WHAT DOES FLUENCY LOOK LIKE TO YOU?

 

When you leave a country to try new things and experience other cultures, there will probably be moments when you feel that you simply aren't hitting the mark, but I just want to reassure any language learners and say that you have to be bold, enthusiastic and hopeful even when you feel like you've bitten off more than you can chew.

For more than seventeen years I have intensively studied numerous languages, never backing down from reaching my goals in spite of sometimes being on the receiving end of strong criticism, and I would encourage you to do the same. Everyone's journey is different, but no less important. I think sometimes we can get caught up in trying to please everyone's definition of what fluency is and where we should be at on a certain stage of our journey. There may be people who try to stifle your progress because change can be uncomfortable for others and it can seem to put into question more than just languages. However, something I've learnt is to refuse to be put off and whatever you do, don't get bitter, get more productive!

I've met a lot of inspirational people along the way who have decided to live outside of their comfort zones and intend to stay there. It can take a while for the hard graft to start to pay off, but we're talking about more than career success. Languages, like any passion, can bring about new friendships, open up doors to different ways of seeing things and can affect how we respond to future challenges. It's all a learning curve and it is how you choose to respond that can make the difference.

There is no magic recipe for how to make things work, although I have got a few suggestions that have worked for me. Try setting feasible tasks for each language you speak, be it the desire to learn more phrasal verbs to use in everyday life or to keep a diary every day in that language. Comical short stories or writing an email or letter (yes, an actual letter!!) to a pen friend are useful ways of applying new vocabulary. You can always watch a few episodes of your favourite TV series on DVD in one language and then if you have other languages and you are short on time live radio, audiobooks whilst you're cooking etc. are good, fun ways of being productive.

The compact language learning range of books, a combination of dialogue-based texts and audio on CDs or even MP3s are great in the car or on a commute and are handy to keep in your bag. When you're short on time, repeating out loud, practising tongue twisters and using pronunciation CDs keep language learning alive. Accent isn't everything, but it is a good place to focus your energy along with learning expressions and little gems of local information or dialect that set you apart from the crowd. Remember learning languages isn't just about possessing perfect grammar and accent, it is primarily about communicating.

Joining a language group and regularly visiting for example, a cafe with a community-feel where you go out for coffee and come back with language lessons (as a friend and I once did at a Polish cafe - in fact, my friend met her now-husband there!). It doesn't all have to be hard work, it could even just involve being surrounded by the language as you drink a coffee, perhaps listening to the local book shop owner chatting to a client in their native tongue about the latest thrillers. Above all, just jump in and have fun sharing conversations with people who are receptive and encourage you.

Language learning is like learning an instrument or learning to cook; you never get to the end because there's always something new and it becomes a way of life - that is, if you want it to. With enough effort, you too can get to a certain level where things are a lot easier and you will enjoy reading books, writing extensively and holding long conversations. The great thing about languages is that you can always go further and learn new languages as well. The process can become more enjoyable as you realise what works for you and what doesn't and the things you learn can have a knock-on effect on other aspects of your life.

At the end of the day, it isn't a competition. It is you who has to live your life and not anyone else, so why not be a bit of a free spirit and discover for yourself what best suits you and how you want to use your languages to do what you do best. You'll only really find out by experimenting and venturing out of your comfort zone.