A Leap of Faith

lynnejk

Hiya

Sounds like you're having a great time on your working holiday and I agree that you should take some time off to enjoy yourself as well. Strolling about and relaxing for a few days will probably do you good and you'll come back feeling more refreshed.

I often read your first post on here and am soo pleased that it all seems to be panning out for you so well - so far and fingers xd. It seemed such a huge leap to take and I bet you wish you'd done it before now. Forty/forty hindsight eh.

Really hope you enjoy the rest of your holibobs and talk to you soon

Hasta luego
Lx

somerandom

Awww thanks Lynne - I've thought of you while I've been here because of our Nerja connection! I've finally realised just how important it is for me to be able to speak Spanish - nothing is more important to my plan than that - so I will give it my full attention when I get back. I really appreciate your support on that front

Clarey008

Glad you are enjoying yourself, that is a good idea to go back to a familiar place. You have reminded me that I need to press on with learning German. My sister lives in Germany and I would like the option of living out there one day. I usually sign up to a course at University or college but haven't signed up to one for September yet.

somerandom

How far are you along with learning German Clarey?

I'm going to sign up for a Spanish course now I'm home as well as doing the self-study & online courses. This will be the third time I've signed up for a beginners course its a bit frustrating covering the same stuff again - (the first time I did it a I was pretty confident speaking Spanish by the time I'd finished). I need to let go of that feeling of wanting to kick myself for not building on what I'd learned , and focus on the idea that by next June I could be feeling confident speaking it again.

Clarey008

I've done it for two years, so technically should be on level 3 but I am debating whether to repeat level 2 as I found it hard and redoing it might consolidate what I learnt. On the other hand maybe I should have a big push and go for level 3, decisions decisions. One thing I have definitely learnt is that although online courses are cheaper, I need the motivation of a teacher and a class to really notice a difference.
Are you sure you need a beginners course? Could you revise what you learnt previously and go for the next level?

somerandom

That's fantastic that you have kept at it Clarey. Is there any option of you swapping if for example you started level 3 & realised it was too much of a stretch?

I was debating whether I do in fact need beginners too but I feel so rusty & unconfident at the moment I think I'm going to err on the side of caution & start from the beginning again. Plus I remember now that when I moved from level 1 to level 2 I found it a struggle quite quickly and dropped out - (I had literally forgotten that until now!!).

I have come to the conclusion that I need the discipline of the classroom too - I have really been enjoying the online course though - it's been like WD40 for my rustiness :rotfl:

lynnejk

Hiya

Hope you had a lovely time and are back feeling refreshed and revitalised. I didn't know how long you had gone for but it's never long enough eh

I can't find a Spanish course here that I can get to on a regular basis. They cut all the funding for adult education and amalgamated lots of the teaching so not much left here as a bit of a back-water. I don't have a car as not really economically viable and DH uses our car to get to work - he can't get there using public transport.

So I'm carrying on with my on-line courses and am actually starting to feel a bit more confident. Some of the things I was struggling with are beginning to make more sense - getting kind of mini light-bulb moments now and then. I definitely think it's helping that I do some Spanish every day now.

Hope you have a lovely weekend and enjoy getting back into the work routine next week.

All the best and hope to hear from you soon
Lx

somerandom

Good Morning All

I'm back from Spain - got back on Thursday eve ( & Lynne you are quite right - its never long enough.)

Work-wise: I managed to Coach seven people while I was away, I had a virtual meeting and also made a great contact while I was there who was a mine of useful information about how I might organise a retreat. Other than that I really pressed that "pause button" - re-read novels, walked, swam & snoozed .. It was blissful...

I've yet to switch back on and, to be honest there's a big part of me that doesn't want to & just yearns to be back there ...

Work-wise - since I've been back I've been doing some admin tasks, had a chat with someone that might lead to work and today had a lovely conversation with the woman who will be filming me on Tuesday. On reflection that's not bad going given I've only been back since Thursday & technically this IS the weekend. The line between "work" & "life" is so much more blurred these days.

So Aug was my lowest earning month since I became self-employed - but only just and I earned enough to comfortably pay the bills. As it stands September looks fairly quiet too but I guess this is the time of year that the seeds are sown for the rest of the year. So I'd better get sowing :rotfl:

Next week: I have 6 people booked in for coaching & a few more to follow up. I am being filmed on Tuesday morning - I feel a lot less nervous about it now that I have spoken to the woman who will be filming me - she was lovely

And I WILL be signing up for that Spanish Course! Lynne - what a shame there aren't any courses locally but it sounds that you are doing really well with the online courses. I still want to continue with those too - I need to catch up on the last week of the Future Learn one as my wi-fi wasn't reliable enough while I was away.

Have a great week everyone...

Clarey008

I signed up to a German course again. I have been doing a University course but they weren't offering level 3 so I have signed up for the level 3 at college (with a couple of friends I made on the university course). The tutor assured us the college course was a bit easier than university, so cross fingers it's the right level. I need to do some intensive revision before it starts.
Don't forget to sign up Somerandom!

somerandom

Well done on signing up for your German Clarey - sounds like that course level could be just right for you. I have signed up for my Spanish! - beginners ! I start the week after next. I've been listening to Spanish recordings while I've been pottering around the garden recently to get me in the right frame of mind and I am delighted to find that the online course that Lynne introduced me too has a follow up module - thanks so much for that Lynne - I hadn't realised.

Update: Good Morning - I hope you have all had a good week.

For a lot of the week I was struggling being back in UK. The overcast weather was really getting me down & I had an awful migraine on Thurs triggered by allergies. I've got to the bottom of the triggers and I've made some adjustments including starting to take my prescription antihistamine at night and its working really well so far.

Anyway - it's a pleasure to feel so differently - clear headed and positive - this weekend & looking back, in spite of the migraine its been a productive week. In addition to Coaching 9 people - Highlights of the week were:

- I was filmed on Tuesday for a short video portrait as part of a film project about Londoners. This series of films is about Londoners who help other Londoners (actually my clients come from all over but include people from London) & I was one of them - it focussed on the work I do for a Charity. It was great fun. They interviewed me then we did lots of filming like me walking, me looking at the Thames, me on the phone, me typing etc so they could cut that in. It was amusing seeing people look to see if they recognise me when I was being filmed. (sorry not famous - YET :rotfl:) - I enjoyed it !! I'm less looking forward to watching the film due to self consciousness about pretty much everything :rotfl: (my voice & I was definitely having a bad hair day) but I'll get over it.) It was an experience!!!

- I started an online course (MOOC) about Positive Psychology - The Science of Happiness. It's really high standard - created by Berkeley - University of California. I can't believe its free! I'm taking the study really seriously and doing all the exercises - learning lots of new stuff and consolidating stuff I knew already. I'm certainly finding out that being engaged and learning knew things is a contributor to me being happy . If you are interested in the course look on the edX website. If you are just interested in doing some positivity exercises - take a look at the website for the Greater Good Science Center. (US sp.) I can't recommend it highly enough!!

- Almost forgot - I found out that the person who took over my old job has already handed in their notice (after less than a year of doing it full time) - Someone forwarded the job advert for the interim replacement to me as a joke - I felt tired just reading it. If I ever need motivation to make this work I will read that advert :eek:!!!

Next week: First things first - Loving the weather forecast . Only got about 4 clients booked in so far but I imagine that will increase as there's been lots of rebooking as people get settled back in after the holidays. A couple of meetings up Town & a couple of workshops - other than that - I plan to continue with my Spanish & Happiness studies and make the most of the late Summer sun :j

Have a great week :):)