More on learning German

I already said why I have the three goals, but I also wanted to talk about how I plan on achieving at least the first two (I think the moving thing is kind of self-explanatory). In any event, here's how I plan on learning German:

• Use Rosetta Stone
• I know that this option is not available to everyone because of how pricey it is, but when we bought it, Matt and I looked at it as an investment. It is an incredibly valuable tool, and a very effective one. The unfortunate (but also beneficial) thing about Rosetta Stone is that it doesn't teach German like they do in schools. You don't learn the words and phrases that you need for conversations right off the bat. You get there, but it takes awhile.
  
  The whole purpose of the software is to teach the language like a native speaker would learn it - by experiencing it. There are no translations, just phrases and pictures together that explain what the words mean. It also requires you to get pretty close on the pronunciation, which is (naturally) a good thing. It can be very frustrating though, when the sound doesn't exist in English. The word "der Bruder" (brother) took me ages to get right. I do not like the German "u" sound, and when it's next to an "r" it's even worse. And don't get me started on the "ü".
Another thing that is really good about Rosetta Stone is that it requires a lot of time and repetition.  You see the same pictures over and over again and you say the same things over and over again.  It can get a little bit boring, but if you want to truly learn something, repetition is probably the best way - and for someone who is an auditory learner like myself, it's an invaluable resource for learning.
• Supplement Rosetta Stone with various reading/educational materials
• I have a copy of my original German book that I got online for something like $4 off Amazon (they had released a new edition by the time I decided I wanted to get a copy of it and I benefitted greatly from that) that has helped me immensely.  Where Rosetta Stone doesn't necessarily explain a question I have, I can go back and check the textbook or my SparkCharts.
These materials explicitly outline grammar, the various cases, and sentence structure so I can see why words go where they do in the sentence.  I usually do well just using Rosetta Stone, but having the extra resources to double check myself lets me make sure that I'm on the right track.
• Use my friends
• I'm a little unique in this one, because I have friends who are native German speakers.  It gives me a huge advantage in learning the language because they are willing to answer any questions I have.  Plus if my pronunciation or phrasing is off, they tell me - and I would much rather say something incorrectly to someone who knows me well than attempt to use German to a total stranger and make an idiot of myself. (ex: JFK's infamous "Ich bin ein Berliner.")
I also sent an email to one of my friends the other day asking that he only email me in German.  It'll probably take me longer to get through the emails at first, but I'll learn a lot more that way than if he continues to write me only in English.
• Use Facebook
• This is the last one and it's kind of silly but it works!  It helps with grammar, learning new words, and it ensures that I'm exposed to German on a daily basis.  Obviously it's not like living in a German speaking country or anything of the sort, but if I'm exposed to even a small amount of the language on a daily basis, it keeps me thinking about it.

That's it for now on German.  I have the whole weekend off work, so I think tomorrow I'll post about my weight loss plan.  Until then, any comments or advice about learning a language are welcomed and appreciated!

Tschüss!