Language learning, a few thoughts

I thought I would share a few thoughts about my recent experiences as a language learner. I am extremely proud to say that I have recently been successful in achieving my Russian language certificate as part of the process of applying for a work permit here in Russia.
No mean feat! I can tell you.
This exam consisted of 6 parts.
Reading, writing, listening, speaking, Russian history and Russian law.

I have just read a wonderful article from Stephen Fry, which has underlined everything I believe about language learning and this has inspired me to write this post.
He simply states that it is language that makes us human. Check it out on Facebook.
Language learning is not a gift, it is a right and recently I have witnessed so many emotions in the process of learning a new language.

'Don't be afraid of it', Stephen Fry says. Easily said, when you are constantly, either, not understood or in some cases, put down because of your poor pronunciation or even misunderstanding.
He is of course correct in saying that you shouldn't be afraid of making mistakes. this is fundamental in my opinion. However, it takes a lot  to accept this on a regular basis, perseverance is not taught and how can you learn confidence?
Stephen says that many English speakers do not enjoy language, frightened of making that dreadful error with grammar and that other people are haughty about any misuse of language.
People show off their superior knowledge of language and look down on those who are learning and trying their best.

Trudging through the ice and snow back in January to my Russian lessons, reminded me about the real reason for those of us who put ourselves through this torture of learning a language. It is because I want it! I need it , in my case it is essential in order to live, work and learn in another culture and country.

At first I was annoyed with 'the system', Why do I need to know about Russian history and law just to work here, I would mutter to myself. How could I forget the paths I have taken on my route to where I am now with French and Spanish. It is in fact genius!
Cultural transfer is an integral function of language learning and develops interest in the real language of the people. I have always stated that language learning helps you to open and even knock down doors or barriers, it is exactly that and helps to understand the language you are using on a daily basis.

Even, especially! as a native speaker, we never stop learning a language, particulary if you read anything by Stephen Fry. I had to check his use of the word, pedant.
'a person who is excessively concerned with minor details and rules or with displaying academic learning.'

'Words are your birthright', he continues to say.
Don't be afraid of language and don't let anyone bully you, don't be humiliated because you can't spell this or that. It will come. It just takes time.
Oh and a lot of work!

El Paso and Texas June 2019

Life is a strange thing sometimes. I seem to have moved to Russia in order to visit the U.S.A. Never in a million years did I expect to visit America, especially Texas and New Mexico.It was to be one of the most amazing experiences of my life and a trip I will never forget for many reasons.

The sunset over El Paso was a sight to hold in my memory forever, the colours of the sky above the desert and the mountains surrounding this fascinating city are probably not available in any painter's pallette.

El Paso is situated in the south of Texas right on the border with the neighbouring city of Ciadad Juarez. Which was at one time described as the most dangerous city on earth. The wall and border are unavoidable in EL Paso, driving to school on a morning we passed the border every day and drove alongside the wall looking over into a foreign country , that of Mexico. 

This was probably the biggest suprise to me , in that I realsied that the majority of inhabitants of El Paso were of Mexican descent. 

Texas for me, was in my mind the Texas of the cinema of my youth, John Wayne, cowboys and Indians, deserts. mountains and great rivers. The Lone star state. Cowboy hats and boots, stetsons, guns, ranches, steaks, loud people and horses tied up outside the saloon.

How naive I am!

And yet, I was not totally wrong, apart from the influence of Mexican culture and language in the town. This is easily explained by the description of the most amazing school I have ever had the pleasure to visit.

The Alicia R, Chacon International school of el Paso.

An amazing place with amazing people 

 In this school, first of all, all children will become bilingual with Spanish and English.

And yet, they will go on to study a third language chosen from Mandarin, Japanese, German or Russian.

It is just gobsmackingly bloody well fantastic! Not suprisingly , there is a waiting list to get into this school and the year 8 graduates are among the most successful students. always! when they get to high school and beyond. This is an American middle school , so the kids are often with their teachers from kinder to grade 8. From about 5/6 years old to 14/15.

