Three Tips for Learning New Languages

Possessing more than four decades of experience in the social work and mental health fields, Patricia Lynn Hough serves as staff supervisor at St. Francis Animal Shelter in Venice, Florida. In addition to her role at the no-kill animal shelter, Patricia Lynn Hough fills her time by studying foreign languages and is proficient in German, French, and Spanish.

Whether you want to learn another language for a career or to satisfy your own passion, becoming multilingual may seem almost impossible. Below are three ways to enhance foreign-language learning:

Start with a language core
The core of any language involves words that express images, memories, emotions, and colors. By learning the core of a language first, you are more capable of thinking in your target language and keeping it alive in your head. This makes it easier to learn additional aspects of a language and reach fluency.

Focus on your passion
Learning a new language is always difficult, no matter how many other languages you know. To ensure you stay motivated throughout the learning process, focus on choosing languages that you are passionate about. Without passion driving your motivation, learning a language is less likely to be successful.

Optimize your time
Rushing the process is one of the worst things you can do when learning a language, because it keeps you from understanding the proper accents and refining your knowledge. Instead, optimize your time by scheduling specific times to practice every day. To maximize efficiency, try practicing while cooking, commuting, or working out.

Three Mistakes Yoga Beginners Often Make

Since January 2016, Dr. Patricia Lynn Hough has served as the staff supervisor for the St. Francis Animal Rescue of Venice, Florida. Outside of Dr. Patricia Lynn Hough’s work with the shelter, she practices yoga. 

There are a number of mistakes common to new students of yoga. Avoiding these mistakes will help you get the most out of your practice, both physically and mentally. 

1. Wearing Loose Clothing - Many beginners mistakenly assume loose clothing will hide their bodies, leaving less to the imagination than the tight clothes you often see in a yoga class. In actuality, the tight clothing does more to protect your modesty, as loose clothing is more likely to slip or fall off. 

2. Pushing Too Hard - Many beginners have the misconception that yoga will be a breeze, especially if they have a history of sports or strenuous exercise. While yoga may be simple, it is not always easy. Yoga stretches and works deep muscle tissue, requiring careful attention to avoid strain or injury. While it might be a good idea to push yourself to your limit on the basketball court, beginners may want to reconsider that approach on the yoga mat. Yoga is not a competition. 

3. Unhealthy Comparisons - Since yoga is not a competition, there is no point in comparing yourself to others, especially more experienced practitioners. Comparing yourself to an expert will likely leave you overwhelmed and intimidated, and may even lead to jealousy. If framed correctly, however, comparison can be healthy: instead of asking why you cannot do what they can, ask what it will take to get there, and use the experts as inspiration and motivation.

Key Advice for Traveling to Developing Countries

Dr. Patricia Lynn Hough serves as a staff supervisor with St. Francis Animal Rescue in Venice, Florida. An avid traveler in her free time, Dr. Patricia Lynn Hough particularly enjoys visiting developing countries.

When visiting developing countries, individuals need to keep certain things in mind. For example, patience is necessary when traveling throughout the developing world. Sometimes, vans meant for six people will accept three times that number. Traveling can take much more time than expected, depending on the condition of bridges, roads, and the like. 

Travelers should also expect to get ripped off to some extent. Often imagining that they can haggle for the same prices as locals, many of these individuals will get agitated, if not hostile, when the vendor refuses to make concessions. In general, foreigners pay more, but chances are good that the purchase price is still relatively low given conversion rates. Haggling skills are important in developing countries. Part of haggling entails walking away after pointing out that the price is too high.

In general, travelers should avoid giving money to people on the street, but supporting local business is a different matter. The best way to help the local economy is to avoid chains and make purchases from area vendors instead.