Learn a Foreign Language

First thing, you would never ever say: “I can´t speak a new language”

Remember that is part of our nature to speak, that makes the difference with animals, we can communicate is inside of us, only we need to focus those abilities and make it work!

We have to make that side of our brain, wake up! And there are a few options how to do it!

1) Spend the time!

By far the most important factor is how much time you are immersed in the language. The more time you spend with the language, the faster you will learn. This means listening, reading, writing, speaking, and studying words and phrases. This means spending time enjoyably connected to the language you are learning, you are doing the first step traveling to Ecuador, where maybe 20% of the locals speak english, I mean 80% Ecuadorians do not speak english… is a good point to start, you have to learn, you have to practice if you do not just nobody can understand you.

But also for those who are a little bit afraid to just struggle with the language, montanita is a amazing place where to start, first because we are just to work with tourist, even if not every body speaks english, we found the way to communicate, explain things, which make you easy to do your shopping, met some people.

Also when you feel exhausted of practicing there are a big group of non- Ecuadorian residents here, which means restaurants and some hostels belong to young investors, which start the adventure to life in Ecuador and work for it, you can relax talking with them some times.

2) Listen and read every day!

Listen wherever you are on your MP3 player, Ipod, iphone, etc. Some music help, find a nice band that you like and also using youtube you can read what you are listening to. Listen to and read things that you like, things that you can mostly understand, or even partly understand. If you keep listening and reading you will get used to the language. One hour of listening or reading is going to help to improve faster that you thing.

3) Focus on words and phrases!

Build up your vocabulary, you will need lots. Start to notice words and how they come together as phrases. Learn these words and phrases through your listening and reading. Read online, using online dictionaries, and make your own vocabulary lists for review. Soon you will run into your new words and phrases elsewhere. Gradually you will be able to use them. Do not worry about how accurately you speak until you have accumulated a plenty of words through listening and reading.

4) Take responsibility for your own learning!

If you do not want to learn the language, you won’t. If you do want to learn the language, take control. Choose content of interest, that you want to listen to and read. Seek out the words and phrases that you need to understand your listening and reading, you can not learn after just a few hours in class, you have to practice after, do your homework, check your vocabulary list at least one more time after class. Do not finish your lesson and leave the books next to the bed and pick it the next day in your way to school.

5) Relax and enjoy yourself!

Do not worry about what you cannot remember, or cannot yet understand, or cannot yet say. It does not matter. You are learning and improving. The language will gradually become clearer in your brain, but this will happen on a schedule that you cannot control. So practice with the nice lady at your hostel, or that beautiful girl in the school, that handsome guy on the beach, than gentleman on the laundry place,,, just find a perfect Seattle and we will be happy always to talk. Just make sure you spend enough time with the language. That is the greatest guarantee of success.

More information about how to learn a foreign language.