I recently came across a quiz to determine your Creative Type! I thought it’d be fun to share because it’s my belief that: 1) Learning a language is a creative endeavour and, 2) we’re all creative in different ways. Take the test here!
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What impossible dreams are you dreaming?
February 21st, 2020 Posted by irina My Story
Around a year ago, I found myself in an internal tug of war:
• I wanted to be more intentional about the things I did and the direction my life was headed in.
• But writing my intentions down felt incredibly scary. What if I’d disappoint myself?
• Then again, how would I ever know if I didn’t try? (Round and round, I went.)
Here’s what happened next and why I’m sharing this with you…
Read more...The 3 Missing Links we Overlook in Traditional Language Learning
January 26th, 2020 Posted by irina Language
In this post, I share the 3 missing links at the root of the vast majority of why people struggle to learn Finnish (or other languages). I’ve built my entire career around helping educate people and support them in integrating these 3 missing pieces into their approaches to learning Finnish. This is the 1st time I talk about these in this way, so I’d love to hear your insights, questions and reactions in the comments below!
Read more...2020: the year of kindness
January 12th, 2020 Posted by irina Life
Happy new year! I wish you a wealth of joy, laughter, love and health: today, tomorrow and every day of this year. Because it’s ours for the taking, whether we realize it or not. For the past few years, I’ve chosen a word to guide my intentions for the year (I’m not a fan of new years resolutions). So for 2020, kindness is my word. Here’s why…
Read more...Winter reminder: you’re already whole
December 13th, 2019 Posted by irina Life
If in every breath you strip naked just like a winter,
the joy of spring will grow from within
– Rumi
It’s almost upon us: the dead of winter. Some seem to spend all of fall dreading this time of year, but now that it’s upon us, can we lean into it fully, and even enjoy it?
Read more...My Story: a multibelonger in the making
December 12th, 2019 Posted by irina Blog, My Story
My name is Irina Pravet and I’m a language and cultural transitions coach. I help people tap into their inborn ability to learn Finnish, and feel at home in their lives abroad.
My work brings together the threads that have run deep throughout my life: transitions, adaptation and belonging (between languages and cultures).
Why does this matter so much to me and why do I believe this work is essential? Well to answer this question, I’d have to start at the beginning…
Read more...How do we expand our sense of what’s possible?
October 7th, 2019 Posted by irina Language, Life
Already feeling the autumn sting of falling temperatures? If you’re like me, maybe you’ve turned up the heater, are wearing layers, drinking tea and choosing to stay indoors more often than not.
I did all of this until I remembered, I have a choice: …
Not trying to give you a lesson on navigating cold temperatures in Finland, rather, I think this is a perfect metaphor for possibility: where to look if possibilities feel restricted and how to expand…
Read more...Why bother seeing Finnish Through New Eyes?
October 4th, 2019 Posted by irina Language
Sometimes when I talk about how learning Finnish can be joyful, awe-inspiring, fun, people look at me as if I’m an alien with 3 heads. I stand by it because observing how my brain has adapted to Finnish, has been one of my most awe-inspiring life experiences.
But if you’re reading this and thinking: “Yeah okay but what if this reality feels far off for me?” Here’s what I want you to know…
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What fall can teach us…reflections & insights
September 20th, 2019 Posted by irina Life
This year, two themes have stood out for me as we head into the fall: 1) fall is the best season for a new perspective and 2) it’s a time to intentionally slow down. Symbolically, fall has long been celebrated as a time to reflect on: balance (between night and day), impending darkness, change and transformation (and how foliage reminds us of the beauty, alongside the death, of transitions)…
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Hi! I’m Irina.
I’m a multibelonger to Finland, Canada and Romania, without ONE language or culture to call my own – I have several. My intention is to be present where I am and find inner peace and harmony where ever life takes me. I’m embracing the gems of the ongoing cultural and linguistic transition which is my life and hope to inspire others interested in doing the same. Click here to find out more!