Learning Foreign Languages: Is it a hobby or a must?

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by playagain

It's seems that no one is trying to comment out in my opinion

Creativity, agreed. Reminds me of a Japanese colleague--very creative--who refused to speak in Japanese or English to me. The second she found out that I was from Canada, she started practising her French on me. It wasn't that I didn't want to speak French--more like, she was my co-teacher, the class was English, and the students were in grade 3. In some situations, one language is the more preferred.

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by Harry Smith

Why? Your English is perfect. You have nothing to worry about.

I'm not the one I'm concerned about.

[Noego]

Originally Posted by Casiopea

Creativity, agreed. Reminds me of a Japanese colleague--very creative--who refused to speak in Japanese or English to me. The second she found out that I was from Canada, she started practising her French on me. It wasn't that I didn't want to speak French--more like, she was my co-teacher, the class was English, and the students were in grade 3. In some situations, one language is the more preferred.

Funny you should say that.

This morning, really early, a hear knocking at the door.

Still drowsy I manage to walk all the way to the door (not awake enough yet to fully realize I had been woken up on my holiday).

I open the door and there's a Chinese girl there.

"I'm crazy about English! I want to come to your classes! I've been waiting outside your apartment for two days."

I was speechless. I don't think I've ever met anyone so motivated to learn a foreign language. She had been sitting in the parking lot for hours to find me and had asked the whole campus where I lived.

Amazing stuff.

[Harry Smith]

Originally Posted by Casiopea

I'm not the one I'm concerned about.

I have lived a rather long life and I have met great many very well-educated people. As you can see you are not the one. Unfortunately I have met people who are still not well-educated but they try to teach the others. Do you want to meet them? You can visit me when on holiday. I'll introduce you to some of our school instructors.

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by Noego

She had been sitting in the parking lot for hours to find me and had asked the whole campus where I lived.

Amazing stuff.

It's ironic, isn't it? Those who have the opportunity and exposure to learn a foreign language tend not to, whereas those who don't have the opportunity and exposure tend to crave it, madly.

[Noego]

Originally Posted by Harry Smith

I have lived a rather long life and I have met great many very well-educated people. As you can see you are not the one. Unfortunately I have met people who are still not well-educated but they try to teach the others. Do you want to meet them? You can visit me when on holiday. I'll introduce you to some of our school instructors.

Ok, I don't know about your school instructors but I will say the following:

I'm not a native speaker. I've been speaking English for as long as I can remember and consider myself a competent teacher (so does my employer).

I will admit this: my first months of teaching weren't easy. I screwed up, I made mistakes. I did my best to correct them.

I'm not trying to defend incompetence. But don't forget that we all start somewhere. I really understand my teachers now. I realize how tough teaching was for them at times.

I guess I never was an elitist, well not lately anyway. I say give them a chance.

Cas:

Yeah, "madly" is the right term. No, but she was really nice. I was just really surprised and she kept saying: "You must think I'm not right in my head." Ah god, good stuff.

[Harry Smith]

Originally Posted by Noego

Ok, I don't know about your school instructors but I will say the following:

I'm not a native speaker. I've been speaking English for as long as I can remember and consider myself a competent teacher (so does my employer).

I will admit this: my first months of teaching weren't easy. I screwed up, I made mistakes. I did my best to correct them.

I'm not trying to defend incompetence. But don't forget that we all start somewhere. I really understand my teachers now. I realize how tough teaching was for them at times.

I guess I never was an elitist, well not lately anyway. I say give them a chance.

Cas:

Yeah, "madly" is the right term. No, but she was really nice. I was just really surprised and she kept saying: "You must think I'm not right in my head." Ah god, good stuff.

Ok! But why do you advice me to give them a chance? Whom do you mean?

[Noego]

The teachers in your school (school instructors).

[Harry Smith]

Originally Posted by Noego

The teachers in your school (school instructors).

You know they don't work in my school. I don't even know where they work. They sit in a method-centre from where they give us commands how to work at school. They don't even come to school and help us. They only check thr results of our work distantly. Do you want me to tell you about them more? I hope not. Better tell me what other foreign languages do you speak besides English?

[Noego]

Well I'll leave this up to you. You're in the best position to judge anyway.

Let's see what the others have to say.