I have always wanted to learn a second language for various reasons. Initially, German was the language which won out in my earlier years, I learned it in school and my grandfather had started teaching me basic grammar and conversation. After his passing my interest didn’t decrease but became less accessible as this was during a time before there were countless apps, online tutoring services, books etc. Back then, it was essentially Rosetta Stone or move to a German speaking country.

Fast forward to early October 2001, I was lying in bed and reading an article on architecture during the Roman Empire. It was a great article, but I paused and thought about how important the knowledge I would gain in reading it was in the long term. I asked myself: what else could I be doing in my free time to not only expand my levels of knowledge but also gain a more demonstrable long-term benefit. I very quickly decided to re-commence my studies in a second language, the only tough choice was “which one?”

I narrowed the choice down to German, Italian, French and Spanish. I had no interest in Spanish, so the choice was between the remaining three. I rated their usefulness from most to least with French coming out on top, I had never studied French, so it was completely new territory for me. I decided to give it a shot and I knew that I would know quickly if it resonated. Well, it did. My first week of studies I fell in love, without question this was the one. So, I quickly took a few initial steps.

I started using a few apps, some I still use to this day, and bought some children’s books and started watching/listening to French cartoons. All were just to get me familiar with the sound and structure of the language. It very quickly became obvious to me that if I was serious about long term meaningful growth, I would need a tutor. I don’t live in a French speaking area or country so daily immersion is, and remains, the largest challenge especially when it comes to retention.

I searched for French tutors and browsed several sites, read reviews, checked forums etc. I decided to try Preply and thus began the single most important part of this journey. I searched for a tutor who met the profile I was looking for, which was mostly just a matter of time zone for shared convenience. I like to jump right in, so I messaged the first tutor on the search list. We continue working together to this day and she is the reason I am where I am in this pursuit. No question.

I love knowledge. Learning French has opened the world around me. From poetry, philosophy, literature, cinema, news, history and interviews there is always something to dive in to.