Why You Shouldn't Let Your Foreign Language Skills go to Waste

The other day I was proofing a piece of  copy for a client, when I noticed some improper punctuation in the phrase, "à la ____." 

Someone had marked the "a" with an accent aigu instead of an accent grave. OMGCANYOUEVENBELIEVETHAT??

As you can see, it was a very small +1 for me that day, but inside I was gleaming. Huh-ha!. Nine years of French and I finally got to use it on the job!, thought I.

And then I realized how many times I have made it a resolution of mine to "keep up" with my French; to keep it polished and to continue to learn new vocabulary, and to even remain informed of the politics and current events of France and other French speaking countries. 

I decided to make a list of all of the reasons I find it important to hold on to those foreign language skills:

1. It's sexy.
Girls/guys-- everyone loves someone who can speak another language to them.

2. It makes you look smart at your job.
Let's face it- employers love to see language skills on a resume. Many companies prefer bilingual applicants for certain positions, but besides that, it proves that you are educated, and (at least at one point) were dedicated to learning about what's going on in the rest of the world.

3. It's not just a skill, it's an open door into other cultures and experiences.
If you're like me, then you didn't choose the language you were forced to learn in high school just because it seemed like the easiest one. You chose it because you were passionate about the food, the music, the history. You may have studied abroad, and met people who came from backgrounds completely different from your own. It encourages you to continue to travel the world throughout your life.

4. It's good for your brain.
 According to Barbara Zurer-Pearson, Ph.D, "When a bilingual person speaks, she always makes a subconscious decision about which word or phrase to use in which language ... This constant mental exercise helps keep the brain sharp."

I am all about teaching children a second language at a young age. Much like learning a musical instrument, studies show that this can lead to higher standardized test scores, and the development of strong "executive function" skills -- an ability to maintain focus on one task when distracted by another. 

So, with that, if you want to join me on my quest to secure this treasured knowledge, I recommend regularly doing the following in your language of choice:

• read newspapers online
• watch movies
• find a local conversationalist group 
• read books
• listen to music
• eat the food!

And, keep a mini dictionary handy at all times :)

Avignon, France 

 a montage of study abroad in France. Hello, 2007 Laura. 

we obviously did a lot of studying.

Falling into Place.

When my fiance first told me that we would be moving to Tulsa, Oklahoma, I was sad.

I mean I was really, really sad. Like... stay in bed with the blinds drawn watching Sex and the City marathons kind of sad.

I'd spent so much time building the early stages of my life in Washington-  it is here in DC that I always felt like I belonged. I have a group of wonderful friends, a budding career, a sense of purpose... a place in this world.

I decided to move out here on my own back in the summer of 2010. I never could quite explain it, but I longed to be here- I wanted to get lost in the lovely chaos of politics and cherry blossoms and history.  A relatively recent graduate, I didn't have a job, and I didn't know anyone save a cousin who worked on the Hill. I took a job at a small PR firm that only paid a couple of bucks an hour, and rode the metro close to an hour each way to get there. I took a part-time job manning the front desk at an upscale salon to help with costs of living. In my very first Craigslist experience, I found a room for rent in the most perfect Woodley Park house, with three fun-loving,  20-something single girls. I wasn't scared to make that move, because DC was the place that I wanted to be. My life was completely different in a matter of weeks.

And I loved it.

Now, a big change is about to happen again. I'm quitting my job and searching for a new one. I'm leaving my quaint one-bedroom apartment and we're buying a house. And, I'm planning a wedding for October. Some mornings when I lay awake in bed, I start to think about all of the things that are happening, and all of the things that I have to do... I close my eyes and envision myself free falling into empty space.

Some time has passed since I first found out, and I have been able to better process my thoughts and organize some plans. I am still sad to leave, and a little bit nervous.. I don't yet know what to expect from a city like Tulsa.

 But, if my past life experiences have taught me anything, it is that the fear of the unknown quickly dissolves away once plans start to be made, and gradually, things begin to fall into place.