A coffee addicted immigrant and company

[Cavesa]

I WON!!!!
Not sure how. After tons of time, various restarts of various apps, lots of clicking all over app store on two machines, two rewrites of the same personal data... I was allowed to pay for the app!!!

Guys, Japanese just got higher on my bucket list. Had I known it, I could have found this years ago!
http://thiro-studio.com/anki-master/

Imagine what other study tool treasures do the Japanese hide! It's not just the technical news, that they are keeping on their own market for a few years before sharing. It's not just the science, comfortably hidden behind a language wall. Now it's the study tools as well!!!
If only I had the Japanese study discipline. That one doesn't get exported. Yet.

But I still want that call with the apple support, to clear up my EU migrant situation. I'd really like to get those apps for work, such as the French pharmacology database, regional ATB recommendations app, and other such stuff.

P.s. my bf is right now listening to a French song! Not sure what makes me smile more. That he likes something about the language, or that he likes a song I introduced to him. Maître Gims: Est-ce que tu m'aimes

P.S.2 I saw the video about the next Polyglot Gathering today. Too bad the end of May is simply the worst time of the year for me Perhaps in a few years, I'll get the opportunity to meet some of you there. But not in 2020. But I should be looking on the bright side: I am not much of a polyglot anyways, especially now that my Spanish is totally rusty In 2021, it might be different.

[DaveAgain]

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Just leaving here two things that I plan to use in the second half of the year. You know, so that I don't have to think about this and keep it in my already too crowded browser. If you know these tools, I'd love to hear more about them and whether they really are good.

1.https://www.skapago.eu/jensjakob/
Jens und Jakob is a basic textbook based on a real story, that has nothing to do with exchange students! Yay! It looks well done and might be a nice shovel to exhume my German with.

2.https://learn.iwillteachyoualanguage.co ... ero-german
Grammar Hero looks very good too at first sight.

A grammar course based on examples in engaging stories (again, no stupid clichés we've seen a thousand times) sounds great. The only thing that really looks not too convincing is the text by Olly Richards about his course. I don't like people diagnosing others with psychiatric troubles without any relevant experience (if you are nervous while speaking, need to translate stuff in your head, and have to simplify your thoughts in order to be able to communicate them, you aren't really having any anxiety disorder). Then there is a mixture of nice stuff we all know and some marketing clichés, and strawmen fighting (with the "traditional grammar teaching" being the target, even though most people haven't even experienced the real traditional grammar teaching).

But the parts really describing the resource are very promising and could be a wonderful way to get me finally get from the A2ish level onwards (once I get back to that A2ish point). I'll wait for some nice sale.
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Speakeasy recommended Reading German: A Course Book and Reference Grammar on the German: improving reading skills thread.

[Cavesa]

Speakeasy recommended Reading German: A Course Book and Reference Grammar on the German: improving reading skills thread.

Thanks, I'll have a look at those! But I am not sure they are what I need (I'd be most excited with an absolutely normal coursebook, just with a fun story), even though the book might be very interesting from a different angle. We'll see in July.
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On my Apple problem: I've just spent 40 minutes with the support. The guy from India was trying really hard, but it was difficult to even explain what is my problem as the EU seemed to be out of his geography imagination. He was even confusing it with the UK. It is not his fault, but it sucks. So no, the EU hasn't blocked geoblocking at all, it was all just PR. If you happen to need apps specific for 8 countries, you will have to make 8 Apple IDs. Each of them made while physically being in the country, and each of them with a physical billing address (it might be worth it to just use fake ones. It is all digital, there is no real connection to the house, nothing gets delivered there). You could have 8 iphones to use them all. Or you'll have to switch the IDs all the time, with apps being deactivated and reactivated. 8 might look like a totally unrealistic number. But I am now in need of 2 IDs and it's already really annoying. If I change country at the end of this year (if I fail my exam to get to the right specialty), it will already be a third one.

So, where that globalised world people are moaning about? It is still just a dream.
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Once or twice a year, I get the urge to find myself a writing tutor, or someone to help me get rid of my accent completely. As I have only French as a language to develop till June, I've been thinking of this again. But nope, it is simply not likely to happen.

-I am tired of the tutoring sites not having enough filters. I would like to pay them, so why don't they make it simple? It is annoying to have to go through tons of worthless "I am a teacher with tons of experience with everything, able to teach everything, every level, every age" profiles, which end up being teachers without experience with advanced learners and without experience with writing coaching.

-no in person opportunities. I tried Superprof and the only teachers in my region are still at least half an hour ride away, and don't look too convincing

So, the result is the same as always. I have other priorities, I will let my writing not develop (and pray I don't need to write anything more complex soon), and "enjoy" the questions about my supposedly native Romania (btw it confirms my theory, that the geography knowledge of the other person matters more than the exact sound of your accent)

[rdearman]

On my Apple problem: I've just spent 40 minutes with the support. The guy from India was trying really hard, but it was difficult to even explain what is my problem as the EU seemed to be out of his geography imagination. He was even confusing it with the UK. It is not his fault, but it sucks. So no, the EU hasn't blocked geoblocking at all, it was all just PR. If you happen to need apps specific for 8 countries, you will have to make 8 Apple IDs. Each of them made while physically being in the country, and each of them with a physical billing address (it might be worth it to just use fake ones. It is all digital, there is no real connection to the house, nothing gets delivered there). You could have 8 iphones to use them all. Or you'll have to switch the IDs all the time, with apps being deactivated and reactivated. 8 might look like a totally unrealistic number. But I am now in need of 2 IDs and it's already really annoying. If I change country at the end of this year (if I fail my exam to get to the right specialty), it will already be a third one.

