Article Published in The Gulf Today UAE on 28 Nov 15(My Article 431)
I looked for someone around and found the staff there, but alas I tried hard to explain to him my request. I ended up going to the manager and expressed my request for a delicious cup of tea.
In that moment I realised if I needed to thrive in that city, I needed to learn the local language. I began on a journey to understand, learn and speak the language. I saw movies based purely in the language, talking with as many people to pratise it.
I believe that as you learn a local language, you learn more about the city and also its culture. I still think of my encounter with the hotel staff wherein I tried to explain in English and he kept replying in the local language.
K. Ragavan
New language
Learning a new language is an important part of settling into a new city. A few years back I moved from my city to another, and I was not well versed in the local language. While staying at a lodge, I realised its importance. On the day I arrived at the lodge after resting for some time I needed a dose of tea to refresh myself.I looked for someone around and found the staff there, but alas I tried hard to explain to him my request. I ended up going to the manager and expressed my request for a delicious cup of tea.
In that moment I realised if I needed to thrive in that city, I needed to learn the local language. I began on a journey to understand, learn and speak the language. I saw movies based purely in the language, talking with as many people to pratise it.
I believe that as you learn a local language, you learn more about the city and also its culture. I still think of my encounter with the hotel staff wherein I tried to explain in English and he kept replying in the local language.
K. Ragavan
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