Let's speak english together !

[melkou]

What do u think about Australia to learn English? Is it a good location ? I heard it was really hard to understang people there because of their accent! so if I learn there i'll get a bad accent won't I ?

 

[Nessscafe]

who cares about your accent as long as you speak english ?

it's true that in australia you met a lot of different accent : the australian accent, the english accent (knowing that the northern english and the southern english are already different lol), the irish-scottish-welsh accent, the german accent, the kiwi accent, the american accent, the asian accent, italian accent... the list continues...

including of course your own very strong french accent.

After a year in Australia, some people were sure I was english (that's a big compliment for me cuz I love England anyway), some other can't really guess. In fact, my accent now is a mix between the english, australian and french accent. I can tell you how I'm glad when people told me "Wow you don't have the french accent at all !!!"

but yeah, I still do... a little bit, anyway :smile:

 

[melkou]

who cares about your accent as long as you speak english ?

it's true that in australia you met a lot of different accent : the australian accent, the english accent (knowing that the northern english and the southern english are already different lol), the irish-scottish-welsh accent, the german accent, the kiwi accent, the american accent, the asian accent, italian accent... the list continues...

including of course your own very strong french accent.

After a year in Australia, some people were sure I was english (that's a big compliment for me cuz I love England anyway), some other can't really guess. In fact, my accent now is a mix between the english, australian and french accent. I can tell you how I'm glad when people told me "Wow you don't have the french accent at all !!!"

but yeah, I still do... a little bit, anyway  :smile:

thank you for your opinion! I think I'll go there after my bts, no matter what people tell me

 

[Santalia]

Hello

How are you ? Fine....I'd just good like say you "Kuko"....I went to London for doing a linguistic stay....Today I'm almost fluent, I said "almost" because I make some mistakes sometimes...What about you ? I'm planning to go in America during 6 months. I wish to became bilingual....I want to try it for make sure....I've abilities...I know....Yes....Have itchy feet, have the travels bug...I strongly believe that, it's possible....I jumped three levels these last times... Have the project to still it....I want to go in proficiency class !!!!....Oh ! My godness !!! A little bird told me listen your heart and go on....!

Sorry for the mistakes if there are.

 

[Nessscafe]

I love when people are sooo show-off with their new skills :biggrin:

 

[sarah75]

Hello

How are you ? Fine....I'd just good like say you "Kuko"....I went to London for doing a linguistic stay....Today I'm almost fluent, I said "almost" because I make some mistakes sometimes...What about you ? I'm planning to go in America during 6 months. I wish to became bilingual....I want to try it for make sure....I've abilities...I know....Yes....Have itchy feet, have the travels bug...I strongly believe that, it's possible....I jumped three levels these last times... Have the project to still it....I want to go in proficiency class !!!!....Oh ! My godness !!! A little bird told me listen your heart and go on....!

Sorry for the mistakes if there are.

that's an excellent idea ! I think that the more I stay in France, the more my level in English decreases (almost nosediving, I can say compared with my former level)   :cry:
I really want to go to London because during my last stay, I spoke English all the time even with French people. And in 2 months, my level was honest in my opinion ! My aim is to become bilingual and to speak English at a commercial level.

 

[ChriScary]

Try northern Britain. They use to swallow their words but in the end you'll more fluent than the other dudes who will have opted for London. London is just the crappiest area cos it's imposible to socialize wit people when you don't have money.

A have some news !
Starting february, I'll go to Lincoln (northern england) in the financial department of Wirtgen LTD. I would stay five months ! Do you think it is enough to become fluent ?
What about the cost of living ? accomodation ?

 

[Santalia]

that's an excellent idea ! I think that the more I stay in France, the more my level in English decreases (almost nosediving, I can say compared with my former level)   :cry:
I really want to go to London because during my last stay, I spoke English all the time even with French people. And in 2 months, my level was honest in my opinion ! My aim is to become bilingual and to speak English at a commercial level.

The last time, I was at Wimbledon School in London...I spoke at a business courses....The contains courses was very interesting at this level, but the organisation was different from Malta Island...Also, I prefered Malta where I was hosting by the teacher...That, my english really have good progress.
But in Wimbledon, I asked at the teacher: What does "Likewise" mean it ? And she answered me: "I dont want to say that ! As some words, I was disappointed !! It's not normally !