Or you could buy an Android phone, and you wouldn't have had to pay for Anki either. Just saying.... BTW, If you like the old WIndows versions, try Linux Mint. Same look and feel, much better operating system.

[Cavesa]

Mint was exactly what I had planned. I need to postpone any changes now. I use my computer until it starts really falling apart. And I also don't have time to switch to something else now.

Apple is not just bad. The products do have many qualities. The ecosystem is just too restrictive, instead of being a motor of innovation and new possibilities for the users. (And the hype over the new products with few changes but higher prices is totally weird too). But I find the products mostly good.
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Every time I take the good decision to postpone languages (this time everything except for smaller French improvements till June), I suddenly feel such an urge to start a new language project It's horrible.
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Some of you may have noticed the new thread about age and languages. I think it is extremely positive that some articles are already placing the peak of learning ability in the teen age (17 in this case), instead of dumbly pretending neuroplasticity is all that matters and everyone but very young children is doomed. It means I am less far away from the peak than from the usually believed ones. It would be great to start fighting some of the age related language learning myths.

[Cavesa]

My French: I am continuing with Kwiziq. I guess my English could do with a review of some grammar too, but who cares. It isn't too important. But reviewing and completing gaps in a language I need is definitely worth it. It was possible to avoid writing s'asseoir for twenty years And a few other totally normal things are just as avoidable and that is deceivingly comfortable.

Just yesterday, I heard from a friend of mine, who is struggling to get to B2 for a job. He's recently taken an exam and got pure B1 everywhere. And he found, that it was basic vocabulary and grammar holding him back in every section. So, now he is trying to remediate that.

It happens to many people. So, if you are one of those, worried "I must be stupid, if I need to go through the grammar point several times and do tons of exercises, while others just smoothly continue", don't worry. You are doing it right. An hour invested now saves you several hours months or years later. When you are stuck and cannot progress, when you start forgetting something important, when you make a fool of yourself in the real life. Those are all the moments of "I should have probably learnt this properly" realisation. So, don't despair. This is a reaction to several logs I've seen, where people work admirably but are too unsure of themselves.
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I get to practice my German from time to time. You know, a country that speaks it is conveniently placed right between my family and my workplace

My survival German works (buying coffee, food, paying at a Tankstelle). But it is very limited to this. Too bad I can't dive into this language properly these days. I could even register in a library somewhere near my favourite autoroute!

I've recently been to a German cinema. I understood the advertisements! That was cool. But the lady selling refreshments was a bit difficult to understand. And imagine: the basic popcorn (what you get, unless you specify the flavour) is sweet! Germany is truly a barbaric country!!! But I loved Star Wars IX (in English). I didn't like VII and VIII much, but IX was great. So, I recommend it.

I am still waiting for Kaamelott, to arrive to the French cinemas. I guess my waiting is still far from the end.
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As my languages are being covered by rust and dust, I am wondering: is there such a thing as a False Intermediate? I might need such a term for my Spanish soon.

[Cavesa]

A few more days have passed. I felt like writing a post a few times, but it would have been a bit too depressive. Now, it is better.

I do not like my specialty, even though I really value the experience I am gaining. It has better work conditions than most, I would be well paid after residency, but I simply don't like it. I am extremely excited by everything at the edge of it, which goes together with other stuff, or belongs partially to a different field. I knew this would be a challenge, but the reality is in some ways even harder than my expectations. It's not a complaint like "my job is horrible", or "my specialty is trash", neither would be true. I am in many ways lucky. But I am just not a good fit.

So, I am redoing ECN (the Exam Causing Nightmares, taking place in June. Nope, there is no way to postpone or avoid this.). With lots of Ankiing. I have no hope, because I am stupid and my brain doesn't work much nowadays. Just when I was pulling myself together months after finishing my degree, the death in my family threw a pitchfork in the process. I have a good plan B, thanks to a wonderful professor, who showed me some alternatives, and it looks realistic. So, even failing the exam won't be the end of the world, but I'd still prefer to live my dream. Even if it means losing some of the advantages.

If anyone wants to practice their French listening skills and is interested in some of the problems we are facing (but which I am mostly protected from, as some specialties are being harmed more than others. I wouldn't want to be an emergency doctor.): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhHC7Je ... 4JDFxVr7xQ
It is a great youtube channel of a young doctor I admire. And this time, the main topic is very sad, another young doctor took her life last week. But majority of the channel is filled with his sense of humour, with which he comments the lives of young doctors, and it is a pleasure to listen to him.

