Any fool who has ever tried to learn Greek knows just what a difficult task it is. I bet most English speaking folk didn't even know what accusative and nominative meant until they took Greek classes.
I've been learning Greek since October 2005 at the Hellenic Centre, London http://www.helleniccentre.org/
My darling sweety of a teacher Xanthipi is excellent, with boundless patience and enthusiasm. With twelve different words for ‘the’ that’s a much sought after trait in Greek language teachers. She also has excellent dress sense and a very cool name. If I were her, I’d prefix it with ‘Princess’.
Expression is very important to me. This is why I know I need to get fluent in Greek and fast. There’s only so far I can get with phrases like ‘Do you know if there is a bakery nearby?’ Of all the trials I had to endure last summer with my antics in Athens, not being able to communicate was by far the most trying. If I were a man, I would equate it to having your bits chopped off. I felt like Samson without his hair, the Little Mermaid without her tail, Beyonce without the jelly… like I’d lost my Magic Powers because I couldn’t make myself understood.
I’ve got about two weeks now before I come to Athens again for a month, then it’s back to the UK to help out with my sister’s wedding (that will take up most of July), so realistically I can’t commit to Greek classes until August.
And they cost a butt load! It’s around £800 for a four-week class in most places! Cheaper is the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens at about €600 for a year’s worth of classes that run September to May http://www.nglt.uoa.gr/money_en.html
But what I’ll lose in money I’ll gain in expression I suppose, and for me any price is worth paying for that.
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2 comments:
The course at the Uni in Athens is good from what my flatmates tell me. Also being in Athens you can immerse yourself into the language. You just have to make sure you don't talk English all the time while in Greece... :-)
Oh man... i have so many questions about moving to athens... grr...
things like work permits etc... lol, which to me are virtually impossible, seeing that i am not even from the EU.
I've checked out some cheap greek classes in athens.... i think the lowest is about 360euros for 30 hours. I cant learn it in my country... NO GREEK classes here... i think there are less than 20 greeks here.... hell i cant even buy greek feta here... i have to settle for danish or aussie... ok enough ranting. nite
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