?If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.? ? Nelson Mandela

Knowing a language opens many doors that may have not been there before. We communicate using a language every day. Even when you are texting you are using a language. Living in a country with many diverse nationalities, it is essential to know another language besides English. In the U.S., there are many people from non-English speaking countries: Mexico, China, the Philippines, Korea, Germany, and many more.

Culture, in general, is very important in a society where we are losing out traditional values. Slowly, as generations become older, traditions and ceremonies become lost and almost historic. Language, being part of one’s culture, is still being practiced each day. As you begin to learn a language you will stumble upon parts of the country’s culture and how they live their daily lives compared to yours. For example, as we learn about the Spanish language in our class, we are also being introduced to the many aspects of their lives. From The Day of the Dead to the Spanish siestas, we learn it all.

Knowing a language opens up many doors for you. For example, if you were going to apply for a job in an area where the majority of the customers spoke Spanish, the employer will most probably make sure that you speak that language, in order for you to be able to help the customer and build a more friendly relationship. Even if you were less qualified compared to the other applicants, you would be hired due to your ability to speak the area’s common language. Knowing a language is not only useful for jobs. If you travel to a country where you are familiar with the language, the people living there will be more friendly and caring towards you. They will not see you as just another tourist, they will see you as someone who cares enough to make an effort to converse with them. Even speaking just a few words can take you a long way.

In today’s competitive world, colleges will make sure that you have taken some kind of foreign language in high school. It’s now a requirement to take at least two years of a foreign language. The world has changed; countries like the U.S. are now being filled with people from foreign countries. It’s almost impossible to walk down your street and only see English-speaking people.  We are living in a “smaller” world where people of different nationalities and races are mixed and located in the same area. Nationalities are no longer separated like they were in the past and knowing a few languages can take you a long way.