Going back to beginner Portuguese before a trip to Portugal has reminded me of an uncomfortable truth about language learning: recognising something when you see or hear it is very different from being able to recall it when you need it. I’m off on a trip to Portugal soon, so I’ve been busy reviving my very basic Portuguese. I first started learning this beautiful … [Read more...]
A fun little vocab and writing skills project
Grrr. It’s mid November and it's getting dark by half past four in the afternoon here in London now. By 8pm last night, when I headed out for an evening walk, it was dank and misty. It really felt like autumn. My mood, though, lifted up as I came across something quirky: a Royal Mail pillar box adorned with a knitted hat or “topper”. I’d heard before that there’s … [Read more...]