Going Global

"You live a new life for every new language you speak.
 If you know only one language, you live only once."  - Czech proverb

I have dreams of becoming multilingual and by that I don't mean learning just three languages in which case i'd only have to learn one more. You might say being able to speak good English is enough to survive wherever I end up on this planet, but survival just doesn't seem enough.

I want experiences. I want the real deal. I want to live it.

So here's a list of the other four languages and why they made the cut:

Chinese. Two simple reasons: One, I could've put in Japanese instead because they have cooler programs, books, and food, but my sister is already in to that and that somehow places learning Japanese into possible fuel for sibling rivalry. Two, i'm preparing for possible doomsday scenarios here, let's face it the Chinese are taking over the world it will be good to at least get into their good side.

French.  Three words: Food. Literature. Love.

Spanish. With its close ties to my own language what with 300 years worth of colonization, learning Spanish is a no brainer for Filipinos. We practically know the basic stuff already such as the days of the week and the numbers. But putting all that aside I want to learn Spanish because of the beautiful poetry written in that language. Here is where english translations seem to leave me wanting more and where the real deal might probably be the only thing that satisfies.

Italian. Oh where do I begin? The language itself for me, ranks only second to French, but there is so much about this country that just makes me want to live an authentic Italian experience. A lot of my dream destinations are in Italy actually - a gondola ride in Venice, walking in the historic centre of Florence, taking in Rome's opulent architecture and rich history, basking under the golden Tuscan sunshine while taking a stroll through Tuscany's countryside, and of course retiring in the seaside villages of Amalfi Coast.

And what's an authentic Italian experience without the food, right? It goes without saying, the Italians had me at pizza and now my love for their cuisine extends to pasta, olive oil, capers, and black olives. So i'll be honest here, the most practical reason for learning Italian is because I want to be able to order bruschetta al pomodoro, Pasta Vongole e Porcini, and Pizza quatro stagioni without sounding totally uncultured.  

They say we only get to live once, multiply it by living it in different languages.

La Fin. Al Final. Alla Fine.