One of the requirements for a Foreign Service Officer to achieve tenure is to become proficient in a foreign language. There are many who enter into the Foreign Service already knowing a language, and then there are those of us who must attain proficiency in their first two posts.
I've been in Portuguese Language Training for the past 24 weeks. It's been wonderful and difficult and challenging and fun. I am so lucky to not only get to learn a language as part of my job, but to be able to learn such a beautiful language that's spoken by so many wonderful people and used in so many cultures. With this language, I'll be able to visit many continents and regions all over the world.
But it's been very hard, really hard. I've written about how challenging it's been for me here and here. The last 8 weeks, I've been in major boot-camp mode in preparation for my language exam. At my previous progress report, I wasn't quite at the level I wanted to be at and knew I really needed to kick everything up a notch. So in addition to my time in class, language lab and homework, I started meeting regularly with native Portuguese speakers to really boost my confidence. My entire being became focused on Portuguese. My language skills really improved and I began to feel much more confident.
The last few days before the big test day it's important to be in the right mind-set. At that point, you're not going to learn anything new - you already know it. You just need to make sure you're in the right head space for the exam. I reviewed some other people's preparations for the test, and then I crafted my own version: N. and I went to SpaWorld!
For those of you who don't know - SpaWorld is a Korean Spa located in the DC area. It is an amazing place! There are special pools with water jets that work every part of your body. There are poultice rooms that are super hot and equipped with various minerals that have healing properties. There are people who will scrub your body rendering your skin baby fresh. It is completely relaxing!
After SpaWorld, I felt well prepared for my test. I got a good nights sleep and went to my test rested and calm. Of course, I didn't stay calm long - but I got through my test and thanks to the wonderful language instructors at FSI - I passed!!!! I now have a "professional level of fluency in Portuguese" and can head off to post on schedule!
Showing posts with label Language Training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Language Training. Show all posts
December 30, 2011
September 20, 2011
Bolo de Cenoura com Chocolate
Today in Portuguese Language Training we celebrated Brazil's Independence Day. The actual day is the 7th of September, but since the new students started on the 6th, it was decided to push the celebration back a few weeks so that they had a better chance of understanding the festivities.
The whole department got together for this celebration. Each class made a presentation and everyone brought something.
My class did a presentation on Don Pedro I. He was the son of the King of Portugal and he is the person who declared Brazil's independence from Portugal with the phrase "Independencia ou Morte" (Independence or Death). We re-enacted the scene - complete with crowns, swords and a lovely gown for the queen (thank you J.!).
I decided to bring a very traditional Brazilian dessert - Bolo de Cenoura com Chocolate. It's Brazilian Carrot Cake with Chocolate. It's very different from the carrot cake that is usually served in the United States. I've put the recipe below and here's a link to it in English and in Portuguese.
The recipe is unusual (for me) in that it's made primarily in the blender. Of course most of my cooking things are in storage waiting our arrival in Recife. So I had to make do - I'm so glad I had packed my smoothie maker! But I don't have a tube pan so I adjusted the cooking times and put it into a 9 x 13.
The batter with the carrots is the most lovely color.
And since my smoothie maker only holds so much - I had to switch to my big bowl to add the eggs.
Here it is out of the oven
The original recipe's chocolate sauce didn't quite work for me (the sugar seized up and it didn't reach the proper consistency. So I made some modifications in the recipe below. The finished cake was quite tasty and reminded me of a pound cake. The carrot just blends in to everything and if you didn't know it was there - you wouldn't guess it.
And the final product - ready for the party and very tasty. Viva o Brasil!
3 medium sized carrots, cut up
1 cup oil
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
Preheat oven to 350 F and butter and flour a cake pan.
In a blender (or smoothie maker), blend the carrots, oil and eggs until smooth. Mix the dry ingredients together and then mix into the dry ingredients into the wet. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake in the oven for 30 to 40 or until golden brown and done. (If you use a 9 x 13 it will take a bit longer to cook the inside.) Let cool and then unmold and top with Chocolate Topping.
Chocolate Topping (adapted)
4 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 to 1/2 cup of milk or cream
Put everything in a saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, until sugar melts and it has a smooth consistency. Pour over the cake.
The whole department got together for this celebration. Each class made a presentation and everyone brought something.
