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PMs TAC 2015 crazy? French course mission | ||
Tags: TellMeMore | Fluenz | Linguaphone | Flash cards | Michel Thomas | Self-Study | Spaced Repetition (SRS) | Diploma/Certificate | Study Plan | Fluency | Dutch | Pimsleur | FSI | Total Annihilation Challenge (TAC) | Assimil | French | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Language Learning Log |  | |
| Mohave Senior Member United States justpaste.it/Mohave1 Joined 4008 days ago 291 posts - 444 votes  Speaks: English* Studies: French | Message 377 of 451 27 May 2015 at 3:00am | IP Logged | |||||
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Sounds like you have done a lot of soul-searching on how to balance what is best for your family and your
love of languages, travel and adventure. These decisions are often very difficult. I applaud you for making it. 2 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
| PeterMollenburg Senior Member AustraliaRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 5477 days ago 821 posts - 1273 votes Speaks: English* Studies: FrenchB1 | Message 378 of 451 27 May 2015 at 6:56am | IP Logged | |||||
Thanks Mohave, I think in the end this will benefit both my family and my sense of adventure/languages. I think by being patient now and sensible it will open up a lot of (French) doors in the future. That's the aim, a good thing all round. Peace up 'n stuff, for realio, at least that's what I said, and I am me, at least that's what society tells me 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| garyb Triglot Senior Member ScotlandRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 5208 days ago 1468 posts - 2413 votes Speaks: English*, Italian, French Studies: Spanish | Message 379 of 451 27 May 2015 at 11:11am | IP Logged | |||||
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Looks like the 6WC or whatever you've been doing has been effective, your French writing certainly seems to be improving! Anyway it's good to hear you've been finding more balance - again it's something I can relate to.
I'd also like to live and work abroad at some point, but it would be for the experience and the language, not my career (IT) - in fact it would most likely be to the detriment of my career! From what I gather, I wouldn't find any better opportunities in French-speaking countries than I have here in the UK, and they'd probably be quite limited until I got my French up to professional standards (although on the other hand, being a native English speaker is a plus). As for Italy, there's a reason so many young people are leaving and coming here. For my career and interests, somewhere like Germany would probably be a better choice. But of course, career isn't everything. I'm not sure I want to stay in the UK forever, with the stressful lifestyle and political and social issues; I'd probably be happier in a more laid-back culture even if it meant less money and career opportunities. And being in the middle of mainland Europe would be very convenient for travel. Obviously you've also been considering all the factors. I read all these blogs about people who suddenly quit everything and move to the other side of the world, but maybe our patient and sensible approach is more reasonable. 2 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
| PeterMollenburg Senior Member AustraliaRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 5477 days ago 821 posts - 1273 votes Speaks: English* Studies: FrenchB1 | Message 380 of 451 28 May 2015 at 4:27am | IP Logged | |||||
Thanks for the kind remarks garyb. As for 'career' yes I felt I was in the same boat- it wouldn't necessarily advance my career (not that I could give two hoots at all) in any way but it would only be about the language and cultural experience. I think more often than not English speaking countries are generally going to be rather strong in career opportunities since they are the ones behind the steering wheel driving this mad obsessed money orientated world (UK and US predominantly) blazing a trail that other countries (very sad the EU) are hell bent on following. So enthusiastic they are that things like Cavesa mentioned Eurovision are now English dominated- as English opens doors it seems. I've always felt disdain with regards to 'my career'. The very words piss me off. What rubbish it is that we have to drive ourselves to impress others just in order to 'advance' in this world. The whole concept stinks. Careers are about enslavement. We are all enslaved to taxes and debt (most of us). We are human beings, not lawyers, not doctors, not garbage men. Why are we labelled this way? Money was a perfect invention to drive man to desire materialistic rubbish on the path to enslavement. So far has it gone that we can barely survive without it. I am not directing my distate of such a topic at you garyb, just a general rant here. Unfortunately I cannot escape the trap either. I'm very much embedded in this system and even trying to escape it means I first have to 'join them'. Another frustration I want to vent is I got into this 'career' (of nursing) with the understanding I could work anywhere in the world- so they said. What bullshit. Anywhere in the English speaking world, sure, with a few hoops to jump through. Anywhere else, you'd better think twice as the hoops are much smaller and numerous. And as per most ppl I've encountered, why would you want to work in a country where they don't speak English. How brainwashed and narrow minded have people become? Eat a hat for crying out loud PM 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| 1e4e6 Octoglot Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 4291 days ago 1013 posts - 1588 votes Speaks: English*, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Norwegian, Dutch, Swedish, Italian Studies: German, Danish, Russian, Catalan | Message 381 of 451 28 May 2015 at 5:43am | IP Logged | |||||
