This month began with a major challenge to my comfort zone: driving hundreds of miles alone, and returning to both the dorm and the classroom for the first time in 15 years. During this one-week immersion seminar, Latin was the only language spoken in-class, and the only language allowed outside of class among fellow students and teachers.

Sure, this sounds hard. I expected it to be mentally taxing. What I didn’t count on was how emotionally taxing it would be. As the week wore on, I felt dumber, not smarter. I made more mistakes, not fewer. I got worse at listening, not better. Frustration at my inability to fully express myself built higher and higher. And I cried, a lot: between classes, on the phone with my husband, you name it. It certainly didn’t help that I wasn’t sleeping well in the dorm, either. By the end of the fifth day, I was at my breaking point. There were still two days of class left.

I decided to leave early. Judging by how good I felt when I got home, it was the right move. Just before leaving, I found out from other students that I was NOT the only one having a rough time. It’s apparently a common phenomenon with full immersion. I don’t recall ever feeling like this whenever I visited Germany—but during my visits to Germany, I was privileged to be around other native English speakers and Germans who spoke great English. There was only ever one place in Europe where I HAD to rely on my German—and that was in Strasbourg, France! ;)

At any rate, I’m still glad I participated for the immersive experience and the opportunity to do something different. I met a lot of very nice people, and got lots of experience with Latin that should bear dividends in future endeavors.

Writing Updates

I’ve started thinking out and drafting the climax of Book 3. I feel like I’m making good progress and slowly but surely filling in blanks that once felt dauntingly huge and empty. I find it helpful to (a) leave my computer frequently and daydream on things I’m not sure about, and (b) give myself permission to suck. It’s a first draft; I already know it’ll need revision later! But even though I’ve fought hard against perfectionism, it creeps back in if I’m not careful. The finished draft will probably have 16 or 17 chapters, and I don’t want to go higher than 90-100,000 words. The draft has 76,000 words as of this moment.

Current Goals

Well-rounded Latin practice. For quite a few days after returning from the seminar, I did NO Latin AT ALL. LOL I’ve since gotten back into studying vocab flashcards daily, reading passages included in the back of Wheelock’s Latin (More Cicero! Heu!), and restarting Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata, a story book entirely in Latin that teaches the language step by step. I also listen to an episode of the Quomodo Dicitur? podcast once a week.

Being a good Stoic. Returning to life as a college student was quite the deprivation exercise, I’ll say that. My first day home, I showered and slept like a QUEEN. I’ve started rereading Seneca’s letters to Lucilius, trying to mull over one thing per day, such as: “The primary indication of a well-ordered mind is a man’s ability to remain in one place and linger in his own company.” I look forward to reading these in the original Latin someday!

Listening to German. Still have plans to start watching Dark.

Civic Engagement. I’ll be helping to register new citizens to vote in September, possibly also October. The latest setbacks to US election security have been extremely disappointing. Fellow Americans, if you’re in a position to push for better voting equipment and election law at your local level, please do so. Automatic voter registration, for instance, would be great. Then I’d have to find something else to volunteer for! ;)

I hope you’re having a great summer. Take care and see you next month!