My class did a presentation on Don Pedro I. He was the son of the King of Portugal and he is the person who declared Brazil's independence from Portugal with the phrase "Independencia ou Morte" (Independence or Death). We re-enacted the scene - complete with crowns, swords and a lovely gown for the queen (thank you J.!).
I decided to bring a very traditional Brazilian dessert - Bolo de Cenoura com Chocolate. It's Brazilian Carrot Cake with Chocolate. It's very different from the carrot cake that is usually served in the United States. I've put the recipe below and here's a link to it in English and in Portuguese.
The recipe is unusual (for me) in that it's made primarily in the blender. Of course most of my cooking things are in storage waiting our arrival in Recife. So I had to make do - I'm so glad I had packed my smoothie maker! But I don't have a tube pan so I adjusted the cooking times and put it into a 9 x 13.
The batter with the carrots is the most lovely color.
And since my smoothie maker only holds so much - I had to switch to my big bowl to add the eggs.
Here it is out of the oven
The original recipe's chocolate sauce didn't quite work for me (the sugar seized up and it didn't reach the proper consistency. So I made some modifications in the recipe below. The finished cake was quite tasty and reminded me of a pound cake. The carrot just blends in to everything and if you didn't know it was there - you wouldn't guess it.
And the final product - ready for the party and very tasty. Viva o Brasil!
Bolo de Cenoura com Chocolate
3 medium sized carrots, cut up
1 cup oil
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
Preheat oven to 350 F and butter and flour a cake pan.
In a blender (or smoothie maker), blend the carrots, oil and eggs until smooth. Mix the dry ingredients together and then mix into the dry ingredients into the wet. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake in the oven for 30 to 40 or until golden brown and done. (If you use a 9 x 13 it will take a bit longer to cook the inside.) Let cool and then unmold and top with Chocolate Topping.
Chocolate Topping (adapted)
4 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 to 1/2 cup of milk or cream
Put everything in a saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, until sugar melts and it has a smooth consistency. Pour over the cake.
September 04, 2011
Recife
I've realized that I haven't really mentioned where we're going next since I announced it on Flag Day.
And, while I've had a few posts about other blogs to check out, both Foreign Service blogs and other blogs I love - I've posted no links to blogs about Recife, or Brazil or just Brazil links in general.
So - we are going to Recife, Brazil in January, following the completion of our Portuguese language training at FSI.
We are all thrilled. After all, Recife was at the top of our bid list! It has many of the things we were looking for - warm weather, near (actually on) the beach, a great culture, a fabulous language, great food, great people - I could go on. It also allows me to fulfill many of my requirements for the Foreign Service - I'll be a consular officer and will also get to learn a new language. And since it's a fairly small post, I'll get to know my fellow officers and their families fairly well.
When we get there, I will, of course, be posting a lot about our life there. But in the meantime, I want to share some of what I've learned so far.
First off - there are two great blogs written by women who are living in Recife and are part of the Foreign Service Community. I've been enjoying reading about them for quite some time - even before I knew I was going to Recife. Please check them out! This one has recently been posting some great photos of Recife and also has some great posts about various places around Brazil. And this one is about another first tour family and also has some great posts about traveling around Brazil. Both are written by mothers with young children - it's great to get that perspective and information as well.
And here is another blog that's written about a lot of different aspects of Brazil.
And until you check out all these links - here are some photos to look at.
You can see why we're all excited! And we look forward to having visitors.
And, while I've had a few posts about other blogs to check out, both Foreign Service blogs and other blogs I love - I've posted no links to blogs about Recife, or Brazil or just Brazil links in general.
Desculpe!
So - we are going to Recife, Brazil in January, following the completion of our Portuguese language training at FSI.
We are all thrilled. After all, Recife was at the top of our bid list! It has many of the things we were looking for - warm weather, near (actually on) the beach, a great culture, a fabulous language, great food, great people - I could go on. It also allows me to fulfill many of my requirements for the Foreign Service - I'll be a consular officer and will also get to learn a new language. And since it's a fairly small post, I'll get to know my fellow officers and their families fairly well.
When we get there, I will, of course, be posting a lot about our life there. But in the meantime, I want to share some of what I've learned so far.
First off - there are two great blogs written by women who are living in Recife and are part of the Foreign Service Community. I've been enjoying reading about them for quite some time - even before I knew I was going to Recife. Please check them out! This one has recently been posting some great photos of Recife and also has some great posts about various places around Brazil. And this one is about another first tour family and also has some great posts about traveling around Brazil. Both are written by mothers with young children - it's great to get that perspective and information as well.
