LOL!! (Learning one Language)

Expressing through words is an interest that blossomed a few years ago. With my father-in-law's loving and consistent encouragement, I am writing my first blog ever! So forgive me if it is too long  :D Cant withhold my excitement!  

I was always a keen reader and gave importance to words and absolutely loved their magic when placed in a sentence. This can be backed up by the fun I remember having in "Use in sentences" back in school days. A natural inkling towards languages and its flow nudged me every single time to improve myself. Being a Kannadiga, born in a Marathi and Hindi speaking city, studied in an English medium school put me in front of four languages right from the start. Not to forget 3 years of Sanskrit and two years of French - basic level of course - advised by my parents in school and college. Thank god for that!! There are only so many languages that my little brain could take though. So first came Kannada, followed by Hindi and English. Unfortunately Marathi took the fourth place. But not for long! Little did I know that the least liked language by me would become my work language in future! More on that later. So having studied in an English medium school, all my lessons were in English. With that, an "only English day" at home helped me and my brother pick up the language from our parents faster. Watching English movies and the ever famous FRIENDS made us smarter in English. "American style smarter". Speaking Kannada was never a problem. I am thankful to my parents for having instilled it in us. Made it easier to learn other languages. Moreover, I had a varied set of friends who spoke different languages at home. Many Mallu and Tamilian friends. Vacation time meant spending long hours at each others homes. It let an involuntary exchange of language among us. I never sat and learnt the words in Malayalam but I sure can understand when two people talk. Finally after living in Maharashtra for 26 years, I began to listen and even use Marathi everyday in Sankhya Dance Company. The only South-Indian surrounded by different shades of Maharashtrians I learnt a lot about their tones and idioms and private jokes! Poetry and Literature in Marathi is also very luring! I wish to study Kannada texts also, but I guess that will happen when it has to! 

They say learning a language is very good for a child. It helps in complex development of the brain! I can say I feel really good. 

Once again, I stand in a similar place. After Marathi in its use and practice, I am now learning German - Deutsch, die erste fremde Sprache. Well not the first foreign language, technically, I did learn French for two years of college, but it ain't good. I retain nothing. Even living in Paris for 4 months did not bring back much! so I am going to leave that out, keeping Deutsch as my first foreign language. You would ask why am I learning this language. Well for a direct reason, I must. it is a requisite for me to be able to live here (Visa wise) and the better reason, I want to. If I want to LIVE  here, freely, I should be able to speak the language. It is the simplest way to integrate in a country. Although, it is NOT simple! Not when you are 28 and carry a baggage of shyness, consciousness, anxiety, embarrassment. Of what? Of what if they laugh at me? what if they don't understand what I say? Worse, what if I don't understand them and do exactly what they say not to!!!!! These are the worries you carry when you learn a language as an adult, mostly. You don't even know these feelings when you are 2! May be that's why they say it is really good to learn a language when you are a child. Because an adult kicks himself in the gut by worrying about the paraphernalia and stresses out! Another stone on "wish I could be a kid forever" scale. 

Nevertheless, I have been learning the language since last November. and I enjoy it! I enjoy it even if it is hard. Because the happiness I feel when I talk the talk and am understood is immense!!! And if my destiny and Sameer has brought me here in Deutschland, learning the language is the least I can do in this country. I still remember my father showing off his little learnt Deutsch when I was younger!! My super hero he was. He would be proud today to hear me speak the language! I hope. :)

So, language learning is tough, tougher when you are no more a kid, yet fun! Think about it like this, what makes it fun as a kid and not as an adult? FEAR. So keep the fear out of the class room next time and note the difference! Who knows someday I post a blog or a poem in Deutsch or even Kannada!