New Years Challenge Video Pledges

New Years Challenge Video Pledges See Whos Taking this Years Challenge If you are taking this years challenge were  giving away 50 free ITC if you make a video challenge pledge. Life Hacks research  has shown that if you put yourself up to something by doing it in public, you follow through because others are watching.  So use peer pressure to your advantage!  So help out your fellow language learners participating in the challenge!  Leave them words of encouragement on their notebook entries!  And dont forget to sign up for yourself, and get 2015 of to a great start! Cassie  from Australia is learning French She has been learning French for 12 months at University so far, though she has had little opportunity to speak French and practice her listening skills.  So despite facing the concurrent challenge of raising children, she will be taking the New Years challenge to continue to improve her French!  Provide advice and support on her notebook. David Jackson  from the UK is learning Mandarin   After going to Taiwan he became inspired to learn the language.  He would love to spend more time in Taiwan and also hopes to be able to converse with his girlfriend in Chinese.  While speaking a little already, he hopes to make great strides over the coming 2 months!  Help David out by commenting on his notebook. Jay Allen  from the United States is learning Japanese. Jay has been using italki for the past two years to learn Japanese!  Hes planning on going to Japan later this year and is afraid  his Japanese is not good enough to reach his goal: to speak in Japanese 85% of his time in Japan.  We were already very impressed with his Japanese and hope that he can continue to improve during the challenge.  Give Jay words of encouragement on his notebook entry. Jesee Calzalda from Texas is learning Spanish. Jesse has set a solid goal of being able to hold a 15 minute conversation with a native Spanish speaker in Spanish by April 12, 2015.  He is using the italki New Years Challenge to get a start on this task.  We wish him the best.  Give him advice by writing on his notebook. Jen Leigh  from the United States is learning  Spanish. Jens boyfriend is Chilean so not only does she want to be able to converse with him in his native tongue but also be able to speak Spanish when she goes to some weddings in Chile with him this year.  She wants to make sure she can order beverages and converse with her boyfriends family and friends.  Cheer her on here. Derek  from the United States is learning  Portuguese. Dereks wife is from Brazil and so are all of his non-English speaking in laws.  Therefore, Derek has resolved to get to a high level of Portuguese so he can communicate with his Brazilian family members.  We wish and the best and you can to on his notebook entry.  Good luck Derek! Sarah from the United States is learning Spanish Sarah wants to increase the fluidity of her speech this language challenge.  She wants to be able to formulate some of her thoughts in Spanish, without having to mentally translate everything before speaking.  She also hopes to learn more about the nuance of using the subjunctive.  Wish Sarah luck here. Sergio from New York is learning French. Sergio has taken 3 years of French in high school, but unfortunately has lost most of his ability to speak the language.   He  started up lessons 4 months ago and is looking for this language challenge to provide him with the necessary discipline to  get into the right routine.  He would like to be able to interview in French and write an op-ed in French.  Encourage him on his notebook.  Mark  from the United States is learning Spanish!   Mark is taking the challenge as it provides him the motivation he needs to keep improving his Spanish.  He wants to be able to to speak to his in-laws more easily and also hopes to get to the level where he is comfortable teaching a short 5 minute Spanish lesson himself.  Wish Mark the best here! Kevin  from the United States is learning Japanese. Kevin wants to take the challenge because he wants to use a strict time frame to help him study.  He wants to actually use the language as he often doesnt get many opportunities to do so.  Kevin mentioned that he hopes the challenge will bring him closer to the italki community.  Give him words of encouragement! Amy from the United States is learning Japanese, Korean, and Chinese! Amy is not taking just one language this challenge period, but three extremely difficult languages!   She is doing this while starting a new job as well!  This is definitely not an easy feat to pull off but we are sure she can do it!  She hopes to travel to these countries in the future so she would like to be able to speak the languages! Wish her the best on her notebook and be sure to follow her blog. New Years Challenge Video Pledges See Whos Taking this Years Challenge If you are taking this years challenge were  giving away 50 free ITC if you make a video challenge pledge. Life Hacks research  has shown that if you put yourself up to something by doing it in public, you follow through because others are watching.  So use peer pressure to your advantage!  So help out your fellow language learners participating in the challenge!  Leave them words of encouragement on their notebook entries!  And dont forget to sign up for yourself, and get 2015 of to a great start! Cassie  from Australia is learning French She has been learning French for 12 months at University so far, though she has had little opportunity to speak French and practice her listening skills.  So despite facing the concurrent challenge of raising children, she will be taking the New Years challenge to continue to improve her French!  Provide advice and support on her notebook. David Jackson  from the UK is learning Mandarin   After going to Taiwan he became inspired to learn the language.  He would love to spend more time in Taiwan and also hopes to be able to converse with his girlfriend in Chinese.  While speaking a little already, he hopes to make great strides over the coming 2 months!  Help David out by commenting on his notebook. Jay Allen  from the United States is learning Japanese. Jay has been using italki for the past two years to learn Japanese!  Hes planning on going to Japan later this year and is afraid  his Japanese is not good enough to reach his goal: to speak in Japanese 85% of his time in Japan.  We were already very impressed with his Japanese and hope that he can continue to improve during the challenge.  Give Jay words of encouragement on his notebook entry. Jesee Calzalda from Texas is learning Spanish. Jesse has set a solid goal of being able to hold a 15 minute conversation with a native Spanish speaker in Spanish by April 12, 2015.  He is using the italki New Years Challenge to get a start on this task.  We wish him the best.  Give him advice by writing on his notebook. Jen Leigh  from the United States is learning  Spanish. Jens boyfriend is Chilean so not only does she want to be able to converse with him in his native tongue but also be able to speak Spanish when she goes to some weddings in Chile with him this year.  She wants to make sure she can order beverages and converse with her boyfriends family and friends.  Cheer her on here. Derek  from the United States is learning  Portuguese. Dereks wife is from Brazil and so are all of his non-English speaking in laws.  Therefore, Derek has resolved to get to a high level of Portuguese so he can communicate with his Brazilian family members.  We wish and the best and you can to on his notebook entry.  Good luck Derek! Sarah from the United States is learning Spanish Sarah wants to increase the fluidity of her speech this language challenge.  She wants to be able to formulate some of her thoughts in Spanish, without having to mentally translate everything before speaking.  She also hopes to learn more about the nuance of using the subjunctive.  Wish Sarah luck here. Sergio from New York is learning French. Sergio has taken 3 years of French in high school, but unfortunately has lost most of his ability to speak the language.   He  started up lessons 4 months ago and is looking for this language challenge to provide him with the necessary discipline to  get into the right routine.  He would like to be able to interview in French and write an op-ed in French.  Encourage him on his notebook.  Mark  from the United States is learning Spanish!   Mark is taking the challenge as it provides him the motivation he needs to keep improving his Spanish.  He wants to be able to to speak to his in-laws more easily and also hopes to get to the level where he is comfortable teaching a short 5 minute Spanish lesson himself.  Wish Mark the best here! Kevin  from the United States is learning Japanese. Kevin wants to take the challenge because he wants to use a strict time frame to help him study.  He wants to actually use the language as he often doesnt get many opportunities to do so.  Kevin mentioned that he hopes the challenge will bring him closer to the italki community.  Give him words of encouragement! Amy from the United States is learning Japanese, Korean, and Chinese! Amy is not taking just one language this challenge period, but three extremely difficult languages!   She is doing this while starting a new job as well!  This is definitely not an easy feat to pull off but we are sure she can do it!  She hopes to travel to these countries in the future so she would like to be able to speak the languages! Wish her the best on her notebook and be sure to follow her blog.