Writing the first letter to a new pen pal is always interesting because there is usually very limited information available about your new pal. The way I approach this challenge is to play a little game of imagination before I start writing the first sentence. I create a simple imaginary profile of my new pal based on educated guess from the limited information I have. Then I ask my new pal if I got it right.
Let’s say all I know is that she lives in Toronto, Canada. I will begin my letter with this:
Stephanie, my new friend from…
“I want to go and study Architecture from abroad, but I don’t know why I am too scared and nervous. Why is this so and how can I overcome it ? Should I go or not?”
This question on Quora has reminded of my time when I was planning to study abroad. I know some of us in the Penso community are considering studying overseas. I would therefore like to share with you my experience by answering this question!
Here comes my answer
The first step to overcome the fear and anxiety of studying abroad is to ask WHY you…
The quickest way to learn a new language efficiently is to immerse yourself in a culture where your target language is used. Think about how a baby learns her first language; she learns by absorbing information directly from native speakers and imitating them. As foreign language learners, we may need formal learning materials to help us get started. But as soon as you start learning a new language, it is very important to also include cultural sources as your channels to learn. Here are the three cultural sources I have found effective in learning a new language. …
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