[Speaking a Foreign Language Isn't Scary: Use It as a Tool] ——— What I Figured Out in Spain

This is one of my favorite photos from my exchange.

In it are people from Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Germany, Sweden, the US, Brazil, Mexico, Sri Lanka and Nigeria.

Coming from 10 countries, each of us had our own native language.

So how were we supposed to talk to each other?

That's right: we all used English.

▋English became our tool for understanding each other

The Brazilians don't speak Swedish, the Swedes don't speak Korean, the Koreans don't speak German, the Germans don't speak Portuguese...

To understand what everyone was trying to say, we each gave a little ground and spoke English.

We were all talking to each other in a foreign language, and nobody laughed at anybody.

You get what I mean, I get what you mean. That's enough.

▋English is the tool I use to help my foreign friends understand me.

Getting someone to understand what I mean is like getting a fire going.

When I speak broken English, I'm using a lighter. When I speak fluent English, I'm using a blowtorch.

Of course I hope to be able to use the blowtorch, but a lighter can start a fire too.

As long as you end up with a fire, that's what counts, right?

▋A tool in your hand is useless if you don't use it

Now you've got a lighter, but you're afraid it won't light, so you don't even try.

If you won't even take the step of trying, how will you ever start a fire?

Language is meant to be used and spoken. Isn't it a waste not to use it to connect and communicate with people?

Since you can already speak a bit of English, go ahead and try speaking it.

▋Don't worry about whether the fire will actually catch

We speak English to each other because we want to understand each other's thoughts, so starting this fire is a shared job.

Don't worry about what happens if the other person doesn't understand you.

If they really want to understand what you're trying to say, they'll work it out with you.

Either you both patiently work away with lighters, or one of you can use a blowtorch.

Remember, language is just a tool.

And a tool only needs to get the job done in the end.

———

I'm 寶拉 Paula

To push myself to grow, I spent a year as an exchange student in Spain last year and came home with a lot to show for it.

I'd like to help other exchange students who also want to learn and grow abroad.

I'm planning to start sharing my experiences and my study methods soon.

If, like me, you're going abroad hoping to meet lots of people and make friends,

fill out the form to get the guide I wrote based on my exchange experience: "Not Alone Abroad! The Essential Guide to Making New Friends"

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