Blog
Spring Awakening
In which my thoughts turn to studying Chinese, Arabic, and Russian.
Last week I thought to myself, it would be cool to learn some Chinese characters right around now. Even though I spent a little time on Chinese some years back, I focused on spoken skills and pinyin and never learned…
Reviews
Russian Language Meetup Groups
Russian, Classes/Conversation, Social
Enter your zip code here to find Meetup groups near you focused on Russian conversation. In case you are unfamiliar with the Meetup phenomenon, there are Meetup groups for all kinds of interests, not just language. I personally am…
Chinatown on the Lower East Side, Manhattan
Mandarin, Neighborhoods
The most well-known Chinatown by far in New York City (there are several) embraces areas that were once inhabited by Italian, Irish, Eastern European, and other immigrant groups. Historical residues are everywhere. You can get there on multiple subway lines;…
Teach Yourself Arabic (with CDs)
Arabic, Books, Multimedia
I used Teach Yourself Arabic by Jack Smart and Frances Altorfer back in 2009, and it struck me as an example of language-learning marketing trumping actual usability. This book-CD combo was a total bust for me. I confess I…