I am doing a lot of non language related ankiing. I really love cloze deletion cards. I'm also fond of AnkiMaster now (a thing for pdf memorisation). And I basically do a lot of intensive reading of textbooks When I return fully to my languages, this all will be extremely valuable experience.

I am also doing a bit of Kwiziq. Like Bex (who's doing Spanish Kwiziq now and returning to the roots), I find it valuable to revise the basics actively sometimes. It is fairly obvious, that my French writing is worsening, as I am not really writing français at work, but a sort of doctorais. So, reviewing the grammar is good for me. My French is not miraculously improving thanks to everyday use at this point. It needs some care, so that I can crawl from my "good for most people" level to "good enough for me"
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In July, I will be starting a new language learning project. It might be a new language, as I already said in previous posts, but it will more likely be an improvement of one of the false beginner or false intermediate failures of mine.

https://www.reddit.com/r/languagelearni ... issed_one/
Here is a one of the jewels, that make this subreddit worth following. This is the person behind this wonderful blog: http://brianjx.altervista.org/

He is a wonderful source of inspiration. And the reason why, after my Anki experience for the medical exam, I might use it tackle a language (instead of just giving up at Anki a million times and just watching series, as usual) and win. Perhaps I'll take another C1 or C2 exam, just to prove myself I can still do it. His approach is very different from mine, or from other popular "success recipes" (such as AJATT), which is one of the things I love about his blog. He is open about the struggles, about the efforts and time invested, and even about some failures. But he's achieved so much! Perhaps an anki heavy approach inspired by him could work even for my German!
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I am cutting down on the non studying related internet use. This is a huge thing for me
This forum: once per two days, reading up to five threads, writing for no more than ten minutes.
Reddit: the same rules, just the limit of the threads I can visit is three
Facebook: twice a day, up to ten minutes (let's not forget this is my main contact channel with home and friends)
The rest has been mostly eliminated already, just these three have been too tempting as procrastination.

See you all on Sunday.

[Cavesa]

I was here on Saturday, I failed. Ok, time to retry.
I'm really struggling with studying. And I can even name the problem. As I know my chances are absolutely low, I get anxious as I am near the books and about to open them. My brain is fighting "give up, it is a waste of time anyways" and "you have no choice, so do it!"
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I guess most people on this forum know it. When we procrastinate, we plan new languages and research the resources, sometimes even start learning. So, I have wasted another day, feel bad about it, but at least I've limited my choices for this summer to Modern Greek, Modern Hebrew, or improving a rusty language.
"Yay me" /sarcasm
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There's an interesting tool I've just found. Other people on this forum found it a few years ago, it got some mixed reviews. I found it today and it seems like it has improved over the years in some ways, and could be useful. I'm talking about Speechling. Basically a ton of sentences you repeat and record, and you get pronunciation feedback. I have recorded a few sentences, and if I like the feedback, I'm considering a subscription. For that, I'd need to end my Kwiziq subscription first, of course.

One of my long term struggles is my French pronunciation. It makes no sense, I got high score in DALF C2 speaking part, people understand me without problems. But I know I make some mistakes, and I am anxious about it, and I sometimes speak like a moron because of this stupid feeling.

I still take it as a huge failure, that a teacher I paid before the DALF absolutely failed to correct those mistakes (and then somebody pointed out how funny I spoke, when I was on Erasmus) and falsely flattered me. He probably meant well, and he was also not too capable (a friend of mine tried him recently. Yes, I was able to profit from the lessons only thanks to my stubborness.). So, if Speechling can pinpoint my fossilised pronunciation mistakes, I am willing to pay. And use it for my other languages too.

Of course, it doesn't help with the content of speaking or longer speaking. But that is not the point. And there is still the issue of finding a source of feedback for longer texts. I am not in a hurry.

It is not a primary learning source, but it might be excellent at one thing that most resources overlook. A better version of what we often do, we compare ourselves to audio with our own ears. Native ears are better. And in this case, without any of the sauce tutors tend to spoil lessons with (slightly exaggerating here. But only slightly).

It might also be a good tool for my bf. He is having much easier time using digital resources than books or books+audio, he's never been a bookworm.

You can submit 10 recordings per month for free. I submitted a few French ones and a few Italian ones.

[DaveAgain]

Do you still take singing lessons? Isn't that better than speechling?

[Cavesa]

Do you still take singing lessons? Isn't that better than speechling?

I haven't had singing lessons for half a year. Moving abroad kind of disrupts such activities. In my small town, there is just one teacher I found and they didn't respond to my attempts to contact them (and let's slip aside that I am used to a very good teacher. Settling for someone not good is out of question, I'll prefer to practice alone for maintenance and wait for a better opportunity).

And while they were absolutely awesome for my Italian and German pronunciation, it is not the same thing in French (it's not just about adapting it to the technique, but there are also things that are completely opposite in singing than in speaking in this language)

My primary problem is psychological, the rather small mistakes simply make me nervous (especially the experience with the tutor was disheartening. His failure to be strict enough lead to a few awkward moments. So, I am now just waiting for everyone to hear tons of mistakes I am not aware of. So, I need to identify what to do better, so that I do not underperform due to that nervousness.