English is the only language that matters
French
Welcome, aspiring polyglot! Let’s talk honestly for a moment. As much as I hate to admit it, the people who say “English is the only language you need to know” are correct. At the end of the day, so long as you exclusively visit places that are popular tourist destinations, you can get away with going to just about any country and only speak English. That is, of course, one of the worst ways you can possibly travel. But, as with most things, whether you believe you can or cannot survive in the world as a monolingual, you are right.
French
French is not the first language I learned. It is arguably not even the most important foreign language that I learned. However, because I actually took the time to learn it and learn it well, I have had opportunities that would have never been possible. For one, when I was living in Belgium my host mom agreed to let me go with a group to Paris. This only happened because she trusted that I would be able to take care of myself, thanks to the fact that I learned to speak French.
It was the middle of December, the Parisian lights shone brightly and the Eiffel Tour was glimmering in the crisp night air. While it may have been beneficial to read the itinerary, I did not. So, I followed behind the group taking in all the city had to offer. Before I knew it we were ascending some stairs that led to this massive cathedral. Somehow we were going to be permitted to spend the night in Sacré Coeur. From the window you could see all of Paris.
A few days before having left for Paris, I was out in town with some friends to celebrate the end of exams. Test taking in Europe is extremely rigorous and most Americans cannot imagine what it is like. Due to this, and the fact that the drinking age is 16 in most of these countries, once the exams are done the party starts. Usually it won’t end until a week after school is back in session either.
Since I didn’t really have to take the exams, though I did and I did well, my friends had told me to grab them a table and the first round. All in all we had a great time, but then something incredible happened. My friend, who was at my wedding last year, told me that his dad was going to come pick us up at 2am. Now, being from the US the idea that a parent would come around at 2am to pick up their child is absolutely bonkers bananas. My parents would never, and that’s okay.
But, his parents would and they did. He came by to scoop up the two inebriated teenagers and, on the way home, he asked me a question that would change my life. Turns out, his daughter didn’t want to go on their annual family ski trip, so they had an open spot in the car. He asked me and I think I said yes and thank you twenty times before he finished asking the question. After Paris, we went directly to La Plagne du Soleil in the French alps. That family does not speak English.
After the new year we planned another trip. This time, off to Spain for ten days over the Easter vacation. Of all the ways that French has served me, this is probably the most consequential. That is, it would have been far worse had I not been able to properly and adequately express myself in French. Turns out, you really aren’t supposed to walk on the roofs of Madrid.
When we arrived in Madrid, I spoke to a friend who was doing a semester abroad there and we agreed to meet up. He came over and we hopped onto the roof, this had to be done by jumping over a 4ft gap from the hotel window (sorry mom and dad who are finding all this out for the first time). At one point or another, the director and chaperone of the trip caught us and came storming into our room.
The unfortunate part of understanding and speaking French is that I understood what he was saying. That night we, well I, my friend left, made the choice to go to the director and apologize and tell him it wouldn’t happen again. As it turns out, the only reason I was allowed to continue my exchange was because he was shocked that someone would not only take responsibility for a wrong, but also do it in French as though it were their native language.
Sometimes people will develop a connection with you simply because you took the time to learn their language. In fact, if you want an instantaneous bump in how people will perceive you in a particular country, learn the local language. The power of meeting people on their level cannot be overstated. French has served me in so many ways, but of all the things that it has done for me, the most valuable to me have been the people and connections I have made. People I would never have been able to meet if I only spoke English.
Conclusion
All of this not even to mention the benefits I’ve seen stateside. Just because someone does speak English does not mean they will speak it with you. This is one of the greatest misconceptions most Americans have. Yes, it is possible for the majority of the people in the places you will go to speak English. No, that does not mean they have to speak to you in English nor does it mean they will want to try. Why would they when you didn’t even put in the effort to learn a basic phrase in their native language?
This was just French, we will work through the other languages too as many people have enjoyed a glimpse of what waits for them on the other side of their language acquisition. Ideally, this mini series will inspire you to continue beyond one other language and into the polyglot journey. After all, if you know that one language is enhancing your life, just imagine how that will play out with multiple languages under your belt.
As we discuss often around here, creating is vital in second language acquisition. Speaking and practicing with written language will help you in accelerating and enhancing your language learning process, so start having conversations as early on as possible. It will be difficult, but you can do difficult things and be great. So go do some difficult things and become great.
Requests
If you have anything you would like covered you can reach out to me on X, Instagram, or at odin@secondlanguagestrategies.com.
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Cool story!