Tips for learning a new language

Come September 2014 I'll be studying Spanish and German at university, so I know all the little tips and tricks to learning a language and actually remembering it! From firsthand experience I know how difficult it can be learning a language, these tips definitely helped me! In our modern society its becoming increasingly more important and relevant knowing more than one language. Although being bilingual can help your career prospects and even your grasp of English, I think the biggest and best benefits are in how it opens your world. There really is no better feeling than speaking to someone in a native language and seeing their world through your own eyes!

Start with the basics
Whether you've learnt the language before or are a complete novice, starting with the basics is the best way to ease yourself in. Although jumping in the deep end with conjunctive verbs may have the best payoff it's not the most sensible thing to do. If you've studied the language before then going over the basics is a good refresher and if you're learning from scratch then the basics are the sensible place to start! If you're only wanting to learn a few vital phrases for your holiday such as '¡una cerveza, por favor!' then you probably won't want to learn about the verbs and how to conjugate sentences. I'd recommend goggling said phrases and getting a guidebook with some basics included, most guidebooks nowadays have this. 

Use technology
We are fortunate, or unfortunate if you see it like that, to live in a world where everything and anything is at our fingertips. I recently discovered the Duolingo app, which has turned into an everyday app of mine. It has a great feature that tracks how much time you've spent on each language and you can set yourself a goal to do a certain amount each day. There are also tonnes of other apps that you can download to help you along the way. This also means that you don't have to go out and buy a lot of supplies, such as a dictionary or grammar books because both services are easily accessible online.

Listen to the language
Watching things or listening to things in the language is a great way to integrate it into your daily life whilst also learning how to pronounce certain sounds correctly. I am a big fan of foreign cinema with Amélie being one of my favourite films, even though I know only a few words of French. Listening to non-English music is also a great way to get used to hearing the language. A few of my favourite artists sing in French and German, Stromae and Max Prosa. 

Don't do it alone 
It's a lot easier to give up on something if there is no-one there to motivate and push you. I was lucky that I had the opportunity to learn my languages at high school in a small class setting. Having someone to answer to and go to for advice is vital in knowing where you're going wrong and how you can improve. Most community centres and schools will offer beginners language classes which are reasonably priced and provide the books you'll need. 

Make it fun
You're not going to continue learning a new language if it's boring and feels like a chore. Like I stated before watching films/tv and listening to music is a great way to learn a language and it's fun. Set yourself goals and when you achieve them reward yourself! Go to a tapas restaurant and order in Spanish, there you go!, you just spoke Spanish and you have a margarita! Your goals don't have to be big or complicated. By setting small achievable goals you're encouraging yourself to develop skills and gain confidence in the language. Learning something new is meant to be exciting and interesting, try to enjoy the journey!


Practice
Without sounding like your teacher, practice does make perfect! If you want to become good at anything you have to put in the graft and the effort. Something that I do a lot is think in another language or think how to say certain things whilst I'm doing them. For example, I will mentally count in Spanish in my head instead of English and, without sounding completely crazy, I sometimes speak to my cats in Spanish! I find it so helpful to speak out loud and hear yourself speaking the language. 

I hope this tips were helpful and someone is inspired to pick up a new language or even one they did at school.
Get out there and learn a new language, what's the worst thing that could happen?

Oatmeal Cookies

In an attempt to make healthier choices but being unable to avoid sweet treats I thought I would make some healthier options of my own. These cookies are perfect paired with a warm drink or even warmed up with ice cream for dessert. 

Just a word of warning, the amounts listed make more than twenty cookies, depending on how small or large you want them. If you want to make around a dozen I would recommend halving all the amounts. 

Can you spot the flour on my top? Wear an apron!

Ingredients
230g butter or margarine
200g caster sugar
220g brown sugar
250g self-raising flour
250g oats 
2 large eggs, beaten
vanilla extract
pinch of salt
baking powder
cinnamon

Preheat oven to 190*

Mix together the butter and both sugars. Gradually add in the egg and then add one teaspoon of the vanilla essence. 

Mix the flour, cinnamon, salt and baking powder together. Then mix and make sure that all the flour is mixed in. Finally add in the oats. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and leave to rest.

If you want you can add fruit, nuts or anything really to the mixture. I split mine in half and added raisins to one half and more cinnamon to the other.

After half an hour the mixture is ready to cook. Grease an oven tray and use a teaspoon to create small balls of the mixture. Place, well spaced apart, on the tray and push down slightly on the top with a fork dipped in milk

I kept mine on for around nine minutes and they are the perfect mixture of chewy and crunch. If you're looking for super chewy, melt in your mouth cookies then leave them in for eight minutes and for eleven if you're wanting crunchy ones. 

As I said before this recipe makes a lot of cookies! I plan on giving some to friends and colleagues, and if there's any left having them as a tasty snack. I'm giving up chocolate and sweets for lent and fully intended to last the full forty days!

Microwave Chocolate Brownie

A super quick, super easy recipe for when you're needing a chocolate fix! This recipe is measured in spoonfuls to make it even easier and quicker to make!

