Mandarin in 3 Months: My 2012 Mission and Outcome
In 2012, I began a three-month Mandarin mission in Taipei. See my original speaking and reading plan, what changed, and the level I reached.
Category: Missions
Quechua: Quick overview and Benny speaking it with natives
Watch Benny use basic Quechua with native speakers and get a quick introduction to the language after his short mission in Peru.
New mission: Speak Klingon in time for the Star Trek convention
Benny sets himself four weeks to learn spoken Klingon before a Star Trek convention, with a practical plan for using the fictional language.
First week in Istanbul, where I live & first (video) attempt at Turkish!
Watch Benny’s first Turkish speaking attempt after a week in Istanbul, followed by a tour of his apartment and an honest early-mission update.
New mission: Speak Turkish in two months!
From the 2011 archive, Benny arrives in Istanbul and gives himself two months to build conversational Turkish and connect with people beyond English.
Forgetting a language: Why it happens and how to avoid it
Languages become harder to retrieve when you stop using them. Maintain yours with regular conversation, listening, reading and spaced review.
25 Speed Dates in Dutch
Watch Benny complete 25 speed dates in Dutch after five weeks of study, using a social challenge to create focused speaking practice.
First week settling into Amsterdam
Benny recounts his first week settling into Amsterdam, from finding a flat and organising daily life to beginning Dutch practice.
Fluent in Two Months: The Dutch Mission
A preserved 2011 mission diary setting out Benny’s eight-week Dutch goal, speaking-from-day-one method and reasons for learning Dutch.
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