And here is another blog that's written about a lot of different aspects of Brazil.
And until you check out all these links - here are some photos to look at.
"The Brazilian Venice"
Recife means reef in Portuguese
You can see why we're all excited! And we look forward to having visitors.
August 23, 2011
Portuguese Language Training continues
This is my eighth week of Portuguese Language Training. Monday morning (segunda-feira) I was feeling pretty good. We had a new teacher and we all had to introduce ourselves and tell a little bit about ourselves. I felt very good about what I said. I was able to explain who I was and who is in my family and where we live now and where we used to live and even what I had done before this and why I had changed and joined the Foreign Service. All in portuguesa!
Then we had our Monday Morning Chat. The Portuguese Department gets together every Monday morning so that we can all have casual, informal chatting to warm us up for the week. It's a great idea and really helps us warm up the Portuguese part of our brain for the week.
But then, after lunch, my brain crashed. I couldn't think of anything I wanted to say and none of my words were coming to me. I know that these things happen all the time and it's part of the process - but it can be pretty demoralizing. It's so hard to feel like an idiot and feel like you're failing.
For some people, feeling like they're slipping can feel like a challenge and helps them step up the pace. For me, it makes me feel awful and like I want to give up. I have to keep reminding myself that this is all part of the process and that I just need to keep plugging away at all my tasks and that eventually I will get there.
Luckily, last week I had met with my language learning consultant and together we had devised a study / homework plan for each day. Not only does it have many tasks to work on that cover all the areas (reading, listening, grammar, writing, vocabulary), but it's divided into smaller parts (30-40 minutes each) with choices. I took the plan and set it up in a spreadsheet with big boxes for me to check off (or paste a gold star) as I complete them. I know - call me a nerd, but the boxes to check off or paste a gold star really work for me.
So I've just been plugging away and then, as I was taking a break from my vocabulary games, I decided to read some of the blogs I follow in Google Reader. There's one that's written by a member of the FS community who lives in Recife. Occasionally she writes her posts in Portuguese and today was one of those posts. For the first time, I was able to read her post!!! I feel so much better.
Then we had our Monday Morning Chat. The Portuguese Department gets together every Monday morning so that we can all have casual, informal chatting to warm us up for the week. It's a great idea and really helps us warm up the Portuguese part of our brain for the week.
But then, after lunch, my brain crashed. I couldn't think of anything I wanted to say and none of my words were coming to me. I know that these things happen all the time and it's part of the process - but it can be pretty demoralizing. It's so hard to feel like an idiot and feel like you're failing.
For some people, feeling like they're slipping can feel like a challenge and helps them step up the pace. For me, it makes me feel awful and like I want to give up. I have to keep reminding myself that this is all part of the process and that I just need to keep plugging away at all my tasks and that eventually I will get there.
Luckily, last week I had met with my language learning consultant and together we had devised a study / homework plan for each day. Not only does it have many tasks to work on that cover all the areas (reading, listening, grammar, writing, vocabulary), but it's divided into smaller parts (30-40 minutes each) with choices. I took the plan and set it up in a spreadsheet with big boxes for me to check off (or paste a gold star) as I complete them. I know - call me a nerd, but the boxes to check off or paste a gold star really work for me.
So I've just been plugging away and then, as I was taking a break from my vocabulary games, I decided to read some of the blogs I follow in Google Reader. There's one that's written by a member of the FS community who lives in Recife. Occasionally she writes her posts in Portuguese and today was one of those posts. For the first time, I was able to read her post!!! I feel so much better.
August 08, 2011
Language Studies
Language training is a big deal in the Foreign Service.
The State Department prides itself on training it's employees in 70 different languages for it's more than 265 embassies, consulates and diplomatic missions all over the world. In order for officers to attain tenure, they must achieve proficiency in at least one language.
I have friends who are learning single-use "boutique" languages like Latvian or Georgian which are primarily used in just one country, and friends who are learning widespread multi-use languages like Spanish or Chinese which are spoken all over the world by millions of people.
Language training at FSI is very different from learning a language in college. In college, I took both Russian and French and had class 3 times a week for 70 minutes. When you're in language training at FSI, ALL you do is study that language. I'm in class 4 hours a day with just 3 other students. I also have an hour of language lab a day and at least 3 hours of homework and other language based activities.
