This is our two-week update, and Lauren is gonna tell us

what her strategy is to reach a conversational level of Russian

in three months.

Let's check it out.

So, to start my project, I decided to stop thinking about my long-term language goals

and instead to break my goal into smaller pieces.

So even though my end goal is to reach a B1 level in Russian in 3 months,

right now I'm totally focused on reaching an A1 level which is a lot easier to get.

And what is an A1 level?

Someone on an A1 level can understand and use familiar everyday expressions

and very basic phrases aimed to satisfy needs of a concrete type.

They can introduce themselves, and they can ask and answer questions

about personal details such as where they live, people they know, things they have.

So being able to introduce myself and ask and answer very specific questions

has been the focus for my last two weeks, and it's really helped me to prepare

for my Skype conversations with my teachers in a much more focused way.

I think if I can reach the A1 level really solidly by the end of month one,

then I'll be in a really good shape.

And I think I may even be able to reach it sooner.

So, should we take a look at some of your first few attempts at speaking?

Sure.

Okay. I'm nervous.

Nothing to be nervous about. How do you say "Hello"?

[In Russian] Hello.

[In English] That's how you've got to start.

[In Russian] Hello.

Hello. How do you do?

Uhm... Eh...

Hold on.

Good afternoon!

Good afternoon.

How do you do?

I'm fine, thanks. How do you do?

I'm fine as well. Thanks.

Today... Today I'm fee... I'm feeling...

Hello.

How do you do?

Doing well. You?

Doing well, thanks. My name is Lisa.

Lisa.

Lisa.

Lauren here.

Nice to meet you, Lauren.

Likewise.

You speak Russian well.

Please speak slower.

You speak Russian well.

Speak... speak...

[In English] You speak Russian well.

[In Russian] No.

Okay. Have a nice evening. [In English] Have a nice evening.

[In Russian] Have a nice evening.

Likewise.

Thank you.

Thank you. Bye-bye.

Bye-bye.

[In English] I think you did great. How do you think you did?

I was going through sort of a Groundhog Day experience,

where I say the same thing over and over again during each conversation,

and then after a while I'll know exactly what's going on.

So it's really helped me to nail down my introductions,

and I feel like even though I do know

all of my introductory phrases in Russian at this point,

every time I get in front of a teacher, my mind goes blank all of a sudden.

So I'm going to try to get over that.

Okay, and what's next on the agenda?

For my next two-week update, at the end of month one,

I want to be able to have spontaneous introductions with my teachers

that can last for like 10 minutes without me having to struggle too much.

All right. In that case we will see you guys in about two weeks.

Looking forward to it.

[In Russian] Bye-bye.