Fortheo wrote:FSI seems to be the beast that keeps popping its head up! I remember last year there was a time when you, Peter, and I were all using FSI, and then I think we all kind of just drifted away from it.
Now that the warm weather has returned, I've been able to get back to walking again, which means I have more time for audio courses, so I picked up FSI where I left off (unit 13). Maybe we'll both finish it this year! Which unit are you on?
Weeeellll I have explained my inability to move on with FSI without perfection and about 10 repetitions or more. I am going back through the hardest tapes this week upto and including the review lesson 6. Next week I'll review and write out lesson 7 (again ) and then hopefully move on from there. If I ever finish this, I will be the master of snobby diplomat speech.
Fortheo wrote:Anyways, I can relate to the feeling of being less than enamored by French these days and the feeling of having sacrificed other areas of my life in order to progress in French; it's kind of bitersweet in a way when I look at the progress I've made in French, but then notice my stack of unread English books. Recently I've cut my 3-4 hours a day of French down to 2 hours--but I I think you can still progress even with one hour a day, especially if it's focused study on your weaknesses.
Yes I am not too worried about stalling or regressing with only 1 hour of FSI. I will probably also read a few books for fun and watch a little TV when it suits me. Just not a novel a week +15h/tv. I also speak in French with my kids for several hours a day so it is still on the brain.
Fortheo wrote:How is Russian going? Are you still using the same course? I'm loving Russian, but I still can't find more than 30-45 minutes a day for it. Progress is sloooow.
Really good! I mean, slow of course, but I am having fun. My goal has always been A1 by the end of the year so I think I'm on my way to being a proper beginner I am still using Le russe à votre rythme. Still very much love it. I am certain I would have quit already and never learned how to pronounce this language without it. It is really fabulous. I am not sure if Russian is easier to hear than French or if this course is really just awesome but I already feel like I could take a stab at transcribing Russian TV. Of course, I don't know any of the words and wouldn't get the grammar right. But I can hear most of it and that feels really fun after how long it took me to feel comfortable listening in French.
---
Day 2 of new schedule! I realized today that I had made my plan with the idea that "1 hour FSI" would mean doing 2 tapes, or 1 tape two times. Dawned on me today that many tapes are 20 minutes.. that means 3 tapes a day. That is a ton of FSI. Don't ask me why two 30 minute tapes seems fine while three 20 minute tapes makes me want to cry.
Between the Russian and the FSI, my tongue hurts My "favorite" exercise from Le russe à votre rythme so far is in lesson 4:
ири-три-ри
ире-тре-ре
иря-тря-ря
ирё-трё-рё
ирю-трю-рю
My poor tongue doesn't have the strength for that I'm practicing it several times every day now to build up muscles.