Category: Success Stories

How persistence can get a beginner learner to expert level

written by Chris Parker

The decision I made seven years ago to study Chinese at university changed my life. Right from the beginning I decided that I didn’t just want to learn some Mandarin, I wanted to be proficient. I wanted to speak the language to an advanced level and be able to read a newspaper and write characters with ease. It’s fair to say that I got stuck in immediately, and got completely immersed in my studies!

Seven years later, I can’t say that I’m perfect and don’t make any mistakes, or that I understand and know how to say everything. There’s still a lot of room for me to improve, but I have achieved my original goal. I can speak Mandarin fluently, and I know all the simplified and traditional characters other than the really rare ones. I speak and use Chinese every day, and it has really become a part of my life and a second language to me now.

The Oslo Challenge: being able to interview natives on camera in just a few months!

written by Guest Author

Today’s guest post is from Mariola Czupowska, who blogs at the Language Wanderer. She is from Poland and was recently inspired to learn Norwegian! She set herself an interesting challenge of recording videos in the language, and used a trip to Oslo to motivate her to make even more progress. I found her story interesting […]

I’m severely deaf and partially sighted, but have learned 5 languages. Here’s my story

written by Julie Ferguson

So, I’m Julie Ferguson and I have nothing on Helen Keller! I am, however, severely deaf and partially sighted.

My parents realised that I had a hearing problem when I was 2 years old, though I didn’t get my first hearing aid until I was 4. Unfortunately, when I was 4, nobody could understand me babbling away in my version of English, except for my mum and my brother. Apparently, I was bad. I couldn’t even pronounce my own name (it sounded like Ooee Fehuhoh).

I was sent to speech therapy for intensive work before I started primary school, and I remember working on all those weird sounds especially “spoon”. My particular hearing loss makes it difficult to hear consonants, especially s, h, and f.

How I learned more Italian in London than in Italy

written by Guest Author

One of the most prominent myths in language learning is that you have to go to the country to successfully learn it. This is so untrue!! I have always said that it depends on your attitude not your latitude and moving to the country may not help at all in some cases. This topic will […]

Dropping Barriers: What opera singers study, and how it can help you learn languages easier

written by Guest Author

Recently there was an interesting article on Lifehacker called I learned to speak four languages in a few years. Here’s how by Gabriel Wyner. He got in touch with me and asked to guest post about his relevant experience as an Opera Singer (as you can see in the photo!) to help him learn several […]

Spanish: Fluent in 3 Months Using Video Diaries

written by Guest Author

Today’s guest post is from Will Peach, an Englishman journeying around Spain, keeping regular video diaries to make himself accountable for learning the language. Will found my blog shortly before beginning his adventure and continues to apply my tips in the hope that he will reach his defined level of fluency before September of this […]

The “flow” of fluency: How to freestyle rap in a foreign language

written by Guest Author

While many guest posts here are from people I’ve met in my travels or been in touch with online a lot, occasionally I’ll be sent a topic so damn interesting that even if I don’t know the person yet, it’s definitely worth sharing. Today’s is an excellent example of such a topic, which takes a […]

Language Hacking success story: Marcus speaking Portuguese in Brazil

written by Guest Author

There are many people out and travelling the world, and luckily more and more are trying to speak the local language when they see it isn’t so hard. Every day I’m hearing/reading more and more success stories from others, and I thought today’s one was among those worth sharing! This guest post is from Marcus, […]

Case study: How Niall Doherty reached conversational competence in Spanish in 3.5 months

written by Guest Author

Today’s guest post is from Niall Doherty, a fellow Irishman also on the road, who I met this year in Portland. He found my blog, bought the Language Hacking Guide and applied my tips intensively over a short number of months and can indeed speak the language! He’s a great example of the many success […]

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