Nine years ago, I began my journey into Indian culture. The biggest obstacle to breaking into the culture is language. Hubby’s family speaks Punjabi at home but use Hindi when out and about. I knew that learning the language was the biggest way I could show my new family how much I love them.
Well, it’s been nine years and I can easily say that, for me, learning an Indian language is the most exciting and most difficult thing I have ever attempted.
I started out learning Punjabi, the family language. However resources for studying Punjabi are sparse and really dull. I’ve picked up a good amount and on our annual visits I’m able to pick up a few things here and there. Yet, I’m still solidly on the “outside”.
During last year’s trip I decided to switch to Hindi. On a particularly hot Bombay day I was staying inside and browsing the online catalog of my local library, searching for Punjabi resources without much luck. Just for fun, I checked what they had for Hindi and was amazed by how much more was available. They had a great language program called Pimsleur, which I found out is ranked as one of the top language programs. So I decided I’d get farther with Hindi. Hubby thought it was a great idea and with Punjabi and Hindi being so similar, I’d pick up Punjabi quickly with a foundation of Hindi…plus I could use my Hindi on the lady at my local Indian grocery store.
So, after nine years and much struggle, I’m finally having success with Hindi. I’m making these fun videos to share and celebrate the small successes I’m having as I progress. I hope you enjoy watching them as much as I enjoy making them.
Did you enjoy the video?
I’d love to hear about it. let me know in the comment below!
INDIAN ADVENTURES
Traveling to India
Our Bombay Home
Visiting Punjab
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Hi! My name is Colleen
Hi there! I'm Colleen. I'm a girl from sunny Santa Cruz, California who married a Punjabi boy from Bombay. These are the stories, recipes and photos of our adventures together as I've learned about, and fallen in love with, Indian culture...as well as taught Hubby a thing or two about my American ways of doing things. Pull up a chair and enjoy!
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sacchiiiiii? bahut accha!!!
LOVE IT
))))
aap kaisi ho colleen?
Thanks Monica
You are the cutest thing on this entire earth.
Awe! It was a LOT of fun to make, more coming soon!
It turned out so cute! See, learning another language IS fun! There are always ways to be creative and break away from the traditional ways of studying. By the way, I like your accent…or as one would say in Spanish, me gusta tu acento.
Yes, I was inspired finally after our day together. I know a lot more than I think I do.
Kulwant helped a lot with my accent, the bloopers are hilarious!
Awesome role play and great fluency.
Wow, I never thought someone would describe my Hindi as fluent! Thanks so much.
Aap bahot acchi Hindi speaker hai
Looking forward to the next update…
Thank you!
Sat shri akal ji Coleen !
Soha
It’s so nice to hear you speaking hindi . I’m a french gori lekin maine hindi sikhi university me to mujhe bhi hindi aaati hai . Mere pati bhi punjabi hai , aur main apne sasural ke sath hindi me baat karti hun , bahut maazaa aata hai ! nice to meet you.. bye bye hindi vali gori ladki
Hi Soha – How wonderful to hear from you! My Hindi is not quite that good, so Hubby had to translate it for me
How long have you been married? You’re Hindi is wonderful. I wish I would have taken Hindi at university, but now they have cut Hindi from the language program so I just study at home.
Aww it’s so sweet of you. Loved it.
Thanks Surya
Hi Colleen, your video made me LOL!!
Nice try and you speak very well. I’m an Indian origin live in Australia. Love your video. 
Keep it up.
Role play or not.. your Hindi(for someone who its not a remotely known language) is pretty fluent as KK earlier mentioned, Iv seen 1st and 2nd gen Desi’s who are much worse in the States.. so Kudos to you to try and learn a language which is yours through getting married into it where a lot of Indian kids dont even try, though they are born into it.
Thank you Arun! Your comment is just what I needed to hear. Sometimes I get super frustrated with not knowing more of the language, or how long it seems to take to progress farther. So, your encouragement is a great help
This inspired me so much to continue learning Hindi. I downloaded great apps and so far I’m finding them very useful. As always, you’re great Coleen!
Thanks Jazz
I’ve been using Pimsleur Hindi CDs and Teach Yourself Hindi by Rupert Snell. They are great, I highly recommend them.