Re: PM’s French Re-entry into the Matrix - Phase 1: 500 Hours Extensive Reading

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James29
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Re: PM's French Target: C1 2018

Postby James29 » Tue Dec 19, 2017 9:42 pm

Peter, you motivate me! I don't often read your log anymore (I've been very busy lately and French is on the back burner for me) but every now and then I'll check in and see what you are up to. You are always there slugging away at that French. Keep it up. Persistence.
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Re: PM's French Target: C1 2018

Postby PeterMollenburg » Tue Dec 19, 2017 10:23 pm

rdearman wrote:Personally I think you should just packup and move. You appear to have all the qualifications you need. You might have to go alaone first and family follow, but moving overseas means that kinda stress. BTW the uk is crying out for care nurses, you could register here and " move back" to holland with your Dutch passport.


This is something I have heard a number of times. It’s not a bad thing, repetition, especially with language learning and when it comes to a message that is not getting through. Perhaps I am mentally blocking myself here, perhaps I am not, I really don’t know, but I’ll elaborate a little anyway.

My wife isn’t ready to move overseas just yet and doesn’t want to take the plunge with 2 young children and no money, but debts, as that’s what we’d be facing if I left right now - credit card debt, other debts, no recognition of my qualifications = no nursing job and so on. Perhaps you are not saying to leave right this minute, but the timing is off. It’s not through bad financial planning necessarily, as living off one wage for a year with 2 young children while trying to eat healthy and then going to New Caledonia when we probably shouldn’t (financially) have can have such effects. I don’t regret the trip, nor does my wife. We attempted a move to NL in 2011, there are things to take away from that and things we don’t want to repeat. I agree I may need to leave for wherever before the rest of the family follow, but right this minute would not be great timing. I have said that before though, and perhaps there’ll seemingly never be a right time.

Still, for now the plan is - erase debt, save, study French like I’ve never studied it before in 2018. 2018 will put all previous years to shame. My/our plans are edging tantalisingly closer to fruition, and I’m determined to push hard to reach that C1/C2 objective so Dutch can come and play.

While we are not moving forward financially our house is growing in value and we may use that to attempt to create more wealth for us in the future. So a house move may occur in the coming year or so. Leaving Australia with some strong financial foundations will allow us over years to come to potentially travel back and forth to Europe much easier. Perhaps I over plan things, perhaps my wife does, perhaps I’m fearful, perhaps I should’ve left 10 years ago, perhaps we should’ve stayed in Holland. I say all this with a philosphical air, not negative, but all in all in due course we will up and move and that ‘due course’ appears to be, as mentioned becoming tantalisingly closer. And my plans do change, I reserve that right :)

I appreciate your words rdearman, and there could be something I”m not hearing, so I’ll put my ESP feelers out there and remain open to me changing my mind. But one thing is certain I am thoroughly determined to smash 2018 to bits with a massive crusty French baguette (gluten free, sugar free, keto, baguette free, but not French free!)
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Re: PM's French Target: C1 2018

Postby PeterMollenburg » Tue Dec 19, 2017 10:31 pm

James29 wrote:Peter, you motivate me! I don't often read your log anymore (I've been very busy lately and French is on the back burner for me) but every now and then I'll check in and see what you are up to. You are always there slugging away at that French. Keep it up. Persistence.


Thank you James :) Watch this space in 2018 (could I sound any more rediculous?). I hope 2018 is the most productive year for EVERYONE on this forum, including yourself and myself James. No I’m not James, I mean myself and James. Let’s make it happen! No no no! Not the stupid upbeat motivating music, noooo! okay okay, just as a joke... but only in some stupidly stupid over stupid Dutch comedy set in... let’s say Groningen, just to be different... waffle waffle... mmmm waffles, Belgium, Flemish and what? French! Yes you better watch yourself French in 2018 I’m on a mission!
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Re: PM's French Target: C1 2018

Postby rdearman » Tue Dec 19, 2017 11:17 pm

PeterMollenburg wrote:I appreciate your words rdearman, and there could be something I”m not hearing, so I’ll put my ESP feelers out there and remain open to me changing my mind.

No, I think you got my meaning. My concern was that frequently people "wait for a better time" to do something when in fact there isn't one.

When is the best time to plant a tree? 20 years ago. When is the next best time? Now.
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Re: PM's French Target: C1 2018

Postby PeterMollenburg » Wed Dec 27, 2017 11:46 am

Further musings...

I doubt that I have above average intelligence. And I don't mind that. Then again, the number of books I've read is not necessarily indicative of one's intelligence... or is it? I don't think it would be a bad thing to know I was a bit stupid. It would just be factual, even humbling. As for my behaviour, yes I am stupid... often.

