Since February of this year, I’ve been working on learning Spanish. There are many resources for language learning and I chose to use a great app called Duolingo (that link takes you to the web version but there are also links to app versions on the home page). There are numerous benefits to knowing multiple languages and I’ve learned a lot since I began this journey.
Spanish is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world; if I travel to a place where it is the primary language, being fluent or at least conversational in it would prevent me from needing a translator and allow me to have a much better time. However, I don’t even have to travel outside the US to find lots of people who speak Spanish. There are many native and nonnative Spanish speakers alike in Florida. Some of the customers at my job speak little to no English but are fluent in Spanish, so I could serve them better if I could speak to them in a language we both know. Also, the fact that it’s one of the most commonly spoken languages makes it incredibly useful for business purposes.
Outside of communication, knowing several languages also benefits your brain. It helps protect you against dementia, keeps you mentally flexible, and gives you more understanding of people who come from different cultures. Learning something new, whether it’s information or a skill, helps keep your brain sharp, and learning another language is great mental exercise.
Practicing with Duolingo every day has gradually made it easier to read, speak, and think in Spanish. I’m not fluent or even conversational in the language yet, but I’m getting there. While I remembered some Spanish from school, I had also forgotten a lot. Either way, my skills have significantly improved through consistently using the app and I now know more Spanish than ever before, which is exciting and encouraging. Since people who are immersed in a language seem to learn it quickly, I’d like to start having conversations in Spanish where I can. Fortunately I know several people who are fluent in the language and have offered to help me, so I hope to take them up on that soon. I don’t remember what prompted me to start learning another language, but I’m glad I did and I look forward to seeing where this takes me in life.