Sgt Schultz knows nothing!

[Sgt Schultz]

Looks like it's been another long gap between updates. But I do have a good reason.

My current company has gotten 2017 off to a rough start and they had a major layoff. They let go somewhere around 10-20% of the workforce. I wasn't let go but I don't have a warm fuzzy after management told us, "Don't worry, everything is fine." I've heard that one too many times in my career.

Long story short, I've been job hunting and looking to move to another city. Thankfully, it seems the job hunt might be coming to an end. I'm traveling to Tampa this weekend for the final meet and greet with a company there. Hopefully, it all goes well. I'll be happy to move to a city with cleaner air and less pollution/allergies. It should clear up some of the many issues I've had during the years living in the Ohio Valley. Plus, not seeing snow and cold weather again would be great.

It's interesting to see how deeply I've gotten into my comfort zone here over the last 14 years. At first, the mere thought of actually packing up and moving nearly gave me a panic attack. I suppose it still does a little. Even though I know it's for the best and something I've wanted to do for many years. Change is good, so they say, and I will keep telling myself that.

Spanish

I'm still using Spanish daily with my girlfriend and several other Latin friends. It's become part of me now, rather than something to be studied. I'm hanging around B2 and can understand most things. Every now and then I'll see a meme or facebook post that doesn't make sense to me but other than that, I'm pleased with where I am.

Lately, I've been reading again in Spanish. Mostly short stories to keep my level up where I want it.

Wanderlust and other various things

In my free time, I've still been dabbling in Italian, German and Latin. I do realize that soon I need to make a plan, set some goals and see it through. Jumping around isn't going to get me anywhere fast.

None of these languages are particularly useful to me right now. I will say that being an Engineer, German could be a very useful "Plan B" should the worst happen. I hear that Berlin (as well as Barcelona) is a good place for engineers. As for now, I'll keep dabbling and eventually make a decision. I don't feel like I'm in any rush.

As for Italian, my interest is starting to fade. Many of the constructions, phrases, and grammar are so close to Spanish that it's easy to get the two confused. And I often do.

On the plus side, Latin grammar has given me more confidence in understanding how German works. Some of the mystery has been taken away after reading about basic Latin grammar.

[Sgt Schultz]

Time to update the log after several months. It's been an eventful few months.

What's been going on?

-The job in Tampa that I mentioned previously was offered to me. However, when I went to visit them in person, it was clear that they were not a great choice. Half of the people I was scheduled to speak with after flying down there for the day were too busy to meet with me, including the HR representative who was supposed to give me an overview of benefits. That left a bad taste in my mouth.

There was also confusion about which job I had been interviewing for when I first arrived, which was another red flag for me. The level of disorganization was unbelievable.

The final straw was when I received the job offer a few days after returning home. The salary was much lower than I had asked for and told was no problem. I believe they were hoping to partially pay me with sunshine So, long story short, I declined and continue looking for a better job.

-In July, Clara and I boarded a cruise bound for Key West and a 48 hour stop in Cuba! Cuba is a place that I had wanted to visit for many years and it didn't disappoint. As you can imagine, very little English was spoken there. I'm happy to report that I had no problems communicating with the locals. Everyone from taxi drivers, to waiters in the various restaurants, to the shops we visited, presented no problems. Not only was I thrilled that they could understand me but that I could understand them. It was a nice confirmation that my Spanish was at a very comfortable level.

Anyone interested in a video compilation of the trip can see it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Hg2HIq3p6M

What's next?

-In November, I'm planning another trip to Ecuador to visit Clara's family. That should provide more opportunities to surround myself with Spanish and a different culture for a week.

-I've been toying with French, Italian and German for months and I still haven't made a decision on which one will be my 3rd language. I like them all, it's so hard to pick! Please, someone, offer some good opinions haha

-Continue using Spanish on a daily basis and find more interesting tv shows and movies to watch.

Until next time.