The very first day you start language training, there is an orientation which goes over all of the tools that are available for your use. You also take a number of tests to determine your particular learning style. I took the Meyer's Briggs test (again), as well as several other tests that give feedback about how you think and approach ideas and learn. One of the tests looked at how easy it is for me to take in information - and what's the best way for that to happen. Another test looked at the ways in which I process information. I learned that I'm lucky in that I take in information very easily and in a variety of ways, but that my challenge will be to organize it in a fashion that is easily accessible. I also learned that I'll need to firm up my casual attitude towards communication and be more serious about grammar rules. And that I need to stretch out of my learning comfort zone by working on my auditory style as opposed to my more comfortable visual style.
The instructors and classes are shuffled every 4 weeks so that students get to learn from a variety of native accented speakers and so that the classes comprise appropriate balances for optimum learning. I am now beginning my sixth week of learning Portuguese and I am loving it!
That's not to say it isn't hard and that my brain doesn't hurt and that there aren't many, many days that I feel like a complete idiot. But it's so wonderful to be able to just focus on just learning Portuguese. And to have such wonderful instructors, such great resources, and to be able to take advantage of the latest learning techniques.
It's also hard for a control-freak like me - it's rough speaking like a 3 year old all the time, and having the days where you just can't remember anything. Learning a language is an art (I've heard). I'm finding that it's a lot about trusting the process. It reminds me of working out at the gym: it's not about lifting a lot of weights one day or running far the next. It's about working out consistently day in and day out and eventually (many weeks / months down the road), you'll develop some muscles and tone and stamina. But it happens so slowly, you don't notice it. Until one day you put on an outfit you haven't worn for a while and it feels and looks distinctly different.
And that's where the great instructors at FSI come in. They work with you one on one and have great resources to help you achieve your best. It just takes time.
The State Department prides itself on training it's employees in 70 different languages for it's more than 265 embassies, consulates and diplomatic missions all over the world. In order for officers to attain tenure, they must achieve proficiency in at least one language.
I have friends who are learning single-use "boutique" languages like Latvian or Georgian which are primarily used in just one country, and friends who are learning widespread multi-use languages like Spanish or Chinese which are spoken all over the world by millions of people.
Language training at FSI is very different from learning a language in college. In college, I took both Russian and French and had class 3 times a week for 70 minutes. When you're in language training at FSI, ALL you do is study that language. I'm in class 4 hours a day with just 3 other students. I also have an hour of language lab a day and at least 3 hours of homework and other language based activities.
The very first day you start language training, there is an orientation which goes over all of the tools that are available for your use. You also take a number of tests to determine your particular learning style. I took the Meyer's Briggs test (again), as well as several other tests that give feedback about how you think and approach ideas and learn. One of the tests looked at how easy it is for me to take in information - and what's the best way for that to happen. Another test looked at the ways in which I process information. I learned that I'm lucky in that I take in information very easily and in a variety of ways, but that my challenge will be to organize it in a fashion that is easily accessible. I also learned that I'll need to firm up my casual attitude towards communication and be more serious about grammar rules. And that I need to stretch out of my learning comfort zone by working on my auditory style as opposed to my more comfortable visual style.
The instructors and classes are shuffled every 4 weeks so that students get to learn from a variety of native accented speakers and so that the classes comprise appropriate balances for optimum learning. I am now beginning my sixth week of learning Portuguese and I am loving it!
That's not to say it isn't hard and that my brain doesn't hurt and that there aren't many, many days that I feel like a complete idiot. But it's so wonderful to be able to just focus on just learning Portuguese. And to have such wonderful instructors, such great resources, and to be able to take advantage of the latest learning techniques.
It's also hard for a control-freak like me - it's rough speaking like a 3 year old all the time, and having the days where you just can't remember anything. Learning a language is an art (I've heard). I'm finding that it's a lot about trusting the process. It reminds me of working out at the gym: it's not about lifting a lot of weights one day or running far the next. It's about working out consistently day in and day out and eventually (many weeks / months down the road), you'll develop some muscles and tone and stamina. But it happens so slowly, you don't notice it. Until one day you put on an outfit you haven't worn for a while and it feels and looks distinctly different.
And that's where the great instructors at FSI come in. They work with you one on one and have great resources to help you achieve your best. It just takes time.
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