The ABC's of Trip Reporting- PLEASE JOIN US ON THE NEW THREAD!

[Flossbolna]

Magdalene and me suffered through several years of Latin, I think we both had our worst marks in Latin and hated it sometimes. BUT learning about Roman life and their culture was and still is very interesting and knowing Latin helped me learning other languages, not only romanic ones. You learn to understand the concept of a difficult grammar.

Since the day I finally could drop Latin after suffering through it for 7 years was one of the best during all my time in school, I am not so sure I would ever let my kids take it at school unless they really want to. But on the other hand, looking back at it, I agree with Katharina that Roman history is very interesting and it gives you a very sound foundation for language learning. Roman culture had so much influence on our history, there are still roads here in Europe which first were built by the Romans and the legal concepts I apply daily in my job have their foundation in Roman law.

 

[TarzansKat]

Aw, shucks.

Now I just have to figure out what page the ToT update was on, somehow, I totally missed that!

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Liesa, thank you for this really wonderful and entertaining post!!!



Magdalene and me suffered through several years of Latin, I think we both had our worst marks in Latin and hated it sometimes. BUT learning about Roman life and their culture was and still is very interesting and knowing Latin helped me learning other languages, not only romanic ones. You learn to understand the concept of a difficult grammar.

Since the day I finally could drop Latin after suffering through it for 7 years was one of the best during all my time in school, I am not so sure I would ever let my kids take it at school unless they really want to. But on the other hand, looking back at it, I agree with Katharina that Roman history is very interesting and it gives you a very sound foundation for language learning. Roman culture had so much influence on our history, there are still roads here in Europe which first were built by the Romans and the legal concepts I apply daily in my job have their foundation in Roman law.

I am the complete opposite. I took French in school and hated it! Then I started taking Latin (took it for 5 years in high school and University) and loved it! I find that rather funny since French is a romance language and comes from Latin. I loved learning the language and also the history, I ended up studying Classical History as part of my first degree. When I went to Italy it was amazing that I could read the inscriptions on the ancient Roman buildings.

 

[Flossbolna]

I am the complete opposite. I took French in school and hated it! Then I started taking Latin (took it for 5 years in high school and University) and loved it! I find that rather funny since French is a romance language and comes from Latin. I loved learning the language and also the history, I ended up studying Classical History as part of my first degree. When I went to Italy it was amazing that I could read the inscriptions on the ancient Roman buildings.

I have quite a few friends who loved Latin as well, so I know that it is not hated by everyone. And I know what you mean about being able to read and understand inscriptions, that's really great.

I wonder wether I might have enjoyed it more if I had been a bit more grown up when I started learning it, but I was 10 when I started with Latin. It is still common as a first foreign language in school (English would then be the second) and quite a few people also go on and have ancient Greek as a third foreign language to go for the true classical scholar.

 

[that's nice]

Ha, I actually did put that in there on purpose, and wondered if anyone would catch it. good job!!

Thanks!

I do see a lot of hits each morning, but very few, relatively speaking posts. Hmmm.... LURKERS!! Come out, come out whereeeeeever you are.....

I never pay attention... I'm gonna watch my hits!

Nope, I didnt' give a clue, but I try a different skill next time!! That's all i"m saying.

I'm thinking TSM! We'll see!

I"m so thrilled you enjoyed it. I'll let mary get caught up with her E, and then work on my "F".

HAHA... TAG FAIRY?

 

[All7OfUs]

Liesa, thank you for this really wonderful and entertaining post!!!



Magdalene and me suffered through several years of Latin, I think we both had our worst marks in Latin and hated it sometimes. BUT learning about Roman life and their culture was and still is very interesting and knowing Latin helped me learning other languages, not only romanic ones. You learn to understand the concept of a difficult grammar.

You're entirely welcome! glad you enjoyed it!

Latin is only offered in a small smattering of schools around here, but I can say that a lot of students in High School do study at least the Latin roots that are the building blocks of many of our words. I know that medical students and law students still study it more in depth, but mostly it is not so much taught anymore.

Since the day I finally could drop Latin after suffering through it for 7 years was one of the best during all my time in school, I am not so sure I would ever let my kids take it at school unless they really want to. But on the other hand, looking back at it, I agree with Katharina that Roman history is very interesting and it gives you a very sound foundation for language learning. Roman culture had so much influence on our history, there are still roads here in Europe which first were built by the Romans and the legal concepts I apply daily in my job have their foundation in Roman law.

I think studying the culture that surrounds a language is often more fascinating that the only the language by itself. When we took our language course (a 3 week course on HOW TO LEARN a foreign language) they told us that you really can't succeed in learning a language well unless you do study the culture along with it. We were taught how to do anthropological studies using language learning techniques to really enhance what we were learning along with the pronunciation and grammar.

