How to Embroider Eyes

How to Embroider Eyes Techniques for Embroidering Eyes ChaptersThe Different Ways to Embroider EyesEmbroidering Eyes onto MuslinEmbroidering Eyes onto DollsPractising Embroidering Eyes“Originality is nothing but judicious imitation.” - VoltaireWhat would we be without creativity?Thanks to social media like Instagram and Pinterest, arts and crafts like embroidery are becoming more popular.So how can you express your creativity through arts and crafts?What about embroidery?This isn’t just for children in school or grandparents. Whether you buy embroidery kits or get all your equipment separately, once you’ve reached a certain level, you’re going to have to learn how to embroider eyes onto your creations.Whether it’s onto jeans, a purse, or a cushion, let your imagination run wild. There are different techniques depending on what you're embroidering on. (Source: terimakasih0)There are several ways to embroider the eyes.  Embroiderers who are used to working a linen canvas or an Aida cloth won’t embroider in the same way as people who alter cushions, dresses, clothing, etc.You can also embroider onto crocheted or knitted things. In this case, your embroidery will be to finish the item. For example, you might need to add a face to a knitted doll.  Embroidery can be used to make the doll’s eyes, nose, and mouth.  Eyes can be tricky to embroider and each embroiderer has their way of doing it.The eyes can differ according to the thread used and its thickness. You can embroider with wool or sewing thread but the most important thing is to enjoy yourself.Embroidering Eyes onto MuslinEmbroidery can be used to create a visual representation of almost anything. Like drawing, you can create things in your style with different techniques. Are you ready to start embroidering people? (Source: falco)The Stem StitchThere are several different stitches you can use to create embroidery. The chain stitch, the feather stitch, the fringe stitch, the spine stitch, etc. each stitch needs to be used in the right way to get the most out of your embroidery. Some stitches are better than others in certain cases.For example, the feather stitch works great for tree branches. Similarly, the stem stitch is essential when you’re just starting with embroidery and need fine lines like the stem of a flower, the edge of a window, etc.  The stem stitch is also great for tracing around the edge of an eye like you would a contour with a pencil and it isn’t very complicated either.To do it, you need to pass the needle through the front of the fabric around 5mm from where you’d like it to go. Thus, the thread will follow the needle. Once the needle is underneath your fabric, pull it back through the second hole. Repeat these steps.You can u se this technique for both straight lines and curves.The Cross-stitchThe cross-stitch is one of the easiest stitches to do and is often taught to beginners. You can do entire embroidery projects with just cross-stitches. This technique is good for filling in embroidery rather than just having embroidery with contour lines.To make eyes, you can just use a black, blue, or whatever colour you want cross-stitch. This is the simplest eye you can do.  To make a more substantial eye, you can do several white stitches and use some coloured stitches in the middle.If you’re a complete beginner, you might want to start by following a pattern. Embroidery kits for beginners often include manuals, guides, and patterns for you to practise learning how to embroider.Some patterns are printed directly onto the fabric. In this case, you just have to follow the colour guide.Finished?Consider framing your embroidery.Embroidering Eyes onto DollsEmbroidering eyes on a linen canvas is one thing but embro idering them onto a knitted doll is another. Things get a little trickier than they would for embroidering onto canvas. There are a few stitches that can help you add a face to your creation. Embroidering eyes onto dolls is different to embroidering onto a flat fabric. (Source: wanderlusterinfo)The French KnotThe French knot is often used for creating eyes on both fabrics and objects. It allows you to quickly make a little ball of thread to represent the eyes.  