Hello World! I am Devarishi Kumar from India.

[indiansoil]

Hi!

I am Devarishi Kumar Mahadeva. I know my name is very long and to be true I myself forget it sometimes. So, I have got a nick name too. Thanks to my parents! It is Gopal.

I am new here and would like to help and be helped by others. I am very curious to learn foreign languages.

If anybody needs any help in learning English or Hindi, just remember me!

Happy learning!
_________________
Nothins is impossible to a willing mind!

[Torsten]

Hi Gopal (I hope I can call you like this?),

Thanks a lot for joining our forum. Where and how did you learn English is what do you do to earn a living?

Talk to you soon,
Torsten
_________________
Test Of English for International Communication
TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary

[indiansoil]

Hi Torsten,

It's great to see you here. It's my pleasure to have joined this forum. I learnt English by applying self-help method that is I didn't attend any class or get someone to teach me. The knowledge of English has helped me greatly and, in fact, whatever today I am is mainly due to my knowledge of the English language which has transformed my life.

I have been living in New Delhi for over a year and am currently working in the IT field.

Thank you once again!

With best wishes,

Gopal.

[Ralf]

Hi Devarishi Kumar Mahadeva,

Does your nickname "Gopal" have a meaning?

Greetings,

Ralf
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Test of English as a Foreign Language
TOEFL Preparation & TOEFL Vocabulary
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[Torsten]

Hi Gopal,

So you learned English on your own -- that's amazing. Could you please tell more about how exactly you achieved such an excellent of command of the language? What kind of resources did you have and when did you start to learn English? Also, how often do you use English now and what is your job? Are you a programmer or a network administrator?

Talk to you soon,
Torsten
_________________
Test Of English for International Communication
TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary

[say_notono]

Hi Gopal,

I'm from Vietnam. Call me Rose (just becacuse I like rose). Like Ralf, i'm quite curious about your nickname. Why did you choose this? My mother and I like Indian films. We like the ways they sing in the films. Very romantic. I also like to know more about India.

Wish to be your friend,
Rose

[Rosalisa]

Hi Gopal,

Are you reddy-Gopal, my friend? Have you been back from Africa?
_________________
If you want to change the world, be one of the change.

[indiansoil]

Hi Ralf,

How are you faring? Well, yes, my nickname has a meaning. The term "Gopal" in Hindi means "cowboy". And it is also an epithet of Lord Krishana who is said to be the operator of the universe according to the Hindu belief.

Thanks for your post!

Have a good day!

Gopal.

[indiansoil]

Hi Torsten,

I am happy to meet so nice and friendly people here on this forum.

Yes, you are right. I learnt English on my own. It is just like a journey which began late in the year of 1999 when I didn't know more than a few English words. That time I had no interest in my study and I was just wasting my time. I could never think of getting passed in my secondary examination that I was appearing in that year. Well, I wanted to be familiar with Computer and so I had to learn English. So, I made a restless effort to teach myself English and I could get no help from anybody so it took me some time but it was worth it because that way I learnt lots of things about the English grammar and its usage.

I bought an Oxford Dictionary to learn English words. I would not only look up a particular word but also construct a sentence using that word. That was how I used to do my practice of English.

That year I got amazing scores in my English paper and I was ready to enter the next level in the year 2000. Once again I was in school after a long time because I had been studying by way of distance education. I used to spend lots of time in the school library and would bring English grammar books to my home and study them. That year I was making a good progress in my study and I had gained so much interest in learning English that I would spend hours at night reading English books only.

The medium of teaching was Hindi at my school and only boys studied there. I could speak English only with my teachers. Sometimes I would speak in English with my father because he is a doctor.

The following year brought some changes in me. Now I had a vision – a dream! In the year of 2001 I completed my Senior Secondary (12th) Examinations and I was very happy.

I still miss those two years I spent as a student. I opted for English Literature in my graduation and thereby got my thoughts and knowledge broadened. I studied English Literature on my own as I was a non-collegiate student because I had no interest in doing B.A. (Bachelor of Arts). I wanted to go for some IT degree course but I was helpless. I completed my graduation in 2005 and last year i.e. in November, 2006 I came over here in New Delhi to shape my career as I had always wished it to be like. I have been struggling a lot here.

