Last week, I attended the annual
meeting of the African Literature Association in Atlanta, Georgia. I had a
wonderful time, in which I was able to explore the city on my own, and attended
panels on topics relevant to my research, which, in turn, stimulated my passion
for travel (even if it’s only in the U.S), encouraged my pursuit of research on
African literature, and re-affirmed my study of Kinyarwanda. With that said, I
had a lot going on, and I know you might anticipate my saying that I relegated
my language study accordingly; however, you would be mistaken!
Indeed, I anticipated that I would
be busy last week, so I knew that I would have to schedule my language study,
if I wanted to get it done. And so, simply put, I did. I knew conference
schedules often allowed for a lengthy lunch break (in this case, approximately
two hours), and though I knew I would want to eat, I also knew that there would
be time between the point in which the server took my order and when he/she
brought my meal to the table, and there would be time between when I was
finished eating and when he/she brought me the bill. Even if they were
relatively small windows, I knew I would have them, and I knew I could use them
efficiently. In addition, I knew that not all events would begin on time, so I
used the five minutes before a panel to study virtual flash cards, and I used
the thirty minutes before the awards ceremony began to examine my notebook.
Looking at this makeshift schedule,
I would like to be able to apply it to my everyday learning. For example, due
to the bus schedule, I often arrive at least twenty minutes (if not more)
before my first class begins on Monday or Tuesday, and I have approximately an
hour in between my first and second class on Monday. I could use that time to
my advantage, instead of socializing with my classmates (though that is also
useful, admittedly, albeit in a different way). Of course, finding spaces in a
week to study can be a little random, and it can be nice to insert language
study where I didn’t necessarily anticipate it; however, I can also be a little
more deliberate in this case, when I know I have time and need only plan for
it.
With that said, I did not meet with
my language partner, B, while at the ALA’s annual meeting, due to a
miscommunication; however, we have since talked, and we will be meeting this
Thursday via Skype, and I am excited! In addition, looking forward, I have got
dates for my internship in Rwanda now, and I am even more thrilled about that!
Things are happening, because I am
making them happen, and there’s something wonderful about that. Yes, I am
responsible if I fail to study Kinyarwanda, but yes, I am also “to blame” when
I am successful! And that, my blog viewers, is a fantastic feeling.
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