Phase 3: Pushing through
Well hello!
Look who made it more than half way through.
Now that you’re kind of in the routine, all you need to do is not drop out.
This is the most difficult phase, but maybe we’re wrong and you are so great that it’s effortless to continue for another three weeks.
Because in the final part of your journey, the one where you’re enjoying the benefits, everything will start becoming pretty effortless.
Look, we’re getting you to a level where you can communicate without too much effort. Where you can be yourself in a foreign language. Where you can understand and enjoy listening to table. Basically you’ll be ready to join a party with only native speakers, help other people while traveling, and make real connections with other humans in another language.
That’s a feeling of freedom. But for that you need to go through three more weeks of practicing, listening, and talking.
Week 7: the Doggo (click to expand)
Dear learner, welcome to phase 3 !
Time for a little story and some philosophical blabla, feel free to skip to the bottom with things to do.
Did you notice how animals can feel sadness. As a kid, the only time when my cats would stop fighting was when I was crying.
I guess the same is true with dogs, they have strong empathy.
I strongly believe that language learning can also teach empathy.
Because it requires us to try to understand others, with limited information. We depend on someone else to understand. We feel lost a bit, but others can help us understand them.
It’s all part of the natural process, and that requires empathy.
I wonder what the world would look like if everyone would learn another language. It’s teaching us humility and being fine with not having control. To listen to others and try to understand them. To struggle but survive thanks to the help of others.
(Also sometimes I wonder if learning someone’s language has been like a gate-keeping mechanism. A great honor because somebody thought it’s worth sitting down with this person and allow them to communicate with us. But here I’m getting a bit philosophical.)
Anyways. In a few weeks, you will feel full of energy again! Damn! You will talk to so many people in the future! Damn you feel in control of the language, more than ever before!
You went through a new process, and now you’re coming out with more empathy, understanding, and communicative capability.
Soon…
For now, let’s be grateful to the people that help us learn.
What you need to do to complete this week:
✅ Practice all your phrases. Try to keep those available to 0.
✅ Go to the listening material 2x this week spending 30 minutes on listening material. Review old Listening videos as well.
✅ Have your fifth lesson and get around 30 recordings.
Thanks and good luck !
Week 8: the Horse
Are you horsing around? Are you having fun?
When I was in Kyiv for New Years eve, I couldn’t imagine that two months later the war would break out. Back then, I was happy that I sometimes understand the topics native speakers were talking about. And I was able to keep someone company in the Russian language for 2 hours. And I was literally able to make jokes and make people laugh.
All after just 12 lessons.
We learn languages for the people we’re with. For a special connection that we could otherwise not make. For little jokes and nice comments. For trying to feel natural somewhere else. For comfort.
So don’t be afraid to fall off your horse sometimes. Know that you and your language will be able to travel together further than you by yourself.
What you need to do to complete this week:
✅ Spend 2x 30 minutes on listening-reading practice, only reviewing old videos.
✅ Have another lesson this week, and try to get at least 30 new phrases from your teacher.
✅ And as always, practice those phrases daily. Keep those routines running
Ride on, our little explorer !
Week 9: the Owl
Do you feel wiser? Four more weeks until conversational ability!
Do you notice how you’re understanding more and more?
Are you recognising words when listening? Can you say funny things already?
Are you more comfortable with not understanding every word?
Are you looking forward to your next holiday?
Do you still enjoy the lessons?
Here’s what to do, as always:
✅ Practice all your available phrases in the app.
✅ Do at least 30 minutes of Listening-Reading. You’re pretty much ready to start watching movies or series now, if possible.
✅ Have your seventh lesson and get around 40 recordings.
And then, drumroll, you’ve finished phase three. Congratulations! The next three weeks, you’ll notice a change. You’ll notice that you’ve become used to the language and that you can talk. Don’t forget from where you started, and don’t forget to pay it forward.
And then you have a new skill for life that no-one can take away from you.