:) As for my plans... I'm thinking, probably like I thought last year (when I analyse my thoughts and realise the repetitive cycles that play over and over and over, I may as well be listening to a broken record of a limited number of tracks playing over and over - is this really what the human mind is like? I mean c'mon, yes it is! We, the vast majority of us are exactly like this - we respond to urges/needs much like maslow's hierarchy of needs, all the while broken records play.... unless we step back - what's the first step they say? recognition/ownership/acknowledgement? Pfft... and the record plays on... ), that I might aim to go course and Yabla crazy through the early parts of 2018 and then go native crazy with the new Super Challenge. I don't know, whatever. I'm changing my mind every 20 seconds or so as I change my mood and move to the next repetitive song.

I sometimes doubt my French abilities. I think, am I really approaching C1? Or is it utter BS and I'm many years off. What could hold me back here is my massive lack of literature knowledge, my reluctance to devour books.... bla bla bla I don't know, but all in all I will sit that C1 exam come November.

Rough plan (to change in 20 seconds):
Work on French in Action, Yabla and Assimil through the initial months of 2018. My Yabla subscription finishes end of March, then I could focus on the 2 courses plus something else, or another course, or... blah... I truly am rediculous, and I don't mean to say this in an attempt for sympathy, I'm honestly just analyzing myself here. You're probably as ridiculous as me!
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Re: PM's French Target: C1 2018

Postby rdearman » Wed Dec 27, 2017 12:28 pm

PeterMollenburg wrote:I'm honestly just analyzing myself here. You're probably as ridiculous as me!

I'm probably more actually! Still I know what you mean about constantly going in circles. I know you do listen to peoples advice here, you just don't always take it. (Quite rightly). But I'd like to chip in again.

You aren't ready to move, financially. However, my recommendation is that you pick a date. Something which would be hard to achieve but possible. Let's just say you decide you're going to move after school breaks up in 2019, and let me assume that would be in July in Australia. This deadline forces you to do things which you might be procrastinating with at the moment. For example, you might not be putting as much money toward credit card debit as you really could if pushed. (These are only examples, since I don't know your situation). But I feel that having a concrete deadline means you have to re-evaluate the plan based on the new deadline.

I collect self-help and management books like you collect French courses and one thing I know is this:
A goal without a deadline is just a wish.


So you and your wife agree the deadline, you might even make a real commitment like buying airline tickets. But really nothing clarifies a plan like a deadline. If we return to my example; you might evaluate your plan against the July 2019 date and decide to change the date.

It might be that having selected the date of 14th of July 2019 ( ;) ) you think you could do it quicker and set your sights on January. This change in date with bump up other problems like changing schools mid-year. Or you might evaluate the 14th of July 2019 and work out you'd need another 3 months to get your debt paid, etc.

What I'm saying to you is you need to evaluate your goal and set a deadline for its accomplishment. Once you have the date set you can work backwards to determine if it is possible, check dependencies, etc.
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Re: PM's French Target: C1 2018

Postby Ani » Wed Dec 27, 2017 5:20 pm

rdearman wrote:. Let's just say you decide you're going to move after school breaks up in 2019, and let me assume that would be in July in Australia..


Jan - Dec school year typically in Australia I believe. Still I agree with you and July is a nice month, giving time to get settled in before la rentrée.

PM just dooooooo it :) Impulsive moving and travel is like my middle name. I think we might be about to do it again in fact. I wish I could give you some of my fairy dust. Can you not just apply now and see what they say about your credentials without first being ready to move? And can you be revaluated in two years if the results are not as you had hoped?
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Re: PM's French Target: C1 2018

Postby iguanamon » Wed Dec 27, 2017 8:01 pm

PM, this French journey you've undertaken is your journey. It's your choice and decision how you walk it. I've seen you change your study plan, or announce a change so many times over the years that I now just smile when I see them :lol: I wish you best of luck in the New Year! You're going to be fine, you'll get there.
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Re: PM's French Target: C1 2018

Postby PeterMollenburg » Thu Dec 28, 2017 12:47 pm

rdearman wrote:
PeterMollenburg wrote:I'm honestly just analyzing myself here. You're probably as ridiculous as me!

I'm probably more actually! Still I know what you mean about constantly going in circles. I know you do listen to peoples advice here, you just don't always take it. (Quite rightly). But I'd like to chip in again.

You aren't ready to move, financially. However, my recommendation is that you pick a date. Something which would be hard to achieve but possible. Let's just say you decide you're going to move after school breaks up in 2019, and let me assume that would be in July in Australia. This deadline forces you to do things which you might be procrastinating with at the moment. For example, you might not be putting as much money toward credit card debit as you really could if pushed. (These are only examples, since I don't know your situation). But I feel that having a concrete deadline means you have to re-evaluate the plan based on the new deadline.

I collect self-help and management books like you collect French courses and one thing I know is this:
A goal without a deadline is just a wish.


So you and your wife agree the deadline, you might even make a real commitment like buying airline tickets. But really nothing clarifies a plan like a deadline. If we return to my example; you might evaluate your plan against the July 2019 date and decide to change the date.

It might be that having selected the date of 14th of July 2019 ( ;) ) you think you could do it quicker and set your sights on January. This change in date with bump up other problems like changing schools mid-year. Or you might evaluate the 14th of July 2019 and work out you'd need another 3 months to get your debt paid, etc.

