Learn A Language

 I believe that everyone should know at least 1 Language other than their Native Language (even if you have no plans to ever travel or leave your Home Country.)

That goes for us Americans, Canadians (or the Brits, Irish, Australians, New Zealanders, etc.) that know English as their Native Language – even with it being the International Language of half the World from 1945-1991 and the International Language of the whole world since 1992.

To be arrogant for a minute: I think non-Native English Speakers should learn and use English. Studies show how much money a person in different Countries lose in their lifetime by not knowing and using English – even if they never leave their hometown.

English is already the International Language of Diplomacy, Trade, Travel, Education, the Military, Science, etc.

It’s why the English Language was kept as an Official Language of the European Union even when the United Kingdom left and there were no other EU Member States where English was an Official EU Language (each EU Member can only chose 1 Language as their Official EU Language and Ireland chose Irish, Malta chose Maltese and Cyprus chose Greek.)

With that said I still believe those who are Native English Speakers should learn another Language.

I am fluent in English, Russian and French and have a decent understanding of German (when it is spoken to me or written – not so much when I have to speak it myself.)

Whenever I travel (or traveled) to a place where English isn’t the Language used there (or French, Russian, or Ukrainian) I learn the basic words of the Language used there: Hello, Goodbye, Thank You, Where is the Hospital, Where is the American Embassy, I am sick, etc.

When I traveled with my Mom when she became disabled and ill I also added all the medical terms I would need (like wheelchair, insulin, kidney failure, blood pressure, stroke, Diabetes, etc.) I often had to have several lists in different languages for the different Countries we traveled to on the same trip:

Example: German for Germany, Croatian for Croatia, Bosnian for Bosnia and Montenegrin for Montenegro.

I had Arabic phrases memorized for when we were in Kuwait, Icelandic phrases for when we were in Iceland, Spanish phrases for when we were in Costa Rica, Ukrainian phrases for when we were in Ukraine.

Even in places where you would expect to be able to use English you can’t always count on it. I had many times (both when I lived in Germany and when I visited as a Tourist) where I couldn’t find an English Speaker.

In Russia (where I lived 2 times and visited 3 other times) Foreigners had to pay separate prices than the Russians. Tier 1 Price was for Russian Citizens, Tier 2 was for those from the Former Soviet Republics and Tier 3 was for everyone else like Americans and you had to not only pay more for the same experience but you also had to use special Kassas (Cashiers) where the Employees only spoke Russian and nothing else.

An example: Going to Museums, buying Train/Bus Tickets, taking Tours – even those only in Russian-  a Russian would pay $0.24 American Cents (in Rubles of course), a Former Soviet Citizen would pay $0.80 American Cents and Americans and other Foreigners would pay $50 US Dollars – all for the same experience.

Even in Restaurants, Cafes, etc. where they have Menus in different Languages (like English) you couldn’t order in English or even point to the item in the Menu because it wasn’t translated exactly from Russian (example: The first dish in the Russian Menu would be Olivier Salad and the first dish in the English Menu would be Borscht.) 

Long story short English is here to stay so Non-Native English Speakers should learn English to help better their lives and Native English Speakers should learn at least 1 other Language to not only not be arrogant, but because not everyone everywhere speaks English.

It is very hard to find English Speakers in Mexico, Central America (except for Belize), South America, most of Asia, most of Africa (especially the places the British didn’t Colonize), Southern Europe and Eastern Europe.