So, September marked a full year since I took my first class in Esperanto. It also marked a full year since I met my study partner and continued studying with him after class ended. We began a series of video lessons from the 90s called Esperanto Pasporta al la Tuta Mondo (“Passport to the Entire World,” basically). It’s really cheesy, but it’s really great as far as the content for learning goes. There are also PDFs you can get that go with it — an entire transcript (which is so helpful), a vocab list, and excercises you can do as well. Quite a few of them! Let me tell you, this has been awesome for my learning. I’ve picked up so much, more than I probably would have with Duolingo alone. The excercises force you to use the concepts and actually solidify the ideas and grammar points in your mind. So it’s not just passive reading or watching, you’re doing it. And hell, the videos are cute — I often call it a soap opera because that’s what it reminds me of. Just with not-so-great acting. But the Esperanto is spot-on. At least from what I can tell, anyway.
So my partner told me about a group in England that was having free classes in Esperanto. Beginner’s classes. At first I couldn’t make them. But this go around…I could make the Tuesday one. He talked me into the Course II – instead of Course I – because he felt that with where we were in our study, I’d understand everything pretty well. Because the classes are held mostly in Esperanto. Some things are explained in English. But yeah — the instructor is mostly talking in Esperanto, and the lesson is in Esperanto, and well…better keep up lol.
But honestly — no one’s busting anyone’s chops, which is nice. Mostly he just asks around for the correct answer if you mess up, or helps you figure out the correct one. He will call on you though. I came in late — class two or three — and my first day, and I was the first person called on that day, and I screwed up — mostly because I was a bit dazed, trying to get situated and settled and all that. So of course I felt stupid, but he was cool about it. Since then, I’ve done better. I’ve also screwed up again. You learn. Others do too. It’s tough, learning a language. Especially once a week so it’s not like high school where it’s drummed into your head every single day. But overall I am very happy with it and I am glad I took the plunge. It’s very much outside of my comfort zone and I have social anxiety and anxiety about being on camera and all that so I feel proud of myself for doing this. And for challenging myself, of course. I’m all about challenging myself.
So Tuesday is Esperanto day now. At 1:30 I have class — which is actually a night class in England, lol — and then in the evening I meet with my study partner for an hour to study Esperanto with him. So it’s a lot of Esperanto. But I like this because I am immersed in it. I am trying also to practice it a lot with my husband, saying things, conversation, teaching him things. My study partner and I also want to do NaNoWriMo in November with Esperanto. He’s writing a short story and I will probably write poetry. I am not sure I am up to fiction yet. I am also going to be writing Soul Song, my TDP novella, so this should be interesting. Esperanto might find its way in there too. I could see my chapter headings as Esperanto words or phrases just for kicks.
And if November 1st is on a Tuesday, watch out….maybe Soul Song will be Animkanto instead…..