Quote Originally Posted by Mad Lews
So what pray tell is the story. Did you spend a goodly chunk of your youth in an English speaking country, attend an English only school, Oh god tell me you're not really from Quebec. Please do tell inquiring minds want to know.
Oh and O can wait a bit longer she's not going anywhere
Mad
So many questions … ahem, well …
I've lived in so many places that I don't remember just now where it all started. But I lived in Kuwait (much before shit started flying around) and in Pakistan (before shit started flying around THERE) but I lived in India several years/lifetimes (not much shit but some certainly, no avoiding that seems the stuff followed me, but such a fascinating place got to go back) And Bangkok, and Baghdad (shit-umbrella was not necessary at that time) and Lebanon and Sweden and Italy and … so many fascinating places.
Yes, High School at University of London (courtesy of British Council)
But that's NOT how I learned my meager English.
I learned it from James Bond.
Lo …
When I was a kid one of those Sean Connery movies came out and I was totally flummoxed and flabbergasted. I just HAD to read the books. So a picked Goldfinger - only available in English at that time - and it was mostly gibberish to me. But, I tried. I knew some textbook English - that kind where you eventually learn to read The Bard but if you talk to a 20$ working girl you end a paying 50$ for a hand job. And I had a crummy little dictionary. So I held my spinchter real tight and went to my schoolteacher for help. (NO it was NOTHING like that, stop snickering, she was a tough graying old lady.) She helped indeed. She gave me her very own M-W. Encyclopedic Dictionary - English-to English! - And some instructions. I was to keep reading no matter what, trying to get the gist (that's the word?). I was to use dict. ONLY five times per page but I could search it all I wanted to understand explanations. I got to call her ONCE a day to ask something and to use it wisely. (Latter she changed to four dictionaries but two calls, smart old cookie, thanks Mrs. G--.)
Well I did it. I took me maybe four month and that's eternity plus to a kid.
Latter I read all Bond books (today I read such books in under four HOURS). And I read umpimillion OTHER books on all manner of things wondrous. And movies. And whatever else came before my greedy eyes.
But first/last of all I met and loved/hated/fucked A LOT of people - that is the only way to learn.
So this was a true story (I swear to god) how James Bond and Mrs G-- taught me to LEARN. Grab a tiger by a tail, hold tight, and move forward until you are holding it by ears. (And no, I certainly do not hold englishtiger by ears.)

And my keyboard is steaming, hope this answer answers some unanswerable things.

Have fun!