Learning a Language

I was fortunate in that at school I learned Latin for 3 years, as well as French.  Latin has helped me with my own language (English), as well as French and at times Spanish.  When I was at school we had an Australian teacher, who may have been to France.  I can't remember.  All we had was the teacher, and our books.  No film or video in the classroom in those days, and no recording of any sought.  We learned by speaking loudly and repeating, and repeating.

After I left school I learned Italian at classes held in the Adelaide University.  As it turns out I've not had to use my language skills and they have all but gone, though I understand when I hear these languages spoken.

When I went to China I did for almost two semesters, learn Chinese (Mandarin), but I bailed out when the conversation learning was too difficult for me, and not only that the conversation we were supposed to be learning was not particularly useful for me at that time.  That was in 2008, and oddly enough we did learn by repeating, and we also had the use of voice recordings.

What a difference from language learning now, from my yearly learning days.  And to be able to learn at one's own pace either with a CD program or online.  I am keen to rejuvenate my Italian a little, and I don't mind brushing up on my Chinese from time to time.  However, I know if you don't 'use it' you may well 'lose it' so much of what I have learned is fading from my memory.

Still, I found a site yesterday and am working through some of the free lessons.  The introductory lessons go for 6 days, and after that one would have to pay.  Not me, or not at the moment as I would be determined to work on it if I paid, and I'm not in the mood to do so at the moment.

However, I do suggest, that the program on this site - Rocket Languages.  Of course there are many programs on the Internet, so it would be worth doing some research through Google.

There would also be quite a few on Youtube, and probably for no cost too.  I found these lessons with Yangyang. 

Chinese language lessons

Today we had our first Chinese lessons. The class went for nearly an hour and we learned several words, but in the main learned the “initial” letters and the “final” letters and sounds of the Chinese language. Hard stuff.

Our class had 5 students – 3 Australians, one from America and one from Korea.

At the end of the class one of the staff came in to tell M2 and I that we are to be taken to the police station tomorrow afternoon, to check that we are indeed the persons on our passports.

(I wonder what they will make of me with my blonde hair – when my passport shows me with darker hair.)

Bit by bit we are settling in. I have had an email from another Aussie who is to join us in a couple of weeks.