Victory Journals
My degree is in Spanish. Most people that went to my University used Spanish as an “add-on major”. It was a classic double major. But it was my only one, which made me super self-conscious about all the ways I wasn’t perfectly fluent in the language. And trust me, there were/are plenty. In fact, so much of the time it seemed like all I could see were my mistakes and short-comings. To be honest, it was exhausting and so often took away all the joy of speaking a foreign language.
The same thing happened when I moved to the Middle East to learn Arabic. I remember feeling constantly frustrated that after a year I still couldn’t understand TV programs or even everything my neighbor said. But after leaving my Arabic session one day, I took a moment to reflect on the fact that every day I spent 3 hours a day ONLY speaking Arabic with my teacher. And I had done this 5 days a week for a YEAR! Arabic is one of the most difficult languages in the world (but don’t just take my word for it), and somehow I expected myself to be a master after just one year?
Have you ever realized that sometimes it’s a lot easier to see all the things we can’t do instead of focusing on our accomplishments?
If that rings true, then you’re not crazy! There are plenty of studies to back up the notion that our brains hold on to negative stimuli much more easily than positive ones. So when learning a foreign language, it’s much more likely you’re dwelling on all the words you mispronounce or don’t yet understand, rather than the focus on all the aspects of the language you manage proficiently.
So what can we do about it? Enter the VICTORY JOURNAL.
How to implement a Victory Journal
The idea is simple.
Notice when you do something new.
Celebrate!
Write it down to commemorate it
Review Regularly
The key is, don’t write anything off as “not a big deal”. It’s all worth celebrating. Here are some things in my victory journal:
Making my first phone call completely in Arabic
Ordering a falafel sandwich in Arabic for the first time
Spending 3 hours at a friends house listening to her family speak (and understanding enough to keep up!)
Successfully directing a taxi to my destination for the first time
Completing 100 hours of language sessions
Going to my language session even though I didn’t feel like it (So. Many. Times.)
Understanding a joke and actually thinking it was funny
Reading a street sign to find my way
Journaling is also one of the best ways to enjoy life in a new culture. Keep a section in your journal for “Things I love about _____________” and keep an ongoing list. When you have a low day and are ready to pack up everything and go home, read through your list. It can really boost your spirits. Here’s a peek at a few of the things I love about Jordan:
Unmatchable generosity and hospitality
Endless free samples of cheese at the grocery store
Cheapest (and best) pita bread in the whole world (seriously…10 pieces for around $0.35 USD)
Hummus so good that you’ll never be able to eat it anywhere else (it’s cheap too!!!)
Celebrating is one of our top tips to enhance your expat life. And you can start right now! Take a moment and think of one thing that happened this past week that you’re proud of. Write it down. Now think of another one…if it’s difficult then it’s even more important to find one! Write it down. Keep making your list as long as you can…and CELEBRATE! Go get some chocolate or order your favorite meal and reflect on your hard work!
If you like the idea of this, but feel like you can’t quite make yourself move into action and are looking for a little extra boost, contact us. to hear about some of the packages we have to help you make the most of your expat life. I know it’s not easy to adapt to a new culture and lifestyle, especially if you’re learning the language at the same time. But I’m also convinced there’s a treasure around every turn.
