There are worse things I could do... (FR, RU, ES)

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MamaPata
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Re: There are worse things I could do... (FR, RU, ES)

Postby MamaPata » Wed May 17, 2017 5:32 pm

So, I have less than two days left in Russia. :shock: It's kind of a weird feeling, but this definitely feels like the right time and should hopefully allow me to find summer work (money is always appreciated!). I have taught my last lessons and have my own final lessons tomorrow. Gifts have been distributed, and I am writing this in order to avoid going back and repacking. (It will have to be done in an hour or so, but if I try now, I may scream).

I am still trying to sort the last odds and ends of bureaucracy, which is a pretty good way of making me glad to leave Russia and universities for a while! I have two forms I need signed off before I leave, and I am having the best of times sorting that. :evil: One form is a requirement for my home university and literally just states that I am leaving. The university here signed the arrival one back in autumn so I knew it could be done. But oh no. 7 different departments refused to sign it. Several people said it wasn't their responsibility, one said she would stamp it if someone else signed it, one said she would sign and stamp it if another woman confirmed that she could, that woman yelled at me and said it wasn't her issue (never mind that I wasn't asking her to sign it, just confirm that the previous woman could). Then they decided that they couldn't sign it because it was in English. Finally, the woman who said it wasn't her responsibility escorted me to the Vice Rector who signed it with no issues. :x I have no explanation for any of it, but I have it now.

The other form is to get some money back from the dorms. The Kommendant of the dorms has signed it, the Director of the dorms has signed it, the Vice-Rector has signed it, the Rector has signed it, the accounts have signed it. (The department of student affairs, who were next in line, refused to sign it, because I'm apparently not a real student). Now the accountants have decided that they can't take the next step, because they need proof I'm leaving the course. (Never mind that I could of course leave the dorms without leaving the course). Despite me warning them in advance, obviously nobody has organised that form. That form needs my signature, but despite asking me to come in today, the woman who has it wasn't in. She has not replied to any of my messages pointing out that tomorrow is my last day.

I have seen a few comments around about how logs are good place to share cultural experiences, rather than the nitty details of what people have been doing. Honestly, I could have done without these cultural experiences!
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neofight78
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Re: There are worse things I could do... (FR, RU, ES)

Postby neofight78 » Wed May 17, 2017 6:07 pm

Sounds pretty typical, Russians have absolutely no ability to plan, organise or apply common sense. And if you should dare to question anything or dare to suggest a change they'll defend the most insane system as if it's all perfectly logical and you are both bonkers and impertinent for suggesting otherwise. If you tell someone that you want your problem resolved they'll come back with "What, do you think you can change Russia!?". "Well, no actually I just want to resolve my problem..."

I shall cut short my rant there :oops: :lol: I love the language and there are plenty of good people here, but the culture is a real turn off.
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Re: There are worse things I could do... (FR, RU, ES)

Postby blaurebell » Thu May 18, 2017 8:59 am

Reminds me of good old soviet bureaucracy. My parents have told me many stories. I don't know whether it helps your situation, being a foreigner and all, but when you know exactly who has to sign what - not a very common state of affairs - bringing a box of chocolates or a bottle of something used to be the soviet way of getting it done quickly. Might not be appropriate anymore ;)
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Re: There are worse things I could do... (FR, RU, ES)

Postby Ogrim » Thu May 18, 2017 11:50 am

MamaPata wrote:I am still trying to sort the last odds and ends of bureaucracy, which is a pretty good way of making me glad to leave Russia and universities for a while! I have two forms I need signed off before I leave, and I am having the best of times sorting that. :evil:


I feel for you. It may not be much of a comfort, but it is not only in Russia that bureaucracy can be immensly frustrating. I have had several extremely time-consuming and frustrating encounters with Spanish bureaucracy over the years, but I will not go into detail about that here. Anyway good luck with your move.
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MamaPata
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Re: There are worse things I could do... (FR, RU, ES)

Postby MamaPata » Thu May 18, 2017 5:12 pm

Ogrim wrote:
MamaPata wrote:I am still trying to sort the last odds and ends of bureaucracy, which is a pretty good way of making me glad to leave Russia and universities for a while! I have two forms I need signed off before I leave, and I am having the best of times sorting that. :evil:


I feel for you. It may not be much of a comfort, but it is not only in Russia that bureaucracy can be immensly frustrating. I have had several extremely time-consuming and frustrating encounters with Spanish bureaucracy over the years, but I will not go into detail about that here. Anyway good luck with your move.


