So, in my grand scheme of things, my plan is to one day live and work in Sweden. In order to do this, I have been told, that while the entire country speaks English it is very important to know how to speak passable conversational Swedish. Several months ago I purchased what, from everything I read, was the best self learning program for this - the Pimsleur Approach. I eagerly started in on the lessons when it arrived and did very well except that the lessons only ended up with me knowing how to ask for very basic directions and how to ask someone to come back to my place for a drink! All that may be useful if my plan was to go to Sweden, ask how to get to the nearest bar and then pick up the occasional one night stand - none of which is on my itinerary! Ha!
After this I tried MANY internet sites that stated I could learn to speak Swedish by reviewing what was posted there. Well, that didn't work. There's something to be said for actually being able to hear how these words are pronounced which, of course, none of the sites could accurately do. I subscribe to a blog called Swedish, Now! which is helpful...always has a good list of interesting words and phrases to practice but, again, without hearing the pronunciation I have no idea if I'm saying them correctly.
The other day I ordered yet another set of CDs that will teach me more about this language. Actually, I was quite surprised at the completeness of the set since I didn't pay that much for it and it covers a wide variety of words and topics. Useful things that I will use when I am there living day to day. It is exactly what I was hoping for.
It helps that I have a natural Swedish speaker that I can try this all out on from time to time. It doesn't help that he takes great delight in laughing at my failed attempts at pronunciation! He's a little shit when it comes to that but I love him too much to get really mad. I'll teach him! I'm going to learn this language and when I do, I'll talk all day, everyday, for hours on end, in Swedish, until it drives him completely crazy! Hahah!
Thing is, when I do get to settled down with a residency permit, I will be able to take Swedish for Immigrants for free in Stockholm. I suppose I could wait until then to learn but, at this point, I feel I'm getting a jump start on the language that can only help me when I'm job hunting. And at the end of the day, because I know that it will be some time before I am actually able to move there to live, all of this learning makes me feel just one step closer to my dream.
