My Secret Cure for Insomnia I often have a hard time falling asleep, but a few years ago I came up with a simple language game that often does the trick. When other techniques such as trying to relax each part of the body or deep breathing aren’t working, or when my brain is buz

Staying on the Turkish road “What’s the best method for learning a language?” people have asked me. My answer: whatever keeps you learning – whatever keeps you on the road. I say this because no matter what methods you choose, the road will be long. In fact, there is no destination. A

Can’t get enough of that sweet, sweet education? I’ve known for a long time that I’m a language nerd, but this week, as the northern hemisphere begins the new school year, I realize I might “suffer” from another condition – school addiction! Here ar

Why I don’t worry about “losing” additional languages A high school teacher once told me to stop studying (I had come to him terribly stressed about not fully understanding some calculus principles before a test) and instead to let the knowledge settle. The concept h

Three things I have learned while learning Arabic – again I have studied Arabic in books, learned from a teacher, and learned from a tutor. Now I have the pleasure of learning Arabic during the language exchange sessions that I am coordinating between 10 English speaking women and 10

For those who know I grew up in Saudi Arabia, it may come as a surprise that I only started learning Arabic when I lived in Morocco in 2009-2010. After that huge wasted opportunity (liasaf jadid!) in Saudi Arabia, I was very eager to learn the language spoken across so much of the Mid

What We Can All Learn from Rosh Hashana Shana Tova! Today is Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year. Yes, for those who don’t know, the Jewish tradition follows a lunar calendar which begins in the fall, and is currently welcoming in year 5776! “Shana Tova” is one of the

Debunking one of the Greatest Myths in Language Learning Happy New Year! The time has come to set new language-learning goals. What’s that? You think you’re too old to learn a language? Think again! Here are 5 reasons why adults can, in fact, learn new languages: 1. The sc

Easy steps for a successful language exchange experience In my last post I explained how a language exchange works. Maybe you have found a partner, or you plan to find one. Congratulations! Here are some tips for making your language exchange as productive as possible. 1. Prepare for 

One of the hardest things about learning a new language as an adult is that you are forced to sound a bit stupid. Complex articulations are reduced to blunt assessments. You are forever asking people to repeat themselves or speak more slowly. You never fully understand what’s happenin