The traditional iconic school bus that I have seen a thousand times in the cinema and on TV. I half expected the cast of Happy Days to get off, Potsy, Richie Cunningham and the Fonze!

A partnership with the city of Kostroma and El Paso has been active for more than 15 years. I was a volunteer teacher with Olga and group of 6 Russian students of English visiting El Paso. This is facilitated by Natalia who originates in the Rusian city of Kostroma. The american students will make a tour of russia in the Autumn as they did in 2018.

In the picture above I was delighted to help present an award to one of our Russian students for his participation on a poetry recital. reading in English, as the students of El Paso read in Russian and Spanish as well as in English.

The proud winners of the poetry recital awards.

Ruth is the Mandarin teacher at Alicia R. Chacon and we were treated on the last day of term with Chinese pancakes. 

A Tigua indian performing the buffalo dance.

This had to be one of the highlights of my trip to the U.S.A.

My boyhood fascination with the western. TV and films were totally unavoidable as a kid in the late 50s and 60s. To see and meet a native American and learn something about his culture was a real honour and humbling experience.

Right in the heart of the city of El Paso is Ysleta sur pueblo, which is a community for the Tigua tribe with cultural information and self governing facilities. 

We werer treated ot traditional dances and the group were invited to paint pots in Tigua style, I was however distracted buy the video explainging the history of this proud and intreging people and to be honest embarrased by my lack of knowledge of this ancient civilisation. 

This was underlied with another visit to New Mexico in which we were to pass through Apache lands on the way to Ruidoso.

Ruidoso is Spanish for noisy, and el rio ruidoso which runs through the town. As the famous rio grande runs through El Paso. Well I can confirm two things, the noisy river is not noisy and the big river is not big, well not in the city anyway.

Ruidoso is a fascinating town in New Mexico and the journey through the desert did not dissapoint.

A twister in the desert on the way to Ruidoso, New Mexico. A little further on the route we came across the American army on  maneuvers. Tanks and military vehicles kicking up a sandstorm.

Sudislavl

Судисла́вль

On continuing my tour of Kostroma oblast I was invited to visit Судисла́вль  / Sudislavl with Pavel and his family.
We spent the day at Cendega, which is a holiday,fishing, hunting complex not far from Sudislavl. Having been eaten alive by mosquitos even with a total covering of spray, The only fish I saw, was a smoked fish provided for the soup. We had however a wonderful BBQ and fun playing volleyball and spending a lot of time watching the wildlife. The BBQ was definetly the best place to be away for the mosquitos!

 

A smoked fish provided by the fishing camp.

 The wildlife was magnificent and many buzzards were hovering along with snipe and beautiful butterflies, a real treat for a nature lover like myself. The fishing was not important after the discovery of such raw and beautiful countryside.

 Fields laden with wild Lupin were a wonder to behold, the colours are superb.
Судисла́вль is a suprisingly large town, yet spread over a wide area among which lakes and churches seem to be placed with lots of space and parks including a Health camp where a group of children from Moscow were resting.
Pavel was born here so naturally we had local knowledge and found a guy searching for wild strawberries. Among stories of children drowning in the lake and complaints about everyday life in Russia and how it was when Americans and Brits used to visit the town for the Health farm, days seemed better then, it was clearer.

Sweet as a nut!  I found a few wild strawberries myself, reminding me of my forraging back home in Yorkshire, Is there anything better than free, natural food? I doubt it!

 The day we went to Судисла́вль was June 12th. or Russia day.This is a national holiday which celebtrates the dissolution of the USSR and is treat only as a day off by Russians, I was expecting something more like the celebrations on 9th May or Victory day, but it was certainly nothing like what I expoerienced on that day in Kostroma. In fact, after meeting the local who was collecting wild strawberries, he seemed to be unhappy in the way in which older people are being treat in modern Rusia and it is certainly true to say that many Russians of my generation feel bitter about their experiences in contemporary Russia as opposed to that during life in the USSR.

Life is tough, there is no doubt if you are not among the few affluent Russians that are certainly far richer than the poorer teachers and ordinary folk .