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter/margarine
2 tablespoons milk (roughly 50ml)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons self-raising flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
a dash of vanilla essence 

Melt the butter or leave until it is room temperature. Then add the milk and vanilla essence. 

Add the cocoa powder and mix. 

Add the sugar and mix. The mixture will look a bit grainy but don't worry!

Add the flour and, you guessed it, mix! 

Put the mixture into the microwave at the highest setting (900W)  for 70 seconds. If your microwave doesn't go that high then adjust accordingly. Important!; make sure you're using a microwave safe bowl or you could end up with an interesting science experiment in your kitchen! 

Be careful when taking it out as the bowl and brownie will be very hot. However, it is best served hot with ice cream to enjoy whilst watching trashy tv. 

February Films #1

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
Eccentic oceanographer Steve Zissou with his crew, find themselves in troubled waters when they attempt to track down the mysterious 'jaguar shark' that ate Zissou's partner while they were filming a documentary of their latest adventure.
After having being told that Wes Anderson films were the sort of ones I would like I was very intrigued. I must say it was a perfect pick for me! I found Anderson's style of film-making very original and right up my street. I loved how the sea creatures and seascape were puppets which I think made the film even more fun. I've also been turned into a Bill Murray fan, I'd never really seen any of his films before but I'll definitely be checking out his other films! Plus I think dressing up as one of Steve's team would be such a fun costume, baby blue and a bright red hat, so high fashion! 9/10

The Sapphires
It's 1968, and four young, talented Australian Aboriginal girls learn about love, friendship and war when their all-girl group The Sapphires entertain the US troops in Vietnam.
Since I am a huge fan of Chris O'Dowd (The IT Crowd is one of my favourite programmes) and musicals, I knew I would enjoy this film. I must admit this film was a lot more emotional and heart-wrenching than I thought it would be! It was interesting to see racism towards aboriginals in Australia. I have friends and family in Australia and even they say it's not really spoken about nowadays and in some areas is still an issue! I found out that The Sapphires is actually based on a true story and the screenplay was written by a relative. 7/10

The Fantastic Mr Fox
An urban fox cannot resist returning to his farm raiding ways and then must help his community survive the farmers' retaliation.
My second foray into Wes Anderson films. I grew up reading Roald Dahl books so it was nice to see a more adult adaption of one of my beloved childhood books. Once again I found the style of the film captivating. I love the music in the film as well. I think overall it's a great adaption of a classic book that everyone will enjoy! 8/10


Julie and Julia
Julia Child's story of her start in the cooking profession is intertwined with blogger Julie Powell's 2002 challenge to cook all the recipes in Child's first book.
As a somewhat novice cook myself I can see the appeal of trying to cook every recipe in a certain book, whilst this wouldn't work for me since I'm so darn fussy it's an interesting idea. The film is set in two distinct times and places so it flicks between modern-day New York and 1940's France/Europe. I must admit this film inspired me to branch out more in my cooking which is always a good thing! 7/10

What To Expect When You're Expecting
A look at love through the eyes of five interconnected couples experiencing the thrills and surprises of having a baby, and ultimately coming to understand the universal truth that no matter what you plan for, life doesn't always deliver what's expected.
I've not read the book this is based on, mostly because it's a pregnancy book and I've never been pregnant! However, I think this is definitely one of those films that it doesn't really matter if you've read the book or not. It has a cast full of well known actors which I don't think adds to or draws from the plot. I enjoyed the film and would watch it again, you can drift in and out and still understand it. 6/10

January Films

Films that I watched and enjoyed in January. 

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty 
The classic story of a day-dreamer who escapes his anonymous life by disappearing into a world of fantasies filled with heroism, romance and action. When his job along with that of his co-worker are threatened Walter takes action in the real world, embarking on a global journey that turns into an adventure more extraordinary than anything he could have ever imagined.
I guessed I would enjoy this film purely from reading the synopsis and I was right. I loved this film so much. For me the highlight of the film was most definitely the scenery, especially the Iceland ones. I also thought the soundtrack was great especially Kristen Wiigs' version of David Bowies' Space Oddity.  I left the theatre wanting to travel and take on the world! 9/10

17 Fille | 17 Girls
Seventeen teenage girls at a school in small-town France become pregnant at the same time, baffling the adults -- and the boys -- in their lives.
As an avid fan of foreign films and unusual plots I found this film in the depths of netflix. Although it did end up more emotional than I had assumed it would be, I thought the plot was pretty good. It showed how intelligent yet naive the girls were and this view developed as the film progressed. 6.5/10

Grave Encounters
Shot in found footage style, the footage follows the crew of a paranormal reality television programme who lock themselves in a haunted psychiatric hospital in search of evidence of paranormal activity as they shoot what ends up becoming their final episode.
I have a confession, I'm a huge fan of paranormal programmes and one in particular, Ghost Adventures, is exactly the same as the show in this film. Although it got off to a slow start it picked up and had me hiding behind my covers. The horror in this is more of a 'sit and wait for something to happen' than an outright scary thing. If you're a fan of Paranormal Activity or similar films then you'll enjoy Grave Encounters. Plus there's a sequel! 7/10

