So, I’ve been trying to learn Nepali… I took classes for a couple of months whilst I was in Nepal last year. Yet I never really ‘got’ Nepali as I never practiced speaking. My classes were one on one with the teacher for an hour or so. But it felt like I never really spoke Nepali after my classes. Besides, there would only be so many times you could practice introducing yourself to the family you live with.
So, this summer I thought I would give Nepali a second chance. I had been recommended an intensive language course in Germany (of all places) and I am so glad I did it! Learning Nepali in a class with other people was an experience like no other and one that really helped me learn more than I ever thought I would.
The South Asian Institute that I studied in.
I had heard many people say that group language classes were not as good because you did not get the same attention or specialized information. I found this completely untrue and managed to luck out with an incredible teacher who really gave us the attention and different things we all needed!
My teacher was so amazing and over the course of the month, he really enjoyed reading my messages in Nepali to friends and teaching me witty retorts and insults to use back. I learnt more Nepali slang from him than I did from being in a relationship with a Nepali man!
I would completely recommend doing an intensive language course even if it isn’t in the country of the language! I had the best time, met really interesting amazing people and fell in love with my teacher. It really was intensive though and I had no other time for much else. We had classes six days a week and then squeezed in extra time for practicing Nepali songs and dances to perform at the end of the school closing ceremony.
One of my most important things about me taking this course, was that I gained a personal victory for myself. I learnt way more Nepali than I did being in Nepal because I had the pressure taken off me by learning in a group environment. I no longer felt like the impostor learning Nepali and the whole language learning process became a lot more fun. I am so glad I took the risk of signing up to a language course in Germany! I had such a better time than expected.
My new bag
