Who said that learning Russian could help you stop smoking? You’ve heard it here first!
What a delight when this week, one of our students told us that coming to the Academy and learning Russian helped him stop smoking!
Mr A. had decided that after many years, it was time to call it a day. No more cigarettes. But it wasn’t easy.
He also decided that his job took him to Russia on a regular basis and that therefore, he could do with practising some basic language skills, at least learn to be polite and courteous whilst there and also understand a few cultural differences.
What he hadn’t put together was the link between stopping smoking and learning a new language…
He was keen to progress quickly and therefore asked his Russian coach for a 2h session each time he came to the Academy. Without telling her, he feared he would struggle to cope with two hours of intense language coaching and no cigarette! But he was dedicated and keen to take on the challenge.
I am sure you can guess the ending to my story.
Mr A soon realised that he could indeed cope without cigarettes for that long (very long for his then, daily cigarette consumption) and recently told us that taking on Russian had vastly encouraged him to quit smoking.
The point is not the time spent in the class as opposed to outside the office for a break, it’s about personal achievement. Mr A had left school over 20 years ago and wasn’t very confident about his learning abilities when he first came to visit us. ‘Each time I come, I learn so much more and find myself encouraged to carry on’! I have now studied Russian for 35 hours… And have just booked another 35h course – let’s do it!’
He could learn a foreign language and felt good about himself. Cigarettes were dropped.
Learning to speak a foreign language is one the most enriching and rewarding experience you may have.
And if it saves you hundreds of pounds a year (and a lung!), well, it’s a bonus!!