Tracking my month to month progress
It's been a very interesting month this month. Not least because it has been shorter [by 2 days!] but in general the month has been rather strange. I think this comes out in my successes and failures this month when compared with last month.
It's been a very interesting month this month. Not least because it has been shorter [by 2 days!] but in general the month has been rather strange. I think this comes out in my successes and failures this month when compared with last month.
1.I will give at least a 10% tithe in addition to any other giving I will do.
I was very happy to pay January's tithe as soon as I got my money for that month. A great success considering I usually delay it too long. In addition this resulted in one of the changes I had really been hoping for. It made me attend and keep attending church here. As you may or may not know I had been experiencing some very significant difficulties with attending church and not understanding a lot of the language. As such to return and to find that I could understand so much more made me very glad indeed.
2. Making Prayer a stronger habit.
Definitely some improvement here. I'm trying to think of some different ideas to use to help me focus on prayer. This months use of a map and a focus on actually saying grace at meal times really helped. There is still a lot of progress that could be made but these practical ideas really did help.
Definitely some improvement here. I'm trying to think of some different ideas to use to help me focus on prayer. This months use of a map and a focus on actually saying grace at meal times really helped. There is still a lot of progress that could be made but these practical ideas really did help.
3.Use skype more to chat to people back home/Britain
Although this month there has been less people who I have chatted with on Skype, I have had more regular chats. my brother Philip being in New Zealand has certainly helped this. If you want to have a skype chat then comment bellow and I will give you my details [if you don't have them]
4. I will improve as an EFL teacher.
I received feedback from the director on one of my lesson and I have also signed up for an online workshop [regarding teacher talking time]. The feedback has already shown some great fruit in my lessons and they have definitely improved as a result of this. In addition I have also been observed by a fellow teacher, at the same level as me, and It she correctly identified that I need to work on my Concept check questions and a few other points. Next month
5. I will improve my Russian.
attending church is certainly one way to listen to natural Russian. Outside of this I haven't really kept to my commitment of studying Russian 2 a week, as such I am going to reduce my commitment to once a week. Despite this I have made progress through my second listening CD, Learnt some more colloquial phrases and on two occasions been bought a shot of vodka by a Ukrainian that I ended up talking to in Russian. All in all fairly successful.
6. I will write more songs.
I have been experimenting wit some recording software. As such I actually spent much longer this month making a song than last month and yet I have very little to show for it! I am afraid that this months one shall have to wait till march [which it is now]. Hopefully this will mean that in future months productions can come out quicker. I just need the ideas now!
I have been experimenting wit some recording software. As such I actually spent much longer this month making a song than last month and yet I have very little to show for it! I am afraid that this months one shall have to wait till march [which it is now]. Hopefully this will mean that in future months productions can come out quicker. I just need the ideas now!
7. Host a weekly meal at my flat.
Like last month this hasn't always been at my flat. However, regular meals have been occuring and I have been cooking for people a fair amount trying some different meals. Interestingly I think I have had more success with one of last years aims [a new meal each month] than hosting! Still my flat has hosted regular events.
8. Regular and higher quality blogging.
Blogging has been very regular this month with very few exceptions I have kept to blogging on Monday and Friday with a few extra ones. I have decided that I am going to try and write an EFL post for every Friday. A general personal post every Monday, every other Wednesday write an update on events and also try to encourage more comments on the Blog. As for quality, well if you comment then I will know if it is getting better or not!
9. I will get involved with some form of charitable work in the Ukraine.
perhaps by chance there may actually be some movement here, in the last few weeks I've had some conversations with a friend about possibly going to an orphanage at the weekend. I am not certain how possible this is yet but I am very hopeful!
10. I will make a Public video each month.
Well January's video never emerged! I am sorry about that and have considered whether I should continue with this aim at all. I'm still undecided but [inspired by a message from Andrew Brims] I have actually made a small video for February. Unfortunately youtube wasn't too happy with it.
So....to round up I make that 7 out of 10 with 3 works in progress. agree?
So....to round up I make that 7 out of 10 with 3 works in progress. agree?
