Renzo Sanchez
Short-lived exchange conversations, I'm sure I'm not the only one experiencing the frustrating cycle of starting a conversation with a friendly and open person who is eager to exchange languages, but somehow the motivation and will to keep alive the conversation during time ends up losing strength until both lose contact forever. What would you suggest to kindle from time to time the joy of keeping talking and being heard with genuine curiosity? :) Any suggestion will help! Thank you!
May 1, 2018 12:05 AM
Comments · 5
1

I have had similar experiences. It is beyond annoying for someone to message me, so that we may practice their English (and perhaps my Spanish/French), and instead, devolve into assumptions about America(ns) based on whatever media they have seen, and then show no interest in improving their grammar. I'm happy to clarify or debunk perceptions but language learning is the goal. 

I have nearly given up on interactions with males on italki. 

I have had success with both of us talking about every day life and also choosing to watch/read something that we can both access in our own language, the other's language, and practice discussing it. Movies are usually fun. There's a lot of cultural context that helps with language learning. 


May 2, 2018
You are right Dya, it's hard to find commitment from both sides, to be a step ahead in the level of conversation and intensity of grammar to reach a more defying one.

I think the opposite, it's girls in my case who have made more serious conversations, focusing only on language learning and setting good topics to talk about, of course that didn't avoid us from losing interest on keeping going. 

The more frustrating part is when they tell you that they are not getting much into learning the target language, that they are too much busy on work, so they don't expect much. 
May 3, 2018
it's great to make friends that way, but it doesn't help with the language much sadly!
May 1, 2018
Maybe you are right, it's true that most of the times we just talk a bit about anything with no goals set.
May 1, 2018
set flexible goals, having nothing to work toward lets the conversation dwindle easily.  On the flip side, if you push to hard for a goal, it can feel like a chore! Ask each other what short term goals you can work toward and praise progress without worring about the end goal. 
May 1, 2018