What I'm saying to you is you need to evaluate your goal and set a deadline for its accomplishment. Once you have the date set you can work backwards to determine if it is possible, check dependencies, etc.


Well, you might be more ridiculous than me, but... I think the above post is one of the most important in the entire time of existence of PM's highly exciting, riveting, pivotal, mind blowing logs (referred to in third person as I am the alien that is currently in possession of his vehicular 3rd interactive sensory device, otherwise known as, his body). Seriously, it's a very important post, thank you kindly Rick. So much so, I went off and started thinking about dates, the importance of writing down desired achievements and committing to aims/objectives/targets and stole most of my unique thoughts that no-one else had ever thought of straight from a combination of yourself rdearman and a PDF version of The Pledge by Michael Masterson Yes I have sinned, the book is in English (I do admit I searched for a French version, but found none). That was last night.

Tonight, after doing little much else than break my diet yet again by giving in to organic carbohydrate loaded sugarless, artificial sweetener-free expensive snacks (Christmas set me off, it's not my fault dammit!), I briefly discussed 'end dates' with my wife. I pushed for mid 2019, she pushed for longer - start of 2020. I then convinced her that the weather is shyte that time of year in Belgium (think Netherlands winter and potentially worse for Wallonia), she gave in but stretched it further out to 1st of March 2020, but with a clause - if I need to leave earlier to organise work, house/apartment etc then I could potentially leave 1st Jan 2020.

So there you have it, an 'end date'. A target, that ought not to move. That's the easy part. The not as easy part is filling in the gaps, the achievable steps to make it to that date, the detailed breakdown. The hard part is committing, since we all know I'm rubbish at sticking to study plans. Here's a loose one in terms of language study (but i'll work on this more, and work out a plan for finances, and employment as well)-

Jan/Feb/March 2018:
French in Action (FIA)
Yabla
Assimil

April 2018:
FIA
Assimil (if not yet completed)

May 2018:
FIA
Super Challenge! (SC)
Other French learning activities

August 2018:
Exam prep for C1
+ other French learning activities

November 2018:
Sit DALF C1

Dec 2018 - May 2019
Exam prep for C2

May 2019:
Sit DALF C2

June 2019:
Restart Dutch despite French standing (see below)
Commence assessment of nursing qualifications

*I think if I am too far off being able to pass the DALF exams I will change my French learning approach and aim to resit the exams at a later date/year in the future post more French exposure and will in the meantime introduce (an)other language(s), such as Dutch.
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Re: PM's French Target: C1 2018

Postby PeterMollenburg » Thu Dec 28, 2017 1:01 pm

Ani wrote:
rdearman wrote:. Let's just say you decide you're going to move after school breaks up in 2019, and let me assume that would be in July in Australia..


Jan - Dec school year typically in Australia I believe. Still I agree with you and July is a nice month, giving time to get settled in before la rentrée.

PM just dooooooo it :) Impulsive moving and travel is like my middle name. I think we might be about to do it again in fact. I wish I could give you some of my fairy dust. Can you not just apply now and see what they say about your credentials without first being ready to move? And can you be revaluated in two years if the results are not as you had hoped?


Yep Jan - Dec is our school year, which makes perfect sense. I sometimes struggle with the idea of a school year starting midway or 3/4 way through a standard year, just seems odd, but due to summer breaks, I guess that makes sense. Anyway...

...no, can't just do it, sorry. This does require planning. The New Caledonia holiday seriously nearly sunk this ship. We borrowed when we shouldn't have, spent what we didn't have and came home to big bills and Christmas. Like I said, I am stupid sometimes. We'll be digging ourselves out of a hole for many months to come, not just because of the holiday, but because we weren't in the best position to begin with anyway. Sometimes no matter how much I try to think rationally with planning, I wind up doing exactly what I shouldn't have done. Still, I think there is an element of magic in our minds/hearts/spirit, our ambitions and our plans that we write down or think on somehow. Life has a way of just changing almost as if thoughts materialize into action ;) I"ve never been wealthy nor completely snowed under in debt, but always believed we could make it to Europe despite all that, but when you momentarily take on far too much water, it does take some time to hit the high seas again unless you want remain at the bottom of the ocean. Thanks for the kind words Ani ;)

About applying now, it has crossed my mind, and I may indeed do this, but I've still more information to gather. Life's busy and finding the key points of critical information on a topic that is hard to pinpoint on the web, takes a little research. I'm not sure the validity of my 'assessed qualifications' will have an expiry period. Nor am I sure as to whether or not I need to be a Belgian resident before I can even begin this process. I still have some key points to research and limited time to do so in my busy day to day life, but I'll figure it all out in the end and if it is not an expensive fruitless process to have my qualifications assessed early, it may be in my interest to do so, even if it means needing to do so twice (2018 out of curiosity to know and later on before leaving for Belgium). We'll see :)
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