I don't think I've told you this, or maybe I have, but I'm learning French. J'ai commencé à apprendre le français quand j'étais une étudiante à l'université. J’avais toujours de devenir bilingue. En lycée, j’ai essayu d’apprendre le japonaise et l’espagnol - mais les regles des langues n’ont jamais fait du sens.

Je ne me souviens pas pourquoi je le choisis, peut-être parce que mon prénom semble français, (obvs je veux dire mon vrai prénom) ou peut-être parce que je sentais un peu de perdre…. Je ne sais pas.

Bref, le français ne m’arrive pas naturellement, mais j’ai continué à essayer malgre tous les problems que j’ai experiencé avec mes anxieties de parler devant de ma classe et tous les problems j’ai eu avec les regles de la grammaire. J’ai persisté...J’ai même étudié à l'étrangère en mon troisième année pendant 6 semaines en France et puis un autre 6 semaines en Burkina Faso.

J’ai continué à l’etudier à jusquà j’ai reçu mon degree en sociale science. Après 12 ans, j’ai décidé à essayer encore. Pour la plupart, ça marche très bien. J’ai un tuteur privée qui j’en rencontre chaque dimanche. En Octobre, j’ai l’intention de passer le DELF B2.

I’m someone who likes to set challenges for myself every year. If I’m not working towards something physically or mentally - I get bored, or worse deeply depressed. I discovered this about myself during the pandemic in 2020 - back when time became my biggest enemy. Working from home killed something within me - brought out the deepest darkest parts of myself. The Pandemic let me know that I’m someone that values structure and direction.

I found it with challenges. Since 2020 - I’ve challenged myself to read 100 books in a year, lose 40 lbs in a year, run a 5k in a year, and now pass the B2 DELF within a year. I believe in myself completely that this is a problem that I’ll easy accomplish. I’m puttin gin the work - meeting with my tutor weekly, talking to myself daily in french, writing prep essays twice a week, listening to 1 hour of french daily, and reading two french books a time. (Honestly, the only books/audiobooks I read are french this year - mini challenge :)).

I think this blog would be helpful. I think it would be nice to write about my life. In a location where no one could possibly find. I have a physical journal (but I mostly write in French), no one would be able to read it unless they speak the language it's written in. I like the idea of sharing photos and videos on here, like I did when I was young. I like the idea of sharing my adventures with trying to live an analog life. I like the idea of talking freely about my struggles with learning and speaking French. I have a lot of ideas, I'm just not the best at implementing them.

I write all this to let you know - don’t be alarmed in the future - if you find several entries in french or if in December or January - I’m talking about learning Russian or something. C’est mon truc, j’aime juste un bon défi.

Olivia