SC 2020-21 Log (AR/BCS/EL/FR/IT/RU)

[JohannaNYC]

Since it looks like we might not have a bot anytime soon (if at all) and since I signed up for so many languages I decided it's best to start a log so I don't overwhelm the thread with the progress reports.

These are the languages and families I originally signed up for:

Challenge: Half
Current level: A2
Comments: I have a number of bilingual books with audio which I plan on reading several times during the challenge. My goal is to be able to read them without audio and without looking at the English translation by the end of the challenge. Luckily, Netflix has added a number of Egyptian series and movies with subtitles, so that should be really helpful too.

Language: Modern Greek
Challenge: Half
Current level: A2
Comments: Don't have much in terms of reading materials or films/series with subtitles so I'll probably end up reading and rewatching a lot of the same things until I can handle more advanced materials.

Language: Slavic Family
Challenge: Full
Current level: Russian A1, Croatian B1
Comments: Needles to say most of the reading will be in Croatian. I'm fluent in "soap opera Croatian", but it's definitely time to take it to the next level. I do have some beginner books with audio in Russian which I plan to use for the challenge.

Language: Romance Family
Challenge: Double
Current level: French B1, Italian B2/C1, Spanish L1/C1
Comments: Since French is my weakest out of the three languages that's probably where I'll spend most of my time. Spanish is my L1, but I wasn't educated in it so I'm definitely lacking in active vocabulary, at best I'm a C1 level. However, my attempts at talking about the evolution of the Coronavirus make me doubt if it's even that high

[JohannaNYC]

May 1st 2020 - August 16th 2020

[JohannaNYC]

May 1st - August 16th

CROATIAN
Watched
- Na Granici eps. 23 - 26 (124 mins)
- Pet ep 1 (57 mins)
- Dolina Sunca eps. 1 - 21 (840 mins)
- Klara i Lea Podcast - Novac vs. Bonton (44 mins)
- Reebok Croatia Podcast, eps. 1- 2 (62 mins)
Total = 1,127 mins (12.52 films)

I was watching a series called "Na Granici" when the challenge started, but it wasn't holding my attention. The best way to describe it is as a dramedy. Unfortunately, it wasn't that funny or that dramatic and I had already seen two seasons (350 episodes!!) of "Kud Puklo da Puklo" which was also a dramedy and actually shares four of the same actors, so I was ready for a change.

Tried the Serbian series "Pet", but it was too complicated and there were too many scenes in bars and clubs where it was hard to hear over the music. So I've settled on "Dolina Sunca" for now, which is more telenovela style. However, it's too slow moving and predictable, so we'll see how long I stick with it.

Croatian podcasts are so hard to find, but I was happy to realize how much I understand just listening without being able to see body language or knowing the plot, just good ol' listening. If anyone knows of any Croatian podcasts that are not news related, please let me know.

Read
- Alan Ford 29: Cirkus (24 pages)
- Assimil Le Croate (45 pages)
- Junsk (4 pages)
- Retrogradni Merkur (4 pages)
- Što joga čini vašem tijelu i mozgu (6 pages)
- Mišići (4 pages)
- Moje ime je Monika - 1. dio (36 pages)
- Dižete Utege (4 pages)
- Zašto sjedite je loše za vas (8 pages)
- Mračna i iskrivljena prošlost na pokretnoj traci (4 pages)
Total = 139 pages (2.78 books)

I recently discovered the Ted Talks transcripts in different languages and I'm really enjoying reading about things I'm interested in like yoga, fitness and the body in general, but in Croatian. They're about 1.5 - 2 pages each, but I'm re-reading each several times so I can really absorb the vocabulary as these are topics I normally talk about in English.

So yeah, it looks like I'm really behind in both the reading and the watching yikes!

[Radioclare]

I was watching a series called "Na Granici" when the challenge started, but it wasn't holding my attention. The best way to describe it is as a dramedy. Unfortunately, it wasn't that funny or that dramatic and I had already seen two seasons (350 episodes!!) of "Kud Puklo da Puklo" which was also a dramedy and actually shares four of the same actors, so I was ready for a change.

I watched Na Granici and I felt exactly the same! I eventually made it through the entire series but it took a long time because I always struggled for motivation to watch another episode. There are some genuinely funny moments in there and a few dramatic ones too, but unfortunately they are spaced out between a lot of moments which just aren't funny at all. Any scenes which featured Ante or Mijo in particular just made me cringe rather than laugh. I loved the soundtrack and the shots of the Croatian countryside, but I felt like the storyline could have been condensed into significantly fewer episodes.

Sounds like it's best if I don't watch Kud puklo da puklo I'm watching Drugo ime ljubavi at the moment and that's a lot better. The plot is still slow, but it's more of a traditional romantic telenovela and it's not trying to be funny.

Croatian podcasts are so hard to find, but I was happy to realize how much I understand just listening without being able to see body language or knowing the plot, just good ol' listening. If anyone knows of any Croatian podcasts that are not news related, please let me know.

Where have you managed to find the ones you've listened to? I spent ages trying to find Croatian podcasts last year and came to the conclusion that podcasts just mustn't be a thing over there because I was completely unsuccessful!

[JohannaNYC]

me cringe rather than laugh. I loved the soundtrack and the shots of the Croatian countryside, but I felt like the storyline could have been condensed into significantly fewer episodes.

Sounds like it's best if I don't watch Kud puklo da puklo I'm watching Drugo ime ljubavi at the moment and that's a lot better. The plot is still slow, but it's more of a traditional romantic telenovela and it's not trying to be funny.

The first season of Kud puklo da puklo was pretty decent despite being a dramedy. The people in that village are just completely out of their minds and it was pretty funny, especially the first half.

Where are you watching Drugo ime ljubavi? I saw the first episode, but then they started taking down the episodes.

Where have you managed to find the ones you've listened to? I spent ages trying to find Croatian podcasts last year and came to the conclusion that podcasts just mustn't be a thing over there because I was completely unsuccessful!

I use Player FM. So far I've only been able to find "Radio putovanja" which hasn't had new episodes in three years, the second season of "Klara i Lea podcast" from two years ago and five episodes of the "Reebok Croatia Podcast" also from two years ago. They have some news related ones for Serbian and I used to listen to SBS Croatian, but they stopped in March. So yeah you could say that podcasts aren't a thing over there

[Radioclare]

Where are you watching Drugo ime ljubavi? I saw the first episode, but then they started taking down the episodes.

I've got a subscription to Nova Plus. I think I've paid 319 kuna for the year and then I can watch any of the Nova TV telenovelas on demand. It's slightly frustrating because there are other things on there which you can't watch without having a Croatian IP address, but so far I haven't run out of things to watch