Member-only story
How I learn languages when I move to a new country
The right place, mentally and physically.
I have always had an affinity for words, despite not speaking much in my first years leading to a few trips to some sort of speech or learning therapist (maybe I should ask my parents what this was actually for, thinking abotu it!). Fortunately I had my sister to translate the noises that did come out of my mouth.
Before long I was watching her and helping her learn French and German for school, so when I finally started learning languages at 11, I already had a head start. This also coincided with my forced, but in the end enjoyable, daily viewing of Countdown. After a few years I was competing with the best, and it was bittersweet for my mum who was defeated by me quite often (I’m being modest, it was always).
At 13 I had the option of adding Spanish to the other two, which I did with glee. I carried on all three until GCSE, dropped one at AS Level, and carried Spanish onto degree level where I also did a year of Portuguese.
Then I dabbled in some Japanese, Russian and Chinese, whilst also spending time in India, Cambodia and now Croatia, where I am able to easily converse for both personal and professional reasons.
