Many of us underestimate the power of language, we use it every day, whether it is writing a text message, reading the news, or speaking to a friend. Language is not always heard, spoken or read, it can be touched (braille), seen (sign language) and interpreted (body language).

When we meet someone who does not speak our language, it creates an instant barrier, we are not able to communicate our points accurately, we cannot discuss life experiences or really get to know the other person.

So what is it like to speak more than 1 language?

Inspired by a quote from Khaled Hosseini, the way I have always pictured it is that culture is like a house, and within that house, each culture has its own room, to enter the room and properly communicate with the someone, one must have the key . . . language. The more languages we learn, the more opportunities we have to immerse ourselves in the culture. Although we can experience the culture without knowing the language, it is more like looking through a window, you’re not fully there.

By speaking a second language, not only are you able to communicate with someone from another part of the world, you are also able to fully experience the culture through their eyes.