed of sitting at a sidewalk cafe in Paris, reading Le Monde, and chatting with the waiter in fluent French? Or maybe you imagine booking an Airbnb stay at a Rio de Janeiro favela, and you’re the centre of attention as you converse with the locals.

The idea of starting a language learning project can be exciting. Visions of yourself speaking fluently in a far-off land are a brilliant inspiration to start learning a language.

What do you do when the language bug bites? Like so many others, do you head to your local bookstore (or Amazon), and pick up a textbook in your target language? I don’t blame you if you do. After all, if textbooks are used by every language study class in the world to teach a language, they’re good enough for you, right?

Unfortunately, by following the crowd, you’re probably heading away from your dream. Let’s look at why that is…

Why Do You Want to Learn a Language?

Do you want to read a newspaper in your target language? Watch movies? Be a grammar geek?

Your goal in studying the language determines the best method for your study. For most people, the real goal is to talk fluently with native speakers.

But what does it meant to communicate? And how can you build up that particular skill in the most effective way?

Communication is a combination of three main skills:

Speaking: output of the language
Listening: input of the language
Understanding: processing the language

When you build your skills in those three areas, then you are building your ability to communicate in a language. Let’s look at each one and see why a textbook isn’t your best option.

Speaking a Language: The Holy Grail of Language Learners

Most of us equate fluency with being able to speak the language really well.

And the most effective way to build your speaking skill is to open up your mouth and speak the language!

I’m friends with lots of other polyglots, and almost all of them would say the same thing. That’s why speaking a new language is the focus of my “Speak from Day 1” approach to language learning.

Most textbooks don’t help you do that.

You might think that reading through a selection of dialogues will help you figure out how to say the right things. Alas, that’s not how it works. Using a language in real-world situations is never the same as reading a book. The skills you build through using a language are much more valuable than a dozen academic textbooks.

If you were going to build a skill as a runner, would you spend all your time reading Runner’s Digest magazine, or watching marathons on TV? Of course not. You would get out on the road and pound pavement. It’s the only way to learn to run, and speaking is the only way to learn to speak.

Listening to a Language: Making Sense of Native Speech

When you hear a native speaker in a new language for the first time, you might be surprised at how damn fast they speak. You’ll probably find that you understand very little of what they’re saying.

This is one of the main challenges to new language learners. And it can’t be overcome just by studying a textbook. At risk of stating the obvious you can read a book, but you can’t listen to it.

What about textbooks that come with supplementary audio recordings of dialogues from native speakers? Well, the problem with these is the speed of which the language is spoken. It’s much slower than what you encounter in real life. On top of that, the dialogues are rarely the type of speech you hear in day-to-day interactions.

If you want listening practice, then put away the audio files, and start listening to your target language in the real world. I’ve written about ways to improve your listening skills, and also provided hundreds of listening resources for Spanish, French, and English to get you started.

Understanding a Language: What Does it All Mean?

To understand a new language, you need to be able to make sense of its words and grammar.

Many textbooks start you off with a strong emphasis on grammar, giving you lists of verb conjugations or explaining different tenses.

The truth is, you don’t need this level of detail when you first start a new language. Wrapping your head around grammar when you can’t even ask for the location of the bathroom is like is like trying to bake a perfect souffle when you just want to make a snack in the kitchen. It’s too much too soon.

Wait to study grammar until you are comfortable enough in the language for grammar to actually be interesting. When you become conversational learning the rules of grammar will make more sense. You find yourself wanting to know more, rather than feeling overwhelmed.

Since textbooks often try to cover many bases (vocabulary, grammar, dialogue, etc.) they often don’t provide a focused overview of grammar. When you’re ready, pick up a dedicated grammar book in your target language. It is more likely to provide the insights you need.

The Only Time Buying a Language Textbook is a Good Idea

There are two situations in which I think it is okay to buy a language textbook:

When you have to. If you are in a study programme at your school and you need to take a language course which requires a textbook, then you should get the textbook.
When the textbook focuses on supporting you in speaking the language in real world situations.

In any other situation, textbooks (especially academic textbooks) are best avoided.

Focus On The Reason You Want to Study the Language

It feels good to go out and buy a textbook – especially a bulky academic one. You feel like you’re taking action. In reality, buying a textbook is often a placebo that just makes you feel like you’re taking action.

Fast forward three months and chances are the textbook will be sitting on your bookshelf collecting dust. That’s a painful reminder of the first week when you furiously tore into the material only to lose motivation and momentum a few days later.

Unless the textbook supports you in speaking a language, leave it in the bookstore. Instead, focus on speaking the language. You can (and should) do this right from the start.

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The Best Immersion Strategies Learned Only After Getting Fired and Starting Over

In-country immersion isn’t always the answer to learning another language.

I learned this lesson the hard way six months into my stay in Spain, with barely any Spanish to show for it before I changed my approach. Nowadays, I generally recommend people get virtual immersion and learn a language online.

But there is something to be said for time in a foreign country, when you do it right. In today’s guest post Jeremy shares his story and his main lessons learned from a successful immersion experience that followed an unsuccessful one.

Over to you Jeremy!

