Mark Twain once said: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in you sail. Explore. Dream. Discover. “
If you want to explore the vast and colorful world we live in, then you probably agree with the fact that language is an extremely powerful catalyst in human communication, influencing the daily lives of members of any race, faith and region of the world. Without language, we would be incapable of expressing our feelings, needs and questions to the world we live in. Communication through written and spoken language are part of what enable us to connect and form lasting relations with one another; thus differentiating men and women from the rest of the other creatures on earth.
Learning a new language is always beneficial for a multitude of reasons, but is especially important for people who travel abroad to particular countries, whether for business or pleasure. As such, frequent travelers and people who travel in general must be flexible and open to learning new languages and local dialects in order to communicate with the locals and fully understand and embrace a new culture.
Without being able to verbally communicate in a new country due to your lack of language skills, it becomes very difficult to adapt and interact effectively with new people if there is no way to communicate with one another. Moreover, there is a certain element of excitement to learning a new language, as we develop a new-found sense of fulfillment and achievement.
Go ahead, make that move and don’t be afraid to learn a new language or local dialect, and as Mark Twain put it: “Sail away from the safe harbor”. Not only will you become a more sociable and skilled person as you live your dreams, but you’ll also make friends and create a store of lifetime memories in the process!