LearnLangs.com

In February, I participated in the Accelerated Challenge learning Finnish with some polyglot friends of mine. We chose Finnish because it was a language none of us had ever tried, and we also hadn't studied any related language before, it was an even playing field. The idea of the challenge was to spend exactly 45 hours within 30 days on this language, each using whatever methods we thought best, and then to have an exam and see where we stood.

The Foreign Service Institute (FSI) trains American diplomats to go from zero to ILR 3+ (roughly equivalent to C1) level in German in less than one year. I was lucky to give extra lessons to some of the recipients of this program. Here's what we did, and what they will have to do in the exam. If you have no idea how to reach ILR 3+ / C1 level, try this approach with your teacher or language partner, it seemed to be effective.

Self-study has some great advantages when compared to regular schooling:

• It's open to anyone, of any age, any nationality and even living 100 miles from the next village is no obstacle.
• Any subject of interest can be studied, including exotic languages that your local High School teachers haven't even heard about.
• There is no need to commute to the lessons.

If you have read all the information available on this site and you still have questions, I'd be happy to be your personal language-learning guide. I can

• determine your current level and identify what you need to focus on next, taking into account your personal goals
• advise you on the best methods to use
• draft your personal study schedule to help you reach the next level
• be your outside control to make sure you adhere to the schedule
• design special exercises or lessons to help you past any roadblocks
• answer any language-related questions

昨晚是我第三次看《阿凡达》。我喜欢这部电影，但是电影里也有我不喜欢的情节。

我喜欢它奇异的画面，也喜欢它的情节。我满喜欢他们给纳威人设计了这么详细的文化和语言。这跟很多电影的表现手法和设计理念不一样,更加细腻与人性化。我倒是不喜欢这部电影里白人救土著人的情节。纳威人多，他们的文化、世界观、精神力量比“天人”好，为什么没有纳威的英雄存在？这个“非白人英雄不可”的主题在好多电影，比如《与狼共舞》,《最后的武士》,《第九区》等等都出现过。因为，没有白人英雄的故事不会被好莱坞拍摄。真可惜！

Ho cominciato un nuovo lavoro. Dal 27 marzo lavoro per Wooga, una ditta che crea giochi per Facebook e iPhone. Io però non creo i giochi, faccio solo qualche programmazione per l'amministrazione della ditta. Adesso il mio modo di vivere è cambiato completamente. Fino adesso lavoravo a casa e senza tempi regolari. Potevo alzarmi quando volevo, lavorare quando volevo - ovviamente dovevo fare una certa quantità di lavoro, ma ero libera. Adesso è cambiato tutto e ho già la sensazione di non avere più tempo per niente, cosa ovviamente falsa. Spero di abituarmi.

Today I'd like to share one of my family's recipes. It's called Bratapfel (baked apple) and most Germans would have heard of it, but this version surprises them, it's more elaborate and more delicious. Because of the additions, we call it "Bratapfel im Schlafrock" (baked apple in pyjamas). As a dish, I'd put Bratapfel in the same category as cake - it's definitely too filling to eat as dessert after you already had a meal, but it is a sweet dish (though not cake-like) and often eaten in the afternoon or evening.