Carpe Diem- The Importance of Learning a Second Language

On average, only 1 in 10 Americans are Spanish-speaking. Although the romantic language is becoming increasingly spoken, there are still few who know both English and Spanish. These bilingual people are incredibly important, however, as they can bridge the gap between various cultures and traverse countries across the globe. 

One of these bilingual speakers is Mrs. Sharon Schorr, a teacher here at Medina High School. You can find her in room 2201 teaching Spanish II or IV. When interviewed about her life experiences, Mrs. Schorr had a lot of thoughts to offer on her 32 years of learning Spanish, teaching, and traveling. The following has been edited and condensed for clarity. 

When did you start learning Spanish, and when did you become fluent? 

I started taking Spanish One when I was thirteen. Fluency is a really hard thing to determine. There's nothing I can't say. But, am I fluent? I don't know. I think I am still a student.

What is the importance you have found in learning a second language and traveling? 

The lessons are so many. If you can talk to someone in their own language, that reaches them far more than when you try to talk to them in English. And the friends. My family here is super small, but the people I have encountered when I’ve traveled have become my family of choice. And you learn about other people’s points of view. When I hear things about Central America and Mexico in the news, those people have a face and a circumstance to me, because I have traveled and seen them.

What sort of places have you traveled to? 

I’ve been to Puerto Rico, Mexico, Spain, Costa Rica, Cuba, Guatemala, Peru, Uruguay, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Argentina, and the Dominican Republic. Those are the Spanish-speaking countries, but I’ve been other places too.

And which of those places have had the greatest impact on you? 

There are two most impactful ones. The first one is when I lived in Costa Rica. I still keep in touch with that family. They were my first teachers. Everyday, my mami would sit me down and tell me “¿Qué me cuentas?- What do you have to tell me today?” Everyday, she listened to my crappy Spanish. There are no words I have to express my gratitude for their patience. And when I lived in Mexico, I could say anything I wanted, I could talk to anyone I wanted, but I didn't know how my utilities worked or how any other systems worked. The people I lived with were my guides to navigating the city. 

What can we learn from other countries? 

People there are kinder and more accepting. And they’re always happy. I have many more “things” in my life than all my friends, and they are happy and it doesn’t matter. And, the importance of people. They have great concern for people in Spanish-speaking countries. In Mexico, your family and friends are the most important thing there is. I feel like I have a better perspective on life and how life should be. 

How do you feel that being able to teach Spanish has impacted your students and yourself? 

My job is to teach them to love it. No one wants to know what's in a book-  they want to know what you’ve experienced, and that's why I travel. If I can give them a little bit of curiosity to go out and learn more, I feel like I've done my job. 

What advice would you give to people wanting to become fluent or wanting to travel?

You have to make a decision that you want to use your money for travel. Travel is expensive, but it's all in what you value. I literally have pants that are as old as my children, but I've been to a lot of places. The places I went and the things I saw changed me, and the memories are still in my head. If you want to be fluent, you have to travel and not go to a resort. Put yourself somewhere where they don’t speak English. And if you do study abroad, make friends with the people from the country. You just have to put yourself out of your comfort zone- carpe diem.