How Renting Is Making Me Start To Learn French

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Yes I know. Those who read this blog yesterday will be reminded how constantly I say that I'm going to be learning languages mainly but circumstances (aka life) appear to conspire in my way.....well that's my excuse anyway.

But it occurred to me that since as a family it would be a renting we will go on moving from Bridgend to Penarth/surrounding area until the right place comes along then there will be moments where I'm going to be bored. Much as I like books you cannot read all the time, or watch sports, or even go out when the weather is bad.

There will moments of "family time". But shift work means that it might not actually exist to any extent than those ships that pass through the night. Also in daughter's case she has her "Bridgend" friends that she can speak to online as well as those ones she'll hopefully make in her new school. Also I am at that stage where the word "embarrassing" comes before "dad" in every other statement from her lips about me.

The point about renting though, is that things I could have done have been boxed/crated and will soon be warehoused. Opportunities to pass the time short of taking longer naps are actually limited. It then hit me.......learn French.

Now before you can say why not Welsh/Italian/any of the other languages I've been mentioning in the blog previously. Well French has the advantage that I've some residual knowledge dredged up from school as well as, crucially, that the Teach Yourself book I've got is in my Kindle (unlike for example all the Welsh books/papers which are crated in what was the dining room and now a storeroom as I speak).

Having already got the ebook, all I needed was to buy a binder, some lined paper,index tabs and it's just a case of allez.

As much as will be possible I'm going to try and get a French ambiance to get me in the mood. Listen to French radio, watch French TV/Films on Walter Presents/Netflix, take continental breakfasts, drink more coffee (though will never discard tea.....there are limits).

And it won't be the only language I will learn either. My new, even more revised, hopefully lifeproof plan is this. When we (eventually) move into somewhere more permanent will immediately learn Welsh as well and concentrate on these two until the beginning of 2019 when, adding on a yearly basis Gaelic, Italian, Polish and one other (not sure which one here). The aim is to gradually be fluent in six languages.

This is more than just brain food. As I mentioned when talking about Welsh but it applies to any European language you care to name learning a different tongue has become a political statement in the UK. Though in my case I've no wish to leave Britain (Wales....and preferably an independent Wales is my home) learning a language post Brexit means that you are saying there's a world beyond "the British way of life". Showing an interest beyond the right wing clichés marks you out as different. Someone who thinks that your mind should not be satisfied with .....insert reality TV show here.......until you die.

Until the next time.