Learning Arabic... Again

Just like the blog title says, I am learning Arabic again. It is for this reason I have not written in so long. I have been trying to figure out how I want to approach learning this language this time around. Obviously, the first time learning it did not stick as well as it should have. It probably had something to do with being so young (and immature) when I first learned Arabic, as well as not knowing how I learn languages. Both reasons play a huge part in individual learning. So now that I am older I am trying to figure out how to make this language stick in my brain this time around.

So far I am reading the Book of Mormon in Arabic, which helps immensely. I also started using italki.com, which is basically an online hub for people to talk to native speakers in order to improve language learning abilities. And boy, does it work! In the few sessions I have had already, I have pushed my learning ability to its limit --but in a good way. I am remembering and relearning more and more each day, and so that is a major blessing. Additionally, I am using varied textbooks... I forgot the name of one textbook in particular that is extremely helpful... in another post I will expand. All of these things helped me realize that I cannot learn vocabulary as individual words. I need context or I will never remember them. So I learn better with phrases than when I see words on flashcards. This makes language learning a lot easier now.

I think in later posts, I will talk more about certain things more in depth, but as of right now I wanted to explain where I have been and what I have been doing. So until our next post, I am infinitely thankful for the Internet and the blessings of connecting to people around the world (i.e. italki.com or via language learning blogs) who can help me learn Arabic again.

Learning Languages

I am relearning a language I studied in college, and the process certainly has its ups and downs. A big part if me wonders if I even learned that language well in the first place because relearning this language is hard. And I mean hard. Not to mention I don't have the resources I once had while in college. But regardless of the difficulty, I made a commitment to relearn this language and I am going to do it!

Anyway, to make up for the lack of resources I had in college, I am reading language blogs to get ideas on how to better my language learning skills. Within these other blogs, the writers point out how we learn languages as children compared to when we are adults. As I read these words today on one of these blogs, a huge realization hit me: all of us are amazing because we are fluent in at least one language (our mother tongue). Think about that one for a minute. We are so incredible! What an amazing accomplishment! So I figure if I can become fluent in one language already, I can definitely master the one I am working on.

I love this idea, and need to stop thinking I am incapable of doing something this awesome because I have already done it once. And I am doing it again!

Well I guess this was a random and short blog post for today. To end it, as always, I am infinitely thankful for my language-learning abilities.

Church Callings

I'm part of a committee at my church that is responsible for monthly activities for all the women ages 18 and older. I've only been part of this committee for a little while, but, recently, I was assigned to be in charge of advertising the activities. For this last month's activity, I spent quite a while making the announcements and making sure it got into all advertising outlets so every woman in the ward (I'm LDS, so the term "ward" just means congregation group) would know about it. When the day for the activity came, everything was set up with the hard work of other committee members and only two women from the ward showed up (including one women who we asked to be in charge of teaching a class). Two women!

All of the women in this committee worked so hard to make sure this event went off without a snap and only two women showed up? To my own self, it was devastating because I felt responsible since I am in charge of advertising. But talking with the other women in the activity, they felt the same. Mind you, we all understand that we can't control who shows up to our activities. But after putting so much effort into doing something meant for others, it kind of saddening when only two women showed up.

While this experience was difficult in some ways, it did make me realize that I have way too often been one of the ladies who didn't show up to these activities in the past (when I wasn't a part of the activity committte). I have way too often taken for granted all the hard work other people in my shoes have done. And that stops now.

I need to start supporting others' efforts. I think back to the times in my life when I have receive support for my efforts and it made all the difficult moments during those times worth it. If I need that support, everyone else does as well. So a new goal I have is to find ways to support and cheer on others. It could be big or small, but it is needed.

In all, this lesson has taught me one big thing: I am infinitely thankful for people who have supported my life's efforts.

New Beginnings

It's the middle of the night and I can't sleep. So much is going through my brain --mostly how I feel like my twenties have been a big waste of time. Of course I have had some major accomplishments during this stage of my life, such as marrying my best friend and supporter (He will be referred to as "C" from here on out). But otherwise, I have not succeeded in my dreams.

This big realization comes on the eve of my last year in my twenties. So often I have made goals to improve myself, but I rarely see them through. In fact, a dear friend mentioned that very fact tonight, and looking back I couldn't agree with him more. I committed six years of my life to a focused post high school education and did nothing with it. Even after college, I began multiple career moves of various backgrounds, but didn't continue due to health issues, road blocks, confusion, or just plain fear. I have this major issue of getting excited about a new career move, and then hating it midway --because it just doesn't fit my personality despite my belief it would. And that needs to stop now. I need to know what it feels like to succeed. Even in personal goals, like weight loss, I am my worst enemy. I need to learn how to push through the muck in order to get to my dreams, and not throw in the towel when things get tough.

With these thoughts in mind, I did some major soul searching. I realized I should have just stuck with my first career goal I made, and majored in, in college. This is the only time I was truly happy doing something with a career focus. So why did I give it up? Oh I know... it got hard and I got lazy. Looking back though, if I would have stuck it out and not given up, I would be in a way better place right now. Lesson learned! Now I get to relearn a language I haven't used in years to accomplish a big career goal. Something I really want to do and have to finish this time.

What makes me sad is that it seems like few people believe I will accomplish this goal. They seem to think this is another idea I will start and not finish. I can't blame them for thinking that way if they do. After all... that's been my pattern. But I need this goal more than ever. I can't be the person standing in my own way anymore. So I started this blog, in part, to keep me accountable.

However, there is more to this blog than that. I am using this platform to express the joy and gratitude I find along my journey. Just like my blog title says I will be "Infinitely Thankful" for all that I have. And I have so much to be thankful for! I live in a free country. I can read. I am able to accomplish my dreams. Etc, etc, etc. How amazing is that? My hope is that as I express my gratitude this coming year (remember, the LAST year in my twenties), I will be able to find happiness/enjoyment in my goals. And one thing I have learned in my short life is that if I don't find something enjoyable, then I won't do it. I don't want to feel like a failure anymore. Instead I want to feel the gratitude of accomplishment in all that I do.

How this blog will work is... well, I'm not sure how exactly it will work as things need to evolve. But my plan is to try and have every post with a theme of gratitude. However, if this theme doesn't happen in every post, I will most definitely be ending each post with "I am infinitely thankful for.." I think it has a nice ring to it.

So without further ado, I am infinitely thankful for beginnings. There is beauty in beginnings and a lot of hope. And hope is what keeps us going.