Roman culture was so pervasive- I remember seeing a LOT of roman Empire influence on my European travels: roads, ruins, inscriptions, all over the place. It was great to have studied it even just a teesy bit! And you are right! Roman culture lives on even today in the applied law of much of the Western world. For some reason, this whole conversation reminds me of the Roman scene in Spaceship Earth.

Aw, shucks.

Now I just have to figure out what page the ToT update was on, somehow, I totally missed that!

I haven't TOC'd that update yet. Need to do that now.

I am the complete opposite. I took French in school and hated it! Then I started taking Latin (took it for 5 years in high school and University) and loved it! I find that rather funny since French is a romance language and comes from Latin. I loved learning the language and also the history, I ended up studying Classical History as part of my first degree. When I went to Italy it was amazing that I could read the inscriptions on the ancient Roman buildings.

So, see, I may actually be wrong about teaching Latin. I do know they don't offer it anywehre around here, but may at the more expensive private schools. Lessa, did you go to Catholic school or another kind, or did you take Latin at public school?? Just curious.

Isn't Italy GREAT!!!!??? I loved it!! Pompeii was truly amazing, as was everything we saw in Venice- a place I could hang out for a VERY, very long time!!

 

[Flossbolna]

I think studying the culture that surrounds a language is often more fascinating that the only the language by itself. When we took our language course (a 3 week course on HOW TO LEARN a foreign language) they told us that you really can't succeed in learning a language well unless you do study the culture along with it. We were taught how to do anthropological studies using language learning techniques to really enhance what we were learning along with the pronunciation and grammar.

That is very interesting! That's why it is so relatively easy for exchange students to pick up the language, not only are they immersed in the language, but also in the culture connected with it when they live with a host family.

Roman culture was so pervasive- I remember seeing a LOT of roman Empire influence on my European travels: roads, ruins, inscriptions, all over the place. It was great to have studied it even just a teesy bit! And you are right! Roman culture lives on even today in the applied law of much of the Western world. For some reason, this whole conversation reminds me of the Roman scene in Spaceship Earth.

Wow, that must be some kind of record: How to move the conversation from ToT to Spaceship Earth with two/three replies without mentioning Disney, WDW or anything like that as the connection!

 

[All7OfUs]

That is very interesting! That's why it is so relatively easy for exchange students to pick up the language, not only are they immersed in the language, but also in the culture connected with it when they live with a host family.



Wow, that must be some kind of record: How to move the conversation from ToT to Spaceship Earth with two/three replies without mentioning Disney, WDW or anything like that as the connection!

Yes, I'm certain that's why they learn it so quickly! If you ONLY have a particular language being spoken all around you, with no 'safety net' of another person from your own culture living with you, you MUST dive in and sink or swim, so to speak. Plus, you have the nuiances like jokes and humor, idioms, and even body language to fill out your study all around you all the time.


I'll tell you a secret. I had heard a rumor that if threads didnt' stay on topic to some degree, the mods are going to clamp down a bit. So, in order for this thread to maintain a pulse, Disney has to be mentioned at least a little. Besides, this one was legit. I had images of a burning Rome in my mind as I was reading our conversation. I can smell that scene right now!

 

[mom3sonstt]

I think studying the culture that surrounds a language is often more fascinating that the only the language by itself. When we took our language course (a 3 week course on HOW TO LEARN a foreign language) they told us that you really can't succeed in learning a language well unless you do study the culture along with it. We were taught how to do anthropological studies using language learning techniques to really enhance what we were learning along with the pronunciation and grammar. :

That would explain why I remember very little from any of my foreign language classes. If I am reading a novel and a character says a phrase in French - sometimes I can pick out a word here and there.....and I remember a phrase or two that we thought were hilarious at the time....but that's about it.

So, see, I may actually be wrong about teaching Latin. I do know they don't offer it anywehre around here, but may at the more expensive private schools. Lessa, did you go to Catholic school or another kind, or did you take Latin at public school?? Just curious.

I took Latin my freshman year in High School. My sophomore year I signed up for Latin II, but due to not enough people signing up for it they dropped it - and Latin is no longer available at my school. The teacher who taught it was still there until just a few years ago, but she only taught English classes after that.

My Junior year and Senior years I took French I & II. The French II class also had 2 students who were taking French III - so the teacher had to split her teaching time between both groups. Late in the year she expressed her frustration with us as a class (the Fr II students) for being further behind than any previous Fr II class she had taught. Hmmm....maybe.....and this is just an idea.....but maybe if we had the whole 45-50 minutes of classtime like all the previous classes did instead of sharing it with Fr III....maybe we might have been more on her schedule

On the other hand, while I remember very little French from my 2 years, I do remember some very strong debates in that class between the teacher and one of the students regarding the sanity, guilt or innocence, and the culpability of the behavior of one John Rambo in First Blood.