Medianeras | Sidewalls 
Separated by the wall their apartments share, Mariana and Martín are without question the perfect couple. There's just one problem: They've never met.
Yet another foreign film with an unusual plot. I connected with both characters and the idea of being small in a big city. I'm not sure what else to say apart from it was a nice film that I would watch again!  8/10 

Frozen
The film tells the story of a fearless princess who sets off on an epic journey alongside a rugged, thrill-seeking mountain man, his loyal pet reindeer and a hapless snowman to find her estranged sister, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom in an eternal winter.
After seeing all the hype on tumblr about Frozen I just had to see it! I'm not a Disney maniac but like everyone I enjoy good songs and animated snowmen. I really appreciated how the plot was focused more on the sisters than a romance. The unexpected villan (spoilers!) shocked me and added an interesting twist. I can't not mention the songs, 'Let it Go' is just one of those songs that you belt out and then feel instantly like you can do anything! A good film for children and adults alike. 8/10

Saved!
When Mary, a devout senior at a Christian high school, accidentally gets pregnant, she starts to see her peers and her faith in a whole new way.
Intrigued by the 'Faith and Spirituality' genre on netflix I was drawn to this film, the whole premise of the film is pretty unlikely but it ends up being genuinely good and heartwarming. Overall it's funny and it's weird seeing well known actors before they were famous. 6.5/10

Eggless Banana Bread

A good recipe if you're vegan, allergic to eggs or ran out of eggs! (Which was me!)

Ingredients
4 ripe bananas, mashed
120g of butter or margarine, softened
175g of brown sugar
120ml of milk or milk substitute (soya, almond etc)
200g of self-raising flour
vanilla essence
cinnamon 

Preheat oven to 180*c

In a large bowl mix together the mashed bananas and butter, then add the milk and vanilla essence. 

Add brown sugar and mix.

Then sieve the flour and cinnamon into the bowl. Make sure to mix thoroughly so the mixture is even and there are no pockets of flour. 
Pour mixture into a greased loaf tin (or normal cake tin) and place in oven for 1 - 1.5 hours. 

Allow to cool before enjoying!

Travelling Alone Tips and Advice

Traditional dress on Lake Titicaca

As you may or may not know, I've not mentioned it on here, but I spent two months in Peru this past summer and went alone. I volunteered at an orphanage in Arequipa and had an amazing time!

Speak the language 
It's not always possible and quite a lot to ask in most situations but it really helps, especially in more rural areas. You don't have to be fluent, even the basics are a huge help. I find that people really appreciate it when you try to speak their native language.  I even managed to get a few discounts because I spoke Spanish! I actually ended up speaking Spanish 50% of the time as the ladies who worked at the orphanage I volunteered at didn't speak a word of English!

Use your common sense
This goes without saying, don't do anything stupid or dangerous. Sure it might make for a good story but it also might mean you get hurt or in trouble. If you wouldn't walk down a dark alley in your hometown don't do it in a foreign place. When you're alone, especially if you're a woman, you make an easier target. If you put yourself into uncomfortable situations or dangerous places it's important to know how to deal with it. I'd recommend having travel insurance and knowing the numbers for the local hospital, police etc. Also, if you're going somewhere by yourself tell someone (a fellow guest, the receptionist) where you are going and what time you'll expect to be back, that way if something does happen someone will know where you are. 

Have an open mind
It's fun to plan an action packed holiday with a mile long list of things you intend to do but sometimes things don't work out. Throw yourself into your new surroundings and you'll have an amazing time. Sometimes the simple things like wandering around a new city end up being the most memorable. I went on an unplanned weekend trip to Lake Titicaca and ended up staying with a local family on an island! 

Touristy places are good
Being alone in a strange and new country can be intimidating. Whilst cheap hostels and tourist bars aren't the nicest or most genuine places they are a fantastic way to meet people who are in the same boat as you. The majority of the time they'll speak English which is good if you're struggling with a new language. It also means you can ask about the best places to see, eat at, drink at and get a feel of the place in general. I was lucky enough to be staying with other volunteers who had already been there for a month or so who took me under their wings. 

Do your research 
It's a good idea to get a feel of a place before you go there, and even more so if you're going to be alone. Some countries have massively differently social codes and cultures which are important to understand prior to travelling. Guidebooks and the internet are always a good place to start, I recommend the tripadvisor and lonely planet websites and the rough guides. My guidebook was a godsend, however it's impossible for the information to be right up to date so make sure you double check online. Also, if you can, speak to people who've been there and ask them about it. Speaking to people who have actually been there and done that is a great way to discover where to go and what places to avoid like the plague! 

I volunteered with the charity Traveller Not Tourist which is based in Arequipa, Peru. You can find their website at www.travellernottourist.org and their facebook page. I could not recommend them enough and if you have any questions feel free to ask me! You can see more of my photos of my time there on my flickr.