Language is at the forefront of human communication, understanding, and perception. As someone who grew up a polyglot, the ability to express myself in different tongues enabled me to understand concepts that transcended a given language. I was able to use words and phrases that did not translate from language to language which enabled me to expand the scope of my communication. Spanish was my first language and from as far as I can recall, I could always communicate in what I like to call different ventures. I grew up in Cape Verde where I learned to speak and write Portuguese as well as Cape Verdean Creole.

 

The ability to communicate in different languages has always given me a step ahead and I have often benefited myself and others from it. I have translated paperwork and legal documents for my internship, used it while traveling, and also helped my friends practice. Specifically, when I was abroad in Spain, I heavily relied on my Spanish-speaking abilities to receive information, interact with the locals, and become more immersed in the culture. In this case, connecting with locals allowed me to receive recommendations on where to go and also just get to know them better. At last, reading Spanish literature and books has always felt as though I can access a new world as I believe that while translations are great, they will never fully encapsulate what was conveyed originally.

 

At last, my ability to learn different languages also made for a more seamless transition in my ability to learn English. In this case, while the languages I spoke previously were not very similar, they made me feel confident in my ability to learn a new language. In fact, when I moved to the United States, I had no idea how to a single sentence in English. However, years later, I can now sit here today and confidently write in a language that was once completely foreign.