Resolution: re-establish my skills in French

[MrsStarez]

Wow, it's been a long time since I last posted on here, an unfortunate reflection of how little language-learning activity there has been around here.

I've not listened to any French podcasts for quite some time... I've been commuting less, and when I have been doing so, I've been catching up on other programmes in the car. I had been using some free time to listen to French radio whilst taking a walk, but in my now heavily-pregnant condition, getting out for a walk has been a bit more of a challenge. On the plus side, I've been maintaining an e-mail conversation in French with a good friend, and I've found I'm having to look up much less these days, although that probably has resulted in more errors. At work, I've made a point of conversing with native speakers in French, and as part of the delivery of a project, I've been taking dictées and translating them from videos. This has been a bit of a challenge, as the speakers use slang, mumble, there's background noise, etc - definitely not nice and clear like on the weekly Kwiziq homework tasks.

I'm about to start my maternity leave and although I've got a long list of things to do (exciting stuff like packing a hospital bag and cleaning the ovens/fridge!) I intend to make use of some "free" time before the baby comes along in a couple of weeks. I feel like I've earned the right to sit on the sofa watching TV, so my plan is to watch some French programmes. I'm also going to dig out a few French novels to read during the night feeds, but I maintain the right to claim it's too difficult if I find my brain can't cope at 3am!

[MrsStarez]

“Dig out a few French novels to read during the night feeds”. Who was I kidding? That’s most definitely not happening.

Our second son was born at the end of June, and following something of a major hospital emergency at eight days old, all is good now.

I’m enjoying my maternity leave, even if some of the days aren’t as productive as I’d ordinarily like. I have to remember that keeping a small person alive for the day is an achievement in itself and not be too hard on myself.

I’ve been keeping up with the daily challenges on Kwiziq; the weekly exercises have taken a bit longer to complete, especially the dictées. It’s just a case of finding the time. My scores have shown some slippage in the last five weeks, but I’m sure this is related to surviving on an average of four-and-a-bit hours’ sleep per night at best. I’m trying to keep nighttime feeds quiet, unlike the daytime feeds, so the youngster starts to understand there’s a difference between day and night. So for feeding-time entertainment I’ve been watching TV with the subtitles on. I’d started on Engrenages, but that requires more concentration than I can muster right now. I stumbled upon Workin’ Moms on Netflix, and have changed the speech and subtitles to French. It’s pretty light in terms of brainpower, but it’s something that’s suiting me now, and I’m picking up lots of baby-related vocab.

So, not the progress I’d hoped to have made over the last few weeks, but it seems like I’m finding something to suit me for the time being.

[Cèid Donn]

I have to remember that keeping a small person alive for the day is an achievement in itself and not be too hard on myself.

Our society loves to persist in this myth that being a mother is effortless and magical, when in fact it's real, exhausting work, even when it's enjoyable and welcomed. Give yourself all the credit you deserve. And congratulations on the new baby. Glad that both of you are doing well.

[MamaPata]

Congratulations! Wishing you all the best

[Adrianslont]

I have nothing to add except - Congratulations!

[MrsStarez]

Time really is flying by - I can't believe it was four months ago that I last posted an update.

I've been settling into more of a routine now, but making time for myself isn't all that easy, especially now I have job-hunting unexpectedly thrown on to my to do list.  I'm watching less TV, but that means less exposure to some of the French series I'd found on Netflix.  I'm trying to get out more with the little one in the pushchair. so when he's asleep I'm listening to French podcasts again, although this is generally once I've caught up with everything in English I want to listen to.
Job-hunting has meant committing my language ability to paper, and I've settled on "advanced - B2", and will be spending more time on French to ensure that there are no tricky moments if I'm suddenly tested out in an interview.  (That happened to me at an interview for a university place, but I managed to get through).

Other than the above, keeping a long-standing French e-mail conversation going and my regular Kwiziq exercises, I've taken a couple more steps.  I've discovered a French conversation group in a local café, which I'm really enjoying, and I've also registered to volunteer in schools where they have pupils whose English is very limited.  At the moment there's no call for French, but the administrator seems keen to have me on their system.

[Neurotip]

and will be spending more time on French to ensure that there are no tricky moments if I'm suddenly tested out in an interview.

"Excusez-moi, c'est un peu difficile de comprendre ce que vous dites à cause de votre accent." That should cover it.

[MrsStarez]

Let’s hope for a québécois interviewer

[MrsStarez]

It’s been over two years since I first posted on here, and lots of French studying has been happening since. I feel like I’m much closer to achieving my goal of getting back to where I was with French when I graduated. My biggest challenge was confidence - especially with speaking - but I’m much happier to just give it a go and accept that mistakes may creep in, rather than striving for perfection. I’m happy to write in French, watch TV programmes, read French books and media articles, but listening is still something to work on.

I guess like many people, I’m feeling frustrated that I’ve not had the opportunity to travel abroad to put it into practice; it was a road trip to France and Switzerland which was partly responsible for me getting stuck in again. I’d had high hopes of doing something similar this summer, which never happened, for obvious reasons, and it feels like there’s no point in planning anything just yet, to save cancelling later (a pessimist is never disappointed).

I think I’m at the stage now where I’m feeling that I’m making tiny incremental gains in my French usage and that I need a new challenge. I got it into my head the other day that I want to have a go at Russian, but I’m just about to start back at work again after a slightly-extended maternity leave, and as well as that, I’ve got other hobbies that I want to focus on, as well as trying to commit to a regular fitness programme to keep me on the move around being stuck to a desk for eight hours a day. I’ll have to see how I get on when I’m not full-time mummying!

[munyag]

It’s been over two years since I first posted on here, and lots of French studying has been happening since. I feel like I’m much closer to achieving my goal of getting back to where I was with French when I graduated. My biggest challenge was confidence - especially with speaking - but I’m much happier to just give it a go and accept that mistakes may creep in, rather than striving for perfection. I’m happy to write in French, watch TV programmes, read French books and media articles, but listening is still something to work on.

I guess like many people, I’m feeling frustrated that I’ve not had the opportunity to travel abroad to put it into practice; it was a road trip to France and Switzerland which was partly responsible for me getting stuck in again. I’d had high hopes of doing something similar this summer, which never happened, for obvious reasons, and it feels like there’s no point in planning anything just yet, to save cancelling later (a pessimist is never disappointed).

I think I’m at the stage now where I’m feeling that I’m making tiny incremental gains in my French usage and that I need a new challenge. I got it into my head the other day that I want to have a go at Russian, but I’m just about to start back at work again after a slightly-extended maternity leave, and as well as that, I’ve got other hobbies that I want to focus on, as well as trying to commit to a regular fitness programme to keep me on the move around being stuck to a desk for eight hours a day. I’ll have to see how I get on when I’m not full-time mummying!

Hi MrsStarez
How is your French now?Do you intend to teach your children French?