You need to concentrate to make sure you don’t tangle your thread.Firstly, you need to pass the needle outwards from the doll.  Roll the thread around your needle twice and insert the needle back into the doll to tighten the knot. Pull the needle out from the other side and your first knot is done.This technique may seem quite complicated so we recommend that you check out some YouTube tutorials on how to do it.The Satin stitchThe satin stitch allows you to cover entire surfaces. Thus, you can make full round eyes. Rather than the stitches crossing over, the stitches will make lines very close to one another.To do this, you can bring the needle down through the fabric, bring the needle up where you want to start, and then bring the needle back down across the other side of the shape you want to fill.  You can always do this on a separate piece of fabric and then stitch that onto the doll if you don’t feel comfortable sewing directly onto the doll.You can also do a layer of satin stitches and then go back over it in the other direction. This will also emboss the eye. This is known as the plumetis stitch.It’s much easier to stitch eyes onto a flat surface or stitch onto dolls made of linen or other woven fabrics.Made a mistake?Learn how to remove embroidery.Practising Embroidering EyesEmbroidery isn’t an innate skill. You can always mess around and see what stitches you end up with or if you struggle, look up some basic stitches to get you started. Like with everything, practice makes perfect. (Source: huckleberrykate)Embroidery classes are a great way to learn how to embroider and make shapes and patterns. A teacher or tutor can also help you when it comes to the more complicated stitches.Whether you’re in private tutorials or group classes, an embroidery teacher or tutor can show you how to embroider eyes. Even though tutorials on YouTube or a website might help, they won’t be the same as what you’re working on and in some cases, it’ll be difficult to apply what they’re saying to your project.  Furthermore, it’s much easier to learn to be shown something and then allowed to try it yourself. If you make mistakes, your teacher will be there to correct you.You could attend workshops in a haberdashery, for example. There are often classes and workshops for those wanting to learn how to do a particular stitch or have questions about a project.Once you’ve practised with the help of a teacher, you can practise embroide ring eyes on your projects. Since eyes are generally quite small, you can practise them over and over on a single piece of fabric.  Practise makes perfect, after all.Finally, you just have to add them to your project.If you need more help with embroidery or cross-stitch, get help from one of the many talented private tutors on Superprof. There are three main types of tutorial available and, like with tutors, each comes with its pros and cons.Face-to-face tutorials are great for getting bespoke and tailored tuition as you're the only student in the class. Furthermore, your tutor will be spending a lot of time outside of the lessons preparing sewing classes for you. Of course, this service comes at a cost and face-to-face private tutorials tend to be the most costly per hour. However, they're also the most cost-effective as every minute of a session is spent helping you learn.Online tutorials are similar but your tutor won't be there in the room with you. While these are usually bette r for academic subjects, if you've got a good webcam, microphone, and internet connection, there's no reason a talented embroider couldn't help you learn remotely. Additionally, with no travel costs and the ability to schedule more classes each week, online private tutors tend to cheaper than face-to-face tutorials.Finally, group tutorials are good for those on a budget as the cost of the tutor's time and experience will be shared amongst all the students in attendance. While you won't get as much one-on-one time with your tutor, you will pay less per student per hour.  With many of the tutors offering free tuition for the first hour, try a few different ones out and find the one that's right for you.

