Daily Prompt: Resolved

Have you ever made a new year’s resolution that you kept?

Every year for the past few years, I made new year’s resolutions. I failed to keep any of them. I don’t even remember what were those resolutions. After the first week I stopped thinking about them.

Last year I seriously thought of fixing my basement, but did nothing about it. I blamed it on not having enough time. I know I cannot clear the mess in one day, it has to be done slowly.Every time I look at it I feel disgusted and promise I’ll take care of it. The year went by in a flash and the basement looks worse every day.

This year I have made more than one resolution.

Number one : I will read twenty five books this year. I read one book already and am reading my second book.

Number two: I will learn a few languages, they are: Farsi, Spanish, Arabic and French. I started Farsi, I’ve read the first lesson, it is the alphabets. It’s easy because, they are the same as Urdu, except they don’t have some of the Urdu alphabets. I have learned a few words, I need to practice them daily.

Number three is cleaning the basement: I haven’t started yet, I do hope to start getting rid of things I do not need. This week-end sounds good.

These are my New year’s Resolution for 2016. I’m hoping to take care of all of them. 🙂

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Daily Prompt: Lazy learners

Is there something you’ve always wanted to learn but haven’t gotten around to? What is it and what’s stopping you from mastering the skill.

I’m very fond of learning a variety of languages. When I was studying for my Master’s degree, I saw a lady in the university walkway.

I was curious and enquired who she was and what was she doing in our university. One of my classmates informed me she was a French teacher.

I immediately followed her to her classroom, introduced myself and expressed my desire to learn French.

“You are two months late chaman,” she said.

I begged her to take me, I promised I’d make up the time I lost. She allowed me to register.

From the first day I joined Madame would ask me questions to make sure I was making an effort to learn. It went well, she was pleased.

Then there was no more opportunity to continue. I registered in a different university to study Bachelor of Education. The opportunity to continue with French was not there.

After my marriage I joined my husband in Montreal. I was thrilled I’d get a chance to improve my scanty knowledge of French.It didn’t happen as we moved from Montreal to Gander, Newfoundland, where my husband agreed to work as an ophthalmologist.

I was also lucky to get the job as a teacher. I did short courses in French arranged by our Board of Education, it wasn’t enough. What I needed  most was fluency in speaking.

I tried to learn Spanish too, I did some courses, found it easier than French, but after a year of correspondence courses I had to give it up. I had too many things going on in my life, teaching, house work, helping my children to be better students and last of all baking.

With this many things on the go, French and Spanish had to be dropped.

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DP Daily Prompt: Take That Rosetta!

If you could wake up tomorrow and be fluent in any language you don’t currently speak which would it be?Why? What’s the first thing you do with your linguistic skills?

My preference would be French, I’d love to speak it fluently. My daughter and I take yearly trips to Montreal, it would be thrilling to be able to speak it with the locals.

It helps if one can speak the language of the locals, on the bus , at the store, in the restaurant, I wouldn’t have to say,”Can you please speak English, I do not understand your language?”

My ability to speak the language opens new doors for me, I can listen to songs, read stories, watch a movie. These are some of the things I miss the fun  when I visit a place and am unable to speak the language of the native.

ps://sabethville.wordpress.com/2015/04/16/dp-daily-promp…that-rosetta-2/

 

DP Daily Prompt: Cupid’s Arrow

Write an ode to someone or something you love.Bonus points for poetry.

I’ve been to a number of cities, the one I love the best is Montreal. It is neat and clean, there are places to go and see.I never get bored here, once I land there, I take a trip to the farmer’s market, watching people buy and sell is a lot of fun.

There are chocolate shops, vegetable stands, fresh bread of all kinds  on display. I buy a small basket of vegetables to cook and eat in our rented apartment, I remind myself not to waste food, I stick to buying enough for one day.

I visit the chocolate shop, it has so many varieties, I’m tempted to buy a few of each variety but I don’t. My mind whispers,”Ranu sugar is bad for you.”

I leave the shop right away.

Next I visit the famous bread shop, I buy my favorite cheese bread to bring home, one for my neighbor and three for me. I put them in the freezer to keep them from getting stale.

I always promise not to buy clothes, it is tough to stay away, so I buy one ,two or even three. Next thing I realize, I do not have enough space in my suitcase, so I go off to buy a suitcase.

Oh my, I remember the lines I learned in “Moral Science”, temptation is an inclination to commit sin which needs an effort of the will to resist it.

