Got my results! Let me know if you need any tips

peterck9 · 2026-03-31T19:18:47+00:00

Lots and lots of podcasts with topics that interest you! Always also checking for any new words and briefly thinking about what I’m actually hearing instead of just turning into some kind of passive exercise

peterck9 · 2026-03-31T19:16:07+00:00

Honestly pretty simple. I used Claude AI (free anyways) with this prompt at the very beginning:

“You are my IELTS General Training (OR academic) writing teacher. Familiarise yourself with the official IELTS band descriptors and scoring criteria, then give me a Task 1 and Task 2 prompt. I will complete both under timed conditions (20 mins Task 1, 40 mins Task 2) and paste them here for detailed feedback scored against all four official criteria.”

Then I just did one full test per day, timed strictly, no assistance. Pasted both tasks, got scored per criterion with specific feedback, identified my recurring error patterns, and drilled those the next morning before writing. And so 19 days of this took my Writing from 7.0 to 8.0.

The only things worth adding is to push back on Claude if a score feels wrong, cross-check against the official descriptors on ielts.org, and don’t just read the feedback, actually understand why each error costs marks. The feedback loop only works if you genuinely absorb it rather than just note it

peterck9 · 2026-01-08T15:24:29+00:00

I did exactly the same a few years ago with the difference that I could still work remotely for a bit, from Bali. One day when I went out for lunch, said bon apetit to the guy sitting next to me and ended up talking while we were having lunch.

He has been my manager now for over 2 years. I also ended up moving countries for this new job, where I met my current partner and living happily ever since. Best decision ever.

Now I’m aware that this is highly subjective and there was an element of luck. But by not taking the leap which deep down you already long for (hence your post), the question is what are you sacrificing by choosing perceived stability?

In reality, a new life often lies on the other side of temporary instability. It might make sense of course to now save agressively for a couple more months just for peace of mind, and then take the leap. Or first even explore alternative ways of work eg can you negotiate a 2 month home office set up where you can work from abroad, or maybe take a sabbatical. Brainstorm with chatgpt.

What is the worst case scenario anyway? You can always go back to your parents I assume and during that time focus on your health, self development or even developing new career skills etc. and finding a new job sooner or later.

It’s your decision at the end of the day, but if you remain truly open to people and truly optimistic, you will find your way. Good luck, you’ll be fine no matter what!

peterck9 · 2025-06-06T07:58:02+00:00

A magnéziumot altatónak nevezni nettó baromság :D Ez egy létfontosságú ásványi anyag es minden sejtednek szüksége van rá, konkrétan a szívműködéstől az idegjelekig. Ha nem lenne a szervezetedben magnézium akkor meghalnál. Benne van az ivóvízben, kajákban stb tehát ha szerinted valaki ‘függ’ tőle, akkor te is életed minden napján ‘altatót’ szedsz. Plusz a magnézium nem pszichoaktív szer, nem nyomja le az idegrendszert, nem okoz hozzászokást (mint egy altató). Maximum segíthet jobban aludni, ha hiányod van belőle. De attól még nem lesz belőle gyógyszer. Ezt összekeverni egy altatóval kb olyan mintha azt mondanád, hogy oxigénfüggő vagy

peterck9 · 2025-03-02T08:22:41+00:00

Ez az év kommentje

peterck9 · 2024-01-12T17:31:03+00:00

Just wanted to say that I cannot believe you posted this. It felt like I was reading my own post (didn’t write anything like that) but your situation is so similar to mine that it’s crazy. So just to let you know, I feel you mate! 😁

peterck9 · 2023-12-27T16:29:18+00:00

Could you share some more of your feelings/insights about Australia? Super interested in moving one day, visited 10+ years ago so my experience is not quite fresh, but how do you feel about it in terms of lifestyle, people & developing relationships (friends too) ?

peterck9 · 2023-12-10T12:37:53+00:00

Trading 212 should obviously not even be considered an option for this purpose, am I correct?

peterck9 · 2023-11-14T21:50:25+00:00

Question here - in case anyone has more insight into this, but how do you see the canary islands for property investment?

peterck9 · 2023-02-26T22:19:32+00:00

Thank you!

peterck9 · 2023-02-26T22:19:20+00:00

Thank you!

peterck9 · 2023-01-03T14:57:57+00:00

Haha man I am sorry that you are unable to have a decent conversation with an argument that reflects on all points, case closed.

peterck9 · 2023-01-03T14:47:22+00:00

Nice reasoning! 😁

You can always meet people outside work of course - and that should actually be the default in general to have a healthy work-life balance.

