@Kai Cerar You're speaking my language! Hahahaha... I have a special relationship with that word. Lol

@Kai Cerar i now wonder what meaning it has to you hahaha

Woohoo, so many plans and goodies to come!

@Ruth aka Grace Rose I've NEVER heard any Dutchie use those words 😱 but I do know "Hottentottententententoonstelling". Our favorite word for HangMan :p

Welcome everybody! (And what a great quote btw! Saving that one!)

I'm glad others have mentioned it already: life is busy and asks a lot of us. Learning a new language is more a hobby or side quest and not a priority, unless you're dealing with it for your work, planning a holiday or move. The time investment of 30 minutes a day, is just too much. That's why people play DuoLingo.. it's just 2-5 min a day. That's easily doable in a toilet or lunch break, walking to or from your car, while cooking, doing in an elevator, during a commercial break etc. etc. I feel like you might take it a bit too personal in the sense that you might think you're doing something "wrong" by not having the results you want to have/miss the enthusiasm reflected back, that you feel. And I think that's understandable yet not what's going on. I think we're all wanting to learn just overwhelmed 😊 My suggestion would be to seek things that are low effort/small. Another group I'm in, has people write "I take full responsibility for everything in my life" for 90 days. There are people who open their own topics and bulk topics. It generates interaction between members and "noise" in the community. Perhaps you could find something similar that works for you. Like when you post and share a cool quote or sentence or ask a question and have us reply in one of our desired languages or something. Or perhaps the same sort of accountability idea as mentioned above but tailored to language learning. Like every day a different sentence. Or the same. Like what you've eaten for breakfast or how your day was. Whatever. Something where the challenge lies in the repetition or looking up what cereal sounds in your preferred language. Things that cost you 1 minute but keep you engaged, if you get what I mean 😊 sort of sneaky learning haha. It might get people to engage with each other as well. Just a thought.

@Kai Cerar it's my pleasure 😊❤️ You're doing fantastic and I love how you ask and embrace feedback. Your enthusiasm and gratitude is palpable and what makes it so fun to be here! I don't doubt you or your abilities to shape it to the vision you have and have it become successful. We're (you!) are just getting started. Keep up the good work 💪🏻😊

@Rose Macabre oh good haha! That hopefully will lessen the culture shock. Somewhat 😅 If you're introverted, you'll probably find the South (Limburg), North (Friesland and Groningen) and East ("de Achterhoek") more comfortable that West or Mid Provence's. "The Randstad" (which includes Amsterdam and the big cities, airport, capital, big marine haven) are more cultural diverse and thus busy, fast, younger minded, extravert and blunt. If you like chill, politeness and space more, + are a fan of nature instead of the concrete jungle: try to visit the Provence's mentioned above (or also, balance and all). They all have their charm though (I've moved around a lot). Anyways, happy learning! Oh what came to mind was also the YT Videos of Bart de Pau. He's a language teacher and makes funny videos of foreigners who get acquainted with Dutch culture. So people from all over the world share what's normal in their country/culture. Sometimes he gives them an object or a riddle and let them solve it (in Dutch, according to their speaking level). I found it to be very amusing as well). Aaaaannyway. Should you need/want help learning Dutch, or want to know something, tag me 😊

@Rose Macabre my pleasure 😊 and no worries. Pronounciation is difficult. I've been told Dutch is a hard language to learn, but the more you try the better you become. Just talk Dutch, even if we talk back in English :p that's how you learn the fastest ;) Also, my English pronunciation sucks and my English vocabulary is limited, so no worries. We can suck at pronounciation together 😂😂 takes the pressure off ;) Best of luck with the move! So exciting!