 

[FauntleroyFAN07]

i enjoyed the walk through of your hotel looks like a nice place to stay, may have to check it out next trip.



and of course i will be around for the next chapter, i hear it will be a good one.

 

[All7OfUs]

That would explain why I remember very little from any of my foreign language classes. If I am reading a novel and a character says a phrase in French - sometimes I can pick out a word here and there.....and I remember a phrase or two that we thought were hilarious at the time....but that's about it.

I took Latin my freshman year in High School. My sophomore year I signed up for Latin II, but due to not enough people signing up for it they dropped it - and Latin is no longer available at my school. The teacher who taught it was still there until just a few years ago, but she only taught English classes after that.

My Junior year and Senior years I took French I & II. The French II class also had 2 students who were taking French III - so the teacher had to split her teaching time between both groups. Late in the year she expressed her frustration with us as a class (the Fr II students) for being further behind than any previous Fr II class she had taught. Hmmm....maybe.....and this is just an idea.....but maybe if we had the whole 45-50 minutes of classtime like all the previous classes did instead of sharing it with Fr III....maybe we might have been more on her schedule

On the other hand, while I remember very little French from my 2 years, I do remember some very strong debates in that class between the teacher and one of the students regarding the sanity, guilt or innocence, and the culpability of the behavior of one John Rambo in First Blood.

I took 2 years of Spanish and 2 years of French and have to say I really enjoyed the Spanish a lot more. I grew up in So. Cal. and even then it was ALL around us- when you're hearing a seeing a language as part of every day "normal" it is so much easier to pick up. But, here's the dealio..... when I HAD to learn Kazakh (and I've had MANY others in our line of work tell me this) and had to learn it fluently, the VERY best thing that helped me was knowing my ENGLISH WELL!!!!! In order to know the grammar structures, YOU MUST know WHAT at proposition IS and how it is used; you MUST know what locative and dative cases ARE, so you can know how to use them IN ANY foreign language one studies. Mike really struggled in Kazakh because he never learned English very well in school; he didn't know what a gerund even was, he didn't know hardly what verb/subject agreement was and why it is important. Soooo... my advice to anyone who has to learn another langauge not just for credit in school, but really MUST learn it, is to study their OWN langauge and its mechanics! That will go a long, long ways in mastering a new one.

Of course, sticking to the task (and not debating about Rambo) helps too.

i enjoyed the walk through of your hotel looks like a nice place to stay, may have to check it out next trip.



and of course i will be around for the next chapter, i hear it will be a good one.

trust me.. you'lll want to be there.

And when you check into the ToT, make sure to check OUT the natatorium.

 

[All7OfUs]

Most of you have probably noticed that maroo has not been around the last few days, since her last post, in fact. Whenever she goes a'missin, I get worried and eventually call her up. Sure enough, she could REALLY use our prayers right now and for the next while. I mean this very seriously! Please, if you think of her, remember her and some life stuff. I know she would be very grateful to all of you!!


On a more light-hearted note, but just as TR-related, Mike went to our old house in Portland to look for my Mickey book, pick up some mail that slipped through the forwarding request, and take back the garage door opener. After a bit of searching, deep, deep, deep under one of the couches, there was my Mickey book. Right near the place I usually sit and do my updates, but obviously kicked (WAY) further in during some random rowdy pillow fight or Tae Kwon Do demonstration. I can't tell you how elated I am to have found this!!! And you should be too; because now you can have a true-to-life adventure, and not some plausible, but probably very fictional, account of our trip.

 

[KatMark]

Most of you have probably noticed that maroo has not been around the last few days, since her last post, in fact. Whenever she goes a'missin, I get worried and eventually call her up. Sure enough, she could REALLY use our prayers right now and for the next while. I mean this very seriously! Please, if you think of her, remember her and some life stuff. I know she would be very grateful to all of you!!


On a more light-hearted note, but just as TR-related, Mike went to our old house in Portland to look for my Mickey book, pick up some mail that slipped through the forwarding request, and take back the garage door opener. After a bit of searching, deep, deep, deep under one of the couches, there was my Mickey book. Right near the place I usually sit and do my updates, but obviously kicked (WAY) further in during some random rowdy pillow fight or Tae Kwon Do demonstration. I can't tell you how elated I am to have found this!!! And you should be too; because now you can have a true-to-life adventure, and not some plausible, but probably very fictional, account of our trip.