A Day in the Life at Emory University

A Day in the Life at Emory University Rachel earned her bachelors degree in history and international studies from Emory University. She specializes in government tutoring, test prep tutoring, and a number of other subjects. Below, she shares her experience at Emory University. Describe the campus setting and transportation options. Rachel: When I lived on campus, I liked that it was very close to Atlanta's downtown area and Buckhead. That said, I think it felt like a very suburban campus with large residential homes surrounding the campus. I felt very safe there, and I loved the beauty of the campus. Emory has its own bus system that is very convenient. How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Rachel:They are available during office hours, or you can arrange a time to talk with them if you cannot make office hours. How would you describe the dorm liferooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Rachel:I lived in the sorority lodges when I lived at Emory, so I had a very active living experience with my friends. We always had activities and events to attend together. The location of the sorority lodges is great to get to class on timeonly a 15-minute walk. The dining options are great at the DUC and other locations on campus. I really enjoyed eating at Zaya's! Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? Rachel:The best support is given to the business school and pre-med majors. I studied history and international studies. I felt very supported by the history department itself, but Emory doesn't focus on supporting the liberal arts majors as much as they could. I found that disappointing during my time at Emory. How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Rachel:I didn't go to Emory as a freshmanI went to NYU. When I transferred, I had already joined my sorority, so I instantly had some great connections when I got to Emory. How helpful are the Career Center and other student support services? Rachel:The Career Center is really only helpful for business majors, economics majors, or pre-med majors. How are the various study areas, such as libraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Rachel:The library is great, having been newly renovated last year. I loved studying there. The freshman dorms look to be very comfortable and spacious, and the Greek housing is also great for studying. Other campus housing varies. Describe the surrounding town. Rachel:Atlanta is a great place to get in touch with culture through museums, events, and all kinds of opportunities. However, Emory students don't leave campus as often as they could, especially during the freshman and sophomore years. How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Rachel:The student body is around 4,000 on average. I was pleased with the small history and political science class sizes. Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one you regret the most. Rachel:My most loved experience with my professors was when I was presenting my honors thesis to my committee. It was so much fun to present my work to professors who I admired, and I was really glad to hear their positive feedback! Check out Rachels tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

