Archive for January, 2008

Learning Spanish, Internship Experience in Salamanca

Tuesday, January 29th, 2008

If you feel like you want to learn a foreign language, or improve your language skills, I would highly recommend you to go abroad. It really is the best way to get familiar with a language.

During my internship at a Spanish company in Salamanca, I really noticed my language skills improved: my vocabulary was growing and at the same time I noticed I really started to understand the grammar. The first 2,5 years of my studies I had Spanish classes weekly, but I saw that at some point I wasn’t improving anymore. I had done all the chapters of my grammar book, but failed to really understand it as I didn’t have anyone to practice with.

During my internship I didn’t do a Spanish language course like the other interns at the company, but I had another way of practising my Spanish: just having conversations in Spanish with the two Spanish boys I was living with, and with all the other Spanish people I met. In general, the problem is that people, when going abroad, tend to spend most of the time with people from their own country. In this way most of the time they speak in their own language and they don’t practice the language they are supposed to learn. Not a lot of improvements are being made and in 99,9% of the situations the reason for this is a lack of practising. You should just try to meet as many native speakers as possible and try to watch for example some television or read a newspaper in the concerning language and see if you understand

Another reason for going abroad is not only that it’s the best way to learn a language, but it is also a good way to get to know another culture. Because of my Spanish boyfriend I really started to live like a Spanish person, speaking for example of the hours of having lunch and dinner. When living with Spanish people, you’ll get familiar with their habits.

Not to forget just the simple fact of meeting new people, something that is always very interesting. You’ll even learn more about other cultures, not only about the culture of the country where you are staying. To meet other people with different views on life, with different goals to meet and other interests makes your stay in a foreign country even more interesting. I met a lot of new people during my stay in Salamanca and this has given me very nice memories.

So because of the positive experience I gained from my stay in Salamanca as an intern, I recommend you to go abroad as well, to experience a new country, friendly people, lovely food and an interesting culture: every foreign country has something special that you should experience yourself!

Why train travel is more fun than travelling by plane

Wednesday, January 23rd, 2008

Many people believe that travelling by plane is the best method to get from one place to another. This may be, because you arrive at your destination faster and because it is believed to be the most comfortable way of travelling.

But as a student, you have a great alternative, which is to travel by train.

Most European countries are linked through an extensive network of fast railway lines that allow passengers to make journeys in just a few hours. Apart from making the journey in a similar –often faster – time than a plane, one also gets to enjoy the stunning landscape throughout Europe. Doing a journey around various European countries can also be linked to language learning. You could take advantage of travelling to a variety of countries in which the same language is spoken and improve your language skills while experiencing the different cultures that spread across Europe. A good option would be to buy a Europe rail pass. Alternatively, you could learn or improve more than just one language, but combine your studies of several languages in just one trip. Travelling by train gives you the opportunity to not only expand your cultural horizons, but also improve your foreign language and communication skills – and you can visit as many countries as you like.

Learn Foreign Language to Block Misinterpretation

Wednesday, January 23rd, 2008

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Do you believe that misinterpretations exist even in language utterances? Do you have any experience, wherein, it seems your way of speaking things is so vague for your listener? Is your language being the hindrance to put into words all of your thoughts? What had you done as your alternative then? How did you respond to the seemed mediocre situation you had?

The video presents two ladies. The other one is French, and is using French language. The other one does understand and speak English only. It’s very funny! The French did offer the English girl some sandwich to eat. But the latter misunderstood her statement, instead of ‘sandwich’; it turned to ‘witch’. She ran all over with running out of breath, and the French girl was just following her so calm and enjoying every step she has. When the English girl’s foot was trapped by the root tree, she fell down, and begging to the French girl not to hurt her. The French girl keened her statement then to the English girl.

What idea could you draw here? For me, if only the English girl does learn French language, she shouldn’t be frightened by what the other girl was talking about. French is already foreign for that girl, so that’s why, she haven’t understood it then when the other girl was talking to her. If only the English girl had a chance to learn more languages aside her English language; certainly, she shouldn’t be overpowered by her wrong thinking.

Just like the English girl. We could be like her in so many ways. I don’t even know if some of you there already experienced it already. But it would be good if all of us would be educate with those languages too. So that misinterpretation would be lessened. No one would ever think badly about you, they, and the other more.

Foreign languages do existing all around us, and we are able to have, learn and use them in so many ways. They are in demand in any sphere and are spreading in any part of the world. We could never control them venturing to other places they want to be. And the only thing we could do to prepare ourselves for them to deal with, is to LEARN them.

Through learning them, we could then have the protection and the armor we need for all of those people who are mainly using those languages. Whatever time they would come along our ways, and whatever they could boast to us, we could uplift our self and fight our stand already against them.

Misinterpretations lay everywhere and could be anytime. And the usual act we could do is to explain more, and to be vividly understood by them. But the best thing is that, even though, we are being misunderstood, still, we manage to raise and show our self reliance and confidence.

So, let’s devoid being misunderstood by foreign people, let’s learn more languages and extend our culture, through language learning.

The Barking Language of Cats

Wednesday, January 2nd, 2008

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“Learning a language is boring! Learning a language is nothing!” this might be the reason and sigh for others. They might perceive it as nonsensical thing to do and to learn, rather. But what pushed us individuals who are so fun of learning and exploring learning other languages? For me, it’s the beauty of language, and copious adventure it offers. Its’ true! Believe me, once you’ve known the aborigines of the languages, you’ll be carried away, and would prefer to go along its flow.
Learning them is not easy, thus, it needs more intellect, concentration, enough dedication and just self-confidence, while doing your part as language learner; the same thing with the other living beings around-Namely cats, dogs, and those mammals capable of absorbing learning.
In lieu with the posted video, there were three characters being presented; the dog, cat and the thief. The scene begun with the cat and dog inside the house and the thief was moving gradually to the front door. The dog and the cat did recognize the thief. But only the cat did care. The dog didn’t give any interest to get rid with whatever the thief would do. The cat strode in front the door and waited for the man’s attempt. The moment the man opened the door, the cat barked him; thus, enough for the thief to run away.
The implication here is that, the cat did learn another language aside from the language inherent to them. With it, it found more comfort and protection with it. Good for the cat that it used the language it pertained and did save their household from the hazardous acts should be by the thief. For the dog, that is originally using and having the language, it remained silence and even shown boredom and laziness.
How could this incident applied to humankind? As the most intelligent creature, humans are resourceful and able to learn more ideal things. We could learn more than the things learned by the cat. Is really a cat bark? Its not! But if we should ask this,’ could the man bark? Of course, he could.�
People are entitled to be multi-task and multi-lingual creatures. So, whatever we want to know, learn, take, and acquire, we could do it then. We have the capability to do it, which is more than the capability the cat has. The latter’s shown ability signifies power, strength and courage. We could view it either for human for them, cats. Its barking language could be the barking power of the people to extend their exposure to things seemed alien to them, and then, in the future would be a great help and armor against any danger or attacks.
For us people, let’s be more wiser and courageous than animals, let’s do more miracle by not only learning countable language, rather, great number of languages to sustain vitality in our life’ s shield from any nature ATTEMPTS (could be those by other nationals acts which would make us embarrass).
Let’s build our own barking shield language, by learning those languages wide through the world!