When I was a boy, I disliked the feeling of "being a stranger" if my family went on holiday to another country.
At the age of seven, we went to visit a family friend in France. I had been practicing my French and was excited to use it. I spoke the first French words in a bakery in Paris. Despite a carefully prepared request, I was not ready for the rapid fire response. I had no idea what the sales girl said! I was so upset and knew if I wanted to get better, I would have to put in more efforts.
I started studying Chinese after my trip to China and I studied at Beijing Normal
University in the late 1990s. I knew the language would help me to understand China better.
Like Chinese, my motivation to study Russian came from my interest in the country's history, culture and music. Although I studied languages before joining the foreign office, I hoped that one day I would work internationally.
As a native English speaker, I didn't expect people to understand me while traveling the world. I wanted to make efforts to understand others through their languages.
Leaning a language also improves how you express yourself. When you have limited vocabulary, you have to creatively communicate your messages and meanings. This can also benefit communication skills in your first language. You'll become more aware of the words you use and how you want people to respond.
Being able to speak other languages gives you another dimension. Not necessarily in terms of personality, but in your ability to have richer experiences with a broader mind.
