Monthly Language Learning Journal 2

Right now in my journey of learning Hebrew, I’ve been taking lessons on italki with my online teacher Patriz, who lives in Israel. These lessons have been a really helpful part of my routine. During our sessions we go over basic phrases like “I love to run” or “How is your family?” and repeat them a lot so they actually stick in my brain. We’ll practice the same structure multiple times with different words so I get used to how sentences work in Hebrew. Along with phrases, I’ve also been learning vocabulary that I can plug into sentences, like colors, fruits, vegetables, and simple descriptors like “sweet” or “sour.”Outside of my lessons, I spend time memorizing the words we learned and trying to make my own sentences. For example, I might write something like “I love sweet red apples” just to practice combining vocabulary and sentence structure. Having italki lessons with Patriz has been great for focusing on speaking and listening skills. One thing I’ve definitely realized is that…

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Learning Journal #1

Language Journal #1My primary task this period was to refine my ability to switch between Ban-mal (informal) and Jondaemal (formal) during high-pressure social transitions. Since I am already comfortable speaking, my specific goal was to stop "defaulting" to a mid-level politeness and instead master the active return to strict formalities when social dynamics shift. I hoped to achieve a more native-like "social rhythm" where my speech reflects an immediate awareness of hierarchy and atmosphere.I used the K-drama Reply 1988 as a primary resource. Unlike modern dramas, this show highlights multi-generational neighborhood dynamics. I focused specifically on the parents’ interactions, observing how they use Jondaemal with each other in public but shift to Ban-mal in private, and how the children immediately snap into formal speech the moment an elder enters the room.I met with my language partner to practice "Status Shifting." We engaged in reciprocal goal-setting where they would…

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Language Journal #2

In the last month I have developed more of a schedule with my language partners, meeting twice a week on italki. I have made noticeable language gains and can feel myself becoming much more fluent in conversation again. In the year after my Boren study I did not practice enough--relying only on occasional conversations with Indo friends and news sources in Indonesian to remain in practice.When I started again I saw myself forgetting really basic words like cepat (fast), tulis (to write), and Monday (hari senin). This would really get in the way of my communication as me and my language partner told travel stories or discussed elements of Indonesian culture. We would go from talking about international relations or the growth of renewable energy in Indonesia to me forgetting a simple adjective like jahat (mean/evil). This was really discouraging at first, but my vocabulary has continued to expand with greater practice and use of flashcards. I hope to get more books in Indonesian…

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Cultural Artifact #2

For my second cultural artifact, I decided to look deeper into the concept of Pancasila, the foundational ideology of Indonesia. Previously, I did research and wrote a thesis in Indonesian on the historical legacy of this ideology, and decided to dig deeper into it with my language partner on italki.Much like the United States with the creation of its constitution, Indonesia required a set of institutions and a political system that would be seen as legitimate in a country with diverse peoples and ideologies. The Pancasila was essentially a mission statement for the country, that laid out both an identity and a set of goals for the new country. The 5 tenets of Pancasila are: Belief in one god,which was inclusive of Christian minorities and Balinese Hindus, who were considered to worship one God, albeit with many faces; a just and polite humanity; Indonesian unity (one country, indivisible); rule guided by elective representatives (democracy); and social justice, shared by all the…

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