TutorPace is Their to Help You With Online College Math Tutor Service

TutorPace is Their to Help You With Online College Math Tutor Service We should enjoy each and every phase of our life. Every phase has some or the other kind of essence in itself and thus it attracts people in a lot of ways. The entire part of our life is comprised of various ups and downs that help in making our lives much more memorable. When you sit to count down what we have achieved is life, we not only count the bank balance we have made, but we also count the amount of love, enjoyment and concern we have received from other in our life span. But apart from being a good person it is also important you should be a good professional as well. The expertise of a good professional arrives in from the very initial learning days of our lives. School life and college life is enormously different from one another. There is a large gap between the culture and way both are spent. School is a place where we have to be disciplined and where we have to act according to our teachers. But in college life, things are not so. We can live according to our terms and condition and no such rule book is there. In college years most of the students move out of the track because of the freedom that they get. Some of them are not able to understand what the actual meaning of freedom is and thus ends up going some unmannered activities. But let no go into such problems and let us concentrate on what college is and why does a student go there. It is a place of learning and people are there to learn and acquire knowledge. It is better than we should concentrate on what college is all about and why does children come here. What online tutoring is all about? College is a place where you are there to receive education. Unlike school, college is about knowing one particular subject largely. For me one of the tough subject to carry of your college life is mathematics. I personally feel that mathematics is a very tough subject and to crack that subject every nook and corner is pretty difficult as well as time taking as well. To help you out in this subject I can suggest you to get tuitions under e-learning courses. It may be new type of learning experience, but one of the most popular one in the recent times. Students as well as there parents are adding up being fond of such a service. It has a wide variety of help in the form of services that are attracting most of students who are pretty concerned about having a bright future. Now, you will know about what kind of facilities it has that will help you to get the grip of this way of teaching and you also may feel attracted towards it and end up in enrolling your name into it. Characteristics of online teaching process Online teachers have some of the very good features that can help any student to increase their grades in an easy as well as in a better way. The teachers are very efficient and have expertise over the subject that will help the students to learn more and faster. A good institute issues a rigorous interview process that has to be passed and then only one teacher is been appointed to teach their students. Due to this the teachers have a good grip over the subject and can frame up the weak areas of a student if they conduct only one class with them. Once the weak areas are detected, the second process of the teacher is to turn the weak areas into their strength and this is done very smoothly and with patience so that the students can learn the subject well and from its roots. There is no limitation with the time the classes are conducted. The students can easily attend the classes anytime they want and it is as per their wish that what they want and how they want to get the classes. While sitting at home they can attend the classes and this helps them to save their time, energy as well as transportation cost. They can utilize that time for their study time only. This will help them to learn more. The online tutoring service provides its students with every single teacher. Every single teacher helps each single child every time they attend the classes. There is no such big class having many students at a time. When you have one single teacher who will assist you and help you whenever you need, a student can open up freely and they can easily solve their doubts with having a discussion. They are all away from the shyness that they face in any private or coaching classes. These are the basic characteristics that is very important for any child to increase their knowledge regarding the subject. But if you have an idea that every institute claiming to provide this service are there to help you with such charming facilities then you are not correct. There are many institutes who claim but are unable to put up with their promises and end up destroying the money of the students who have trusted them. How TutorPace is as an institute? TutorPace is one of the most reputed and well known institutes in the market of online tutoring facilities. It has good and qualified teachers who are there to change a student’s future in better within very less time. The rates that are charged by the institute are pretty much less and thus parents can rely on such a institute that will help their child to achieve better marks and lead a bright life ahead. The use of a good teacher and less time will help in making your life a better and a secured one. Thus, you can know more what online college math tutor service is all about in TutorPace.  

