My Life after CELTA

We watched the last episode of Bordertown. Now the series is over and won't be available on Netflix anymore. Moreover, they don't plan to shoot another season yet, so chances are we were lucky to have watched the complete three seasons. Anyway, "Vive le Finnish-Hungarian friendship and Uralic languages!" 🇫🇮🇭🇺 After Ági left for the university, I sat down to study. I received four tasks yesterday from Charlette, and I finished the open cloze text and made some notes on the vocabulary part of the lesson. Now ask me anything about "wear out", "hanker for", "wind up", "drop in on", drop in", "cloak", "spectre", "orb", and "mace". Writing a report, explaining the gist of a video to a B1 level student, and writing a letter to an editor of a magazine are left to be completed. When I finished studying, I made some lunch: the menu was pita-bread with Greek yoghurt and veggies - tomato, spr...

The day didn't go according to the plan I'd devised yesterday. We could hardly drag ourselves from bed this morning, greatly impacting our day. After devouring the breakfast and gulping down the much-needed coffee, we watched another episode of Bordertown. The reason for this hurry is that the series will only be available till 10. May, so we'd better binge-watch it to be able to finish it. After the morning movie session, I studied a bit till we popped down to the town to celebrate Ági's habilitation and my CELTA successes with a dinner at Christine, one of the best local restaurants in Szentendre, where the food was absolutely delicious. Ági had salmon with green asparagus and mashed potato with beetroot, and I had a traditional "Marhapörkölt" and gnocchi with sheep's cheese. The muss o'chocolate and the mojito cocktail were the icing on the cake for Ági. We crawled back home like two miffed penguins. It wasn't easy to climb the hill, but when we...

This morning, Abby left a surprise on the floor for us. It wasn't the best gift one might dream of, but this was a clear sign of another visit to the vet and another substantial expense today. This time she got some antibiotics, so we must also give her the pills besides the diet. We don't have a life... I studied a bit today, but in hindsight, I think I could have done more. Despite finishing my homework and going through another unit in the phrasal verb book, the time I spent learning seemed insufficient. I'll make up for my laziness tomorrow; I plan to revise the previous units and strengthen my weaknesses, such as the subjunctive and some words that I've been struggling with lately. Other than that, I think I'll look for another language to learn because I don't want to overfocus on my CPE preparation. There are a few languages I've been thinking of learning, for example, Icelandic, Finnish, Turkish, and Portuguese. If I took one unit of each book every ...

When I managed to drag myself out of bed, I couldn't believe it was Tuesday. But it struck me immediately that it was caused by the additional day off because of the 1 of May holiday. After a delicious cinnamon pancake breakfast and the much-needed coffee, I started learning English. Today's lesson was about phrasal verbs, and the 59th unit in the book couldn't bring much novelty. It was about "KEEP" used in phrasal verbs, and apart from two - KEEP IN WITH (to make sure that you stay friends with somebody because you will get an advantage from doing so), KEEP AT (continue working at) - there were no significant issues I couldn't deal with in this unit. Once Ági left for the University, I practised Tai Chi and Lok Hup, and then I prepared a delicious al dente spaghetti á la Pomodoro. I devoured the lunch in less than five minutes, had a coffee and took Abby for her afternoon walk. Pulling out all the thorns stuck in her fur took me almost 30 minutes after the w...

After a not-so-good night's sleep, I had a delicious cinnamon pancake breakfast. The cup of coffee that followed the nosh could elevate my pulse, and 72 seemed the highest it could induce in my woozy system. Anyway, I decided to continue my studies in the morning, so I buckled down to my Destination C1-C2 book with high expectations. However, the semi-self-conscious smirk on my face soon became a frown when I saw how many meanings there are to a couple of phrasal verbs and verbs. I'm okay with "take off" as it has six meanings, and I remember writing a short story using all these meanings, but "put in" is another multiple-meaning one that I need to memorise ardently. When I thought this would be the last ordeal today, I bumped into "to bear". I couldn't believe my eyes. I understand that each language is rich and has its own specialities. But why are there so many different or seemingly close meanings to one word? Anywho, the following list wil...

Well, not verbatim landed his Holiness with his little wings, but he's here. It must be fascinating for those who believe in him and what he represents, the institutionalized faith, which I'm not a big fan of. I'm not saying that it has no relevance in the world. It's the wealth they amass and possess that bothers me. Comparing this wealth to the poverty that Jesus was born into and considering the poverty that still affects billions worldwide, it is not difficult to understand the controversy that irritates me. I don't know what goes on in his head while sitting on his throne and looking at the world, but I'm damn sure he has no difficulties paying for his next meal or medication. I'm not envious of the wealth he and the Church has. They should do more for those who suffer. It's easy to ask for more money and tell everybody how to save when their stomach is full. That's all I'm saying. Nevertheless, Christianity has brought about changes that no...

