March 19, 2019 was the day I began Duolingo and started my streak. It just so happened with the way my streak freezes were used that today, March 19, 2022 is not just my 3-year Duoversary but also my 1000th Day streak. After today, I will be letting the streak lapse.
The last time I posted about a streak, it was when I reached one year on Duolingo to give my thoughts about how things went.
So much has happened in three years, and with commitment, I know much more is still yet to come.
In three years, I have been able to accomplish many things such as:
- Speaking to my elderly granny and great-uncle, who are native Ukrainian speakers
- Speaking to native speakers online
- Reading materials online and in hardcopy texts in Cyrillic
- Taken on a language project, that became a complete brand
- Completed language challenges
- Engaging with three tutors from Ukraine
- Speaking with native speakers at a church
- Being part of a classroom setting as an intermediate student
I want to say that I am not fluent. Where I sit is at a comfortable A2 level for sure, but in some cases, on some good days, I might even be considered B1. I can listen to Ukrainian programs on the radio and while I might not get the complete context of a sentence, I will get the gist of the meaning. I listen to Ukrainian radio daily, so I'm still training my ear to listen to the language at a normal pace.
A streak is one thing, but dedication to think outside the box and learn and to do it daily is key to keeping things fresh and to keep your skills strong. I did not rely on Duolingo. There were many projects and sources outside Duolingo that helped. With a language like Ukrainian, I had to continue looking for new ways to learn, that weren't so easy compared to people learning other languages like Spanish or French. If it can be done for me, it can easily be done for others.
1000 Days and 3 Years isn't where it ends. I will continue to learn and improve my skills, but I will not be doing it on Duolingo steadily anymore to keep a streak. The date on the calendar is what matters most to me, and what I achieve each day is going to make it stronger.
Thanks for letting me share this space to tell you about my experience. I wish you all good luck with your own studies!
Слава Україі