I didn't have to meet many french people...There was an other french girl and me only. But there was

I reckon you'll be fluent in 2 or 3 months if you've abilities, it depends on the person...But on the rest, the best way for learn a language is by speaking everyday.
After, if you want some advices you need learn typical idioms...You can go in the books shops and look at English Idioms books...You will see some expression like "John has green finger" or "At a putch" who does mean; it's possible but will be very difficult if you want to do something in the recording time for example or "Don't pull all eggs in your one basket" or "How times flies"...I learned it like this.

 

[9millimetres]

A have some news !
Starting february, I'll go to Lincoln (northern england) in the financial department of Wirtgen LTD. I would stay five months ! Do you think it is enough to become fluent ?
What about the cost of living ? accomodation ?

In fact, it’s only through self-study that you can become truly fluent in spoken English. The fact is, self-study is the only effective way of gaining true spoken English fluency. That's what I think, of course you ought to practice it. However, Language is like any other skill or aptitude. Some people are proficient in languages, some are not.
How would you charecterize yourself as a person. An outgoing utter person?
The more anxious, and introverty you are, the more difficult it'd be for you to speak fluently English. It's all about personailty dude. You can't stay in the uk for ten years without speaking any english.

Santalia, you can't speak fluenty a language in 3 months. It'll take 6 months to year for a 5 years old child to be fluent. But you right. Everything depends on people.

 

[sarah75]

The last time,  I was at Wimbledon School in London...I spoke at a business courses....The contains courses was very interesting at this level, but the organisation was different from Malta Island...Also, I prefered Malta where I was hosting by the teacher...That, my english really have good progress.
But in Wimbledon, I asked at the teacher: What does "Likewise" mean it ? And she answered me: "I dont want to say that ! As some words, I was disappointed !! It's not normally !

I didn't have to meet many french people...There was an other french girl and me only. But there was

I reckon you'll be fluent in 2 or 3 months if you've abilities, it depends on the person...But on the rest, the best way for learn a language is by speaking everyday.
After, if you want some advices you need learn typical idioms...You can go in the books shops and look at English Idioms books...You will see some expression like "John has green finger" or "At a putch" who does mean; it's possible but will be very difficult if you want to do something in the recording time for example or "Don't pull all eggs in your one basket" or "How times flies"...I learned it like this.

I met a Roumanian girl who studies in Wimbledon and she pays a lot of money :chessy:

 

[helena]

A have some news !
Starting february, I'll go to Lincoln (northern england) in the financial department of Wirtgen LTD. I would stay five months ! Do you think it is enough to become fluent ?
What about the cost of living ? accomodation ?

Hi guy...
Thinking that spending time overseas could definitely improve your linguistical skills is not so truthful. Indeed, when you are abroad for internship, many colleagues are not willing at all to explain to you the words or things you don’t understand, and above all you introduce yourself as a beginner  (besides, you don’t have time to have a look in the dictionary whenever you need it). In addition , you could feel too shy to ask for any help.

I deem half of my job experiences I went through were not so helpful, both on a professional or linguistical perspective. They were useful however to fulfill the administrative requirements to sit for the exam (sign and seal). Compagnies are fully aware of this and often try to take benefit from the system, getting opportunities for cheap labour. They are not interested in responding to the trainee’s needs neither. And last but not least, when you finish your crazy internship, the supervisor would say : “thank you for your job, it was nice to meet you, ....next trainee please !”


Work experience could be obviously a marvellous asset in your C.V... but you ‘ll not escape from the oral test...(in English !) and there is no way to hesitate during the recruitment interview. I’ve learnt that from experience...bad or good !

 

[9millimetres]

Hi guy...
Thinking that spending time overseas could definitely improve your linguistical skills is not so truthful. Indeed, when you are abroad for internship, many colleagues are not willing at all to explain to you the words or things you don’t understand, and above all you introduce yourself as a beginner  (besides, you don’t have time to have a look in the dictionary whenever you need it). In addition , you could feel too shy to ask for any help.

I deem half of my job experiences I went through were not so helpful, both on a professional or linguistical perspective. They were useful however to fulfill the administrative requirements to sit for the exam (sign and seal). Compagnies are fully aware of this and often try to take benefit from the system, getting opportunities for cheap labour. They are not interested in responding to the trainee’s needs neither. And last but not least, when you finish your crazy internship, the supervisor would say : “thank you for your job, it was nice to meet you, ....next trainee please !”


