Learn another language and open your mind

We travel not only to fill our eyes with new vistas, but to open our minds and souls.  We travel because we seek to learn and better understand the world we live in and to shine a light on our own homes and lives.

Peter and I are both multilingual and while the benefits of a second or third language are great for arranging those practical details of getting from a to b, what we’ve most appreciated in our travels are those happy moments when our ability to speak another language has allowed us to connect with a local or a fellow traveller.  These moments are often brief, but the insights and fresh views give context to the places we’ve been, open our eyes to the complexities of this world and fill in the gaps in the news we read.

Places that once seemed remote and abstract, now have colour and background.  Rising quinoa prices aren’t just about the pocketbooks of healthy eaters in North America, it’s also about disruptions to tradition and the challenges of malnutrition in Bolivia.  Fiscal austerity in Europe is not just about holding together the European Union, it’s also about that new bed and breakfast owner in Rome who’s trying to create his own opportunities and that recent graduate from Spain who is leaving to find his shot at success.

The benefits of learning another language are many, but for us, its ability to open the doors to new ideas and knowledge is the best reward.  Love, career, travel are all great but knowledge is the reward that underlines them all.  A beautiful mind attracts love, knowledge fuels career advancement, and travel experiences are that much richer when you can connect and exchange ideas with those you encounter.