Learning a new language is important for upcoming travel plans. Even if businesses centered around tourism employ people who speak English, learning some of the local language will help you get around in public spaces and connect with other people off the tour bus. Even basic conversational language proficiency will show your respect toward local cultural practices – and this will often result in kind responses from local people.

Languages are also the gateway into understanding a culture’s values and way of life. Words like “siesta” in Spanish demonstrate the importance of resting after lunch, “merenda” in Italian explains the afternoon snack, and one of my favorites “umkhaba” in Zulu – which literally means a businessman’s big belly and is a sign of success! These words provide a window into understanding and appreciating another way of life that may be very different from your own. By practicing another language – and words that describe cooking, eating, nature, as well as people’s looks, attitudes and communication – you are learning another culture far greater than you could by just reading a book.

Research studies have shown that learning and speaking more than one language is correlated with improved memory, creative problem solving, and the offset of age-related cognitive losses. The more that people practice another language and work to use it, the sharper your brain will stay! This is not only the case for children, but also for adults of all ages. For more information visit: https://www.actfl.org/advocacy/what-the-research-shows#cognitive

And just in case you needed one more reason – learning languages is fun! When you learn a language, you get to step out of your comfort zone and the rhythm of everyday life to try something totally new. You get to play games, act like a kid again, and experience life where many things are new and unfamiliar. Saying “the girls are running” in German becomes a great success within a few days! Plus, you get to embark on this adventure with others. We like to host a number of social language events such as community dinners so you can meet other language learners and work together to listen, speak and live another language.