My name is Sandy and I’m a linguist.
I don’t drink. I don’t smoke. I don’t take drugs.
But I do learn languages.
For me, one of the best feelings in the world is walking into a shop and having a 1-minute conversation entirely in a foreign language. It doesn’t have to be earth-shattering:
“A bottle of water, please”
“Still or sparkling”
“Still, please”
“That’ll be 25 crowns”
“Here you go. Thank you.”
“Goodbye”
“Goodbye”
My first complete Czech conversation, three weeks after I arrived in the Czech Republic, was enough to give me a high for at least a couple of hours.
After a while though, the highs become less and less frequent. After a few years, I stop feeling it, and knowing that I can communicate is automatic.
Not for me the desire to be perfect, to reach native-speaker like pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary.
I still love the languages; I still want to use them; I still feel frustrated when I can’t quite express myself.
But I crave the highs.
So I learn a new language…
Sandy Millin 
Hi Sandy,
I’ve really enjoyed reading your post. For me, the feeling of learning a new language (even if I learn just a few words) is exactly as you have depicted it.
Always keep learning. That’s part of what makes you a great teacher.
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So great that you can do it!
And every time you begin with another language you place yourself in “learners shoes”!
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Totally understand this post. My Spanish is incredibly basic and I haven’t done any since GCSE a fairly long time ago.
However, this holiday I was able to walk into a shop and say:
A Have you any milk?
B To buy or to drink in the shop?
A To buy. Do you have semi skimmed?
B No only full fat.
A Ok no problem. How much?
B 1.30
(I understood and gave her the exact change!)
A Thanks Bye
B Bye
So basic but a total high!! ;-p
Thanks for sharing 🙂
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Hi Anna,
It’s amazing how well we can remember these conversations too 🙂
Thanks for sharing!
Sandy
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I studied French and German at school. I always fancied myself as a bit of a linguist but I didn’t get further than GCSE French and German. I tried French at A-level but I dropped it like a hot potato due to the world’s meanest French teacher in the world! (She seemed like it when I was 17).
Now, as an adult I “love” the fact that I can communicate in both Spanish and German. I can’t describe the feeling of satisfaction I got after reading my first book in Spanish.
I’m highly innacurate in both languages but I LOVE speaking them and the buzz it involves…. I have to start French again next year!
Thanks Sandy,
Leahn
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