Here in New Delhi I came to know so many flaws in my English. My voice and accent was not so good. I couldn’t even make a distinguished sound of “sh” from that of “s”. I never knew it before! Well, these days I am working on it and I have improved it. Now I can pronounce words like “shy” as it is pronounced and not as “sigh”, and “shine” as “shine” and not as “sign”. I was wondering that I had completed my graduation in English Literature and could not even pronounce the term “graduation” correctly! Hahah!!!

Now I am working with one of the best IT companies of the world. I am in the DC Ops or Data Center Operations department and, yes, I am in the networking field now. However I have much more interest in programming.

Well, I think of the English language as a vision, a way to live your life differently and successfully, and as a "first love" which will last forever.

Right now I am at my work-desk so I stop here but the “journey” will be going on…!

Greetings,
Gopal.

[indiansoil]

Hi Rose,

Ban tan gi? Did I say it corrctly? I am glad to have come across you here. You and your mother like Bollywood or Indian films. Do you know Hindi or do you watch the dubbed versions of Hindi films in your language, i.e. Vietnamese?

I will surely tell you about India- her cultures, traditions, and festivals, etc. which attract people from all around the world.

Rose, your wish is granted! You are my friend now!

I am going back now because I have just taken a short break. And sorry for not replying you yesterday because I was busy that time.

Wish you all the best!

Yours friend,
Gopal.

[say_notono]

[indiansoil]

Chao Rose,

How are you today? Friend, it's so nice to have heard from you. Bollywood is a term used for the Indian film industry.

It's great that you are with your family. I am living far away from my family. I am from the Rajasthan state in India but for over a year I have been living in New Delhi, the capital of India. I live alone and am really so lonely.

Rose, I am at my work-desk right now so I can't write more today. I will write you again soon.

Have a nice day!

Yous friend,
Gopal.
_________________
Nothins is impossible to a willing mind!

[indiansoil]

Hi Rosalisa,

No, I am not any Reddy-Gopal nor have I ever been to Africa, however I wish to go there.

I'd like to know more about you.

Good luck!

[say_notono]

Hi Gopal,

I have finished my day quite tiredly. I've had many things to do. However, it's very nice for me to talk with you now. Thanks for your greeting. Your Vietnamese really surprised me. How do you know Vietnamese? Don't say you've learned it on your own or i'll have to say again that i do admire you.
Ah Gopal, do you leave your home for work? How often do you visit your family? Do you have any brother or sister? You know, Gopal, i'm afraid of living alone because i'm afraid of not only loneliness but also ghost (hihi). You must be laughing? What do you often do in the evening when you finish your work? Do you have many friends or a lover? I rarely go out in the evening. The reason will be explained next time.

See you soon, Gopal.

Your friend,
Rose

[indiansoil]

Hi Rose,

Good evening, friend! Yes, I am laughing a little in my heart. Yes, I left my home and everything there and came over here in search of a new sky... and now after a year's struggle here I have somehow got a very great opportunity to make my career bright. Now, let me see how things go with me.

Friend, I have got three younger sisters and an elder brother who is married and has got a nice son. I love my little nephew so much. When you told me about your nephews it just reminded me of my nephew whom I talked today in the morning. He was saying: "Gopal uncle, you come over here. I miss you so much." And he was kissing me. O! I really miss him so much and amazingly it happens that whenever I am thinking of him he just comes in my dreams.

Rose, I am alone here and have nobody to go out with or just to sit with to share a thing. Well, I do have some friends now but they are just co-workers.

On my holidays I generally sleep all the time to gain some strength and energy because usually I don't get to sleep properly. Sometimes I go to a cyber cafe or go out to make some purchasing. I also have to wash my clothes and arrange all my stuffs that are usually scattered everywhere in my small room.

Well, I don't want any lover here in India. I am happy by my own self. Rose, now I am going back to resume my work. I just took some chips and a cup of coffee. Do you like coffee or tea? I like coffee. But I have not taken tasty coffee for a long time, nor do I know how to make good coffee.

I think you are sleeping or going to sleep by now because it should be 11:15 PM there now as the time difference is of 2:30 hours. So, good night!

Talk to you on Monday!

Yours friend,
Gopal.