Why study a language?

The key to connecting with, understanding, or showing an appreciation for any culture or region in the world is to learn the native language of that culture or region. Language opens doors for communication and understanding with others that no other forum whether it be history, art, science, etc. can begin to touch. From my experience with bilingual peoples, no greater appreciation is shown for someone outside of their culture than when a person takes it upon themselves to learn their native language.

Arabic:

For me, personally, learning Arabic was a necessity, as it is my parent’s first language and my gateway into speaking and interacting with my Syrian relatives. Beyond familial connections, having the knowledge of another language is really important to me for the future work I want to engage in. I plan to obtain my Masters in Public Health followed by my medical degree with the hopes of combining public health and medicine to provide holistic care to underserved and refugee populations. Among many of the underserved and refugee populations are Arabic speakers, so having the ability to communicate with these groups in their native language is not only beneficial for me, but beneficial for the patients who may hold reservations about obtaining healthcare in the United States because of their inability to communicate in English or fear of being stigmatized or misunderstood.

Swedish:

Taking Swedish (in Sweden!) was a really great opportunity to push myself out of my comfort zone and engage in a language I had no exposure or experience in. Learning a language is important for so many reasons, but taking Swedish, which may have no direct impact on my future and goals as of now, reminded me of the beauty of learning a language simply to learn. I’m not sure when the next chance will come for me to really dedicate time and energy to learning something so unique and different for my own knowledge and growth, so I am beyond grateful I had this opportunity and capitalized on this opportunity to do so. I highly recommend engaging in something completely new, different, and challenging–you won’t regret it!