Finding Headphones for Audio Language Lessons

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By Babel HutPosted In: Beginners, Language LearningTagged: , , , Leave a comment

Taking an audio class may be a great way to study language lessons but requires good concentration. Using headphones is a good way to cancel out background noise in order to focus on the audio lesson. Finding a good set of headphones can be somewhat challenging because of the many options available. Three important factors to consider when searching for a good set of headphones are comfort, sound, and durability. Let’s take a closer look:

Comfort

Finding a comfortable set of headphones is important when you are going to be wearing them a lot or over long periods of time. Noise canceling attributes may sound great but the positive pressure created may make the headphones extremely uncomfortable especially if they do not have proper padding. Being able to focus on the lesson instead of the pain in your ears is vital for concentration. Too much or too little padding may also affect the sound.

Sound

The ability to hear and understand the speaker is vital to successfully completing an audio language lesson. What is being said is just one aspect of sound. How the word or words are said is also very important to interpreting tone. Select the headphones with the best range and treble in order to focus on the intricacies of the voice. Some adjustment to sound can be made through the equalizer If you are playing the lessons through a computer. Even with adjustments, the overall quality of the sound depends on the speakers or headphones.

Durability

Wear and tear is normal for headphones especially for the wires. Finding a comfortable pair of headphones with good sound may be difficult but making the pair last for an extended period of time can be challenging. Headphones made with metal parts tend to be longer lasting then those made with plastic parts. USB connectors usually are more durable than audio jacks. Nylon cords are more likely to knot then their rubber counterparts. Knotting can cause kinks which degrade the sound. Regardless of how durable the headphones are proper care is vital.

Headphones cords are usually more durable then earbuds but wireless headphones are sometimes the better option. Wireless headphones are generally more expensive but made be worth the money if you need to be able to get up and move around during the lesson.

The best way to find the perfect set of headphones for you is to test them out. High end music stores usually have testing displays. Look for the set with the clearest voice. Remember bass is not as important as treble when listening to audio language lessons.

A Summer In Spain Cleaning Fishing Boat Hulls

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By Babel HutPosted In: Language Learning, TravelTagged: , , , Leave a comment

How many of you are working summer jobs in Spain? A summer job will help you to build character. It is a great way to add something unique to your professional resume. Today’s content is about cleaning a fish boat with an electric pressure washer. The boat probably belongs to someone else, and they are trusting you to clean it the right way.

6 Tips To Keep the Job Fun and Feel Less Like a Chore

1) Take the pressure washer and clean the floor from bow to stern. If you’re in need of a pressure washer you can take a look at reviews of some of the best electric options, as they are usually easier to use than gas-powered options when working on boats. Also keep in mind that the floor gets more abuse than any other surface on the boat. You should get yourself a deck brush to remove those harder-to-reacher areas.

Why not sing a song why you are doing it? Plug in your iPad and play your favorite music.

2) You need to clean the livewells. Use a non-toxic product because a toxic product will be detrimental to the fish. Baking soda and water work great when you use the pressure washer. Things like bleach will be bad. Use the pressure washer to flush the livewells once you are done.

Why do you need to flush the system out? You need to make sure the dirt and debris have been removed before hitting the open water. Dirt that remains free will be harmful to the animals that live in the open water.

3) Boat bilges are probably the grimiest part of the boat. Get yourself a commercial cleaner and get to the bottom of the issuev(wink, wink.) A commercial cleaner will allow you to get to the bottom without getting yourself dirty in the process.

4) The boat consoles can be taken care of with Windex and spray cleaner. You will not need a power washer for this part. You will need a partial wt sponge for the first part, and then a dry cloth to finish the job. It is that simple.

Now some of this will get boring so keep that music playing. Music gives us the incentive to keep going. Keep those tunes on full blast and scrub away.

5) Does the boat have vinyl seats? The sun’s UV rays have a nasty way of turning the seats a different color. The seat will look cracked after a certain period of time.

You will need Star Brite Vinyl Shampoo. The shampoo will restore the seats to their former glory.

6) How does the boat hull look right now? It may appear discolored and stained in certain areas. You will want to give the problem areas a good scrub first. Next, take the pressure washer and clean it off. The pressure washer will also add some efficiency to the boat’s performance, not to mention add to the fuel efficiency.

Some Added Cleaning Tips

Do you want to get a bonus in your paycheck? Take a few extra minutes and clean the trailer. The owner will be very impressed. Clean everything including the wheels and tires. Your boss might give you some more work to do after this.

Conclusion

Cleaning a fish boat with an electric pressure washer may not be your idea of a good time, but it will earn you a paycheck. It will also earn you the satisfaction of a job well done.

I Can’t Find the Screws! Language as a Barrier

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By Babel HutPosted In: Language Learning, Thailand, TravelTagged: , , , Leave a comment

The problem

Often times in life we are fearful of situations in which we may not understand some written material or understand what is being said due to comprehension or a language barrier.

Imagine being in a hardware store in Thailand. As you search the aisles in desperation for the screw section. Above you are signs in Thai and not an English word in sight. All around you are curious faces, with some of them that may have never seen a white person but you can’t even entertain the thought of a conversation because of your quest to find a screw. As you stand bewildered in front of the store, looking across a sea of shelves and finally a clerk approaches you a manages to muster the words “hello, I help you?”

With a look of glee, you realize you may have found your savior in a smock. As you proceed to gleefully describe what you are looking for at 100 miles an hour, you realize that the clerk has a blank look and your explanation has been in vain. So with the shopkeep in front of you and the screws, you need hiding in the labyrinth of a store how do you find a way to get what you need.

The Solution

If you were a prepared traveler then you would not have had to face such issues. So if you are in a foreign country and want to buy something as obscure as a screw, here are XS tips to help you combat those sticky and somewhat isolating situations that can be posed by international travel.

1.) Have a hotel employee write you a list in the language of what you need for ease of transaction.

2.) Learn some of the languages before you go on the trip. The internet is full of free courses, all it will cost you is time. Many locals are impressed when travelers take the time to learn the language and might even reward you with an extra shrimp or two at the local market.

3.) Use google translate or hire/buy a translating machine. These machines are cheap and will help you keep your independence on the trip

4.) show the clerk a picture of the screw you need. Pictorial, like math, is a universal language.

5.) Hire a language guide. Language guides are good because not only is the barrier broken, but they can get you the local rates!

In our scenario, you, the weary traveler finally found the screws you needed and left on your merry way because you followed this advice and were victorious in the quest to the hardware store. If you are considering international travel, perhaps you might consider staying at an all-inclusive where you won’t have to go out in search of screws.