I remember when I was a kid, there were many subjects that I didn't like. One of them was English. English was like a ghost that haunted me. When my friends seemed OK and could understand English easier, I had been struggling to understand English.
I never thought about writing in English. But, here I am, join My English Club and writing blog posts in English. Blogging not only help helps me learn English, but it also changes my life.
I have to learn English
I knew about blogging and blog when I was on college. The first time I decided to blog, I wrote my blog posts in my native language. For several reasons, I decided that I needed to blog in English.
I was struggling to learn English. I didn't know where to start and how to learn English, and yet I kept writing my articles in English in some free blog services. It was a suicide mission since I didn't know whether what I wrote is grammatically correct or not. Thank God, no one wrote nasty comments and protested about my post (but I did experience one or two people said that my grammar was terrible when I left my comments on other websites).
One person commented about my grammar
I tried to find out a way to check whether my articles were grammatically correct or not. And I succeeded in finding the way. It was a free grammar checker, which I had posted on my second blog post. Every time I write an article, I check it with this free web service.
But, it didn't satisfy me. I knew that learn English was something inevitably inevitable. I couldn't depend myself on any software or tools. I thought that I should be able to understand English deeply if I wanted to be good at writing.
I combine various ways to learn English. Every way that our beloved English teachers here tell us, from watching movies, listening to English music, read English articles to read English grammar books. I also blog regularly and check each of my articles with the free tool. Without I realize, every time I correct the mistakes on my articles, I learn grammar rules. I apply one ultimate rule in learning English: repetition. Repeating and practicing what we know about English.
How blogging in My EC is different
I knew English Club and visited it occasionally in 2010. I was trying to find tutorials about how to write in English effectively before I found this website. Then, I decided to join My English Club in last December.
I never knew about my progress. I was still clueless whether I made any improvement or not. Then, I decided to blog in My EC. I chose a simple topic that I could write easily. I didn't have any expectation and just wanted to contribute in My EC.
Anele's comment on my page. Thanks Anele!
I didn't know that there were members commented on my blog post. The first commentator was Anele who said something that really encouraged me. I have been blogging for three years now, but I never had these kinds of responses. I was clueless about my progression. But, the comments that I received really encouraged me.
Then, I wrote my second blog post. I wrote it because I wanted to help one of my English learning partner. Like the previous post, I didn't expect anything. But, apparently several friends though that it was helpful.
I know that the two blog posts aren't popular posts. But, writing blog posts in My EC makes me feel great. I don't have to worry about making mistakes. And I love the genuine responds that other friends give to me.
How blogging and learning English change my life
I said before that blogging not only helps me learn English, but it also changes my life. Well, before I graduated, my former classmate offered me a job. He knew that I wrote my articles in English and that I'm a blogger.
He hires me as one of his staff writers. Although my English isn't perfect and I definitely still need to learn more and more, but he doesn't mind about it at all.
Comments
@Ida, Lilidodo and Expector Smith
Thanks for your comments, my friends. And thank for encouraging me. I hope we all can improve our English here...
@ My Nguyen and Satria Muda
Thanks my fellow bloggers, My Nguyen and Satria Muda, for your comments. I believe that both of you have experienced how blogging really helps us improve our English. And I know that writing in English somehow is more challenging for us. I look forward to read your blog posts in My EC.
@Notears
Thanks for your comment and your compliment. I agree with you about how helpful EC members are. That's why My EC differents, I can get genuine responses such as your response. And also I can get some suggestions such as Anele did.
@deuce666 and Nafis
Thanks for your comment deuce and Nafis. Both of you were right. In this community, we are blogging to know whether our English is getting better or not.Thus, the popularity isn't something essential.
@Tara
Thanks for your comment, Tara. I'm glad that my post can be useful and can be used. I agree that My EC is the safe place to practise English. Websites out there can be like a jungle for me and people who are learning about English. I look forward your story after you came back from the conference.
@Anele
Well, actually I'm looking for corrections from anyone, Anele. I had tried to check this article with the free grammar checker and I tried to apply all I know about grammar rules in this article. So, it would be great if I can get some suggestions and corrections. That's why I wrote my article in My EC.
At least, you wouldn't mock my English ability like what people did out there.
Thanks for your corrections, Anele.