Join us! Subscribe to our newsletter Writer's Carvings Atelier if you're curious about our activities.  We have mini-challenges, content creation, and much more! https://subscribepage.io/writerscarvingsatelier Instagram @writers_carvings [Transcript] Dad When I was little, I'd often find myself in front of a calendar. I counted how many days there were left until my dad came back home. My dad is a farmer, so he always worked outside, but I always knew where I had to go to find him. Expect for winter. At that time, I didn't know why he was not around in winter. I cannot recall how he left home. He was gone without me realizing it. I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth. It wasn't until much much later that I found out that he went away to do construction work because he was the only breadwinner in my family and tried to make ends meet. In my hometown, we have a lot of snow in winter, and everything freezes. Most farmers take a break, but he couldn't afford one. I was a daddy girl; I counted days every day, wishing he could have come back home after finishing counting. My mum was beside me, smiling, but I don't know how she really felt beside me at that time. I grew up without worrying about anything thanks to my parents. I’m as old as they were. I’m trying my best, but I always wonder if I’m doing well like them. They are my heroes. And today is a special day. Happy birthday, Dad. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/writerscarvings/message

Living among the hustle and bustle of the world, we overlook a lot of things. It isn't until when we come across some life-changing moments that we realize how much we take for granted.  Epiphanies that we come upon will stay with us and help us to navigate our ways.  Today, Alisson shared one of the inspirational moments in his life, which opened up his eyes and encouraged him to reflect on what he was doing back then. I'm sure you'll be inspired by it, too. ----------------------------------- Connect with Alisson! Instagram: @alissoneudes Alisson is one of the admins of the English Takeover Facebook Community! Join the community --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/writerscarvings/message

Join us! Subscribe to our newsletter Writer's Carvings Atelier if you're curious about our activities.  We have mini-challenges, content creation, and much more! https://subscribepage.io/writerscarvingsatelier Instagram @writers_carvings [Transcript] New things are scariest before you start them. Changes are so loud, especially when you care about them. So, you might end up covering your ears and getting away. Can you relate? I'm a huge worrier, so preparation’s been my bestie. I never started something new when I felt unprepared. That's me. But I came to realize that this trait has a drawback in some way. In the last two years, I launched some projects. Although these were hobby projects, I've learned something significant: the more you wait to start, the more you get worried and the longer you worry. I was terrified before launching my projects, but I could manage them. It took some time to get used to the new rides, but I was alright. That realization helped me stop prolonging my worry time. At the end of last year, I started tutoring some Japanese learners and English learners. Before I did it, I was in two minds. Am I ready for this? I felt so unprepared and inexperienced, so I gravitated towards my bestie, "preparation." With hindsight, I was daunted because, in the back of my mind, I felt teaching was the shoes I was meant to wear. I was prolonging the fear of starting something new by messing around with courses and books. But the thing was: however many courses I took, however many books I read, nothing gave me enough confidence to start. Then I noticed. Four years of education, teacher's license, TESOL training, two years of teaching experience... None of them made me feel ready. Am I ever going to feel ready? My husband once told me, “Get a good sleep, and do it already.” I’m no longer sure why he said it to me, and I’m 100% sure that he doesn’t remember it either. I was probably putting off something important back then, and he was sick of it. But I was empowered by that mantra no one remembered. Also, my hobby projects assured me that if I start something, I’ll be able to manage. Confidence comes after you try your best. Lessons never fail to make me nervous, but I've been gaining confidence in teaching by teaching and overcoming challenges every day. I hit 500 lessons at the beginning of this month, and I teach every weekday. I've never felt satisfied like this with what I do. Preparation is crucial. I don’t say, “Do it now, forget preparation.” NO. I have faith in prep time. But if you keep pushing back something important for a long time that is more than necessary, do it already. We can't take tomorrow for granted. You don't have to get to where you want to be with one huge step. Take a small step towards it and see what will happen. I’m sure the small step won't kill you. And it's alright if you don’t excel at something right off the bat. Changes are intimidating, and your mind sometimes underestimates your skills and knowledge. You might worry that you're still not good enough. If that’s happening to you, find a mentor, friend, teacher, or whoever can guide you until you start what you care about and talk to them. After that, get a good sleep, and do it already. Everything, everything will be alright. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/writerscarvings/message

