Is learning a language like war where anything and everything is valid to get your goals?

In fact, it’s probably more like a street fight a la ‘Bridget Jones’. (Do you remember that scene at the end where Colin Firth and Hugh Grant give go at it in a disorganized and haphazard fashion?)

Well, it certainly feels that way. I mean, when learning a language I try standard courses, the internet, Compact Discs, podcasts, exchange programs, immersions …you name it. Sometimes the results are disapointing and I’m dominated by frustration and feelings of hopelessness. But most of the time I realize that every system I’ve used has contributed to my improvement in that particular language. Wether a word learnt from a software course, an expression read in a cheesy magazine (which took hours to find an explanation for on Google), or the half hour of Skype class…it all builds up. It’s a matter of persistence.

And one thing is definitely true in language learning: Persistence pays!