Spending a week in the desert at Burning Man
From the travel archive, Benny describes a week at Burning Man and points current visitors to the official Survival Guide for practical advice.
Category: Main Categories
How to Travel the World on a Budget
Make travel cheaper without sacrificing safety. Compare total journey costs, travel slowly, choose accommodation carefully and avoid false economies.
Case study: How Niall Doherty reached conversational competence in Spanish in 3.5 months
Niall Doherty explains how he reached conversational Spanish in three and a half months through focused study, speaking and travel.
The ONLY way to speak a language
Study methods can help, but speaking is a skill you need to practise. Benny explains how to make conversation part of learning a language.
Getting by a few weeks into learning a language: my Turkish haircut (& ear burning) experience
A Turkish haircut becomes a real-world language test as Benny uses limited vocabulary, gestures and context a few weeks into his mission.
How to learn to speak your 2nd language as if it were your 16th: The polyglot edge
Use lessons from experienced polyglots to make your next language easier, from spotting cognates to choosing what deserves your attention.
The linguistic genius of adults: Research confirms we’re better learners than kids!
Research challenges the idea that children always learn languages better, with useful evidence about the strengths adult learners bring.
Easy lifestyle adjustments to get a huge boost when things are going slowly
When progress slows, small changes to sleep, exercise, food, work and routine can restore the energy you need for a demanding language project.
Why does the language have to be so weird?
Languages feel less strange when you stop treating your own as the default. Benny looks at unfamiliar features and the logic behind them.
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