A month
ago I didn’t know a single word of Greek and I didn’t
really want to know any Greek. Then I found out I was going
to Cyprus and life hasn’t been quite the same since.
Well, that is probably a slight exaggeration, but who wouldn’t
be excited?!
As a
proper tourist to be I went straight on the Internet and
searched for language tools, books, CDs, software, dictionaries
and anything even slightly related to the Greek language
and Cyprus.
And
I found something! This something is an audio CD called
‘Rapid Greek’ (who wouldn’t want to learn
rapidly…?) by Earworms.
Earworms
specialise in language audio CDs that are intended for listening
to in a car, on the way to work on your personal stereo
or at home. ‘Rapid Greek’ CD has 9 tracks, each
of which focuses on particular phrases.
I press
play on my personal CD player just as I leave home and set
off for work. The CDs opens with soft and relaxing music.
I walk down the road while Maria, a Greek lady who appears
on the CD, translates Andrew’s simple phrases –
he’s your typical Englishman.
By the
time I get to the tube station I have learnt to say "I
would like…" or perhaps I should say "Tha
eethela..." The first track also includes those much
needed British words "I would like tea with milk –
Tha eethela ena tsai me ghala."
I’m
originally Czech so I find my favorite words on the 2nd
track called ‘To Order’ – Na barangeelo…
where I learned how to order white wine! I believe this
will be of some interest to Kim & Carol as well.
I listen
to tracks 3 (‘Have you got…’) and 4 (‘To
the airport…’) while I’m on the tube.
The music is slightly different with every track. Maria
and Andrew repeat each new phrase tirelessly. I assume they
must know who they are dealing with in me…
The
5th track introduces numbers 1 to 10 and the days of the
week. Andrew even explains how I might be able to remember
each number better if I use his memory hooks. And you know
what? They work!
The
next two tracks, which are called ‘Is there…?’
and ‘Directions’, prove to be quite hard to
remember especially if you are listening to the CD in one
go. Luckily I’m now at work so will finish the CD
on my way home…
…ok
here we are. I’m on my way home and back to my Greek
lesson. Track 8 focuses on telling the time.
Finally
the CD closes with a track called ‘Problems, problems’!
Perhaps this track should be the first especially for those
of us who always run into trouble on their travels. You
will learn how to say passport, wallet, plasters, mosquitoes,
aspirins, bad stomach, I’ve lost my camera…
which is pretty much all you need to put you off going to
Cyprus…
I’m
only joking! I greatly recommend ‘Rapid Greek’
to anyone who doesn’t have the time to sit and stare
at a Greek text book but has time to spare on their way
to work. The CD comes with a phrase book so you can look
up all the words whenever you need to.
You
will not remember it all after the first listen but after
a month or two you will be able to remember quite a few
useful phrases. I certainly can’t wait to test some
of them myself.
I purchased
'Rapid
Greek,' for under £10.00 on Amazon. Click here
to see more information on it.
