This week I was in London for 36 hours due to a business meeting on Thursday in Weybridge. It worked out perfectly that I could take the train from Marylebone versus staying in a hotel. Seeing Bo and our flat on a weeknight is such a nice treat! The journey via the tube and then the railroad was pretty seamless, especially in the morning. 

In order to make the train time past quicker, I spent the hour studying French using Duolingo, a new to me App. Over the past 2 days of traveling I have spent more than 3 hours using the app on my iPad and am really enjoying it! One of my friends suggested that I download it as it is a convenient way to study French while I’m commuting to work or traveling each week.  Each week I spend an average of four hours traveling in one way or another (tram, bus, tube, or plane) which can add up to a lot of wasted time if I don’t make it a priority to use the time wisely. While some people enjoy reading during this type of time, I have a hard time focusing on a book especially if I am standing on a crowded bus or tram.

Since Duolingo is more like a game, I can spend time practicing my French on any mode of transportation.  The app includes multiple levels ranging from Basics 1 all the way through conjunctions, conjugations and various tenses. The sections are short enough that I can accomplish one each day within 30 minutes. The trick to this program versus a few others I have tried is that you can’t work on a new skill until you unlock it by successfully completing the previous skill set. This ensures that I don’t skip a tedious section or one that is causing my difficulty. Instead, I’m forced to continue reviewing it until I pass.

The program also takes into consideration different settings during which users may be using the app. For example, when commuting or traveling I will rarely be in a situation where I can speak. The app allows you to turn off the “speaking” portion and focus on typing, matching and translating exercises instead. Then, when I’m back in a setting that allows speaking I can focus on the verbal aspects.

If you have even the slightest desire to learn a new language or brush up on your skills before a trip, I highly recommend downloading Duolingo. Even better – it’s 100% free which means you have zero risk!

What’s your foreign language of choice? Did you study a language in school or are you learning for the first time? I minored in Spanish in college and even studied abroad in Cadiz for a Summer but haven’t used it much since graduation!