Snow's Korean and Spanish log

[Snow]

Welcome to my language log! Warning: This log contains a lot of contradicting and repetitive self-talk about my language learning journey. Read at your own risk!

[Rotasu]

Welcome to the forum! You should check out the other KR logs for tips and reviews of courses.

[Snow]

Thank you, Rotasu! I read almost every log related to learning East Asian languages for tips and inspiration.

Since I posted this log, I have done the following:

Korean, Week 6
- Watched a lot of Korean dramas! I'm watching Remember, One More Happy Ending, and Signal. Dropped Cheese in the Trap and Madame Antoine a few episodes in because the storylines don't interest me at all.
- Attended class twice. Last week was about Sino-Korean numbers and this week, verbs in present tense! I find the conjugation simple compared to Spanish (Yay, no él, nosotros, ustedes, etc!)

Spanish, Week 6
- Nada I struggled in finding motivation to review Spanish. The current book that I have is Barron's Mastering Spanish Grammar. I want a grammar book written in Spanish but I guess I have to make do with what I have at the moment rather than postponing my review until I order a copy of Gramática de uso del español.

Wanderlust, Week 6
I crushed on Mandarin really hard this week. While browsing for Korean drama recaps, I came across Chinese online novel translations, like Bu Bu Jing Xin. So I wanted to start studying Mandarin as well but I will wait for next semester to take Chinese 1. Enrolling in a class is better for me because I have serious issues with motivation. I always need someone to help motivate me.

Also thought about restarting Japanese because I like mangas and I want to read the ones that I bought when I traveled to Japan last year. Unfortunately, I think I will not touch Japanese this year. I like Mandarin more.

Of course, I also dreamt of working on French again since I've read a lot of inspiring French logs here. But same as Japanese, this language will take the backseat in 2016.

Okay, for Week 7, my plans are as follows:

Korean
- Review present tense
- Do some listening exercises (If you're using the Sogang textbook, you can download the audio HERE)
- Watch my favorite shows!

Spanish
- Oh I completely forgot about Duolingo! I'm on a 3-day streak now so I will continue getting 20 XP per day.
- Open the damn grammar book and review past tense.
- Look into watching Gran Hotel. I've read about Gran Hotel in some Spanish logs. Must find that and watch an episode.

Mandarin
- Read novel translations. Gotta work on my little language crush.

Wish me luck!

[Rotasu]

Awww so close for another JP learner xP

Good luck for Week 7!

[Snow]

I kinda fell into a slump soon after my last post. I just focused on my Korean class. I got 99/100 on my final exam. I'm enrolling in level 2, which starts in May, so I still have time to review my past lessons. I'm also waiting for my Ewha level 1 books to arrive. Still in a warehouse somewhere in Korea. I will use those for my review. Listening practice aka drama watching isn't that successful. I'm watching only one drama - Ms. Temper and Nam Jung Gi - because I can't find anything interesting to watch this season. Everything Korean is postponed until my books arrive!

Last weekend, I finally got my copy of Gramática de uso del español C1-C2. I asked a friend to buy it for me in Japan and I asked another friend to bring it home. I have very good friends. I started reviewing the present tense and holy cow, I'm ashamed of how much I forgot in just a few years. Now I'm trying to figure out a good approach on refreshing my Spanish. Maybe I should have started with the B1-B2 book. Oh well, I'll have to make do with what I have.

My plan is to do 2-3 chapters per day. Watch 1-2 episodes of Gran Hotel. I'll focus on grammar review and listening skills first. Then I'll slowly back it up with the output stage (writing/speaking) through lang-8 or with an italki tutor.

Even though I should focus more time on Spanish and Korean, I have decided to enroll in Mandarin this semester. I can't take it off my mind. I'm very curious about it, especially the tones, so I'm giving myself a chance to get acquainted with it for 1 semester. Afterwards, should I find it hard to maintain 3 languages at once, I would have to let Mandarin take the backseat together with French and pick them up when I'm confident enough with my main target languages.