Maybe you are like me, I really do not prefer to live in either the UK or the USA, but I am usually stuck in either place. A laid-back culture like Spain, Argentina or Italy would be a heaven. Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Firenze, is a linguistic paradise. People also nicer and a culture that wakes up late, works late, eats late, and partys late and hard. But if you keep dwelling on this issue, it sound weird but it might motivate you to move to a better country. I am motivated in my C-level Spanish to get to C2 as fast as possible, and my Italian to get to however high as possible as fast as possible because I would like to live in any of those "Romance" countries. The media always talk about their economies. Yes, Spain have 27% unemployment and my age range of 18-26 years old people the unemployment graces 50%, and Italy have somewhat similar figures but not as bad. Argentina have had a few problems since their 2001 currency crash, but I do not find anything worse than in the UK or the USA. But really, so what, it is hard to find a job in the USA or the UK and the salary is BS, so I think that the media are just picking on Spain and Italy to push their agendas. I would not midn moving to Spain, Italy or Argentina if their unemployment soared to 85% even. But good luck if you plan on moving. Tapas, risotto, and/or parilla each night is simply too good a life. Really anywhere like Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, France, Spain, Italy, Argentina are all of my favourite countries whereto that I would like to emigrate. As I am about 50% poorer economically than in the 1990s from living in Anglophone countries, I really question how bad Spain and Italy economies are, because I am doing really badly here in the so-called "richer" countries. Edited by 1e4e6 on 28 May 2015 at 5:46am 2 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
| PeterMollenburg Senior Member AustraliaRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 5477 days ago 821 posts - 1273 votes Speaks: English* Studies: FrenchB1 | Message 382 of 451 28 May 2015 at 7:22am | IP Logged | |||||
Thanks for dropping by 1e4e6, Perhaps you're directing your comments more at garyb but I thought I'd comment anyway. In my honest opinion, I absolutely believe there is a deliberate push to bring all western countries GDP per capita down eventually to equal those of 3rd word countries. I do not believe for a second that the economic woes in southern European countries in particular is just cause an effect. Look perhaps there's cause an effect, but i feel it's been carried out absolutely deliberately. Since doing some research recently on how money is actually created/printed the central banks of various nations hold their people captive and enslave them to pay interest on their money created out of thin air. Since those who control the whole system (Rockefellars, Rothschilds and so on, or illuminati if you prefer) can make as MUCH money as they damn well please, then money is NOT the objective. Then what is? In my opinion it's control. As long as the human race is scraping for a dollar focusing on how to survive in an increasing corporate controlled world that is turning nature into frankenfood and frankenplanet then we cannot escape. Or can we? A perfect example of financial pressure is my country. In Australia we were sitting pretty, very comfortable during and post GFC. We had one of the cheapest rates of electricity in the world. Obviously we didn't suffer enough during the GFC. We now the second most expensive electricity in the world, and set to overtake number one. We have a lot of our own resources including power producing dirty coal- we export loads of it to Japan and China. We don't import our power. We have so much sun it's rediculous- but once again the gov't doesn't care as they are puppets. Why is our power (water, gas, etc) so expensive now? Because they want us under pressure, under control and focused on this bullshit. We all just want to be free. I want to spend a lot of time in a culture I enjoy speaking a language I love. However I realise that if I keep making 'free-spirited money choices' that have a negative impact on my life financially in the near future, I'm likely to never escape the bullshit and spend some decent time in that far off culture. Every week almost I can see the government here going for more power, more downward pressure on families and pretending like they care. I can tell you if you're still debating left and right politics you are still being fooled by the smoke and mirrors that is democracy. Democracy does NOT equal freedom. Libya is a perfect example. Any time some foreign leader wants to break the mold and escape the democratic framework forced on most countries nowadays that enslaves their people to debt, they are made out in the media to be evil and their country is invaded shortly afterwards. Hopefuly for the invaders there are plenty of resources for the taking, all the while the soldiers are too asleep to realise they are guns for hire from corporate multi-nationals- they are sold a grand story of patriotism and brotherhood, the grandure of serving one's country. All lies. Control of resources means selling of more resources under western control to humanity that has been trained to need them. I want to put my feet up, enjoy life, interact with ppl in their cultures (which are also disappearing under corporate pressure), but that day may not come. PM 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| garyb Triglot Senior Member ScotlandRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 5208 days ago 1468 posts - 2413 votes Speaks: English*, Italian, French Studies: Spanish | Message 383 of 451 28 May 2015 at 10:48am | IP Logged | |||||
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Interesting comments 1e4e6 and Peter. While career isn't the number 1 priority in my mind, I do seem to have gotten stuck in the careerist lifestyle and it guides and limits my choices. I suppose I've gotten into it because it beats the alternative. Most of my friends are unemployed or do low-level work (so I understand your scepticism about just how good things really are in a "rich" country) and so have limited opportunities to save money, travel, and invest in their interests. My job is quite good as office jobs go - decent salary, stimulating work, relaxed atmosphere - so I appreciate that I'm in an enviable position. But still, it keeps me tied to one location, takes away a lot of my waking hours, only gives me a handful of weeks of holiday per year, and isn't great for my physical and mental health. For now I'm happy enough there, especially as I'm learning skills that would be useful if I were to work for myself in the future, but maybe I'm just staying in my comfort zone too much.
