What are we looking for when we learn a language?

This will be different for everyone.  There are so many reasons and advantages.  So many things that pull at our heart strings and our imagination.  Some of us are looking to be able to connect socially in our own environment.  By delving into someone else’s culture and language we feel a stronger connection to that person and find it can enrich the bonds that we forge with each other.   
Some of us are just looking for a bit of fun and adventure, something different to what is already part of our everyday lives.  Learning a language can open our minds and expand our world even if we never leave our own land.  It’s true that sometimes we are so comfortable in our own worlds that we never step out of that comfort zone.  Over time this can cause our worlds and attitudes to shrink and can sometimes make it harder for us to break out of the mould and try new things.  

Learning a language can not only challenge our brains and give us another focus other than what we normally see but it can help to open up our thought processes and cultural awareness to accept and understand something beyond ourselves. 

Travel is obviously another motivator for language.  If we are travelling to foreign lands we can rely on interpreters, on the locals knowing our language or on fumbling around with our interpretation of sign language to make ourselves understood.  But what are we really looking for when we travel?   To see something different, experience new things and to make memories to take with us into the future.   How much different will our travel experience be if we can make ourselves known to the stall owner in the market place or to the café assistant as we sit on the sidewalk under the striped awning enjoying the morning sunshine in some far away land.  Imagine the little bits of local knowledge that could lead us to that special shop, tucked away that the tourist never finds, just because we could understand the local lingo.  Is that what you’re looking for? 

How about work?  There are those of us who want or need to up skill to be able to give that exceptional customer service that makes us stand out from the crowd.   Those who are relocating and know that knowing the language of our target country will make working in that country remarkably more interesting and exciting.  Imagine the pressure of relocating to a new country for work and having to not only learn the ropes for work but also having to battle the barriers of not understanding everyone.  Sure, many work places and companies will speak English but it’s all those little nuisances or those little fun comments in the foreign tongue that help us to feel a part of the group and to assimilate into our new work environment and build great communication and relationships with our colleagues and new communities.  How much easier would it be if we were already one step ahead by speaking the language before we arrived?   Then there are those of us who become bi-lingual so we have that edge in the work place.  It can be a competitive world when it comes to applying for those coveted work positions and in this day and age we are more multi-cultural than ever before.  Having useful skills that can enhance the work environment and the reputation and customer service of any business is definitely desirable for some employers.     

These are just a few of the intriguing possibilities and benefits that we are looking for when we become bi or multi lingual but there are many more.  If you are looking for a specific outcome from being able to communicate in another language let us know what it is and how you think it will change your life or enhance your experiences.  
Helen Dorling  CFO VLLC Aust