Are You Venting Appropriately at Work - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Are You Venting “Appropriately” at Work - Introvert Whisperer Are You Venting “Appropriately” at Work? I’ve just had a highly frustrating experience using an online tool that isn’t what I would say is “user-friendly”.   I had to get on the phone with customer support, drill down on an obscure page and find some tiny little light grey print.   That little print was in direct contradiction to the top page but the little print on the obscure page was the one that counted. It ruled my world and I didn’t even know it until I had someone to help me understand what was taking place. So, why am I saying this to you?   Really, I just needed to vent.   I had someone email a vent to me just yesterday. Venting can be a good way to let off steam and stress.   We all need to do it sometimes and you have to be selective about who you vent to.   At work, we do face a considerable number of frustrating things and it’s easy to vent to your work peers.   The problem with doing that is that if it is about the boss or another person (which it usually is) what you say will most likely get back to that person. I don’t care how “confidential” you try to make your venting; don’t count on it staying that way.   Trust me, as a manager, it always got back to me plus I usually knew when it got to others.   News travels fast. If you need to vent about a work issue, find a person who isn’t at work and is neutral.   (Being neutral simply means they will listen and not make you feel worse) If you want, you can vent to me.   If you want me to shift into “coach”, just let me know. Ahhh, I feel better now. Go to top Power-Influence-Office Politics: it comes down to your Strategic Relationships and understanding of how you build each one of these elements. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my video that outlines all of this and meaningful actions you can take today!  Start watching now by clicking here! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

Why Are English Plurals So Crazy Videos and Exercises

Why Are English Plurals So Crazy Videos and Exercises Have you ever wondered why English plurals are so crazy? Why we say foot and feet, but not book and beek? Why we say goose and geese, but not moose and meese? Why does child turn to children, and not childs?Most English speakers wont be able to tell you why, we just know that some words are different. Thanks to a wonderful new video from TED, we can learn about how the Vikings changed English plurals, and made them easier than they were. Before that, weve got a quick video lesson about how plurals work in English, with an exercise.English Plurals VideoCorrect the plural words in red. Write your answer in comments and we will respond.How many persons study English as a second language?Five womans opened a computer services company.Even childrens enjoy learning on the Internet.Most basketball players are 6 foots tall or more.Which breed of sheeps produces the finest wool?My tooths are sensitive to the cold.At daylight savings time, we have to change our watchs .The boys went fishing an d caught 10 fishs .There are 10 mans in the Maintenance Department.The wifes keep their knifes on the shelfs.So where did these crazy plurals come from? Watch the video below, then try the exercise.Interesting, right? Now try these listening questions. If you answer them in comments, we will respond.1. There are ______of ways that English doesn’t make sense.2. How many years ago was the plural of books ‘beek’?3. How many years ago was English and German the same language?4. _________it was like sheep is today where you don’t do anything to make a plural.5. Why did the English language change?6. At what age does it become very difficult to learn a language without an accent?7. Why did some irregular plurals remain? Justyna How many people study English as a second language? Five women opened a computer services company. Even children enjoy learning on the Internet. Most basketball players are 6 feet tall or more. Which breed of sheep produces the finest wool? My teeth are se nsitive to the cold. At daylight savings time, we have to change our watches . The boys went fishing and caught 10 fish . There are 10 men in the Maintenance Department. Five womans opened a computer services company. Even childrens enjoy learning on the Internet. Most basketball players are 6 foots tall or more. Which breed of sheeps produces the finest wool? My tooths are sensitive to the cold. At daylight savings time, we have to change our watchs . The boys went fishing and caught 10 fishs . There are 10 mans in the Maintenance Department. The wifes keep their knifes on the shelf. LOIEnglish Justyna, Your corrections look correct. It seems that you also may have copied the incorrect versions but I am assuming that was a mistake. Thanks for answering! Did you have a try with the listening exercise? Justyna 1. There are a lot of ways that English doesn’t make sense.2. How many years ago was the plural of books ‘beek’?-The plural of book was beek 1 thousand years ago3. How many years ago was English and German the same language?-English ang German was the same language 25 houndred years ago3.4. Sheep it was like sheep is today where you don’t do anything to make a plural.5. Why did the English language change?-English language change because Vikings got married English women and forgot real kind.6. At what age does it become very difficult to learn a language without an accent?-Learning a language without an accent was difficult at about 15 years old.6.7. Why did some irregular plurals remain?Some irregular plurals remain because they added s. LOIEnglish Good work. Im glad you did the listening part of the lesson. The answer to number 7 is because they were common words. Also, number 5 you have a grammar mistake. Get married TO someone. I hope this helps. Renan How many people study English as a second language? Five women opened a computer services company. Even children enjoy learning on the Internet. Most basketball players are 6 feet tall or m ore. Which breed of sheep produces the finest wool? My teeth are sensitive to the cold. At daylight savings time, we have to change our watches . The boys went fishing and caught 10 fish . There are 10 men in the Maintenance Department. The wives keep their knives on the shelves. LOIEnglish Good work Renan. Have you tried the listening exercise?

