Why Polylingualism is best

I was born in Paris, France and since then I have learned to speak 3 different languages: French, English, and Russian. These languages are very important to my everyday life and helped me achieve so many things. I have lived in 4 different countries and visited over 11, and each one taught me something new about the world I live in. While I am aware that not everyone has a parent that speaks a different language, learning a new language is very helpful in being successful in life.

Before I was born, my mother lived in Russia. When she was 20, her University in partnership with the US Department of Education hosted an opportunity for 3 people to get a scholarship in the US, at a University on the other side of the globe. My mom entered and after writing a 15-page essay in English, a language she could barely speak, she won (beating over 15,000 other students) and immigrated to Florida to attend Florida State University. Learning English helped her succeed in life and fulfill her dream of becoming a travel journalist.

For me, learning Russian was more than a desire, it was a necessity. My grandparents only speak Russian, so I can only communicate with them if I know the language. When I was 3, my parents and I moved to Russia for a year. Since they both worked full-time jobs, I lived with my grandparents. Living with my grandparents for half a year helped me talk so fluently it was as if I had been raised in Russia all my life. Now, even if you don’t need to learn a completely different language just to speak to your grandparents, knowing how to speak and understand different languages is a very important skill to have. The more languages you speak, the more countries you can travel to or live in, and the more people you can interact with.

Before we took this trip to Russia, though, I lived in Paris, France for 10 years. Having been born and raised in France, French is the language with which I feel most comfortable. But when I was 10, my school in France hosted a field trip to Normandy. We stayed in a fancy hotel for a week, but the staff there could only speak English. My teachers did not know this when they booked the hotel, so it ended up being a huge problem for them. At that age, I could already speak English and because I was able to understand the language, I was able to help my classmates and teachers communicate with the hotel staff. I have experienced many similar occurrences since then, and I had a chance to help many people around me. With my knowledge of English, French, and Russian, I can talk to practically anyone!

Not only does learning different languages help you talk to other people, it can also improve your skills in your mother language. According to a group of Swedish scientists, the more languages you know, the bigger your brain becomes. Knowing multiple languages also helps improve your memory, your problem-solving, listening, and critical thinking skills, your attention span, and your ability to multitask. People who speak more than one language are also less likely to experience cognitive decline or mental aging.

It is so important to know many different languages, because you never know when you might have to use it. Whether it be on your family’s trip to Puerto Rico, or when a new foreign exchange student arrives, knowing multiple languages means that you will always be able to help those in need. While it is a lot of hard work and dedication, the time and effort that you put into learning another language is definitely worth it.