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One of my bucket list goals is to learn a new language which is hard because I can’t stick to just one. I’ve tried to learn Spanish, Arabic and Korean. I tried and failed because perhaps my reasons for learning these languages are superficial. I thought Spanish would be easy because I’m already familiar with some of its words. Then there’s Arabic—I figured after living in the Middle East for over ten years, I’d be able to surprise my colleagues by jumping into their gossip sessions about me. And finally, I tried Korean, dreaming of watching K-dramas without subtitles. Spoiler alert: I’m still reading the English captions!
Instead of these reasons, I should instead learn a new language because it:
1. Improves memory function: Learning a new language can help improve our memory. This is particularly helpful when we’re getting old since we must constantly exercise our brains to avoid cognitive decline.
2. Sparks creativity: We can be more creative when learning a new language since we invent new and better ways to memorize new words we’re trying to learn.
3. Enhances communication skills: When we learn a new language, our speaking, listening, reading and writing skills also improve. Plus, it helps us connect to more people who speak the same language!
4. Helps us learn about a new culture: Learning a new language opens the door to discovering the culture, history, and cuisine of the country whose language we are trying to learn, giving us a deeper understanding and appreciation of their way of life.
5. Opens new career opportunities: Imagine, if I’m already fluent in Korean, I could translate those amazing movies and dramas into English. Getting paid to watch movies and TV shows? Heck yeah!