This year I’m committing. I’m finally taking the plunge. I’m going in head first and I don’t know if I’ll come out alive. Well, I’m hoping I’ll come out alive, and I’m hoping I’ll be speaking better German when I do.

After almost 18 months of learning German with the Open University, I’m feeling pretty happy with how much I’ve learnt in such a short space of time. However, having vowed at the start of my first German course back in October 2012 to really make an effort to find speaking partners, I was feeling pretty disappointed with myself in my lack of effort at finding someone, anyone to sprechen Deutsch with. So, with oral exams looming in May, when the italki Language Challenge popped up in my inbox I decided that now is probably the time to make that effort and speak German to people rather than myself. Yes, that happens. If you’re a language learner, I’m sure you’ll understand. Most people give you an unreassuring nod if you try to practice languages with them (or at them). I get the message and talk to myself instead. And when I say most people, I mean family, friends, colleagues. I haven’t quite reached trying out my German to passers-by in the street yet. Hold off calling the Crazy House for now, please.

Anyway, I digress. Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, language lovers and language haters, (well, maybe not the language haters – they’re the ones you need to call the Crazy House for.) I present to you,

My Pledge.

I pledge allegiance to italki, you lovely readers and myself, Lindsay, that I will commit to at least 3 German Skype lessons per week for 6 weeks. I hope to achieve a comfortable and confident level in spoken German that will help me to feel prepared to tackle my May oral exam.

That’s it. Pretty simple really, isn’t it? Why don’t you join me in the challenge? If you’re not quite ready for that, then hang around and follow this blog to see how I get on! We’re also on Twitter and Facebook and are bound to be posting progress updates across the stratosphere that is the World Wide Web so stay tuned for the next 6 weeks and if I’m feeling brave (what the heck, I’ll do it anyway!) I’ll post a video in 6 weeks’ time of me speaking German! Wow, now the pressure really is on.

Are you taking the italki Language Challenge? Do you have a language related New Year’s Resolution? I’d love to read about in in the comments below!