As a segment of the 10-Day storytelling Challenge, the challenge I created in 2021, I interviewed my good friend Tchales. He has a podcast channel, which is his passion project, and keeps sharing wonderful stories and knowledge with people from across the world. I attribute his success to his excellent networking skills. So I asked him some questions and we discussed them back then. It is not a new video, but this video is timeless. I'm sure you'll learn a lot from it. FYI: This is my very first interview video. I was awkward, but that's one of the things that can amuse you! [Discussion Questions] What's your take on the most common difficulty "I have no one to practice English with."  What are the steps you take to connect with someone you don't know online?  Do you have any tips for successful networking? Are there any big NO-NOs?  Do you have any writing/storytelling tips? Get in touch with Tchales! Podcast Channel (Spotify): Stories of Language Learners Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SOLLPodcast/posts Instagram: Stories of Language Learners  Community of English Learners Telegram: English Speaking Club --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/writerscarvings/message

I’ve talked to hundreds of language learners since 2020. Believe it or not, most of them have told me that they are introverts. Speaking a foreign language makes you extremely vulnerable, and I must admit, it probably takes more effort for introverts to overcome emotional barriers to speak up. But don’t let your introversion fool you. You just need a good outlet. Today’s story reminds me of what Tetsuko Kyoroyanagi, a Japanese TV presenter, once said. She said: “I think even someone who hates talking surely has stories to tell. " Today’s storyteller has found a great creative out and environment for him to keep learning English. This is Daniel. Get in touch with Daniel! Instagram: @myfluentpodcast Podcast: My Fluent Podcast Website  🎵Fog Lake - Spectrogram --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/writerscarvings/message

I came across one quote the other day. It goes like this. "To learn a language is to have one more window from which to look at the world." Seems like it’s a Chinese proverb, and I agree with it. I learn English and Indonesian, and I feel like my world is brighter and I’ve had a wider view. But the window is just a window. The thing is: Would you get out of the window and get what you want? Today’s contributing writer has shared her language learning journey. She depicted her mindset shift and discovery. I’m sure you can relate to her story. This is Crystal. Get in touch with Crystal! Instagram: @crystal860806 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/writerscarvings/message

Restrictions, Isolation, negligence. When you hear those words, what do you think of? What you’ve got in your mind might be an issue that your community has been facing. Or it might be something you care about. Today, we’re here with Eni, continuing from last week. She shared something we have to reflect on. Let's think it through together. Get in touch with Eni! Instagram: @eni.englishjourney 🎵 Caslo - Calling --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/writerscarvings/message

Consistency is the key to fluency. We all know it, but easier said than done. I found a woman who makes videos literary every day to improve her speaking skills. And What caught my attention is not only her skills of storytelling but also her courage. She doesn’t shy away from difficult conversations. I asked her to share some of her stories on my Podcast, and she said yes! So I’ll be sharing her stories this week and next week. I’m sure you can get some inspiration from her. This is Eni. Get in touch with Eni! Instagram: @eni.englishjourney 🎵 Ketsa -  Laughter --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/writerscarvings/message

"Embajadores, a Multicultural Neighborhood in Madrid" Storyteller: Caro @englishbedohave 👉Epherama e-book My name is Carolina. I’m a proud eternal learner and a work in progress. I’m a Bolivian soul living in Spain. I came to study fourteen years ago and it became my new home. My values are honesty, curiosity, and loyalty. Traveling and learning from other cultures is one of my hobbies.  A big thank you to Maki for creating this opportunity for learners once again. Your work is very inspiring! ❤️ 🎵The Tranpeteers - Little Wooden Church --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/writerscarvings/message

"I Am a Woman." Storyteller: Liana @liana_englishjourney 👉Epherama e-book Hello guys! My name is Liana. I’m from Brazil, and today I would like to bring up an important topic. I’m going to talk a little bit about some aspects that involve violence against women, not only the physical but also the emotional and psychological ones. I know that we are going through difficult times with COVID and economic instability around the world right now. It is so much bad news out there that it is totally understandable that we want to receive positive vibes and inspirational stories only. I get it. I want to as well. However, we are going through another pandemic, a silent one. Which has been causing suffering and death to at least one out of three women in this world. It is shocking. So my purpose in this short piece is to bring awareness and reflection on our role in society. What has to be done to create a safe place for all the girls and women everywhere. Also, how this system is rooted in gender-based discrimination, social norms that accept violence, and gender stereotypes continue promoting these cycles of violence. As an English learner and a global citizen, I believe we should use our voice to help create the world that we want to live in. 🎵The Tranpeteers - Little Wooden Church --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/writerscarvings/message