A learning curve.

In preparation for my Round-the-world jaunt in 2012 i have taken to learning new languages.

The original plan involved getting a Ferry to France, buying a second-hand car for about £1,000- £1,500 and making my way to Singapore in it before flying out to Australia, then on to Brazil, and buying another car & travelling up to Canada, then flying back to London. I thought that planning 18 months in advance would give us plenty of time to plan & save, but technicalities, as always, get in the way.

Russia, a country I'd been hoping to visit since i first learned about the revolution aged 10, would add on an extra £1000 with visa fees and regulations which dictate you can't make your own way through the country without being invited by a political figure. As it happens I don't yet know Mr Putin well enough to ask him for a free pass so Russia is temporarily off the list.

When Russia was still in the equation I was keen to learn the language as we'd have been spending about 2 months in the country. I managed to get as far as YouTube lessons but realised if i was looking at a road sign i wouldn't have the faintest idea of what it said. I've postponed the Russian, and I'm now learning Spanish & Italian through audio books from my local library and weekly classes at University from September.

I don't aim to become fluent in two languages in a year, but a basic grasp of each would be a realistic target. If anyone knows of any BSL courses around the Southampton area, let me know!