[Snow]

I was at episode 26 of Gran Hotel when I got bored and annoyed with the story and characters. At first I started to skip some scenes but eventually I skipped episodes and found myself googling "gran hotel finale". Thank goodness for the highlight clips on Antena3's website, I didn't have to torture myself with some of the characters' silly and stupid antics just to know wtf would happen to Julio and Alicia. This is why I prefer Korean dramas. They are done after an average of 18 episodes. Still, watching Gran Hotel has helped with my listening skill. One of my favorite phrases from the show is "Te juro" (I swear). Like, please. They all kept lying to each other and they dropped that phrase every time. If I were a character in that show, I'd never believe someone who says "Te juro".

I don't know why I started Mandarin at this very moment. I feel overwhelmed with all the studying that I have to do. I need to get familiarized with tones, pinyin, spelling, characters, etc. I don't know where to start.

Still okay with Korean. I'm doing all of the listening exercises in the Sogang book. Sometimes I get the words, sometimes I don't. Need to think of a good strategy to remember vocabulary. I downloaded Anki but I'm too lazy to make cards. -_- I tried using the little keyring-bound paper flashcards that I bought in Taiwan but there are way too many new words and I'm almost out of paper. I think after this semester I will just self study.

Haven't touched my Spanish book in a week.

I feel so lost.

[Rotasu]

I was at episode 26 of Gran Hotel when I got bored and annoyed with the story and characters. At first I started to skip some scenes but eventually I skipped episodes and found myself googling "gran hotel finale". Thank goodness for the highlight clips on Antena3's website, I didn't have to torture myself with some of the characters' silly and stupid antics just to know wtf would happen to Julio and Alicia. This is why I prefer Korean dramas. They are done after an average of 18 episodes. Still, watching Gran Hotel has helped with my listening skill. One of my favorite phrases from the show is "Te juro" (I swear). Like, please. They all kept lying to each other and they dropped that phrase every time. If I were a character in that show, I'd never believe someone who says "Te juro".

I don't know why I started Mandarin at this very moment. I feel overwhelmed with all the studying that I have to do. I need to get familiarized with tones, pinyin, spelling, characters, etc. I don't know where to start.

Still okay with Korean. I'm doing all of the listening exercises in the Sogang book. Sometimes I get the words, sometimes I don't. Need to think of a good strategy to remember vocabulary. I downloaded Anki but I'm too lazy to make cards. -_- I tried using the little keyring-bound paper flashcards that I bought in Taiwan but there are way too many new words and I'm almost out of paper. I think after this semester I will just self study.

Haven't touched my Spanish book in a week.

I feel so lost.

Welcome back, Snow. For learning vocabulary, why not do what you did while taking your Korean class? It obviously worked since you got a 99 on the final lol

[Snow]

Welcome back, Snow. For learning vocabulary, why not do what you did while taking your Korean class? It obviously worked since you got a 99 on the final lol

I don't think cramming the night before the exam is an effective way to learn vocabs hehe.

Why does your signature say Gone? What is gone? Only your progress bar or you meant you are gone? How sad. You're the only one who commented in my thread and for that I'm really thankful. I hope your Japanese studies continue to go well.

[Evita]

Still okay with Korean. I'm doing all of the listening exercises in the Sogang book. Sometimes I get the words, sometimes I don't. Need to think of a good strategy to remember vocabulary. I downloaded Anki but I'm too lazy to make cards. -_-

I have shared my Korean vocabulary deck on Ankiweb, you can use that if you don't want to make your own cards. You can suspend all the words and then un-suspend those that you want to learn, or you can just learn them in the order that I put them. It's a very good deck

[Snow]

Barely managing to get through this semester. I'll never take two language classes at the same time again. I can't wait for things to quiet down about a month from now. That's when Mandarin will finally take a back seat. I've decided to focus on my top two languages, Spanish and Korean, and just dabble in Mandarin, French, and Japanese occasionally.

This week's schedule is already full. A lot of revising and catching up, especially in Mandarin.

I have shared my Korean vocabulary deck on Ankiweb, you can use that if you don't want to make your own cards

Thanks, Evita. I'll check it out in the future.