[Sgt Schultz]

Two updates, two days in a row! Not bad after slacking for months

Future stuff
Clara and I have decided on our 2018 trip. We are planning on visiting Barcelona, Madrid, and Paris over a span of 12 days, 4 days in each city, in the spring. We're thinking April or May. I'm especially excited about visiting Spain, seeing the sights, visiting the Camp Nou, trying Tapas, etc. I've been to Paris before but this will be Clara's first-time in the city.

Since our French knowledge is minimal, we think it's a good idea to learn at least a survival level to help us get by. I'm thinking A2ish would be a good level for traveling. The last time I was in the city, I managed a little spoken French. But since I was with a tour group, I didn't need much. My speaking wasn't anything elaborate but I think it helped to greet people and ask a question or 2 in French and not automatically assume they could or would be willing to speak English.

[Sgt Schultz]

Last night I started judging where I should re-start my French learning in preparation of next springs trip. Having done MT Foundation a couple times in the past, I found it was too easy to do again. I scanned through each disc and could understand it without any issue.

Next, I did the same with Pimsuler I. I think around lesson 7 was where I started to run into new words and phrases, so I started there this morning.

Right now I'm thinking that I will do Pimsuler I and II, then go back and do MT Advanced.

I'd like to start reading something simple too, preferably with audio. One option would be Assimil NFWE, which I have. Another would be LingQ. I'm not sure which way I'll go yet but I'll decide soon.

[DaveBee]

I'd like to start reading something simple too, preferably with audio. One option would be Assimil NFWE, which I have. Another would be LingQ. I'm not sure which way I'll go yet but I'll decide soon.

Audio-smaudio, where's your sense of tradition? Your first french book should always be Le Petit Nicolas!

[Sgt Schultz]

Audio-smaudio, where's your sense of tradition? Your first french book should always be Le Petit Nicolas!

haha Who am I to argue with tradition? Maybe I'll give it a go

[Fortheo]

I'd like to start reading something simple too, preferably with audio. One option would be Assimil NFWE, which I have. Another would be LingQ. I'm not sure which way I'll go yet but I'll decide soon.

Audio-smaudio, where's your sense of tradition? Your first french book should always be Le Petit Nicolas!

There are audio books for Le Petit Nicolas

[Sgt Schultz]

I'd like to start reading something simple too, preferably with audio. One option would be Assimil NFWE, which I have. Another would be LingQ. I'm not sure which way I'll go yet but I'll decide soon.

Audio-smaudio, where's your sense of tradition? Your first french book should always be Le Petit Nicolas!

There are audio books for Le Petit Nicolas

That's a really good idea, I'll see if I can find that.

[Sgt Schultz]

I did a few lessons of Pimsuler yesterday and repeated lesson 10 this morning. It's covering a few numbers and telling/asking the time as well as the verbs aller and avoir. All in all, it wasn't too bad. A couple of the numbers really seem to disappear in the time phrases. For example, à neuf heures. It took me a few listens to get used to it. Another, à quatre heures, is difficult for me to pronounce.

While I work today I'm listening to RFI radio in the background. I'm not expecting to understand anything other than a word here or there. But I'm more interested in getting an ear for the sounds and rhythm of the language. I'm actually catching more words than I thought I would, much to my surprise. Instead of just a stream of sounds, I'm hearing individual words too, which I think is a good thing.

I have quite a few French movies that I may start watching for the same reason.

Next up, lesson 11 of Pimsuler and possibly some reading/listening. I noticed that LingQ has Assimil NFWE. I assume a user created it but that's tempting to start doing. I much prefer that format to the tiny book and CDs I have.

More updates later.

[tastyonions]

One thing to remember with French is that for pronunciation purposes, you can think of words beginning with vowels (or silent H) as taking the closest consonant to the left as the "beginning" of the syllable. So:

à neuf heures -> "a neu veur"
à quatre heures -> "a ka treur"
la semaine écoulée -> "la se mê né cou lé"
toute œuvre dramatique -> "tou tœuvre dra ma tic"

This is one reason (along with lack of lexical stress and liaison) for the impression that it all "runs together" and it can help to be aware of it when "decoding" speech.