Challenge 1: Learn French

So, what's this challenge all about?

I mentioned last entry that there were three things I wasn't good at in school: art, music and foreign languages. We've covered art in the learn to draw challenge, now it's time for SPEAKING LOUDLY AND SLOWLY TO JOHNNY FOREIGNER.

Unlike art, I did do French up to Standard Grade, but, if I'm being honest, that was only because I had to take it that far. French never grabbed me. Whether it was something about the method of teaching, the late start (I was in S1 before I ever darkened the door of a second language) or just teen-aged laziness, French never spoke to me. In return, I only ever grunted monosyllabicly back in an accent best described as "not French". Come the end of S4, I dropped it and never looked back. 

Until a year and a half later. 

Instead of doing sixth year at my school, I did a year in high school in the states via a cultural exchange programme where I went there and no one came here. (I don't really have a better way to describe it.) At the school I attended (Pallisades High School - Go Pirates!) the foreign language department was young and vibrant. Speaking a second language was exotic, cosmopolitan and cool. By the time I'd realised this, I'd chosen my classes for the year and none of them were French. Thus began my faint, but persistent, regret at not learning French properly when I had the chance.

Over the years, I've never found the time to correct this mistake and my vestigial French has atrophied to the point of near non-existence. There's always been something else to do with my time. Something more fun, less hard or cheaper. Well, that changes this year. 

Le challenge c'est accepted, as they don't say in France. 

How's it going to work?

Much like the learning to draw challenge, this one has a very vague success threshold. It's more a commitment to learn, rather than a requirement to learn a specific amount. Six days out of seven, I'll be practicing French. By the end of the year, I'd like to be able to fumble through basic interactions and perhaps some degree of chat, but we'll see. We've actually got some native French speakers in our village, so testing this out should be fairly easy.

In terms of actually learning, I'm currently using the memrise app, starting at the beginner stage for French. So far, it works for my needs. It's made up of short, discrete sections and it's easily doable on the bus in to work. There's a few annoyances - you can't tell if that you don't need to learn certain things (words I still recall) and the grammar sections don't provide enough feedback when you make a mistake - but it'll do for now. My biggest concern is how it'll do with speaking, something I've not hit yet in the app. If that's a bust, I might be knocking on my neighbour's door earlier than expected. 

Long-term challenge updates

 French words "learned" (according to the memrise app):  140

Daily photos taken as of 28 April: 28 (available on Facebook)

Swordfighting learned: The Shieldhaus (sp?) with the German longsword

I am currently reading: The Red Tent. (Still, still.)

"Cheat" days on food since last week: one (Nash's birthday meal at Beijing Banquet)

"Cheat" days on exercise: a couple, but I now have a recommendation on a game for the PS4 to get active.