How to overcome the language barrier, if you moved to New York City
Travels Forming / / December 19, 2019
Irina Sidorkina
A former journalist, the future writer, travels, talks about life in New York in his Instagram-profile: @sidorkina_i.
Half a year before moving to the US, I could not put two words. Today, after 9 months, I can keep the conversation going and to understand the interlocutor. The situation is still difficult, but much better than in the first week, when one out of the house looked like landing on the moon.
Here's a quick guide of what to do if time is running out, and you are still confused as and ass.
1. Stop panicking
New York - a city of immigrants. No one will laugh at you or ignore you. Americans will help, will explain everything and even bless you in the end.
5-10 memorize simple phrases that will be useful in emergency situations. The ones that you will use, if you lose in the subway, on the street, you want to eat, drink, or you become ill. Memorize their home address and the phone number you can call in case of force majeure.
2. Prepare in advance
Until the moment of boarding the plane and serving in the US I was six months old. During this time, twice a week, I took lessons online. However, no consistent pattern of information is not to stay long in the mind. But it's better than to sit and wait, when knowledge will be themselves. I can recommend grants Raymond Murphy - a guiding star in the world
English grammar.3. Attend training classes
A month later, after moving to New York, I enrolled in free language school. If you look, there exists in such a dozen. Courses last for two months, employment - for six hours a day. The basic idea - daily communication. With the teacher, classmates, volunteers. It really helped to overcome the barrier Elementary. You immerse yourself in a friendly atmosphere, you meet with the same new arrivals, and the fear goes away.
Now I visit courses at Columbia University. Just two hours a day is convenient if you combine study with work.
Incidentally, the same day the city libraries pass conversational classes.
4. Forget the distress
The more I blurts out the more memorable. Have the courage, hang out with all strangers. Americans love small talks.
Russian is always waiting for some kind of trick, engaging in such dialogue. I still unusual that anyone on the street or on the subway can make a relaxed conversation, if you are familiar with for ten years.
The first days in New York, remember an interesting meeting in a cafe. I was approached by a couple of lovers hippies began a dialogue consisting of my pathetic attempts and inspiring speech flow from the people that I see for the first time in my life. In parting, they embraced me five times, wished good luck and success. That's how I realized how society in New York may be open.
5. Avoid communicating in Russian
Some people live in New York, 10-15 years old, but did not learn anything except «London is the capital of Great Britain». This is not a call to avoid the Russian, but be careful. Very easy to get in his native language funnel - simply because it is so comfortable.
Some Russian-speaking children in my school were very persistent. Due to lack of friends here they craved attention and emotional conversations. If you do not help the words, I just hooked to speakers of other languages in the group. Appreciate your time, learn to share fellowship and training.
6. More often in bookstores
Select the product that will be interesting for you. No need to miss the "Lord of the Rings." Take the small book. I began with the novel "Coraline" by Neil Gaiman.
Read in English: 16 exciting books for beginners →
Enjoy magazines or comics? Read them. They also help to enrich vocabulary. If it is absolutely difficult to pay attention to children's literature, or use reading method Ilya Frank.
One chapter a day - one step closer to success.
7. Spend time writing
If you have half an hour, take them to the listening of the trailer, recording heard on the paper. Listening, coincident with the letter reminds dictation in school. Once can fix errors and note that given simpler, and that heavier. Another way - to keep a diary and write before going to bed, how was your day.
I really like the job our teachers on transfers. Takes a favorite passage of Russian literature, translated into English and write in a notebook.
8. Do not give up entertainment
The main thing - to turn a boring language learning in the game. Immediately I warn, parties can be difficult to maintain a dialogue because of the loud music and chatter. However, one glass of wine helps to talk even such an introvert like me. (This is not a call to drunkenness. If this method is not included in the plans, see. the next item.)
9. use art
Often, the Metropolitan Museum and the New York Museum of Modern Art held a special meeting. Of course, listening to a lecture on Picasso's not easy, but try to enjoy the complexities. Pay attention to what you are interested in retelling really familiar, learned.
Watch movies with subtitles, and better off without them. Choose a dynamic plot, revise your favorite series in the original.
Serials and movies in English that will teach you the correct pronunciation →
Go to the theater, start with the children's ideas. At school the teacher took us to an experimental production of "The Metamorphosis" by the novel by Franz Kafka. Once viewers look of the show, they can ask the actors to replay the scene again. The action does not last as long as in a conventional theater - not more than two hours.
more advice Google Art Project - the largest Internet platform with a detailed description of art objects from more than 184 museums throughout the world.
10. Ask to correct your mistakes
Americans are very difficult to get to play teacher. All in one voice will repeat about your perfect English, even if you say to him in the second day of life.
Be sure the local population does not know all the rules of grammar. What was my surprise when, a teacher at the university - a graduate of the Faculty of poetry, for a moment - a couple of times could not correctly write the word on the board.
Just sometimes remind friends and teachers about how to point to your language gaps. Their tips will improve your knowledge.
11. use of technology
A lot of the content of the slang expressions and stable on YouTube. Write out phrases, single words, use them in conversation.
Change the language on your devices, use translators and useful for studying the language of the application, make a general chat in instant messenger to communicate in English with friends.
12. Communicate by phone
I long to rest assured that the danger had passed. But it was not there. If you do not use the call function, it does not mean that they will not call you. Do not refuse such an opportunity: a step-by-step, a call-up for the discomfort will disappear, you will be able to understand.
By the way, there is a service where you can connect to your line interpreter, who translated and explain some difficult moments in American banks.
13. improve your pronunciation
Nothing is more jarring, like a strong accent. It was an unpleasant discovery. After all, a man who can hardly understand it Americans, understand distorted emphasis it several times harder.
6 tips for correct English pronunciation training →
At first I was very afraid of Asians. I did not understand them, but they seem designed around me tight ring: served in the barber shop became my neighbors and acquaintances in stores. Afraid until then, until we became friends.
14. Overestimate their abilities
Storm is always a level just above your knowledge. The first week at Columbia University was not easy. Our teacher - a real American from Missouri - babbled so that each day I felt an overwhelming desire to run in the primary grades. Over time I used to it, and the brain began to receive the information at the hearing. Rest assured, our memory may be longer than you think.
I do not want to roll up the banal phrase "believe in yourself, do not compare with others and focus on success." No study is always hard work, sometimes everything is absolutely not clear, and to avoid embarrassment is not possible to anybody.
My first teacher repeated: "Step by step, and you will come to the desired".
Even after 9 months, I just remember the words, just scold yourself for a wrong grammar, angry, if I can not express the thoughts the way you want. However, day after day, English ceases to be an enemy and becomes a little closer. Learn the language and discover a new world!
see also
- 5 mistakes, because of which people have spent years trying to learn English, and how to avoid them →
- 15 English words and phrases that make you take for a native speaker →
- 10 Free Android-apps to learn English →
- 10 free iOS-applications for learning English →