“I’m going to be honest, Jeremy.” My boss glared into my eyes as I sat down in her office.

I tried to force a smile, but her icy demeanour froze up the entire room.

In her thick Israeli accent she continued, “Conversations like these are my least favourite thing to do”.

My throat sank into my stomach as I waited for what came next.

Like many travellers I had a long list of exotic places I wanted to visit and the things I wanted to do. ”Getting fired in a foreign country” was not one of them.

“You’re Just…. Not Yourself”

I was 22, fresh out of university and ready to take on the world. I had booked a one-way ticket to Israel, where I had landed my dream job as a counsellor for a high school study abroad program.

Not only was I getting fired from that job, I was getting evicted as well, since room and board were a part of my contract.

All because I wasn’t acting like myself.

Something was wrong with me. Everyone noticed it. Except for me.

For the next ten minutes, my boss looked me straight in the eyes and laid out the evidence: I hadn’t made any new friends since I arrived. I lacked excitement. I was too quiet. My Hebrew was pitiful. The list went on.

Finally, I embraced my reality.

I had hit rock bottom.

I was on the other side of the world.

I had no job, no nearby family that could help me, and no idea what to do.

How I Became a VietNomad

“Life isn’t about how hard you can hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep going.” –Rocky Balboa

Three months later, in late 2013, I found myself on another one-way flight. This time to Vietnam.

Immersing yourself in a new country abroad isn’t easy. I learned that the hard way. But this time, success was my only option.

I set off with the same goals I initially had when I went to Israel: be a culture chameleon and blend in as much as possible. When I left, I knew zero Vietnamese. Though, when I got there, I realised it was a tonal language, similar to Chinese and Thai.

I was ignorant. I’d never learned a tonal language before. But I dove in anyway.

I had no cell phone or Internet, roughly five US dollars per day for expenses, no connection to the outside world, and nobody else spoke English.

Ten months later I was a guest on a Vietnamese reality TV show (video later in this article).

At the time, my Vietnamese was weak, probably around an A2. I could communicate what I wanted, but my pronunciation was horrible. I didn’t know the tones. I couldn’t write. I didn’t even know the alphabet. I didn’t own any textbooks, and I didn’t take any lessons. But I had the confidence that comes from reaching an all time low. I thought “No matter how this turns out it won’t be as bad as my experience in Israel.”

While on the show, I started to realise all of the mistakes I had made in Israel that stunted my progress in Hebrew. I figured out why I lost confidence and fell into a state of loneliness and eventually depression. It wasn’t until I was alone around a group of people speaking a strange language that I finally heard myself.

After 25 days living in the Mountains of Vietnam without English, I cracked the code to language learning through immersion. I’m here now to share my experiences and give you the three most important things you need to know about language immersion.

Immersion Tip 1: You Can’t Do It Alone

One of the main reasons I failed to learn any Hebrew in Israel is because I was alone. I had no teacher, no accountability buddies, and no schedule. I lost sight of my goal and lost all confidence. Frankly, I was lonely.

Having a teacher or some sort of support system is a great way to maintain progress and confidence.

This is true for language learning in general, but when you’re doing language immersion, you need other people. You can’t sit at home and study vocabulary words all day. You can’t watch YouTube videos in your target language and keep telling yourself that you’re being “productive”.

You need to get out there and connect with people. You need help, you need accountability, and you need encouragement.

Obviously, having a teacher is a wonderful way to avoid being alone. But, remember to be selective if you’re going to hire a private tutor. Your teacher can teach you more than just the language; he/she will be a cultural bridge between you and your new home. It’s important to choose a teacher that cares about you beyond your language skills.

If you’re like me and you don’t enjoy learning in classroom settings, then you’ve got to surround yourself with a healthy balance of locals and expats.

It’s great to be a culture chameleon and to blend in, but locals can’t relate to your struggles. This can be extremely frustrating at times when they don’t understand what you are going through.

Sure, they can help you out tremendously with your target language, but they’re not familiar with homesickness, culture shock, and many other feelings that come with living in a new place. You need friends that understand what you’re going through.

While I was on the reality show, one of the most frustrating parts was that I was always the stupidest person in the conversation. But being the dumbest person in the room can be a good thing, because it means you can learn from everyone.

I never knew what was going on. I was ignorant about the culture, and I found it close to impossible to communicate my thoughts. It was a constant struggle, because everyone else on the show had been speaking Vietnamese for their entire lives.

As I was still learning the basics: colours, shapes, etc., I constantly felt like an idiot. The others started getting impatient with me, and since I was the only foreigner, none of them could relate to what I was going through.

During a home stay in a minority Hmong village, I finally made some friends that were going through similar experiences. I made some friends that helped me A TON.

They weren’t foreigners. They were local, but their Vietnamese wasn’t too impressive. They were patient and playful. They were just like children…

Immersion Tip 2: Think of Yourself as a Child

Learning a foreign language is like having a second childhood. You get to start over again, and it’s awesome if you do it with the right mentality.

Think of yourself as an adult, and you’re constantly embarrassing yourself. Think of yourself as a child, and it becomes easy and fun.