After a discussion that turned into a short-lived but rather intensive family feud, I couldn't find the time and energy to write yesterday. It felt like being in a low-budget movie from the sixties. However, I was successful in my studies and made good progress, and the seventh lesson seemed simple. Other than that, the weather could be better. It's a bit chilly right now and doesn't feel like late spring. The cold wind worsened it, and walking Abby was no fun. Nevertheless, let's remain optimistic and believe in what meteorologists predict.

After a good night's sleep and a well-deserved cinnamon pancakes breakfast, I continued my studies with the Ready for Advanced book. I briefly revised the previous lessons and took a new unit afterwards. I couldn't complete it, but that's just as well because it wasn't my intention for today. I only wanted to review the new vocabulary; hence I focused mainly on reading. I solved a few tasks but left the toughest ones for tomorrow. I miss my lessons with Charlette terribly. It would be fantastic to get back to our regular studies, not to mention our little chinwags. Fortunately, the communication hasn't ceased entirely; we keep in touch via emails, though, and she even sent me a new task - which I completed yesterday - but it would be great to return to the classic learning sessions. The weather was terrible today. It wasn't cold, but the greyness was killing us. We had to nod off for thirty minutes after lunch when we saw those enormous clouds slowly creeping ab...

My performance today could have been better. I made so many mistakes, mainly caused by my being heedless, that I decided to put my studies aside and focus on my homework. Akuc asked me to jot down unknown words, phrasal verbs and idioms while watching some series or comedy and incorporate them into my blog entry. With that in mind, after finishing lunch, I gave Ági a foot massage while watching an episode from one of the best series out there, Elementary, with Johnny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu.  So here is the list I need to use while writing this entry:   to depredate - to plunder or lay waste to; prey upon; pillage; ravage. Synonyms: Attack, loot, maraud, pillage, plunder, raid, ravage  stint - a period of time that you spend working somewhere or doing a particular activity. synonyms : assignment, duty, job, stretch motley - consisting of many different types of people or things that do not seem to belong together. synonyms : mixed, varied to be on your beam ends ...

I continued my test review today. Out of a hundred questions, I made nine mistakes, which is a lot. I was fuming because I could have avoided most of the errors had I paid attention to the context or memorised the previous mistakes. My knowledge is incomplete and insufficient. However, the time I allocated to achieve my goals will help me improve. The weather was beautiful today. It was warm and sunny, and despite the clouds in the sky, there was no rain. The highest temperature was +19°C, so my walks with Abby were pleasant. She behaved and tried her best to live up to our expectations. The road with her is still long and fraught with tasks, but I'm sure she'll nail it. She doesn't have any other choice :)

Today was a great day. After waking up and having a delicious cinnamon pancake for breakfast and a much-needed cup of coffee, I started my studies by returning to the tests I'd done already to see how much I remembered the corrections. I was pleased to see that apart from the two mistakes I made because I was unattentive, the result was promising.  The weather was beautiful today. The highest temperature was +19°C, so the afternoon walk with Abby was very nice. I could go out wearing only a T-shirt and a fleece waistcoat. I enjoyed being outside without all those heavy winter clothes we had to wear during the chilly months. And studying while the windows were wide open was heavenly. It's still early to expect "Hochsommer"; however, I could do with a few heat waves and dog days.

After waking up, I drew up my schedule: nothing out of the ordinary, just the same old routine, hitting the books, grabbing some grub, and hitting the books again. However, having a lesson with Akuc later in the day was unusual, but great. Anyway, let's stick to the natural order of events.  My morning study consisted of finishing the preposition section in my test book, which resulted in me being exceptionally angry with myself for making so many mistakes, most of which I could have avoided had I paid attention properly.  Then we had lunch, during which we watched another terribly mind-numbing episode of Derrick, which made us so sleepy that we had to nod off. The half-coma that the slumber party induced was unavoidable. No wonder taking Abby for her afternoon walk right after coming to was a real challenge. I had to put on a brave face and be the alpha dog, the leader of the pack that even a hungry wolf pack would consider following blindly through thick and thin. But let's ...

I wouldn't say I like this weather. We're back in autumn. Today's highest temperature was around +10°C with heavy rain and strong wind. It's still raining, and I can see the clouds running across the sky from the south to the north. Tomorrow seems similar, and the following days too.  I did a few preposition tests today and made a few annoying mistakes. I don't like being that headless, but this is a great learning curve for me, as I can use it for my benefit during my future studies and exams. There are four more units in the test book to complete, and after finishing them, I can move on to the next one. An old friend came over today, whim we practised fencing 33 years ago. We last met seven years ago when we attended an old mate's funeral. The guy was only 48, but his lifestyle could have been healthier. Still, far too early to leave this world. He was a good pal.

