Melons!

[ITCC_Andrew]

You've found the "Introduce Yourself" forum - a place to meet and greet other members of the community, from newcomers to GTPlanet's oldest veterans. Our site has been around for 10 years, and in that time we've amassed hundreds of thousands of users and millions of messages. Understandably, it might be a little daunting at first, so take this opportunity to get your feet wet and make your first topic. Even if you've been around here for a while, it doesn't matter - just introduce yourself!

Considering Jordan says this, I'll actually introduce myself.



Back in 2011, I was contacted to join a Rolex Sports Car Series, as a friend of mine was going to be absent for the race, and wanted someone to fill in for him.


I took the spot.


After a short while, my friend was forced to leave the series. I, eventually, took the spot, and, well, my post count definitely explains the rest of the history. I guess, I never got around to making an introductory thread, because I thought "but, I'm not new here" and only am making this, because Jordan says that it's okay.


I'm proud to already be racing in a bunch of series, on GT5.


I'm actually from Canada, though I will be quite "mobile," as I speak four languages: German, French, Spanish and English, and feel fully comfortable being "forced" to speak foreign languages. So, as I'm likely going to spend more of my life in Germany, and have had some interesting PMs sent to me, I'd prefer not to give out much actual personal information.


I first played Gran Turismo, the original, on the PS1, very shortly after release. My father and I were testing out "the new gaming system," as he couldn't believe the technological advancements of the day. Needless to say, he's still astonished by these things.


I only can afford, currently, a DS3 controller, as I'm also saving for tuition, and run in SCCA Solo2 H-stock autocross.



I really only play GT5, now, because I'm quickly finding that I can't really enjoy other games, as much as GT5, and, as a result, I focus on doing everything in GT5, from drifting, to rally, and touring car racing.


As I've been doing, I'm planning on continuing to be a leader in this community, continually creating new racing series, in an attempt to keep the GTPlanet community interested in the excitement of close racing.


As I was invited to Canada's National Karting team (under ASN FIA regulations etc.) (PM or post for further details, PMs preferred,) I feel that I have a career in motorsports. I am attending college, soon (within the next two years) and hope to become a mechanic, and save money, enough to open a speed-shop/tuning garage, in real life, in which I can build cars during the week, and then race on the weekends. These plans are close to fruition, already, as I have many automotive connections. So, this, (my presence on GTPlanet) is just some practice with clean passing, controlling my Irish/German temper, and tuning.


And, I speak, again, four languages: German, English, Spanish and French, so I can help, if anyone who doesn't speak fluent English needs help with a part of the site.

 

[Phoenix]

It's never to late to introduce yourself.

And its impressive to speak four different languages fluently. 👍

 

[MSTER232]

You can speak 4 different languages? You have to tell me how you learn them so quickly...

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

You can speak 4 different languages? You have to tell me how you learn them so quickly...

Hmmm, I believe in immersion, really. The best way to learn a language, is just to sit down with an attractive, funny, or heart-warming person, and just chat. Being interested in the languages always helps me.


And, I agree McSoap, never to late to introduce yourself; well, unless the person you're trying to introduce yourself to, just sorta happens to move away.


In seriousness, I don't know how I learn languages as I do, but, I guess, what I lack in some talents, I make up for with knowledge of cars, and linguistic abilities.


I took about four months of beginner's German, sent a bunch of Facebook messages to a pen-pal, listened to German music, and, at a party, I heard about a German school. I went to that school, and, on the first day, because the teacher and I had fluent conversations in German, (I really surprised myself,) the teacher immediately told the principal "this one's very smart. He should go to the full-German stream." So, during the last school year, I was attending a full-German, fluent German course, discussing history, in more depth and with more discussion than I had in my English language courses. No wonder, then, that I consider myself more fluent in German, from time to time, than in English.



As for French; it's an official language in Canada. Therefore, it's shoved down our throats by the government. Personally, I don't mind French, and still prefer French over my native English ( .) However, because it's an official language, it's taught in all schools, from Kindergarten until Grade 9. I was one of the only students, who actually paid attention in French class, and, in my "optional" grade "13," I did get a crush on the French exchange student, visiting from Toulouse, France. It's sorta hard, not to practice French, when you're hanging out with a nice girl, with a cute French accent, who's only learning English (though she could speak it, we both found it so much easier, and funnier to speak French.)


And, Spanish: I took Spanish courses from Grade 10-12, and then continued to speak Spanish, everyday, sometimes five/six hours a day. Some of the students in my class were immigrants, from Mexico, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Columbia and Venezuela. We all played football (with the round black/white ball) together, during the lunch breaks. Then, after school, I'd go to an El Salvadoreño restaurant, where the couple who owned it, would treat me like a member of their family. So, between classes, football/soccer friends, and the "family-like" El Salvadorians, I would spend easily, at least 6/7 hours a day speaking Spanish.



While I still believe that I have a lot to learn, in all four languages (well, just enough to know every grammatical point in every one of them,) comments like my German teacher's ,,Sprachgenie," and the official German documents (from the German government) being sent to me, really make me feel great. Considering that I passed my B1 test, with ,,Sprachgenie" comments, it is legally okay to say that I'm fluent in German.

 

[Akmuq]

Is there any chance you have videos of you racing?

And I've been learning French for 4 years and I think I'm getting worse at it.

Oh, and I made my Introduction thread after 2,700 posts and 10 months after I joined.

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

Is there any chance you have videos of you racing?

And I've been learning French for 4 years and I think I'm getting worse at it.

Which type of racing? Karts? (Karting: plenty of vids) Autocross? (Autocross: no vids yet.)



Well, il n'y a pas des problemes, qui sont trop mauvaises, qu'on ne peut pas «détruire» en pratiquant nos compétences.

Well, there aren't problems, that are too bad, that we can't "destroy" by practicing our [French] skills.