Is Anyone On Exchange Atm? (1 Viewer)

[bittersweet787]

Is anyone on exchange at the moment. I am in Europe, Poland, and it could have been better..
Does anyone have tips with how to pick up the language better? Have heaps of trouble getting motivated to learn...

 

[mslodyczka]

I can't really give you tips on how to pick up the language as I've spoken it all my life...

But i've got a few questions? Are you on a highschool exchange, where are you staying and why could it be better or is it becuase of the language barrier?

Did you speak any polish before you got there?

 

[bittersweet787]

Hi..
I sm really trying, but after 5 minutes of looking at my books and etc, I give up, only because it drives me insane. I know I can learn it. It is easy enough if you get motovated.

I am on highschool Exchange, and I am in Tarnowski Gory... Would have rathered somewhere like Lublin or Torun or even Warsaw.

I spoke no Polish when I got to Poland in Feb, but I am have improved a lot, I suppose, or so everyone says, but I think they are just being kind. Umm it sould be better because I am not to keen about my family. They have a lot of money, and they like everyone to know about it.... That and I think the mother has Bi-Polar, or simething similar.

 

[melanie.dee]

well i dont know anything about polish, but i guess the best way to learn a language is to really really REALLY try hard. force yourself to speak even if you think you're horrible, make a little dictionary type thing where you write down every new word and phrase you hear (make a mental note when someone explains something to you, or remember a word you dont entirely understand, write it down and look it up when you get home). watch the tele and movies in polish, actively try to do all the school work (i found that helped heaps).

iv only done a 3 month exchange not a year long one, and i had already been doing french at school before i got there but i was rpetty horrible and i felt SO down and disheartened for the first few weeks. it was just the most frustrating experience ever because i love talking and being outgoing, and it was so annoying that i couldnt understand what was going on or contribute and everyone thought i was quiet/boring but it was only because i was struggling so much. i wish now that i spoke a lot more right from the start. however once i got into it i still managed to improve so much over the 10 weeks, to a nice conversational level and doing really well in french at school now

what is your polish like now? i find once you can converse and everything you improve so much quicker from then on cos you hit that level where you can talk more therefore practising therefore learning more and all that. i duno how you can make yourself be motivated but i think that is the key for improving loads. my motivation came when i realised i was getting better and writing down all those words, doing their french class essays/tests (like our english classes), writing history and economics essays.

i should add that im incredible unmotivated and slack at school in all my classes except for french. i just managed to find some sort of motivation due to the fact that i was striving for something that really meant something ie being able to speak another language which is pretty amazing.

oh and i no what its like not to love your host family either. i got along ok with my host sister, but i hated my host mother lol. you just have to suck it up and savour your time out of the house and at school

 

[bittersweet787]

Hiya.
I would like to think my Polish is at a reasonable level. I can talk to people abut my self, and my family. I can go shopping by my self, I can talk about people... but other then that, not much...
Umm Polish is not exactly an easy language to learn... so I try to talk Polish a lot with people who dont know me (I find my Polish gets better with travelling) where as in my city, most shop owners, ladies at the post office etc, know I don't speak Polish very well...But I actually find that I understand A LOT of what people are saying (Expecially now, because I know when people are talking about, bastards)
I listen to my friends a lot in Polish so I get closer to the more spoken Polish rather then written Polish.. but They all want to practice their english and be their walking dictionary..so I have to stop that.

I am really unmotivated too...PS I love my bedroom and the neighbours house... I love the neighbours more then my hosties... .. Umm I understand people thinking I am not so interesting because I cant give any imput on the conversations... Its a pain in the arse, but I make smart arse comments in English and I get everyones attention, mainly because they did not understand, and want me to explain it to them..
I am only here for 4 more months so I am going to go hard with the Polish, and try to stop using english.. ( I refuse to carry my dictionary with me...)

Thanks! :wave:

 

[rawrburritos]

im in the netherlands at the moment..
i understand where your coming from

try this exercise (will take a long time)

find your favourite book in english, and with the help of your friends, family and word dictionary, translate the book bit by bit into *insert language*..

i know it sounds daunting, but it helps a f-load