I studied English for about 3 years when I was a teenager. I was able to hold a conversation with someone before my first year but it took me a while to get to a point in which I could feel that I was fluent. At first I really had no big expectations. Learning was actually fun for me and I enjoyed the process!
<OI used to read a lot, listen to music in English and TRIED to watch movies as often as I could. Because there was no chance to practice with native speakers, we allowed a couple of Mormons to come over once a week. Too bad then they decided that we HAD to baptize, so we got rid of them!
<O We also used to have some Jehovah Witnesses come for a bible study. There was a Canadian couple I used to enjoy talking to.
<OSomething that helped a lot was when we got cable and we had access to news, tv shows, movies without subtitles, etc. I even enjoyed the commercials!
<O I didn?t get to travel till years later and it was great! People thought that I had lived in The States so that was pretty cool. I think that traveling or living abroad BRIEFLY can do so much more for you after you?ve already got a good foundation than if you?re on an early stage. <OIt?s very easy to get discouraged and feel disappointed when you?re just starting!
<OI also studied French briefly, on and off, and I really like it but my experience with it has been different. I was once invited to a dinner with a bunch of French people and the only thing I was able to understand was ?ah bon? and that was really frustrating!
<OSometimes I watch TV5 and I don?t understand anything. If I try to watch a movie in French I understand random words here and there but that?s pretty much it! I`m thinking of going back to taking classes!
<OI used to read a lot, listen to music in English and TRIED to watch movies as often as I could. Because there was no chance to practice with native speakers, we allowed a couple of Mormons to come over once a week. Too bad then they decided that we HAD to baptize, so we got rid of them!
<O We also used to have some Jehovah Witnesses come for a bible study. There was a Canadian couple I used to enjoy talking to.
<OSomething that helped a lot was when we got cable and we had access to news, tv shows, movies without subtitles, etc. I even enjoyed the commercials!
<O I didn?t get to travel till years later and it was great! People thought that I had lived in The States so that was pretty cool. I think that traveling or living abroad BRIEFLY can do so much more for you after you?ve already got a good foundation than if you?re on an early stage. <OIt?s very easy to get discouraged and feel disappointed when you?re just starting!
<OI also studied French briefly, on and off, and I really like it but my experience with it has been different. I was once invited to a dinner with a bunch of French people and the only thing I was able to understand was ?ah bon? and that was really frustrating!
<OSometimes I watch TV5 and I don?t understand anything. If I try to watch a movie in French I understand random words here and there but that?s pretty much it! I`m thinking of going back to taking classes!