Learning Journal #4

[Melale Hailu]

It is so crazy that this is my last learning journal. Throughout my time with my language partner Genet, we have developed a really nice relationship. Our interactions transformed from initially very formal, structured conversations to now often having to hold ourselves accountable to retreat back to language learning because our conversations get sidetracked into so many other things. However, although it might not directly seem so, even these conversations that are seemingly off-topic have been paramount to my language learning journey. These conversations have exposed me to intellectually captivating topics awakening interests I didn’t think I had while simountnsouly fostering a good personal connection with someone part of my target language community. Our personal conversations have also open the gate for language learning topics. For instance, Genet is getting married soon and our conversation about that paved the way for a language learning activity about this topic; learning sentences and vocabulary in Afaan Oromo about weddings, event foods, music and dancing, preparations for events, clothing, etc. I have noticed that from my second learning journal to now Genet and I spend a lot more time conversing in Afaan Oromo outside of the lesson plan for that day. I am far more confident when greeting her and asking her about her day/week, school, and work and likewise understanding and answering her questions for me. With Graduation coming up, this has also informed the tasks we have focused on/done during our lessons. This is perfect and immensely beneficial because I am able to use what I learned right away which consequently reinforces it in my mind and makes it far less likely that I forget what I learned after class. What I have struggled with however is having this same confidence when I speak with natives apart from my language partner. My father is also a native speaker and when he talks to me in Afaan Oromo, my confidence vanishes and I am not able to respond with the content that I have learned, which is a lot. As both Genet and my father keep reiterating to me, the only way to continue learning is to speak! I must remember this especially after my time with Genet is done. I think the happiest moment in my language-learning journey was speaking to my grandmother on the phone during Easter and hearing her pure happiness when I spoke to her in Afaan Oromo. I think that conversation really allowed me to contextualize the progress I have made.