Well my name’s Amy and I’m the Customer Service manager here at busuu. I’m a bit of a grammar nerd and I’ve always kept up an interest in other cultures and languages. It’s one of the reasons I love working here. Being part of the busuu family exposes me to different languages, nationalities and a team of diverse, interesting people! I also know and understand the challenges and disappointments that language learning brings; been there, done that! If you are a language learner or an avid traveller, I invite you to join me over the coming month as I share my Turkish #busuuholiday.
The worst thing is to try it out speaking, and someone responds to you, leaving you completely baffled. I mean, sadly, I’ve probably unintentionally insulted someone when on my travels over the years!
Back to the point of my post… Turkey is a country I fell in love with four years ago, and I’ve returned each year since. I’ve made friends out there and I always try to make an effort to learn at least a few basic phrases in a new language so that I can get by whilst I’m away. This time around, though, I’ve challenged myself with getting more confident with Turkish before I head off there for my holiday. Instead of a Turkish holiday, I will be having a Turkish #busuuholiday!
I know it’s going to be hard as in the past four years, I’ve only managed to learn a handful of phrases so now is the time to get cracking and push myself. The more effort I put in, the more I’ll be able to show off on my travels. As they say in Turkish… Ne ekersen onu biçersin (you reap what you sow…)!
I’m aiming to complete beginner level (A1) in Turkish using the busuu app before I go away. This level will allow me to interact in a meaningful way with friends and people that I meet out there. The key to language learning is practising. This includes trying to get over the fear of failure and making mistakes, and breaking it down into bite-size chunks. Incredibly, with busuu, just 10 minutes a day can help you progress. So keep an eye out for my Turkish travels vlog where you’ll hear how I’m progressing. Then see me in action on my holiday trying to put what I’ve learned into practice!
“Yesterday is gone and its tale told. Today new seeds are growing.” – Rumi (a 13th century poet from Turkey…. but wrote in Persian)
It’s easy to look back and become frustrated with languages we attempted to learn – how I personally feel about French! Give yourself a chance – don’t quit before you’ve even really started! Listen to the wise Rumi: forget about your failures of the past and focus on moving forward. The world is your oyster and persevering with language learning will open up doors for you!
Hoşçakal, görüşürüz! (Goodbye, see you soon!)
Amy
PS: Please share your holiday pics with us on Facebook and Twitter so I can hear about your #busuuholiday. I’ll keep sharing my Turkish #busuuholiday …