I certainly lack that will power when it comes to shopping. Shopping, visiting different places in Montreal makes me happy.

Then on my walks I hear the locals speaking French, I cannot join the conversation , I’m lacking fluency in the language. I walk away thinking I must devote some time to learn French.

Before we know it we are back home, talking about how much fun we had and also make plans to go back next year!

“Happy Valentine’s Day Everyone :).

https://sabethville.wordpress.com/2015/02/14/dp-daily-prompt-cupids-arrow/

 

 

365 Writing Prompts: I have confidence in me

Are you good at what you do? What would you like to be better at?

I think I am good at teaching, I know that because I was able to keep my jobs. I was liked by the students I taught. My superiors did not doubt my ability.

I really would like to be good at languages, maybe I’m not serious enough, could be the reason why I did not get better at French. I did a few courses in Spanish, my teacher liked my progress and encouraged me to continue but I did not, although I liked Spanish better than French, I think Spanish is easier it doesn’t have silent letters like  in French.

Right now I am doing online courses, to learn about Iqbal the poet and philosopher, I’m enjoying it a lot and I  want to do well in it.

I am told I am doing quite well in the course, my goal is to do better than, “quite well.”

/sabethville.wordpress.com/2014/11/22/365-writing-pr…nfidence-in-me/

365 writing Prompt: Ready for your close-up

Cast the movie of your life.

My original homeland is Bangladesh.My father was born in a village. It’s name is “ABURKANDI”,it is a small village in Bangladesh.

My father always believed  one should know,his/ her mother tongue before any other language. We were encouraged to speak our mother tongue when we were in the house.My mother tongue is,”BENGALI”. It is spoken in Bangladesh and the Indian states of west Bengal.

I learned Urdu from  neighborhood kids and later learned to read, write and speak it. I learned English in school where the medium of instruction was English.

Later on I learned some French in the university, it happened when I saw a lady in our university. Naturally curious I asked some of my friends who she was, I was told she taught French. I got interested and asked the lady if I could join her class,at first she refused because she had started the course two months ago and didn’t think I could catch up. She gave in when I promised I’d work hard.  I did well according to the teacher.

When I came to Canada, little bit of french I learned in Bangladesh came in handy, I studied the books my husband had. Canada is a bilingual country, we are expected to know both English and French to get a job. I took a few courses to enable me to teach French to the kids in my class, it was only basic French, nothing complicated.

I don’t recall how or why I took an interest in Spanish, I took some correspondence courses in Spanish. I found Spanish easier than French.

I believe if we fail to practice speaking the languages we learn we lose it.

At the moment  I spend my time participating in online courses and blogging. I enjoy both.

: https://sabethville.wordpress.com/2014/08/28/365-writing-pr…-your-close-up/

 

 

 

 

365 days writing prompt: Apply yourself http://sabethville.wordpress/365dath-Apply Yourself/

My attempt to learn French did not come easily. Actually the grammar was  lot more difficult. When to use ‘la’ or’ le’ in front of an object was confusing. It seemed I needed a lot more practice . I always wondered why some are ,’la table’ and some ,’le tableau’ there’s only a difference of few letters.

I struggled with them for a while, just when I thought I know how it works. I had to stop and concentrate on other things in life, like cooking,cleaning and taking care of my family.

Maybe I’ll start all over again. I have more time now.

DP Daily Prompt: Mix Tape Masterpiece Post By Ranu

English: Montage of various Punjab images. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“ALL ABOUT ME”

O listen up humanity.

Ranu is my name.

Singing is my game.

Talat,Rafi,Tagore and Celine,

These are my favorite singers.

Talat is from India and

Rafi from Punjab.

Tagore is a Bengali

And Celine speaks French.

Now that I’ve written about

my favorites,

Here is a short verse about me.

I am a Bengali,

I’ll say : aami tomaakey bhalobashi.(I love you)!

Rafi and Talat speak Urdu,

I learned this language too,

Celine speaks French,

I studied it in school.

I learned English from my teachers,

They were  strict indeed.

I had to speak English

Or  they’d make us

pay a fine.

This was a crime said the parents,

you’ll be grounded for

a week!

Naseem,Farida,and Firoza,

Beware! you  speak

English,’til your jaws ache.

Went to college, there was no excuse

English was the medium of instruction,

No difference in the university,

Mon dieu,mon dieu ,what

can I do but speak it,

my friend this is all

about me!

The tune of ‘I had a little nut tree nothing would it bear’, may be quite interesting for my lyrics about me!