Yes, I have had similar problems in the Netherlands and the UK, though Russia does seem to have a particular take on it all! Sorry to hear it's been the same for you. Thank you!
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MamaPata
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Re: There are worse things I could do... (FR, RU, ES)

Postby MamaPata » Sat Jun 03, 2017 9:03 am

Well my year in Russia has finished! I had a wonderful time and I definitely feel that my language abilities have improved. My grammar is getting more automatic, my understanding is heaps better, and my vocabulary is definitely bigger. That said, there is still a long way to go, especially with regards to my exams next year. The area in which I have seen most progress is my listening comprehension, and sadly that's not something we will be examined on. I am also a little worried because I organised my own placement this year, rather than going for one of the university approved options. By and large, this was an excellent choice. I loved the opportunities it gave me and I don't regret it at all. However, I did end up on a beginner course and I haven't covered any grammar that I didn't already know. Whereas other students have been on courses designed for intermediate and advanced learners, so I am a little worried about how behind I may now be. I'm not particularly close with other students on my course, so I can't reallly tell.

Given that this is a changing point, I figured I should think about my language goals and plans in order to help narrow down my focus this summer. I am hoping to be working part time (please keep your fingers crossed I find a job! :? ) this summer and want to really use my spare time to make a noticeable difference with my languages. (Although I do also have other plans for exercise, running, friends, etc!) I'm sure this is horrifically tedious (and the conclusion is pretty much: yes, do the things you're meant to do) but it's useful for me to see it written out.

Russian

As mentioned (repeatedly! I'm sure it's very boring! :) ) next year is my final year at university. As such, I am going to be tailoring my Russian study to match what we will be examined on. This could be the wrong choice as it is quite formal rather than focusing on the language overall, but I think it is for the best. I really want to graduate with a first and Russian has previously been the area in which I have received lowest grades. Generally in terms of languages I tend to be able to communicate reasonably well but very colloquially and very inaccurately, which doesn't translate very well to an exam context! Therefore, on some level, it will probably be good for me to focus on the exams because it will force me to work on the things I tend to let slide (grammar, writing, etc).

We have three main exams: speaking, writing, and translation. Having looked at the syllabi and lecturers' comments, the main areas they ask you to work on in advance are grammar and vocabulary. Therefore, over the course of the summer, I am planning to focus quite heavily on textbook work, as I think this will really help to automate my grammar (which is an issue :oops: ). I had also got into a good rhythm with the Output Challenge and I was starting to see some progress, so I really want to try and write daily if at all possible. I have also found a meetup group for Russian/English exchange so I'm going to try that next week.

- Textbooks: Schaum's Grammar Outline, Penguin Russian (last chapters), I love Russian verbs... I will also have a look in my university library for more advanced textbooks.
- Output Challenge
- Weekly translations.
- Weekly italki lessons (assuming I get a job and can afford it!).
- Memrise. I am really trying to increase my vocabulary, so I use memrise for vocabulary learned in italki lessons and in class, as well as courses created by previous final year students at my university.
- Super Challenge. I am so far behind on this, and while it is not my priority necessarily, I know it will make a big difference to my Russian overall so I am hoping to catch up a bit. It is very unlikely that I will manage the whole challenge, but hopefully I can make it to half way.

French

I am thinking quite seriously about working or studying in France (or French Canada) when I graduate, so I am really trying to prioritise my French lately. I will take a French course at university next year which will give me a useful structure (and means that my French studying will actually count towards my degree rather than being hopeless procrastination). I will also probably take a DELF/DALF exam next summer to facilitate a transition to life in France. (If I can find one this autumn that isn't too expensive, I might use that as a trial run, but it will depend on funds etc). I am currently at around a B1 level, but as with Russian, not in ways that will translate well to exam conditions. It has been very interesting following PM's journey to his B2 exam and I appreciate his information about how it works.

