Nite Mirror, sounds like maybe you need some 'listening on training wheels'.

Have you tried listening to the "vere aŭ fantazie" stories in the lernu library section? They have accompanying text, so you could, for example, listen to the story, and then read the text, and then listen to the story again. That might help build your comprehension. Another thing that helps is to keep your finger on the pause button as you listen to something. Let Arono say a sentence, and then pause. Think about what you just heard, see if you understood it. When you're ready, start up the podcast again. It sounds like you might need a bit more brain processing time. Radio Verda is very clearly pronounced and Arono and Karlina don't go out of their way to talk quickly, but it's not super slow either.

Another thing that might help is talking to a person versus listening to a podcast. A person can slow down their speech to help you out. A podcast does not know or care who you are, and it continues merrily along, regardless or whether you obviously don't understand it

Actually when I was learning, I found radio broadcasts much more difficult to understand than people. The other bonus with talking to a person is that it forces you to talk too. So the other person asks you a question and you have to think up response and say it. Skype is a good tool, if you don't live near any Esperantists.

erinja:Nite Mirror, sounds like maybe you need some 'listening on training wheels'.

Have you tried listening to the " stories in the lernu library section? They have accompanying text, so you could, for example, listen to the story, and then read the text, and then listen to the story again. That might help build your comprehension. Another thing that helps is to keep your finger on the pause button as you listen to something. Let Arono say a sentence, and then pause. Think about what you just heard, see if you understood it. When you're ready, start up the podcast again. It sounds like you might need a bit more brain processing time. Radio Verda is very clearly pronounced and Arono and Karlina don't go out of their way to talk quickly, but it's not super slow either.

Another thing that might help is talking to a person versus listening to a podcast. A person can slow down their speech to help you out. A podcast does not know or care who you are, and it continues merrily along, regardless or whether you obviously don't understand it

Actually when I was learning, I found radio broadcasts much more difficult to understand than people. The other bonus with talking to a person is that it forces you to talk too. So the other person asks you a question and you have to think up response and say it. Skype is a good tool, if you don't live near any Esperantists.

Thank you for your suggestions. I'll look into "vere aŭ fantazie." I do know it helps to read what I'm hearing, and that suggestion of the Ilja Frank story you recommended to someone else in a different thread is helping (although I can't say much about the story itself).

I did get a chuckle out of you saying "It sounds like you might need a bit more brain processing time." People often point out that I'm never fast at anything, but I haven't heard it phrased quite that way before.

I did find that if I tried to picture the spelling of the words being spoken while listening to Radio Verda, it helped my comprehension a lot. I wasn't thinking that I knew or didn't know the word. I either just did or didn't know it's meaning, but that was both too geeky (even for me) and more to the point required a level of concentration that I can't usually give to listening to a podcast.

As for interacting with others, I have thought of trying to contact the Chicago Esperanto group, but between transportation problems, schedule problems, and, well, ... certain personality quirks of mine bordering on phobia, I never have.

Skype sounds like a good fit for you, NiteMirror, particularly if you have a webcam and someone else is willing to video chat with you.

I'm a beginner too (2 weeks), so we can chat on Skype.

Having just spent all day from the morning obsessively finishing going through Pasporta Servo: Al La Tuta Mondo on youtube (ŝercu ĝin!), in the beginning I was translating the words: esperanto -> english -> brain... But 3/4 way through I was shocked when I skipped translating it into english and understood some of it.

That was super cool. Diable mi forgesis la tempon.

Genjix:That was super cool. Diable mi forgesis la tempon.

I share the latter problem, I find it easier to remember stuff though when I study later at night, but not too late .

Unless you forgot the time, e.g. how to say it in EO, or you forgot what the concept of time was entirely, in which case I have both those problems too!

It is much easier to follow recordings/readings if they are made by professional actors. Unfortunately we don't have too many of those in Esperantujo.

We have had some exceptional public speakers - Professor Ivo Lapenna springs to mind. And fortunately quite a few of his speeches are available as videos on the net. Just Google him and you should find them.

ceigered:

Genjix:That was super cool. Diable mi forgesis la tempon.

I share the latter problem, I find it easier to remember stuff though when I study later at night, but not too late .

Unless you forgot the time, e.g. how to say it in EO, or you forgot what the concept of time was entirely, in which case I have both those problems too!

I remember reading about a study some time ago that proved the human brain was most efficient at absorbing information during the first waking hours, and just prior to sleep, it also proved that our brain would be least efficient during the day.