Why I learn languages

 1. It builds confidence.

As someone with Asperger’s, I’m used to not doing many things as good as others. In fact, part of the reasons I decided I had to start recording videos and more recently, start this blog, is because a new manager recently suggested that I was not useful. No one wants to feel useless. I decided that the best way to fight back, figuratively speaking, was to prove to others that I could be good at something by demonstrating it, among other channels, through video.

2. It helps me gain a deeper spiritual connection.

During a pair of visits to Kingdom Halks in Denmark in December 2012 (I am one of Jehovah’s Witnesses) I acquired a handful of publications to read so I could improve my Danish. I re-read books that I had previously read in English. However, as I read them I experienced something even better than merely improving my Danish. It was as I was reading the books for the first time. Instead of the usual speed reading I would do when reading anything in English, I took the time to absorb each word and the emotions behind them. Reading in Danish allowed me to see what the bible based publications had to say from a whole new perspective. I started to feel like a new person spiritually. I became deeply absorbed in my personal bible study.

3. It leads to unique experiences.

Nothing encourages a person to open themselves up to you more than speaking their language. When speaking to others about my faith, the fact that one makes an effort to learn their native language makes them much more interested in what I have to say.

Also, from a secular perspective, it was much more fun to order food and do other things in Danish during my stay in Denmark. Besides, I didn’t travel thousands of miles to speak English.

4. It keeps me open minded.

Language and culture are closely related. So when you learn another language, you learn to see things from another culture’s perspective.

5. It helps me conquer fear.

If one wants to feel comfortable speaking another language, one must learn not to be afraid to make mistakes. This in itself takes a lot of practice. Part of what helped me feel so comfortable in Danish, is having friends who weren’t afraid to correct me during our Facebook chats – after they were done laughing first 😉 . And during a Skype chat to practice Russian, I had a friend who made me say a word about ten times until I finally got the pronunciation right.

In attempting to speak various languages, I made so many mistakes that I almost became immune to embarrassment. I learn to not take embarrassing moments too seriously. This carried itself to virtually all aspects of my life. Also, getting over the fear of making mistakes when speaking another language has taught me that I can conquer any type of fear. From defending my faith to going grocery shopping alone in Sweden when I just arrived in the country couple of hours earlier, I began to feel like I could accomplish anything I wanted if I just was brave enough.