Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Language Barrier





Being in Encuentro Dominicano we learned many things but one thing stuck out to us the most. Language is not a barrier when forming relationships with others. In the beginning, we were very frustrated by the language barrier. It seemed like we were perpetually confused. Pride and embarrassment got in the way of forming bonds with people. However, once we realized that language is not the prominent form of communication we got passed our issues. This enabled us to open our minds and hearts to everyone around us. In the campo, our families still loved us even though we didn’t understand everything they said. At our service site, the children still loved to play games and interact with us. At ILAC, the workers were very understanding and were willing to help us out. The point is, don’t let the language barrier hinder your chance at experiencing a different culture. It really isn’t as big of a deal as you would think.

— Carly & Sarah

1 comment:

  1. Well said! I’m glad you have all passed that bumpy phase of frustrations and embarrassment caused by language barriers. It’s a wonderful thing for you to say that language shouldn’t be an obstacle when forming relationships with others. In fact, you could use that matter as a catalyst to fuel up your desire in exploring different cultures, as learning a new language can give you an edge in so many ways. In any case, thank you for sharing your wonderful epiphany with us! All the best!

    Israel Oliver @ Atlas-Translations

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