Maroo, wherever you are, I am sending many, many prayers for you, sweetie.

Liesa, I am so glad that Mike found your Mickey book. Although I really liked your "plausible, but probably very fictional account" of your trip.

 

[All7OfUs]

Maroo, wherever you are, I am sending many, many prayers for you, sweetie.

Liesa, I am so glad that Mike found your Mickey book. Although I really liked your "plausible, but probably very fictional account" of your trip.

Thanks, Kathy. She did say she'd try to get on soon, but cannot promise anything!

Me too. Writing to make "the real" more fun, is always a nice challenge. But having notes sure helps!

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

So, see, I may actually be wrong about teaching Latin. I do know they don't offer it anywehre around here, but may at the more expensive private schools. Lessa, did you go to Catholic school or another kind, or did you take Latin at public school?? Just curious.

Isn't Italy GREAT!!!!??? I loved it!! Pompeii was truly amazing, as was everything we saw in Venice- a place I could hang out for a VERY, very long time!!

I went to a public high school in Virginia Beach. It was a very good school though and had lots of money which would explain all of our extra course offerings. The school offered French, German, Spanish, Latin and even Russian and Japanese although those last two classes didn't end up being held most years due to lack of interest. Latin was actually pretty popular at my school and the classes were always full. I'm really glad that I took it and enjoyed it so much. It was one of my electives since I didn't NEED to take a second language since I had already fulfilled the language requirement with my French classes. I am a bit of an overachiever though, hence my surplus of high school credits and two degrees.

I loved Italy. It is such a beautiful country and knowing about the history made my visit so much richer. So many people visit and don't know anything about the culture and history and have no idea how much they are missing out on. I was able to see Oedipus Rex performed in Italian in an ancient Greek amphitheatre in Sicily. It was an amazing experience sitting in the same theatre that the ancient Greeks and Romans sat in watching the same play that they watched. Unfortunately, I was the only one in my group who had previously read the play and understood what was unfolding onstage. My travel companions were unfamiliar with the story and did not know what was going on and as a result did not appreciate the experience as much as I did.

 

[Flossbolna]

Me too. Writing to make "the real" more fun, is always a nice challenge. But having notes sure helps!

I had not noticed that you were free-styling your TR! But I am glad that the book is back, will be a nice comparison.

I am sorry that Mary is having a hard time and I will pray for her.

 

[All7OfUs]

I went to a public high school in Virginia Beach. It was a very good school though and had lots of money which would explain all of our extra course offerings.


My travel companions were unfamiliar with the story and did not know what was going on and as a result did not appreciate the experience as much as I did.

I've heard that Virginia in general has quite a good education system. Where there is a govt. seat, there you will find a bit of extra cash. Seems like when I was in public high school in CA we had a lot of extras as well... an award winning band (jazz, symphony), FFA, all kinds of shop and art classes, etc... I know we weren't paying any more taxes, so that must speak somehow to the management of those educations dollars. I definitely DON'T have an answer or solution, just wondering how schools can say they don't have the funds to do what they used to with the same amount (but adjusted for inflation) of money??

Anywhoooo.... you are so right about knowing before you go!! I can't imagine our trip to Nuremberg for example without having researched a fair amount before we went!! Take the Durer Haus and his art and life for example!! If I hadn't studied him before going, it would have been just another boring museum most likely.

I had not noticed that you were free-styling your TR! But I am glad that the book is back, will be a nice comparison.

I am sorry that Mary is having a hard time and I will pray for her.

Well, that update was easy because I so vividly remember every detail. How could I not, going through it ummmm... 3 times!

 

[pooh'smate]

I am praying for Mary. I am also glad that your dh was able to find your Mickey Book.

 

[All7OfUs]

I am praying for Mary. I am also glad that your dh was able to find your Mickey Book.

Looky at that ticker of yours!! I'll bet you are getting veRY excited!! Feeling ready? Packed your bags yet??

Did I miss a PTR??

 

[pooh'smate]

Looky at that ticker of yours!! I'll bet you are getting veRY excited!! Feeling ready? Packed your bags yet??

Did I miss a PTR??

Yes we are getting VERY excited. My ticker is actually a day off becuase we added a day at the beginning of out trip. It was cheaper to get a late flight out the night before instead of the am flight on our original day. We are at 10 days today. Today I started my vacation laundry as it is obviously warmer in FL than here in Omaha. I am making my little note cards with adr # and our top things we want to do in the park on that certain day tonight after Lexi goes to bed. No you didn't miss a ptr. I tried one when our trip was going to be in Nov/Dec but I was just to busy to keep it up. I am going to do a TR though and I will let you know when I start it.