Language proficiency barrier
My biggest barrier in learning languages
Learning languages is fascinating. It is one of the things I enjoy
the most <font style="background-color: rgb(247, 247, 247);">doing in</font><font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> </font>my leisure time<strike>s, o</strike>n my way to school and just <strike>about</strike> whenever I have some spare time. It is extremely gratifying and fulfilling, but there are certain things <strike>that</strike> <font style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 0);">which</font> keep me from enjoying this process even more. It is something that brings <strike>about </strike><font style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 0);">out </font>stress and frustration and at times could <strike>be</strike> <font style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 0);">discourage me</font>. Fear of embarrassing myself in front of native speakers is something unbearable <strike>to</strike> <font style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 0);">for</font> me, <strike>which</strike><font style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 0);"> that</font> is why I <font style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 0);">would</font> <strike>very often</strike> rather stay in my own comfort zone and only say <strike>the</strike> things I know for sure , <font style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 0);">in</font> <font style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 0);">whic</font><font style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 0);">h</font> I'm going to<strike> get</strike> <font style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 0);">be</font> right. I have stopped taking risks and trying my luck <strike>with </strike><font style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 0);"> to say</font> what I would probably <strike>be saying right just for fear</strike><font style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 0);"> know</font>. <font style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 0);">Though,this </font><strike><font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">is</font><font style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 0);"> </font></strike><font style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 0);">only</font><strike> true</strike> <font style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 0);">works</font> with native speakers,<strike> though</strike>. I have found myself speaking with great fluency and without fear of making mistakes with non-natives of that language. I know it's probably because they won't be judging <font style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 0);">me</font> since they themselves would <font style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 0);">be</font> very likely<font style="background-color: rgb(0, 255, 0);"> to</font> make the same mistakes and wouldn't even notice if I said something wrong. I live in South Korea and even if I get a plethora of chances of speaking Korean every day I decide not to.
Do you guys have any advice <strike>on</strike> how to tear down this huge wall that's keeping me from reaching proficiency in languages? Thanks a lot!
P.S I would definitely advice you to keep trying to speak and don't be afraid of making mistakes ! From mistakes we could learn a lot. Good luck you!