A confluence of events has caught my attention. I just learned about the Berlin Polyglot Gathering, which is from April 30 to May 4 this year. My husband happens to be in Hamburg for a trade show. There are two weeks between the end of one and the beginning of the other. I have been fascinated by foreign languages since I was nine years old. I studied several languages from middle school through college, but quit as a working adult. Two years ago I dreamed that someone called me on the phone and said, "You should speak French as often as possible." Ever since then, I have been studying and trying to make up for lost time. I am actively studying French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, and Dutch at varying levels of competence. I can still read Greek letters, hiragana, and katakana. I could probably fake my way through a 60-second conversation in Japanese, all that's left after three years of study in high school. I mean, I'm not fluent in anything, including English, but I could probably pass among a group of polyglots. I assume they won't throw me out for using the wrong diacritical mark. Okay, so, to sum up, I want to be ready to speak multiple languages by the Berlin Polyglot Gathering next year. Whether we go or not is not the point. The point is that if my husband gets sent on the same business trip next year, serendipity may occur. If I went now, the plane ticket would put me in debt for the rest of the year. I would be kicking myself and wishing I was better prepared. Waiting until next year gives me a chance to save the money and study like a demon. Going now would be sort of dumb. Going next year qualifies as a true Quest. CAN one nerdy girl become conversational in six languages? CAN it be done in a year? WILL she even blurt out one word? OR hide behind a potted plant and eavesdrop? Comments are closed.
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AuthorI've been working with chronic disorganization, squalor, and hoarding for over 20 years. I'm also a marathon runner who was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and thyroid disease 17 years ago. This website uses marketing and tracking technologies. Opting out of this will opt you out of all cookies, except for those needed to run the website. Note that some products may not work as well without tracking cookies. Opt Out of CookiesArchives
January 2022
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