For the time being, I simply need to keep plugging away at French. I have now finished the films part of the Super Challenge, but the majority of what I have watched has been dubbed. This has been very useful and I won't stop this, as it allows me to watch programmes I already wanted to watch. However, I definitely need to move on to native content. There are a lot more French programmes on English Netflix than there were in Russia, so I have quite a few options now. I also need to watch more intensively, as I think some more specific listening practice would be very helpful for me. I will also continue reading and intermittent italki lessons. Finally, I definitely need to include some more grammar and textbook work. I have a fairly good grounding in grammar from school, but it has slipped a lot and I don't remember it or use it very correctly. I suspect that some training would improve the accuracy of my speech to a huge extent.

Generally, in this area, I want to continue as I have been but also try to focus it down a bit more in order to make visible progress.

Spanish

I am very torn here. I chose to focus on Spanish for the 6 week challenge, and have pretty much done no Spanish, as I always felt that I should be focusing on the others. I've been talking to my parents about this, who suggested that I put Spanish aside until I can give it the attention that it deserves, rather than taking away from my Russian time. A large part of me thinks that this would be the best option: my life is pretty busy and I don't want to endanger my studies.

That said, I miss Spanish. When I was in 6th form, my Spanish was visibly better than my French and I loved it. I am fascinated by Spanish and Latin American history, culture, politics, and I just like Spanish itself. And I don't want to lose more than I have already. Spanish is a key addition to my CV and it will help me find jobs (both now and when I graduate) so a part of me thinks there is an important case for keeping it ticking over, even if I don't make a concerted effort to study. For the time being, I am going to try and watch some dubbed series and read a little, do some memrise, and see how it goes.

Okay, repetitive ramblings over!

TL;DR: I will be doing the language stuff.
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Re: There are worse things I could do... (FR, RU, ES)

Postby blaurebell » Sat Jun 03, 2017 11:26 am

Oh, you're entering the frantic last year! Well, it looks like you have your plans all lined up! One thing I would like to recommend to you is the course Modern Russian, which is basically FSI Russian. You can get the books used pretty cheaply and the audio online, and it's super thorough, so you develop automaticity in speaking correctly. I've only done 13 audio files of it so far, but I think it's excellent! It's of course old and not very up to date, but if you only use it for the grammar practice, I think you could get a lot out of it, especially for speaking correctly and producing correct grammar automatically. I will definitely go back to it after my first Russian SC (about 300 pages in now).

As for the Super Challenge: I think you should make this more of a priority actually! It made a huge huge difference for my French and if you combine grammar study with SC I'm sure you'd see tons of improvement in the precision of your production. All the input really works wonders in making the mistakes simply sound wrong and the grammar study will help you in correcting them on the fly or not even producing them in the first place. Another thought I had was that maybe Learning with Texts could help you for the translation exam. I find that I have pretty precise English translations of the words in my head for the core vocabulary just by typing in all the definitions in LWT. I'm sure this could save lots of thinking time during your translation exams. I assume they mainly assign Russian -> English translations?

In general, if you can get to a point where watching Russian TV is what you do to relax you can add tons and tons of input to your routine in those periods where you need to relax anyway. When I was still at uni I had a pretty frantic schedule, but I managed to do 7+7h of study+TV every day. I simply alternated 45min of TV with 45min of focussed study and this way I could get more stuff done by procrastinating a lot. Most people try to study for too long periods not allowing themselves enough rest. They study for 10h and still end up with only 2-4h effective study time, because they fry their brain (the effective part for my course mates was usually only 1h after getting up, 1h after having lunch, pretty dismal). I got more effective study time out of my day by breaking it up more and relaxing more. I could also keep focussed study periods like that up for longer than others simply because I had more time to relax by studying more effectively. And in the really mental exam periods I actually did 14h of study time, procrastinating with the easiest task while avoiding the hardest. (Don't do that for longer than 3 weeks though, you'll end up sick like a dog eventually if you stay at the limit of your learning capacity for too long.) I finished my masters degree with a distinction, so this studying more by procrastinating more method actually works really well! With your language degree you actually have a huge advantage with this method, because you can make your relaxation time TL TV and you get 14h of study out of your day while feeling that you're relaxing a lot or even too much. The only downside is that you'll end up having to study until 11pm each night and some people don't have the discipline. Still, try it out one day and see how you like it, it's really a neat trick!

