Friday Fun Fact

So, I've been trying to learn Spanish...We have a large Spanish-speaking-only population where I work, and it's been hard for me to communicate with these patients. Now, I would never try to actually interpret anything seriously medical for them, but it would be nice to just know how long their kiddos fever has been going on, or if they're allergic to any medicines, you know?


Anyways, I did the Rosetta Stone Program for Latin American Spanish for about 3 months, and I felt I was actually getting pretty good! At least good enough for some of our patients families to think I actually speak Spanish.


I took a Beginning Spanish class last week through the hospitals continuing education department, and I learned quite a few things about Mexican culture as well! The class was only 8 hours, which seriously, how much language can you actually learn in 8 hours? But it gave me a lot of insight into how people feel when you try to bridge the language gap.


I remember when my girlfriends and I took a trip to London and Paris a couple of years ago. (I was a ding-dong and took French classes in high school instead of Spanish) but I was way out of high school at that point so, needless to say, my French was super-rusty. After hearing how the French were always rude and snooty to Americans, we were all pretty nervous!


I taught my girlfriends a teeny-tiny simple phrase: Parlez-vous anglais? (Par-lay vooz on-glaze) (Do you speak English?)


You would not believe the responses we got! No snootiness, no attitude, no problems! When you approach somebody at least trying to speak the native language, you immediately tell that individual what kind of person you are. That you're willing to leave your own comfort zone in order to communicate with them.


This (finally!) brings me around to this week's fun fact. I know that everyone has heard that it is so much easier for children to pick up a new language. That adult language learners have a much harder time because their brains aren't wired the same way as a child's. Guess what? FALSE!


While adults and children do learn differently, an adults ability to learn a completely new language is no different from a child's. The only difference is that a child doesn't have all the hang-ups an adult does! (I don't want to sound stupid...That wasn't right...Arrgh! I said that wrong-I look like an idiot!) This really spoke to me and gave me a lot of encouragement. (I certainly am not the type who cares about looking uncool!)


So if anyone out there reading this wants to learn a new language~give it a try...I am.

Happy Friday Everyone!