Noel is the founder of Smart Language Learner. When he isn't learning languages or writing about it, you can find him enjoying the good life of Costa Rica, where he lives with his wife and 4 children.
Steve Kaufmann… If you’ve browsed the internet language scene for more than 5 minutes, then you’ve probably heard of him.
He’s a Canadian polyglot who speaks an incredible 17 languages… and counting.
Steve has been learning languages for more than 55 years and is also the co-founder of LingQ, a popular language learning app.
Notably, he’s learned most of his languages later in life, thereby busting the myth that language learning is only for young people.
Did you know that the best Spanish language course is a completely FREE download?
It’s called FSI Basic Spanish, and it’s an extremely effective course.
You’ll be speaking Spanish at a very decent level if you complete it.
In fact, I know of no other Spanish course (or app), free or paid, that gets results like FSI Basic Spanish.
So you’ve made it…
You can now speak your new language well enough to…
1) Talk about more than just the weather. 2) Say more things than just “your country is nice” (Benny, is that you?).
You’re ready to travel to the country where they speak your new language.
When you’re there, you just go out and talk, right?
Well, you may want to think again.
You have it all planned out, don’t you?!
Travel the world, interact with natives, and feel like you’re one of them.
Maybe even emigrate to a sunny place and start a new life there?
Your new language could unlock it all for you.
It’s there for the taking.
The only problem?
You don’t want to learn a language at all.
When you travel, do you prefer to go with someone else?
If so, you’re missing out my friend.
Accompanied travel is limited travel.
By traveling with someone you are limiting your experiences.
Yeah, traveling with a friend can be cool. But it’s not the real cookie; not the real adventure.
To experience that, you have to go alone.
It’s easier for women to learn a language than it is for men.
Women are better socially.
Higher levels of empathy make them better listeners.
They may have better memory…
More patience…
And it is more socially accepted for a woman to study or practice her new language publicly.
So this post is for men.