Another thought about French listening comprehension: I found that listening to podcasts - Transfert - and France culture while commuting, cooking, eating or doing laundry was a huge boost to my listening comprehension and didn't add anything to my schedule. That's one way to add in some French into the dead moments while you can keep working on the reading part of the Russian SC in more focussed study periods, the film part in your relaxation time.

The last year of a bachelor degree is a crazy time, I've seen many people break under the strain. Make sure you relax enough, eat and sleep well and take care of yourself in general. The brain needs lots of energy, so don't cut corners on the wrong things like food or sleep! The better you take care of yourself, the more effectively you can study! In any case, good luck with everything! I'm sure you'll do just great!
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MamaPata
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Re: There are worse things I could do... (FR, RU, ES)

Postby MamaPata » Sat Jun 03, 2017 7:21 pm

blaurebell wrote:Oh, you're entering the frantic last year! Well, it looks like you have your plans all lined up! One thing I would like to recommend to you is the course Modern Russian, which is basically FSI Russian.


Thank you for the advice and the well wishes! You make some really interesting points.

Thanks for the suggestion of Modern Russian. I had a look online and I am not quite sure it will be for me. I have previously tried to use FSI for Spanish and it simply turned me off and I ended up not doing any Spanish. I think my problem with FSI is the same as it is with podcasts - even in English, I find myself tuning out. I know it is really effective for many people, but it's not my cup of tea. I have been studying Russian for about 5 years now so I have gone through several introductory textbooks, so I don't really want to start another. Schaum's grammar and the Khavronina Russian in Exercises should allow me to really automate my cases, etc, and then I want to move on to Intermediate/Advanced grammar or I'll end up seeking perfection and not actually progressing.

Yes, the Super Challenge will remain a priority. I have really enjoyed doing the French Super Challenge and I can see the difference it has made. Unfortunately, given my other priorities, at this point, the amount of time I would have to put into finishing the Russian one would mean I would really lose out on other things, so I would rather aim slightly lower and have it remain more manageable. But I completely agree with you, it's a really important tool and I will definitely be continuing with it!

I definitely agree with you about the procrastinating and taking breaks! This is how I tend to study (I am a massive fan of the Pomodoro technique and I have never needed to do an allnighter or anything similar). I am still looking for Russian TV series that I like as I have similar feelings about Russian TV as you do about Spanish! As a result, most of what I have watched for the Super Challenge has been films. I'm on the lookout though!

Thanks!
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neofight78
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Re: There are worse things I could do... (FR, RU, ES)

Postby neofight78 » Sat Jun 03, 2017 9:56 pm

MamaPata wrote:Well my year in Russia has finished! I had a wonderful time and I definitely feel that my language abilities have improved.


Sounds like the ideal year abroad! In a few years from now you won't care about what result you got for your degree, but you will still be glad of the awesome time you had in Russia. :D 8-)

MamaPata wrote:Whereas other students have been on courses designed for intermediate and advanced learners, so I am a little worried about how behind I may now be. I'm not particularly close with other students on my course, so I can't reallly tell.


Perhaps it's worth going to see your tutor and having a chat about where you are expected to be at this stage. Identify the gaps and then close them.

MamaPata wrote:This could be the wrong choice as it is quite formal rather than focusing on the language overall, but I think it is for the best... Therefore, on some level, it will probably be good for me to focus on the exams because it will force me to work on the things I tend to let slide (grammar, writing, etc).


Absolutely. A lot of people sit language exams for this purpose, it forces you to fill in the gaps and work on the stuff you normally avoid. View it as an opportunity, even if it's not quite as fun as your normal learning routine. It's only temporary.

MamaPata wrote:Schaum's Grammar Outline


Good choice!

Best of luck with your final year, work hard but don't stress yourself out. We'll all be rooting for you! :)
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Re: There are worse things I could do... (FR, RU, ES)

Postby Systematiker » Tue Jun 06, 2017 12:05 am

Indeed! We're all on your side for doing well in this last year!
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