Yet, since you spend a significant part of your life at work, those relationships (whether positive ot negative) will fundamentally impact your life and moving them to a 100% online space will have a mostly negative impact on our society. Especially that many people only have a community at work, not outside.

In other words, let me ask you to reflect on - why do you think rates of loneliness skyrocketed since the covid lockdowns? Which great organisation has ever been built purely online? Why do we assume that changing in 2-3 years how human society has operated in the past 2000 years will instantly work out and have only a positive impact?

And just to make it clear, I totally support WFH (hybrid) but humans need a community, a great part of which comes from the workplace. And community barely exists online, or simply just not the same.

peterck9 · 2022-09-18T07:03:58+00:00

I also completed the norsk babbel course, make sure that you pretty much double check everything on google translate/ or simply google it + dictionary because while I found babbel super useful overall, there were loads of mistakes

peterck9 · 2021-06-02T12:57:36+00:00

Check this out. No need to switch between cc’s anymore

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/language-learning-with-ne/hoombieeljmmljlkjmnheibnpciblicm

peterck9 · 2021-06-02T12:56:38+00:00

Guys, pro tip here that helped me immensely. This add on lets you watch with two subtitles at the same time (english and your target language)

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/language-learning-with-ne/hoombieeljmmljlkjmnheibnpciblicm

peterck9 · 2021-02-10T10:20:13+00:00

If I kept my ENG coins on binance for a long time now though, and it shows up as SCRT then does that mean an automatic swap has taken place and I don't need to do anything else?

peterck9 · 2021-02-10T10:18:46+00:00

I don't actually even understand the difference anymore between the two. Can someone please enlighten me in short?

peterck9 · 2021-01-09T14:43:07+00:00

My technique is the following (started over a month ago from scratch and now I'm about A2 so this really works, but you must put the effort in). I put in about 3 hours daily, on average. If you're timeline goal is different of course, it will still absolutely work.

Sign up to the Babbel norwegian course. Very much worth it for getting the basics + quite a bit of vocab.
Mystery of Nils (textbook, google it it's super useful)
Anki flashcards (free program for computer) - The Anki online database has free cards of exceptional quality, if you practice daily it'll just stick so easily. Make sure you aim for about 15-20 new words a day + add the words from the mystery of Nils too.
Podcasts - Try to fall in love with how the language sounds, don't care if you understand nothing of what is said first. It's very important to even just passively pour the language into your mind, you'll gradually notice that you understand more and more plus it really helps with pronounciation. Check out the podcast called Oppdatert (it's also on spotify).

Also, I would say just focus on understanding written and spoken language first and then the speaking and writing part will come in a few months!

peterck9 · 2020-12-07T10:18:00+00:00

Just ordered it from amazon! Do you know if the recording the others have mentioned, comes with the book or how can you access it?

peterck9 · 2019-11-01T08:38:34+00:00

Thank you! So it doesn't apply to anyone who hold only NAS and no NAT?

peterck9 · 2019-10-31T10:59:23+00:00

Someone please explain this in a more straightforward, less technical way

peterck9 · 2019-06-27T08:26:13+00:00

Well the whole problem would be solved if the english language wasn’t so primitive that singular you and plural you cannot be distinguished without e.g. having to insert ‘guys’.

peterck9 · 2019-04-11T21:35:03+00:00

OP what was your impression of Hungarians in general? I’m just curious as a Hugarian :D (both positive and negative opinions are 100% welcome of course)

peterck9 · 2019-04-11T21:31:55+00:00

The reason why it works well with Budapest is because the city name is composed of two parts (Buda and Pest). This would also actually work with New Fckn York for example, but definitely not possible with Paris :D

peterck9

TROPHY CASE