In theory I also have a job that "I can do anywhere" but it's not quite as easy as it sounds. Going freelance would probably just require even more time and energy than the 9-to-5, and I'm already short on time and energy. Still, it could be worth it for the flexibility if I could, say, go away to a target-language-speaking country for a few months while continuing to work. Or finding more short-term employment abroad might also be an option - people have told me I could probably find work doing web development or similar even in Italy or Spain. The conditions and benefits wouldn't be as good as they are here, but like we're saying, maybe it's a worthwhile sacrifice for the lifestyle. 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| iguanamon Pentaglot Senior Member Virgin Islands Speaks: Ladino Joined 5263 days ago 2241 posts - 6731 votes Speaks: English*, Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Creole (French) | Message 384 of 451 28 May 2015 at 2:48pm | IP Logged | |||||
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PM, garyb, How many times have you seen people talk to death learning a language on HTLAL? "Which course should I use? Is TY better than Assimil? How do I learn vocabulary?". You know what the response usually is. Well, people can talk to death moving to another country and sorting out their lives too. I see it all the time here in the Virgin Islands. People come down on holiday, or find out I live in the VI and ask me, "how can I do what you do?". I always say "buy a ticket" or "just make the move". It may sound simplistic but so many folks fail to do that because they want to have everything down pat and arranged first, before making the move. This almost always results in paralysis by analysis. Good, that means there are fewer people moving here!
I've had people go through the list with me- "Is it safe?", "Where's a safe place to live?", "How can I make a living?", etc. , etc. etc. These days I have little patience to answer them. I tell them, "it's as safe as you want it to be, use your wits like you would anywhere else". "You can make a living by doing two simple things here- show up and do what you say you're going to do". Of course, there has to be a need for what you do in the first place, but if there is, that advice will serve you well. I tell folks, if you do want to live here then come down for an extended period- at least four weeks but don't be on vacation. Don't be a tourist. Try to live like a local. In the VI that means not having air conditioning and not eating out in restaurants all the time. Get a condo with a kitchen and shop for groceries like we do. Better yet, find the local farmers' market. Go to the hardware store, drive around the interior of the island to get a feel for the neighborhoods. Talk to local people. Volunteer locally. Talk to people who do what you do, or what you want to do, for a living. See if it's right for you. See if you like living here as opposed to being on vacation here. Then if you do all this and you've investigated your opportunities to make a living, just move and start your life. It will be tough at first, no doubt about it. You'll have to have some savings to rely upon at first. If you have made progress after six months, odds are you will continue to do so. If not, analyze your situation. Correct any mistakes and keep trying, or, go back home. It can be done. You can make the move. I did it ten years ago and I don't regret it. Life is short. Pub talk is cheap. I wish I had made the move 20 years ago, but I was paralyzed by analyzing. It wasn't until I "just did it" that it happened. I have seen single people make the move successfully and whole families too. People's situations don't seem to matter as much as their attitudes. To change your latitude, change your attitude. If anyone is interested, I can provide a link that can help with attitude, life (and even language learning too) zenhabits. P.S. PM- I think this may be inspirational for you at this point in your life zenhabits- My Story Edited by iguanamon on 28 May 2015 at 8:47pm 5 persons have voted this message useful |
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