In an era of disconnection from the natural world, certain books act as bridges—offering us pathways to reconnect with the land, listen to its wisdom, and redefine our place within it. Two such works that deeply resonate in this space are Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer and Todo lo […]
authenticity
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When learning a language is not a love story. For many, the main reason why they learn a language is because they fall in love with it. They love the sound of it. They want to connect with native speakers. They are attracted to the culture of the language. This […]
By knowledge, I don’t mean academic knowledge about different topics—although that kind of knowledge can help—but self-knowledge, relational knowledge, outside knowledge, and intercultural knowledge when conversing in a non-native language. How do you build confidence? Stage one: self-knowledge As always, we should start with ourselves. We should begin looking within […]
The linguistic patchwork of you “At home, I feel free to speak Arabic peppered with words in French and English, and everyone understands me. When I am in Spain, I can only speak Spanish so that people would understand me.” This statement and its many variants share a common sentiment […]