Hey everyone.

I recently finished the Ana Pana correspondence, and was looking into continuing to learn Esperanto through the other courses and resources on this site, as well as outside resources like books (i.e.: literature, prose, poetry and the like), then while looking through the sort of books I could get, I also came across the many textbooks and reference books that were available, and then adding to that the amount of stuff that's just here on this site... it's a bit... superŝutiga (overwhelming)?

What I plan to do from here is to do the 'Vojaĝu kun Zam' and 'Pri la Fundamento' courses, go through the concise grammar course, start 'Ana Renkontas' and buy a copy of 'Gerda Malaperis!' to start reading through (I know there's a free PDF version, but I have a preference towards physical books). I think I should also go ahead and get a dictionary, so I think I'm going to buy John Well's English-Esperanto Dictionary (everything I've read about it seems to indicate that it's a good dictionary).

One big question I have, is if I should get an Esperanto textbook, or do the courses here function as an adequate replacement for one? And if it is a good idea to get an Esperanto textbook, which one(s) should I get? And what about other reference books such as 'Being Colloquial in Esperanto'?

My other questions generally fall into: how should I proceed period? What are the best courses and resources to use here on this site, and outside of it? Any opinions on this would be greatly appreciated.

I'm a pretty poor student, but I've found that one of the best things has been joining a local Esperanto club, and going to events and meetings. I am in Japan, so I can't krokodili, which more or less forces me to speak EO, but I think the main benefit of joining a group is using EO as a language with normal people. So; join a club if you have one nearby, and go to events if you can.

Get paper books, too. One of the benefits of paper books, besides being nice to hold etc, is that you can't cut and paste text and auto-translate it in another tab. It forces you to work a bit harder to understand. Also one has to make a bit of an effort to actually acquire a book, whereas the internet makes it easy and automatic. I've found that if one puts more effort into something, one considers it a bit more special and valuable, and that feeling will help with studying.

Congratulations on finishing Ana Pana!

After I did Ana Pana, I moved on to Jen Nia IJK, and then Gerda Malaperis. After Gerda Malaperis, you'll have quite a bit of Esperanto under your belt!

After finishing Ana Pana, you should be able to have (at least) basic conversations in the chat room here, and you can always use the dictionary if you need it (I certainly use it)!

I really highly recommend the book "Teach Yourself Esperanto"; it starts off fairly simple, but it quickly becomes fairly challenging... I'm using it right now, and I feel like I'm really learning a lot.

Another thing that's been really helpful for me is to listen to Esperanto podcasts... there's several on iTunes (for free!) that I really like... Radio Verda... Radio Polskie... Voĉo el Japanio. Listening to the language, even if you don't understand a lot of it just now, really helps a lot!

Keep up the good work!

3rdblade:I'm a pretty poor student, but I've found that one of the best things has been joining a local Esperanto club, and going to events and meetings. I am in Japan, so I can't krokodili, which more or less forces me to speak EO, but I think the main benefit of joining a group is using EO as a language with normal people. So; join a club if you have one nearby, and go to events if you can.

I would love to have someone to speak with, but unfortunately I live in an area where I don't think there's an active club. Searching for my area on Google (searched: 'Ohio Valley Esperanto') returns a Google Books result from a 1908 issue of an American Esperanto magazine, which reveals people in cities a few minutes from mine who were involved in the Esperanto movement, ho ve, if only they were not likely dead now!

Though it is intriguing, and a lot more than I expected, so perhaps there are still some around. I'm pessimistic though.

Get paper books, too. One of the benefits of paper books, besides being nice to hold etc, is that you can't cut and paste text and auto-translate it in another tab. It forces you to work a bit harder to understand. Also one has to make a bit of an effort to actually acquire a book, whereas the internet makes it easy and automatic. I've found that if one puts more effort into something, one considers it a bit more special and valuable, and that feeling will help with studying.

That's one of my main plans, and something I'm looking forward to, to read a lot of stories and poems in Esperanto. And you're probably right about the effort being a motivating factor. Thanks!

Looks like Pittsburgh is your best bet for finding some active Esperanto speakers. If you can find a way to get yourself there, you should be able to talk with someone. That's what's so hard about being an American Esperantist. The country is so big, the people are scattered, and public transport outside of major urban areas is practically nonexistent.

I never had a textbook myself so it isn't really necessary, but it can be a good reference. I like "Esperanto: Learning and Using the International Language", by Richardson. It has a ten-lesson Esperanto course in it, information about the language and movement, and a collection of annotated texts for reading practice.

For reading:

I did all the courses on Lernu, and am working my way through the Library section. I also go through the learning section and do flashcards of the vocabularies in both directions, and sometimes re-do a course if I'm feeling rusty.