Barings Supports Elementary Students with Donation - Heart Math Tutoring

Barings Supports Elementary Students with Donation - Heart Math Tutoring Barings Supports Elementary Students with Donation Barings Supports Elementary Students with Donation January 23, 2018 We are excited to announce a generous donation to Heart Math Tutoring from Barings! In addition to their partnership through volunteer engagement, Barings is now helping Heart reach more schools next year through financial support! At each Heart school, 50-80 students will receive one-on-one tutoring from late September to early May. “We are very pleased to support Heart Math Tutoring, and believe strongly in the organization’s mission of providing elementary school students with tools to help them excel academically,” said Tom Finke, Barings’ Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Barings employees have been volunteering as Heart tutors since 2015, with 16 active tutors today. Read the fullPress Releasehere.

The Ultimate Guide to the Perfect Interview Hairstyles

The Ultimate Guide to the Perfect Interview Hairstyles Image via https://www.pinterest.com Image via http://therighthairstyles.com In addition to the pompadour, buzz cuts  and completely shaved heads also commend both curly and straight hair types. Additionally, buzz cuts require little to no maintenance, and they flatter virtually any outfit choice. Medium-Length Hair If you have straight hair, or you are willing to straighten your hair, you can easily display a well-kept bob on the day of your interview. Image via http://www.prettydesigns.com Although classic bob haircuts might complement curly hair as well, there are some professional styles that benefit medium length curly hair. For example, a low flip-ponytail can help keep the body of your curls without requiring extensive work. Image via http://www.beautyblitz.com Long Hair The best method to creating professional-looking long hair, for straight hair, is to style it in an updo. Whether you choose to don a sleek ponytail, a low-hanging bun, or a top knot, putting your hair up both keeps your hair out of the way and makes it look business-chic. Below is an example of a low-hanging chignon, which is a bun made by arranging sections of your hair into two or more coils. Image via https://www.pinterest.com If you have naturally wavy hair (or if you choose to curl your hair), you can also use a high ponytail to create a fuss-free interview hairstyle. However, you should eliminate excessive flyaway hairs, as they can accentuate any misplaced sections of hair. Below are some great examples for wavy and curly hair updos. Image via https://www.pinterest.com Plus, you can have the best of both worlds by showcasing a partial updo. Simply pin the front portions of your hair back to create a comfortable and professional look. Not only will this prevent your hair from falling in front of your eyes, it will also help control some of your beautiful curls. Image via https://www.pinterest.com Likewise, you can create some additional volume in your updos with braids and twists. Plus, you can construct the perfect loose top knot. After all, curls are perfect for any professional setting. Image via https://www.naturallycurly.com It is also important to note that you should be comfortable with your hairstyle. If you are too worried about a strand being out of place, you may start fussing with it during your interview, which can be quite distracting to the interviewer(s). To ensure that you are completely comfortable with your interview hair style, try crafting your go-to do a few days prior. Make sure you go out with your beautifully professional hair to see if it stays managed and wearable, without causing too much hassle. Granted, your interview wouldnt likely take all day  so it wont be a time-consuming endeavor to find your ideal style. Hairstyles for Men While it might seem as though men can only choose between short and even shorter hairstyles in order to be business professional, this simply is not the case. Men do have many short haircuts available to them, from taper cuts to a short or medium pompadour. However, men also have the option to keep their longer locks for an interview. Image via http://haircutinspiration.com Though most employers are accustomed to interviewing men with shorter hairstyles, longer hairstyles for men have become popular in the past couple of years. While some more traditional companies might be caught off guard by an interviewees messy long hair or misshapen man-bun, there are a few styles that can help transmute your mane into something interview-efficient. Like longer hairstyles for women, your hair should also refrain from obstructing your face. Slicking back your hair with some kind of product can help prevent this from happening and keep the volume in your hair. Image via http://alphahairstyles.com Regardless of what job you are interviewing for, finding the right haircut for you will ultimately help you look more professional. However, if you would rather save time styling your hair the morning of your interview, you can always opt for a wig or a hair piece. If you were planning on using heat to style your locks, a wig will also prevent you from damaging your natural hair. Despite who you are, what texture hair your have, or what your credentials are, your hairstyle should always feel comfortable and look professional. After all, first impressions are invaluable in a professional setting, and anyone can painlessly make a judgment based on your outfit or hairstyle within seconds.

