To learn a language is to learn a culture. I am currently in the process of learning my fourth language. Growing up in Germany I learned German, in high school and college I learned French, and this past year we attended language school in Costa Rica to learn Spanish in preparation for our move to Ecuador. And English, well I have been working on that one my entire life. Four languages, four experiences, one understanding.
Each language I have learned has been in a very different context, and through very different methods. German I learned as I watched Spongebob on tv, played with new friends, tried to understand Sunday School class, and through direct instruction at my school. French I chose to learn because of an ideal. I could be considered a Francophile, but more than that I have a deep love for Europe and dreamed of living somewhere within the continent again one day. By adding French I added more European countries in which I could speak the native tongue to my list of potentials. I learned French through direct instruction. Spanish I have learned through direct instruction at a language school, out of necessity to communicate with those around me, and in preparation to thrive in the country we now inhabit.
Different experiences, different motivations, one common understanding. Each time I have learned a language, I have learned the culture that uses it as their communication vehicle. As I learned German, I developed a deep empathy for the country and people that have experienced so much brokenness, misunderstanding, and darkness. As I learned French, I developed a love and appreciation for beauty, art, and elegance; all of which are captured in the reverence they hold for their language. As I learn Spanish I am beginning to understand the deep love they hold for others, relationship trumps every schedule, appointment, achievement; if you don't love your people above everything else, than what is the point. Each language has given me a peek into the history, the experience, and the values of the people who wield it.
You see, as you learn the technicalities, conjugations, and uses of a language, you get glimpses of the the contexts, the purposes, and the origins that give them meaning. While it at times can seem tedious, impossible, and infuriating, the further you get into a language the closer you get to the heart of its people. If you cannot share a common tongue, it is difficult to share the things of the heart. This limits your relationships, your connections, and your opportunities; opportunities to understand, to learn, to grow, and to be loved.
The thing is, if you are choosing this lifestyle of adventure; one of the keys to success is language. Whether you have studied it for years or minutes, the payoff will be evident. Even if you are only able to communicate in broken words or phrases, you are making a start. A start that will achieve you an end of fulfillment, relationship, and understanding.
Did you study the language before you moved abroad? Have you studied a language just for fun? I would love to hear about your experience!