Daria Andrzejewska

Being fluent in multiple languages and having lived in different countries, to me, that’s like having lived many lives in one life. When you master a language, you learn to think differently and to see the world through the eyes of an entirely different group of people.

I’ve been focusing more on studying than posting over the last months, but I’m back to share more reflections! ☺️

I’m convinced that even if learning a language doesn’t help your career, gain new friendships, or open you to a new cultural perspective, it still makes life a lot more interesting. There’s so much to gain and you don’t have to be 100% fluent to reap the benefits.

Learning another language matters. Not just because it opens your mind to other ways of life and other people's outlooks on the world, but because it creates new connections, opens doors you didn't even know were there, and celebrates humanity. Another language is another life.

@martinrue Haha that’s gonna be a real culture shock, worse than for me for sure!

@daria_andrz When I finally get back to the UK, I'm going to have so many of these cultural things that I may just have to break into dance in front of strangers in the hope one of them lands.

You know you’ve spent a long time in a Mediterranean country when you automatically go in for the two kisses with a stranger you just met in the UK. Then you watch them get startled and feel embarrassed that you invaded their personal space like that.

@beeofjuly Then that’s completely fine, everybody learns languages for different reasons! Not one language learner is the same.

@daria_andrz I am definitely an introverted people lover but what if your love for languages is rooted in the universal systems behind them and the individual sounds of that language, not the people behind them?

If you’re a language lover then you’re likely also a people lover. Language is all about connection. It means you’re naturally fascinated by how people express themselves, how they think, feel and communicate.

@lifeandlangs @rafferreira1999 @umbreon2021 We all study languages for different reasons and I think that’s fine. 🤣

@rafferreira1999 @umbreon2021 It’s got me feeling like a fraud on language twitter sometimes 😂😂😅

Most people I know who are into languages are introverts lol.

@umbreon2021 @mellosemcor That’s why I said “likely” in my post not that all language learners are the same 🤣 ultimately language is human communication and you will learn culture of other humans through learning a language. It’s unavoidable so I assume that some interest into people has to exist.

@umbreon2021 @mellosemcor It’s my core reason so by default I guess I have surrounded myself with people who are similar to me. And then as you say there are many who are simply fascinated with the language itself so I agree there are 2 types of polyglots.

@multikulturalni I see your point but I wanted to share a general observation I had. Being a people lover doesn’t necessarily mean being a social person. For me, it’s being curious and the desire to want to make strong bonds with people from other cultures because of the value it gives you.

@daria_andrz What you wrote is like an anthropologist, not a social person/people lover.

@TimothyELDougl1 Właśnie! Sam wiesz z twojego doświadczenia :)

@daria_andrz "stworzenie więza" to prawdziwa magia posługiwania się języków...

@TimothyELDougl1 Dzięki za twoją perspektywę, szczególnie w dziedzinie nauki to napewno ma swoje plusy.

@daria_andrz Masz rację! W dziedzinie nauki warto mieć zainteresowania nie tylko do nauki, ale również do naukowców! Ciekawość to pożądana w naszym świecie naukowym, ale rzadko się omawia ważność (i radość) ciekawości innymi kulturami i językami

@umbreon2021 That’s what I meant when I said you don’t have to be extroverted to love people. I’m more introverted but I love people and connecting with them on a deeper level. I hate shallow and superficial conversations. I look for real connections.

The moral of the story is: nothing is free. Every decision you make, no matter how great it might seem like going to live abroad, comes with a price. I knew it was a price I was willing to pay. I have no regrets. The question is: are you willing to pay the price?

Eventually, you long to return to your adopted country, where you've built a life with new friends, memories, and maybe a job. You know you'll probably never be like a "local" or have a native accent, but you've learnt and seen so many incredible things in your new country.

When you live abroad for a long time, there comes a point when you can no longer relate to your home country in the same way. But the new country you live in doesn’t quite yet feel like home. It's almost like you're in between two worlds, belonging everywhere but nowhere.