Hit 500 days in a row of my language app streak today

When I first fled Caracas I couldn't even read a menu here. Hated it. Felt like a baby. Then I started Duolingo just to prove I could do one thing right. 500 days later I can actually hold a conversation. Not great. But I can order food without pointing. My sister back home laughed when I told her. She said I never finished anything in Venezuela. Made me realize the milestone wasn't the streak. It was proving her wrong. Has anyone else had a random habit help them feel less lost?

2 comments

2 Comments

lee73310d ago

What helped me was reading the same children's book over and over until I knew it cold. I picked up "Green Eggs and Ham" in Spanish and read it every night for two months. My partner thought I lost my mind. But after that I could recognize words in real life. It made me feel like I was finally catching up. Small stuff like that really does add up.

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ryan_clark4010d ago

eh I gotta disagree with @lee733 on this one. Reading the same book over and over might work for memorizing but it doesn't really teach you how the language works in real situations. I tried that with a French kids book and I could recite the whole thing but when someone asked me directions in Paris I was totally lost. Repetition just builds a fake confidence that falls apart when you actually have to think on your feet.