English

I came to Canada almost five years ago with a goal to learn English. I knew deep in my soul that it was not going to be an easy dream to achieve, so I decided to break down my goals into four steps.

My first goal was to learn short conversations with people I knew. Second, study the ten most common verbs in English. Third, temporarily, avoid speaking my mother tongue. Fourth, correct my pronunciation by copying what other people said. Finally, step five, write with confidence by writing often, especially emails.

Everyone knows that learning a new language is a huge goal, especially if you start at the age of 39. Welcome to my world! I had that challenge. How did I do it? Let's go back to step one. I enrolled at an English school and studied there for almost two years. I focused on small conversation groups. I asked my classmates to teach me how to order a meal, but it was not easy. I went through a lot of embarrassing moments trying to order tea. Believe me, a few times I left the coffee shop with a small double - double coffee because they could not understand that I had ordered a small, black mint tea. It sounds funny now, but back then, it was frustrating and infuriating. However, I did not give up, and after trying it over and over again, I finally got it. It was a game changer for me. It actually changed my life.

At that time, I was already applying the second step, which consisted of memorizing the ten most common verbs in English. You probably already know that most people hate doing this. However, it was the easy part of my process because it involved memorization, and I knew how to make it fun. I found those verbs in my favorite songs, or I kept my eyes open to catch those tricky verbs in movies. In addition, I paid more attention and listened to people talking in the subway. I know my mom would say it is not polite to listen to other people's conversations, but when you really want to learn a language, I recommend looking for opportunities everywhere. It worked for me.

Following this, the most difficult decision was to start my journey. Did you guess what it was? If you thought it was keeping distance from my Brazilian friends, you are 100% right. It was intense. I reflected on where was, where I would like to be and what I could do to speed up my learning process. After that, I invited my close friends for a drink, and I explained my plans to them. A few friends understood where I was coming from, but others said that I was overreacting. At the end of the day, you have to make peace with yourself and stand for what you believe in. I paid the price because some friends disappeared from my life, and others are still around. Nevertheless, I can tell you my English improved after that decision.

In conclusion, learning a new language is a long process, filled with frustration and doubt. It requires a lot of patience with yourself and constant discipline. However, it is amazing when you start realizing that you are achieving it. You probably know now all you want to hear about the three and four steps. I am currently working on the last, and as soon as I start to get the results, I will be back to share them with you. I really do not know where are you are at right now, but here is my piece of advice - just do not give it up.