All my tests today were about prepositions. The conclusion: there is work to do and plenty of room for improvement. I'm not going to beat about the bushes; I must correct and memorise the correct versions ASAP. It's clearly not critical or something that I should be hysterical about. It's the notion of having issues in some parts of the English grammar and vocabulary that irritates me. But I'm on it, so this is half-success so far. The weather was okay today. It wasn't too cold, but it wasn't as warm as yesterday, and we didn't see the sun at all. It's getting worse tomorrow because the rain is arriving and will stay with us the whole day. Moreover, the weather forecast predicts a similar Saturday, so cheerio for the lovely weekend. I had to pop into town to take Ági's car to the garage. It was a pleasant journey with the old Skoda. She turned eighteen this year, which is considered adulthood in human terms according to the Hungarian law. Apart from ...

The roof is ready, and it looks fantastic. The roof guys came early in the morning and finished by 1 p.m. We took the construction waste to the scrapyard, and the guys packed their gear and left with a hefty sum in their pockets, which was well deserved. They did a fantastic job. As for my studies: I completed some tests today and asked chatGPT to create open and multiple cloze text and check my answers. It is frightening how AI handle such requests. It only took three seconds to make them and another two seconds to check my answers. The weather was unbelievably good today. It was sunny with no clouds and only mild wind from the East. The next few days will be different as they'll bring a lot of rain and wind.

Charlette got in touch today. Fortunately, all is well over there. It's the unreliability of the internet that impedes further lessons. But once they get to Argentina, she can continue giving lessons. Till then, I'll stick to my plan and progress as much as possible. Besides reviewing the previous units, I did several open-cloze tests with promising results today. Although I could have done better, I'm not despondent. On the contrary, it inspires me to learn from my mistakes. The weather was beautiful today. The temperatures were high, and the mild wind and the short drizzle couldn't make it unbearable. Tomorrow will bring much better weather, according to the weather forecast, which we'll need since the roof guys will come to finish the job. What an exciting life I'm leading, aren't I? Anyway, spring is unequivocally here. The buds are booming, and the birds are tweeting and chirping almost 24/7.  Despite Abby's progress, we decided not to take her to V...

Today was Easter Monday. The day when men and boys sprinkle ladies with eau de cologne or a bucket of water. In return for their favour, they are given an egg dyed red and some alcohol. No wonder they all are inebriated like hell by the end of the day. As I mentioned earlier, I don't like this tradition. Anyway, the day is over, and hopefully, the brave men are now home sleeping. I did a bit of revision today. I went through the previous lessons and checked the texts and the unknown words, and I'm satisfied with the result. I'll continue the revision tomorrow morning and start a new unit on Wednesday. I miss Charlette's lessons. I hope they are alright in South America, and nothing sinister happened to them, but I find it quite strange that she hasn't replied to my email I sent three weeks ago. I'd hate to look for another English teacher. Other than that, the weather was fantastic today. It was warm, the temperatures were +18°C, and despite being windy and rain...

Today was Easter Sunday, also known as Resurrection Sunday. The world celebrated Christ's resurrection, and although this is the last day of Easter, tomorrow will still be part of the festive season, when men go out of their ways to sprinkle females with eau de cologne or, in the countryside, with a bucket of water. All in the name of fertility. I never used to understand why; moreover, as men get some alcohol in return for their favour, the majority of the country gets bladdered by the end of the day. I don't follow this tradition. As for my English studies: I did a few tests today with mixed results, for which I could have been happier. I made some irritating mistakes; hence my overall performance could have been better. However, apart from these pesky errors, I was satisfied with the results. The main focus of the tests today was: 1. filling the gaps in texts and 2. word transformation. Tomorrow I'll start a revision week, during which I'll go through the previous le...

The Christian world celebrates Easter. Besides Christmas, this is the most significant Christian Holiday in the world. The story of Jesus is still the most painful yet beautiful in the world, despite the cruelty he had to endure before and during the crucifixion. The Passion of the Christ by Mel Gibson depicted the last days of Jesus with great precision. A truly heartbreaking story. Jim Caviezel , who played the role of Jesus, was struck by lightning, accidentally scrouged, had his shoulder dislocated, and suffered from pneumonia and hypothermia . Yesterday, right before buckling down to my daily routine, i.e. writing my entry, one of my mates called, saying he was around the block with a test car and invited me for a test drive. I couldn't resist the temptation and agreed to go on a ride. It was a brand new Volkswagen ID BUZZ, a bi-colour micro-bus. What can I say; a forty-million-forint car that accelerates like a cheetah and has plenty of room for seven people gave me goosebum...

Winter is around the corner. Again. It's irritating that the cold weather is still with us after a long grey winter. We didn't see the Sun today, and the temperatures dropped significantly. And to top it off, it was snowing, covering the Eastern countryside with 10cm thick fresh snow. The next four days will bring more rain, so we are unhappy. As for my English studies: I was exceptionally productive today. I did a lot of tests with fairly good results. Half of the mistakes I made were irritating - I attributed them to the lack of attention - and the other half - mainly phrasal verb-related ones - because I needed to be 100% sure of the meaning. And the scariest part of my learning today was my chat with chatGPT. The way and speed with which AI can explain even the most complicated grammatical rules and structures are simply baffling. I was shocked to see how easily it could come up with an explanation, and how it interacts with humans is scary. But it was a great experience an...