I've made good progress during the year I've been studying Portuguese.
And when classes ended last year, I resolved to keep studying every single day during the break.
I've been doing this through DuoLingo, a phone app that provides daily lessons. A "coach" messages you each day to remind you to stay on track.
I enjoy this so much I could do it for hours, all day, to the exclusion of everything else. It is quite addictive.
As of today, I've done 80 consecutive days.
It is endlessly fascinating. I love playing with the building blocks; the movable parts that constitute a language. These pieces empower you to say anything you like. It's fun to figure out how they fit together. I try to internalize the sounds and the conjugations so I can begin to recognise what looks and sounds right. I memorize formulae, patterns, vocabulary, connector words.
Gradually I gain a sense of what works and what doesn't, the way that I imagine an architect develops an instinct for proportion and aesthetic.
It's like Lego for communication.
But although I'm getting better at reading, listening and writing, I'm still not very confident in speaking.
And so I go to meet Patricia. My brother in law has set us up. Patricia is a Brazilian who is about to marry an Australian man, a friend of Peter and his wife.
Peter has told her to expect a call from me. He says she's happy to meet me for a chat. I feel a bit reticent to call, but it would seem ungrateful not to accept the offer.
When I phone her, she speaks perfect English. Immediately, I feel relieved.
Her husband-to-be is an executive at a school. They live at the College, about an hour's drive from where I live. I arrange to meet her there, as she has not yet obtained her driver's licence.
I collect her and we drive to an area where we can find a cafe. Finally we settle down at a table and start to converse.
It is difficult at first. I have trouble catching the start of her sentences. Gradually my ears begin to tune in. She is getting married on the weekend of our show. I begin to ask her questions about her wedding. I draw on some of the simple formulae I have learned. It's very helpful that she can flip between Portuguese and English to explain and translate. I start to feel more confident in speaking.
It's my first real conversation with a Portuguese speaker. It's very different from classes, where the teacher is in charge, there are other students to carry the load if you're feeling tired, and there is time to look things up in a dictionary.
I'm not very good yet, but at least I've broken the ice.
And when classes ended last year, I resolved to keep studying every single day during the break.
I've been doing this through DuoLingo, a phone app that provides daily lessons. A "coach" messages you each day to remind you to stay on track.
I enjoy this so much I could do it for hours, all day, to the exclusion of everything else. It is quite addictive.
As of today, I've done 80 consecutive days.
Gradually I gain a sense of what works and what doesn't, the way that I imagine an architect develops an instinct for proportion and aesthetic.
It's like Lego for communication.
But although I'm getting better at reading, listening and writing, I'm still not very confident in speaking.
And so I go to meet Patricia. My brother in law has set us up. Patricia is a Brazilian who is about to marry an Australian man, a friend of Peter and his wife.
Peter has told her to expect a call from me. He says she's happy to meet me for a chat. I feel a bit reticent to call, but it would seem ungrateful not to accept the offer.
When I phone her, she speaks perfect English. Immediately, I feel relieved.
Her husband-to-be is an executive at a school. They live at the College, about an hour's drive from where I live. I arrange to meet her there, as she has not yet obtained her driver's licence.
I collect her and we drive to an area where we can find a cafe. Finally we settle down at a table and start to converse.
It is difficult at first. I have trouble catching the start of her sentences. Gradually my ears begin to tune in. She is getting married on the weekend of our show. I begin to ask her questions about her wedding. I draw on some of the simple formulae I have learned. It's very helpful that she can flip between Portuguese and English to explain and translate. I start to feel more confident in speaking.
It's my first real conversation with a Portuguese speaker. It's very different from classes, where the teacher is in charge, there are other students to carry the load if you're feeling tired, and there is time to look things up in a dictionary.
I'm not very good yet, but at least I've broken the ice.
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