Last year I chose Esperanto as a topic for an informative speech in a public speaking class. My research really piqued my interest in the language and I'd love to actually learn it. However, all I've really done so far is a few games, courses, and reading with the help of a dictionary. For most purposes, I would be considered a complete novice.

I'd really like to learn in a face-to-face setting, so I've been searching meetup groups, but it seems there are none in my area. I don't really have the wherewithal to travel to one of the events, either. I've asked friends and family if they'd be interested in learning a little with me, but reception has ranged from disinterest to ridicule. They think it is arcane and useless. They advise me to take the pragmatic option and learn Spanish, as there's plenty of Spanish speakers here, as well as college courses, tv, magazines, and radio. But learning Spanish sounds hard, and I don't like it, I like Esperanto.

So I guess I'm left to online correspondence. I feel a bit awkward, though, and I'm a little concerned about criticism when posting in the Esperanto forums. I'm certainly too embarrassed to use Skype or IM at this point, as my elocution would be atrocious. I'm mainly wondering how does one get over the initial embarrassment and connect with others?

mopbucket:I feel a bit awkward, though, and I'm a little concerned about criticism when posting in the Esperanto forums. I'm certainly too embarrassed to use Skype or IM at this point, as my elocution would be atrocious. I'm mainly wondering how does one get over the initial embarrassment and connect with others?

There are many ways, but to stay away for fear of criticism is certainly not one of them.

Overall, you will find more responses are helpful than mocking.

I understand that one gets nervous. I was afraid too when I went to the TUJMESAĜILO (instant messenger) on Lernu! for the first time.

Then again (and I heard this in a beautiful film '3 Idiots') it's better to be mocked at once for asking than living the whole life regretting you don't know something.

I hope I don't sound preachy!

mopbucket: I'm a little concerned about criticism when posting in the Esperanto forums. ... I'm mainly wondering how does one get over the initial embarrassment and connect with others?

You could try to let your first Esperanto contribution to the forum go through Google Translate first. Do you get understandable English out of it? If not, change the English a bit and feed it into the translator to get Esperanto. Often you find that your original Esperanto was better, and then your self-confidence increases.

mopbucket:Last year I chose Esperanto as a topic for an informative speech in a public speaking class. My research really piqued my interest in the language and I'd love to actually learn it. However, all I've really done so far is a few games, courses, and reading with the help of a dictionary. For most purposes, I would be considered a complete novice.

I'd really like to learn in a face-to-face setting, so I've been searching meetup groups, but it seems there are none in my area. I don't really have the wherewithal to travel to one of the events, either. I've asked friends and family if they'd be interested in learning a little with me, but reception has ranged from disinterest to ridicule. They think it is arcane and useless. They advise me to take the pragmatic option and learn Spanish, as there's plenty of Spanish speakers here, as well as college courses, tv, magazines, and radio. But learning Spanish sounds hard, and I don't like it, I like Esperanto.

So I guess I'm left to online correspondence. I feel a bit awkward, though, and I'm a little concerned about criticism when posting in the Esperanto forums. I'm certainly too embarrassed to use Skype or IM at this point, as my elocution would be atrocious. I'm mainly wondering how does one get over the initial embarrassment and connect with others?

Skype at this point would be helpful in one way: making sure you have the right pronunciation . Years went by while I pronounced the negative correlatives (nenio, nothing; neniam, never; etc) with the stress on the "nen-" rather than the "-i-." It didn't take quite that long to correct myself, thank goodness, but the whole thing would have been avoided with a "real live person" (whether in the flesh or over something like Skype) had been able to correct me the first time I made the mistake. If I may make a suggestion, Radio Verda, an Esperanto podcast, is excellent for getting the proper pronunciation (even if you don't understand a thing) and general getting the feel (or "hear") of the language until you can talk face to face with someone. URL is http://radioverda.com
Needless to say, if you ever find yourself in Iowa City, look me up!

mopbucket:... and I'm a little concerned about criticism when posting in the Esperanto forums...

You shouldn't be. If you ask that people not correct you, they won't. However, since part of the point of posting in the forums is to get corrections, I've always found that request sort of odd and a bit counterproductive.

When people do give you corrections, they don't do it to be mean. They won't call you stupid or make fun of you. Generally, they just tell you the correct way to say what you want to say in a fairly straightforward way. And the forums aren't just for experts - they are for everyone. You will not be bothering anyone by posting simple things, for practice. Approach the forums as a place where you can get your self-assigned homework corrected. Write a paragraph specifically to ask for corrections about - people will be happy to help you make it perfect. I believe that the primary point of the forums is to get practice in writing Esperanto; having actually interesting conversations is a secondary goal at best (though certainly achievable).

Remember, almost none of us are denaskuloj. We've all been where you are - for some of us, not that long ago. And we don't gain anything by chasing away beginners; we gain by turning beginners into speakers. C'mon in. Don't be shy.

You could try starting your own group. Put a message asking for expressions of interest in the local library. (Libraries love the arcane). You never know, some old spertulo might come out of the woodwork!

mopbucket, looks from your profile that you might live in a suburb of Kansas City.

This site has a [url=http://en.lernu.net/komunikado/uzantoj/listo.php?tipo=kk&snomo=&nomo=&retadreso=&lando=&urbo=kansas&lingvoj=&min=&maks=&sekso=&nivelo=&akt_de=1&akt_ghis=&plng=®istrigho=0&konfirmo=&ordo=salutnomo&ek=Send]few other users[/url] who have been active recently and indicated that they live in Kansas or Kansas City. Maybe you could try contacting them.

Soon, it will be easier to find other lernu users who live near you, without doing a text search. That capability will come with the new lernu, launching early next year.

Wow, lots of responses already. Thanks guys!

I'll do those things, checking out the podcasts, post at the library, and consider starting my own group. I'm getting pretty positive vibes from you guys already so that gives me some confidence to go ahead and start posting in the Esperanto forums. I suppose it's not so much the fear of criticism, I can appreciate the fact that it will only help. I don't know why it made me feel nervous, so I'll just buck up and get over it.

Mi aprezas viajn helpojn! (I'm trying, heh!)

mopbucket:... so that gives me some confidence to go ahead and start posting in the Esperanto forums.

Glad to hear it!

Just remember the one rule of the Esperanto language forums: Esperanto only, there (just mentioning it because I always hate seeing someone new getting upbraided for posting in English there; it IS the rule, though, so, just a heads-up, forewarned is forearmed and so on).

mopbucket:So I guess I'm left to online correspondence. I feel a bit awkward, though, and I'm a little concerned about criticism when posting in the Esperanto forums. I'm certainly too embarrassed to use Skype or IM at this point, as my elocution would be atrocious. I'm mainly wondering how does one get over the initial embarrassment and connect with others?

Eh, watch out for the #esperanto chat on Freenode. There was/is someone in there that, well, wasn't all that helpful and actually made me so upset I actually quit Esperanto the first time. (The person didn't correct me and I had no clue what was wrong with what I said and well.. it went downhill from there. ;-; )

Otherwise looking at IRC chat might be a thing. I'm been thinking of trying to get some Skype people myself but I'm a bit afraid of internet creepers. "Kiom vi havas jarojn. Kie vi loĝas. Via voĉo estas beleta. Bildoj bonvolu!" That kind of thing.