Work experience could be obviously a marvellous asset in your C.V... but you ‘ll not escape from the oral test...(in English !) and there is no way to hesitate during the recruitment interview. I’ve learnt that from experience...bad or good !

While you're working, people ain't there to help you out wit your lack of fluency. It's not their problem if you don't speak english perfectly. Besides, instead of complaining, you should be happy. They pay you despite your level of english.
Having a social life, helps you to sharpen your english. I guess, a 6 weeks placement is far from being enough to socialize with people when you are a BTS student. Basically when you are student, you learn how to write CVs and application letters in the target languages, or official documents such as contracts of employment, rent agreements, income tax return forms, insurance policies, police registration forms and employment but you don't learn to speak.

 

[kathounette]

While you're working, people ain't there to help you out wit your lack of fluency. It's not their problem if you don't speak english perfectly. Besides, instead of complaining, you should be happy. They pay you despite your level of english.
Having a social life, helps you to sharpen your english. I guess, a 6 weeks placement is far from being enough to socialize with people when you are a BTS student. Basically when you are student, you learn how to write CVs and application letters in the target languages, or official documents such as contracts of employment, rent agreements, income tax return forms, insurance policies, police registration forms and employment but you don't learn to speak.

During a work placement usually people (at work) try to help us even if they have not a lot of time because the students are there to learn. However we are not pay for the work we do, so it's a kind of compensation. :wink2:

I went in England in May 2006 and my tutor really helped me because I had a correct level in English but at the beginning of my placement I was to shy and I didn't speak a lot with my colleagues because I was afraid to make some mistakes. And thanks to my tutor I became more talkative in the good sense of course.

But, indeed, 6 weeks is really to short to have a real social life abroad, I think that a work placement should be at least 2 or 3 months.
As you said, as a student, we learn how to write a CV, an application letter, we learn a lot of technical vocabulary in order to be able to do the "administrative" work in an international environment but we don't speak English !
So the best way to progress in oral communication seems to be to go abroad but we have not enough time to have a real social life with a 6 weeks work placement...

That's why after my BTS I went abroad (in Yemen) to work.
I'm here since July 2007 so around 6 months and everyday I learn some new things, new words. And it's very interesting because I also discover a lot of things about the culture.

 

[9millimetres]

During a work placement usually people (at work) try to help us even if they have not a lot of time because the students are there to learn. However we are not pay for the work we do, so it's a kind of compensation.  :wink2:

I went to England in May 2006 and my tutor really helped me because I had a correct level in English but at the beginning of my placement I was too shy and I didn't speak a lot with my colleagues because I was afraid to make mistakes. And thanks to my tutor I became more talkative.

But, indeed, 6 weeks is really too short to have a real social life abroad, I think that a work placement should last at least 2 or 3 months.
As you said, as a student, we learn how to write a CV, an application letter, we learn a lot of technical vocabulary in order to be able to do the "administrative" work in an international environment but we don't speak English !
So the best way to improve in oral communication seems to be to go abroad but we have not enough time to have a real social life with a 6 weeks work placement... No sense
That's why after my BTS I went abroad (in Yemen) to work.
I'm here since July 2007 so around 6 months and everyday I learn some new things, new words. And it's very interesting because I also discover a lot of things about the culture.

Didn't have time to correct all the mistakes you made. But your writing english is quite good. Let me tell you something. Even 3 months is too short to socialize with people. Dunno about Yemen but brits people tend to be very cold. Unless they got enough beer in their blood to talk to you. So I would say, it'll depend on the country in which you are going to. Besides, alcohol in the UK, is part of the social fabric of society and as such there is significant pressure to drink. It would perhaps be better if not drinking, were not regarded as slightly odd.

 

[chrismarie31]

Please, how do we say "dons littéraires et linguistiques" in english?

Et est-ce que "how do we say" est la bonne formule pour demander en anglais "comment dit-on... (tel mot en anglais, en français...)"?

 

[kathounette]

Didn't have time to correct all the mistakes you made. But your writing english is quite good. Let me tell you something. Even 3 months is too short to socialize with people. Dunno about Yemen but brits people tend to be very cold. Unless they got enough beer in their blood to talk to you. So I would say, it'll depend on the country in which you are going to. Besides, alcohol in the UK, is part of the social fabric of society and as such there is significant pressure to drink. It would perhaps be better if not drinking, were not regarded as slightly odd.