What kind of grown ups confuse the word for “right” with “left” or “Thursday” with “Friday”? None. But, children do this all the time when they first learn words. No matter how old you are, when you learn a new language you are a child in that language.

For the first few days after I arrived in the Hmong village, I was the scarecrow from the Wizard Of Oz. I had no brain. I was helpless and highly dependent on the others. But after interacting with Hmong kids for a few days, I realised that I didn’t have to be a unintelligent adult. I could be an appreciative and curious kid.

I started focusing on practical language. I started asking questions. I started forgiving myself for all the mistakes I was making.

Like children, as language learners we need to be surrounded by people that care about us. Language learners need to be around people that are willing to help, and most importantly, people that have a lot of patience.

Kids can ask so many questions that it can start to get annoying and exhausting. Don’t let this hold you back. Ask as many questions as possible! Did you forget the word for “cup” already? Ask again. It may be embarrassing at times, but that’s okay. The more embarrassing and nerve racking the situation is, the more likely it is that it will be engrained in your memory.

Children also need breaks. They can’t focus for five hours a time! The same goes for language learners. It can be easy to get caught up in language immersion and not take breaks. After all, language immersion can be as intense as you want it to be.

During immersion, you’re not going to be able to keep up all of the time. But, that’s okay. You’re going to feel lost. But be sure to stay curious. Ask a lot of questions. Mimic the people around you. Even if you’re not sure what you are saying, repeating native speakers trains your mouth, and makes it easier to pronounce words.

If you can, surround yourself with other children! I got along great with the other kids because our Vietnamese was at a similar level. I was still far behind, but they were excited to play with me and teach me Vietnamese, just as you were once excited to show off your imaginary friend to your parents.

Immersion Tip 3: Write About Your Experience

Language immersion leads to the best memories, and it’s never been easier to document your life. The best way to do this is by writing in a journal, which has more benefits than you may realize.

Research shows that writing down your thoughts improves your mood, boosts your memory, and can even reduce cancer symptoms.

Writing is a form of therapy. When you write out your problems, you release steam and become aware of what’s bothering you. When you write down about things you are grateful for, your brain strengthens its neurological pathways, making it easier to feel repeat this process and feel more grateful and happy in the future.

The most vivid memories of the last 10 years of my life stuck because I kept them in a journal. When you write it down, you internalise it and the memory grows stronger.

If you want to go the extra mile, journaling in your target language is one of the best ways to review what you learned that day. This won’t be easy if you are a beginner, but even writing a sentence or two helps a lot. You can bring your journal to a close friend, your host family, or your teacher to help you with your writing as well.

While I was on the reality show, I was required to write in my diary every night. I was suppose to write about the drama and cheesy love story: who I liked, who I was jealous of, etc. But, instead I used it as way to practice my Vietnamese and learn how to read and write.

I wrote a play-by-play of everything we did that day. I’d try to mention as many new vocabulary words as possible. My sentences usually were short and not grammatically incorrect, but my writing got better everyday. I attribute this daily journal for how I retained so many new vocabulary.

This process of recalling vocabulary embedded words in my memory. Plus, with each new word I learned, I had a story that went along with it, since all the words I were learning were introduced through daily life. It was easier than ever to remember these words because they were all connected to real life experiences. I didn’t have to make up a story in my imagination; I had a personal connection with every single word I encountered.

In other words, I had no choice but to memorize new words. I knew I would be tested on these words in the days to come, because they were relevant to my life.

What if you hate writing? You can also keep a photo journal or take videos. Those will help capture memories and stories and help you remember things, but I strongly suggest you keep a journal. It gets a little time consuming, but five minutes a day is worth the amazing benefits it will give you.

Bonus Tip: You Don’t Have to Go On Reality TV to Immerse Yourself in a Language

My immersion experience was pretty crazy, and it’s certainly not typical. There are many ways to put yourself in language immersion experiences. You can go on a study abroad program, work in another country, take a vacation do a homestay, or sign up for an adult immersion program.

What if you can’t afford to travel?

That’s fine, too! You can create immersive environments yourself. Imagine how much you’d learn if your TV, cell phone, laptop, and GPS all spoke to you in Spanish!

Never Give Up On Your Dreams

I often get flashbacks to my time in Israel. I was lonely and at an all time low. I once woke up in an alley covered in someone else’s hummus.

I could have given up when I was in Vietnam. I could have lived through that same story. But I made the decision to make the best of it all. I made the decision to be persistent.

Fast forward to spring 2015, and I was living a new dream. This time, in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam.

My Vietnamese was impressive enough to get me on several local TV shows. I competed in a Vietnamese TV competition. I won a large cash prize doing stand up comedy in Vietnamese.

All of this happened because I spoke Vietnamese.

And the only reason I speak Vietnamese today is because I didn’t give up.

Immersion can be really tough. Whatever you do, never give up on your language learning dreams. When you think you’ve hit rock bottom, keep going. You never know what’s on the other side.

About the Author:  Jeremy Ginsburg is a writer and an entreperformer living in Vietnam. Check out his website to claim a FREE copy of his new book, launched this fall. Jeremy also has many hilarious language learning videos on his YouTube channel.

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