Value of Learning
a New Language

While participating in our exchange programs, you are fully thrust into the culture and language of another country and with that push, you are guaranteed to improve your language skills greatly. There is no better way to learn something than when you are pushed to adapt to a new situation and you slowly pick up more and more along the way.

Knowing a second or third language is a great asset to hone that can open many doors for you throughout your life. It makes your whole world even bigger, opening you up to new opportunities at work, letting you make new friends, and even giving you the experience to live abroad if you so desired.

Having fluency in a second language is a brilliant addition to your resume, and will give you an extra edge with all potential employers. It is considered to be very valuable in the workplace to be bilingual as you are able to communicate with a variety of people from different cultures which may be needed by the company. Maybe a business is interested in working with a foreign client and need someone who can speak the language well to talk to or negotiate with them! If you can offer up these sorts of skills, you will have a higher chance of achieving employment.

When you are travelling, both during our exchange and at any later opportunities, knowing the language of the country you are visiting is incredibly beneficial. You will have an added confidence as you roam the streets and will feel great being able to do those simple things such as order food and speak with locals without any trouble. It separates you from being an unknowing traveller to someone who can truly emerge themselves in a foreign society. With enough practice and determination, you could even consider moving to the country one day if you loved it enough!

Being bilingual opens you to friendships with all types of people from around the world. It is common for there to be multiple countries that speak a single language, and by interacting with people in these countries, who knows? Perhaps you can make a new best friend you never could have even had a full conversation with before.

We have only just begun to touch on the benefits of learning a second language. There are so many more reasons that there is such a high value for this skill in today’s society, and by participating in our exchange, you will be able to discover many more for yourself!

By Sarah Zeran