Sorry for the mistakes, my English is not perfect and I did some careless mistakes :blush:
So thank you to correct me.

About this sentence: "So the best way to improve in oral communication seems to be to go abroad but we have not enough time to have a real social life with a 6 weeks work placement... No sense"
It means that at school we don't really speak English so we have to go abroad to improve our level, but a 6 weeks work placement is not enough, consequently, to go abroad to work seems to be a good solution (to my mind).

I know that in Britain it is quite difficult to have a social life "in a few time" but in Yemen people are very welcoming. They are happy to see "western" people in their country and they often invite us to drink tea or even to eat with them even if they have not a lot of money.
And here alcohol is forbidden so it is not a way to communicate. People just appreciate to see that we are interested in their way of life and language. Even if we speak just a few words in Arabic people really appreciate it, it is a kind of sign of respect towards them.

 

[9millimetres]

Sorry for the mistakes, my English is not perfect and I did some careless mistakes  :blush:
So thank you to correct me.

About this sentence: "So the best way to improve in oral communication seems to be to go abroad but we have not enough time to have a real social life with a 6 weeks work placement... No sense"
It means that at school we don't really speak English so we have to go abroad to improve our level, but a 6 weeks work placement is not enough, consequently, to go abroad to work seems to be a good solution (to my mind).

I know that in Britain it is quite difficult to have a social life "in a few time" but in Yemen people are very welcoming. They are happy to see "western" people in their country and they often invite us to drink tea or even to eat with them even if they don't have a lot of money.
And here alcohol is forbidden so it is not a way of communicating. People just appreciate to see that we are interesting in their way of life and language. Even if we speak just a few words in Arabic people really appreciate it, it is a kind of sign of respect towards them.

Sounds great. How long have you been there? Are you still out there?

 

[kathounette]

Sounds great. How long have you been there? Are you still out there?

I'm in Yemen since July 2007 so around 6 months. I plan to stay here around 2 years. But I will go back to France during "a few couple of weeks" (is it right to say 2 or 3 weeks?) to see my family.

 

[9millimetres]

I'm in Yemen since July 2007 so around 6 months. I plan to stay here around 2 years. But I will go back to France during "a few couple of weeks" (is it right to say 2 or 3 weeks?) to see my family.

Was written in your signature. I must be blind. What about your colleagues. Are there english speaking?
What about where you live? Are you on your own or in a flatshare. Quite interesting, what you are saying cos I never talked wit someone who were working in Yemen. How did you get your position. Mouth to mouth recommendation. I really think you'ra having a good experience. It shows that you don't need to be enrolled in a bloody business scholl to gain international experience. We just need to be motivated and resourceful.

 

[kathounette]

Was written in your signature. I must be blind. What about your colleagues. Are there english speaking?
What about where you live? Are you on your own or in a flatshare. Quite interesting, what you are saying cos I never talked wit someone who were working in Yemen. How did you get your position. Mouth to mouth recommendation. I really think you'ra having a good experience. It shows that you don't need to be enrolled in a bloody business scholl to gain international experience. We just need to be motivated and resourceful.

I'm sorry not to answer you before but I had no time. By the way, I wish you a Merry Christmas.

Concerning your questions, all employees are required to speak English because it is essential for the communication. There are 3 French people in my company and most of the other employees are Yemeni. The Commercial Director studied and lived in London before working here so he is almost bilingual, trilingual in fact because he also speaks Arabic, as well as the CEO.

About the accommodation, I live in a typical house (with my boyfriend), at around 20 minutes of the company.

Actually, my boyfriend found his work placement here (thanks to the Internet), and he was really enthusiastic to work here 1 or 2 years.
However, I was a student until June 2007, I had to pass my exam (BTS) and I needed a job to join him.
The CEO of the company needed an Assistant, so he looked at my CV and trusted my boyfriend about my skills. Consequently, I had no difficulties to find my job and I'm aware that I was lucky.
After 6 months I have more and more responsibilities, I am more comfortable in welcoming visitors and with my English oral communication even by phone and it is really exciting to work and live here.

However, sometimes it's difficult because of the distance with the relatives (family and friends), especially during some events such as Christmas...

But it's a good experience. And we are thinking about going to England to work during approximately one year after leaving Yemen. We will probably choose England to be near to our family, especially our grandparents who are old.