Lexie Language Challenge Week 2

Lexie Language Challenge Week 2 So Jim sat down with me today to check how my Language Challenge is going.  Below is our conversation about Week 2: Hows your Language Challenge Progress so far? Language Challenge Completed Sessions:  6 Language Challenge Sessions Remaining:  14 Session Schedule for Week 3:  3 So how are you feeling after week 2 of the Challenge? I feel that I am on the right track. Taking lessons absolute helps me to practice speaking French in an efficient way.  I feel learning a foreign language is a strange thing, even you stop to use this language for one week,  you really  feel that you start to fall behind, and you could not speak as well as before. Taking 3 sessions per week for me is not very easy because my job is really busy, and last week one of my French teacher was busy with his school stuff so he canceled one of the sessions.  There were a couple of days that I stopped taking lessons, but when I started back to taking it again I could feel that my French had regressed.  It really proves that I need to keep up with practicing more regularly in the future! Have you hit any problems or roadblocks with the Challenge?  How did you overcome them? Actually I bought two packages with two different teachers, and I have scheduled all packages lessons already, but last week the wifi at my place started to have problems.  One session went really badly and at the end I could not hear a word from the teacher although she could hear me clearly, that made me panic, because the Chinese New Year holiday is right around the corner and I have to take four sessions at home during the 7 day holiday.  Anyway I will try to figure it out.   I feel that whenever a teacher converses with me about general things in French, it went pretty well, but when we started to talk about specific topics by using certain grammars (le Subjonctif, le Conditionnel,etc), it always turned out to be really hard for me.  Anyway, I could tell you that back in November last year, the first time I started the lesson, I could only speak some words, now at least I could keep a conversation in French for at least 15 minutes, so no matter how frustrating it is sometime s, I will keep doing this because I know that I am progressing in this way. What has been the hardest thing about the Challenge? Ahhhhh..There is nothing hard about the challenge, the hard part is learning the language. Just need time to take lessons, but it is beneficial for myself, so it is good. Do you feel your French improving?  Are you satisfied with your progress so far? I feel my French improved a lot in the first week, but as I said, last week was pretty frustrating because I only took 2 lessons and I could feel I fell behind a little bit, and the bad Wifi situation. I hope I could keep on progressing like the first week in the coming next few weeks. Since with the community tutor we only talk about general stuff, so during the conversation I could feel my progression, and the teacher made the comment to me saying I was dealing with it really well.^_^ What advice do you have for our other italki Challengers? MmmmmI bet different people are in different tracks, and I hope everyone is doing well on what they need. I know it is easy to take 2-3 lessons per week at the beginning, but it will be hard to insist on it for one month and a half. But I believe some of them could already feel the progressing so just keep doing it. If you feel things are not going well, I suggest you to change a teacher. On italki one of the best things is that you could switch your teacher at anytime, try to find a teacher that you could get the most benefit from! Anything else youd like to add? I really wanna pray for a better Wifi connection at my place for the next coming weeks! Lexie Language Challenge Week 2 So Jim sat down with me today to check how my Language Challenge is going.  Below is our conversation about Week 2: Hows your Language Challenge Progress so far? Language Challenge Completed Sessions:  6 Language Challenge Sessions Remaining:  14 Session Schedule for Week 3:  3 So how are you feeling after week 2 of the Challenge? I feel that I am on the right track. Taking lessons absolute helps me to practice speaking French in an efficient way.  I feel learning a foreign language is a strange thing, even you stop to use this language for one week,  you really  feel that you start to fall behind, and you could not speak as well as before. Taking 3 sessions per week for me is not very easy because my job is really busy, and last week one of my French teacher was busy with his school stuff so he canceled one of the sessions.  There were a couple of days that I stopped taking lessons, but when I started back to taking it again I could feel that my French had regressed.  It really proves that I need to keep up with practicing more regularly in the future! Have you hit any problems or roadblocks with the Challenge?  How did you overcome them? Actually I bought two packages with two different teachers, and I have scheduled all packages lessons already, but last week the wifi at my place started to have problems.  One session went really badly and at the end I could not hear a word from the teacher although she could hear me clearly, that made me panic, because the Chinese New Year holiday is right around the corner and I have to take four sessions at home during the 7 day holiday.  Anyway I will try to figure it out.   I feel that whenever a teacher converses with me about general things in French, it went pretty well, but when we started to talk about specific topics by using certain grammars (le Subjonctif, le Conditionnel,etc), it always turned out to be really hard for me.  Anyway, I could tell you that back in November last year, the first time I started the lesson, I could only speak some words, now at least I could keep a conversation in French for at least 15 minutes, so no matter how frustrating it is sometime s, I will keep doing this because I know that I am progressing in this way. What has been the hardest thing about the Challenge? Ahhhhh..There is nothing hard about the challenge, the hard part is learning the language. Just need time to take lessons, but it is beneficial for myself, so it is good. Do you feel your French improving?  Are you satisfied with your progress so far? I feel my French improved a lot in the first week, but as I said, last week was pretty frustrating because I only took 2 lessons and I could feel I fell behind a little bit, and the bad Wifi situation. I hope I could keep on progressing like the first week in the coming next few weeks. Since with the community tutor we only talk about general stuff, so during the conversation I could feel my progression, and the teacher made the comment to me saying I was dealing with it really well.^_^ What advice do you have for our other italki Challengers? MmmmmI bet different people are in different tracks, and I hope everyone is doing well on what they need. I know it is easy to take 2-3 lessons per week at the beginning, but it will be hard to insist on it for one month and a half. But I believe some of them could already feel the progressing so just keep doing it. If you feel things are not going well, I suggest you to change a teacher. On italki one of the best things is that you could switch your teacher at anytime, try to find a teacher that you could get the most benefit from! Anything else youd like to add? I really wanna pray for a better Wifi connection at my place for the next coming weeks!