There are several mailing lists through Yahoo that are in Esperanto.

There are free downloadable books on the 'net, and also downloadable periodicals.

Some bookstores occasionally get books in Esperanto, or have fun with mail order.

For writing:

Start your own Esperanto blog. You can use any blogging service you want. A lot of people already use ipernity, which then gives you more reading chances, too.

Start a private hand-written journal in Esperanto.

Correspond with people, on lernu or on mailing lists or on ipernity or through one of the correspondence services.

Use the chat area on lernu or elsewhere.

For listening:

The podcasts and online radio programs mentioned so far are fun. There are also things on youtube.

Another one I've been listening to a lot lately is Esperanta Retradio, at http://peranto.posterous.com/ It seems to be aimed at people with a fairly basic level of Esperanto knowledge.

http://facila.org/ is a fairly new site that is aimed at just-past-beginners. It has a mix of things to read, listen to, and watch.

For any listening source, I download the mp3 files for my ipod so I can listen again and again. I listen on the computer or ipod. I read the text. I read along with listening. Etc. Part of this is simply to train my ear and brain to parse the sounds into recognizable Esperanto words.

For talking:

If you can't find local groups, there are often people using Skype for conversational opportunities.

Convince a friend or family member to learn, so you can have conversations with him/her.

Talk to your pets, or go on monologues about various topics while you're alone. Your grammar may not be the best, but at least you get in the habit of ordering your thoughts and ideas into the patterns and words of Esperanto.

Should you get an Esperanto textbook? Sure, why not? I think lernu functions pretty well as a substitute. A real-paper textbook will allow you to physically write when you do the exercises. That's different from the typing you do online, and thus is a different way to encode Esperanto into your neurons.

I've bought mine over the years whenever they show up used at my favorite bookstores, so can't give any specific recommendations. I eventually read through all of them and did all the exercises. Most are beginner textbooks; some are intermediate readers. I'm still in the middle of the intermediate ones.

Check out the new website Facila Vento. This contains many texts that are simplified and there are explanations for the more difficult vocabulary. It's also possible to look at the original non-simplified version of the text. It's a brand new site, only a few days old, but it looks like quite a promising idea.

There was an article about it in Libera Folio: Retejo en facila Esperanto volas rekapti lernintojn

I learnt Esperanto such a long time ago that I can't really recall in detail what is was like going frorm being a beginner to being a more fluent speaker.

The idea behind Facila Vento may be a good one, but I don't think the concept of pratising simple Esperanto would have appealed to me in my student years, nor that the lack of simple practice material is a significant factor in the non-retention of novbakitaj Esperantistoj.

The thing that did it for me was going to International Esperanto Youth Congresses and being forced to keep up with the fluent speakers (if I wanted to be cool).

Of course that option might not be available to you. I had the advantage of Europe being only a short hop across the Channel. Also, there were other students at my university who were interested in Esperanto and more experienced than myself, and excursions to the pubs were enjoyed in Esperanto.

Almost certainly the social side of being an Esperantist, including the congress experience and foreign travel, was the reason for not giving up after a couple of months.

Mainly, what I like to do now, in my dotage, is read entertainment fiction in Esperanto, like the Maigret series, and I vaguely harbour the ambition of doing my own translation of a thriller one day.

Basically, to persevere in the study of another language, it needs to be linked with something rewarding about the use of that language (beyond the intellectual achievement).

I don't think that the difficulty in attaining a higher level is much of a deterrent factor, and can account for only a small proportion of learners becoming fully-fledged Esperantists - though it has to be acknowledged that becoming super fluent is much harder than mastering the basic grammar.

BlackOtaku:how should I proceed period?.

discouke's advice sounds pretty good. Apart from that, I might add:
1. Try Ana Renkontas between Ana Pana and Gerda Malaperis.
2. After GM, try [url=http://en.lernu.net/biblioteko/rakontoj/vere_aŭ_fantazie/index.php]Vere aŭ Fantazie[/url].
3. Start a vocabulary notebook and try the articles from Juna Amiko. You may find it worthwhile to go through Baza Esperanta Radikaro (a new printed edition has been published), as this and the mini-vortaretoj which accompany the articles in Juna Amiko will help you to learn to think in Esperanto.
4. The next step may be to try the magazine Monato. I have often seen cheap sets of back issues at congresses, so that's one way to get hold of copies. You may also find it worthwhile to attempt Marjorie Boulton's Faktoj kaj Fantazioj, unfortunately not free.
5. Last but not least, if circumstances permit, go to meetings or congresses of Esperantists.

sudanglo:I had the advantage of Europe being only a short hop across the Channel.

From an American point of view, you have Europe on your side of the Channel as well.