Having read your article (sorry, I'm only just working back through your musings) I should check out the Nuns. I'm resident in Portugal (I spend about half the year here in the Algarve). I've been trying to learn to speak Portuguese for several years. I've reached a plateau where I can speak basic present-tense Portuguese in common situations, but it's so easy just to speak English. Most of the Portuguese here are so good at English that they can't be arsed waiting for me to form Portuguese sentences. So I'm not progressing any further. I'm also not helped by the local Algarvian accent - in the Algarve they tend to miss off the endings of all the words, but because Portuguese doesn't use personal pronouns in normal usage, the only way you know what's the subject and object of a sentence is from the endings. So here in the Algarve you're either fluent, or you're lost... there's no in-between!
However, if I can pass a Portuguese language test I will soon be able to apply for citizenship and a Portuguese passport - which given Brexit and the now relative uselessness of a UK passport would be very useful. A week in the Netherlands being immersed in Portuguese sounds like a feasible option to me...
My sister just got sent to the nuns by her job to learn Dutch. Your wonderful blog exactly described her experience. I snort laughed my way through! Thank you!
Went to the nuns twice to learn Italian and everything you say is true. I am by no means “finished” but hold a quite proficient level now. Which I can directly relate to my two weeks at the nuns AND all the hours I worked on it at home and plainly throwing myself at it working in Italy. It wouldn’t have been possible without either. I also emigrated from Brazil to The Netherlands almost 15 years ago. You will get the hang of it :-)
I have been there in Vught to learn two different languages German and lately for Italian. I must say it is the best language school you can attend. I say this because I also attended other langiage schools abroad and in the Netherlands and Regina Coeli is my favorite language school.
Bravo for your courage! I know what it takes since I am one of the teachers of Dutch ;-) You described the whole experience so well (and it was also a funny read!). I recognize what you wrote about being exhilirated: I took a one-week beginners course Spanish. I was a beginner for speaking, for the reading/understanding I had the avantage of being a teacher of French too, I could deduct a lot. Yet the speaking was very basic and still... on the Thursday I started talking Spanish and more than the usual 'My name is ... and I live in....' And that was a special feeling after only 4 days! Keep up the good work!
Beautiful writing - truly exhilarating and inspiring! I loved this!
Having read your article (sorry, I'm only just working back through your musings) I should check out the Nuns. I'm resident in Portugal (I spend about half the year here in the Algarve). I've been trying to learn to speak Portuguese for several years. I've reached a plateau where I can speak basic present-tense Portuguese in common situations, but it's so easy just to speak English. Most of the Portuguese here are so good at English that they can't be arsed waiting for me to form Portuguese sentences. So I'm not progressing any further. I'm also not helped by the local Algarvian accent - in the Algarve they tend to miss off the endings of all the words, but because Portuguese doesn't use personal pronouns in normal usage, the only way you know what's the subject and object of a sentence is from the endings. So here in the Algarve you're either fluent, or you're lost... there's no in-between!
However, if I can pass a Portuguese language test I will soon be able to apply for citizenship and a Portuguese passport - which given Brexit and the now relative uselessness of a UK passport would be very useful. A week in the Netherlands being immersed in Portuguese sounds like a feasible option to me...
My sister just got sent to the nuns by her job to learn Dutch. Your wonderful blog exactly described her experience. I snort laughed my way through! Thank you!
I can say yes to A, B and C.
Went to the nuns twice to learn Italian and everything you say is true. I am by no means “finished” but hold a quite proficient level now. Which I can directly relate to my two weeks at the nuns AND all the hours I worked on it at home and plainly throwing myself at it working in Italy. It wouldn’t have been possible without either. I also emigrated from Brazil to The Netherlands almost 15 years ago. You will get the hang of it :-)
I have been there in Vught to learn two different languages German and lately for Italian. I must say it is the best language school you can attend. I say this because I also attended other langiage schools abroad and in the Netherlands and Regina Coeli is my favorite language school.
Bravo for your courage! I know what it takes since I am one of the teachers of Dutch ;-) You described the whole experience so well (and it was also a funny read!). I recognize what you wrote about being exhilirated: I took a one-week beginners course Spanish. I was a beginner for speaking, for the reading/understanding I had the avantage of being a teacher of French too, I could deduct a lot. Yet the speaking was very basic and still... on the Thursday I started talking Spanish and more than the usual 'My name is ... and I live in....' And that was a special feeling after only 4 days! Keep up the good work!
geen dank :-)
love this - thank you, Jo
What a life experience and what a tale to tell! The whole story is brilliant, and I particularly enjoyed ‘Nun the wiser’. Nice work / goed gedaan!