I couldn’t start talking about language without telling first who I am, and that’s the reason is so difficult to explain which are my languages. Speak about it, is put my business in the street as James Baldwin explained in “If black English isn’t a language, then tell me, what is?”, and when that happens is impossible not to feel unsecured of others’ opinion. In addition is more difficult when you must speak in other’s languages.
To define my language and identity I will begin by saying that I am from Colombia, Bogota, I am 19 years old, and I grow up with my mother’s family (my mom, aunt, grandparents, and a cat). Based on this you can assume that my first language is Spanish and how special it is for me.
Dipping a little bit more in my language, something that catches my attention is the way that we spoke with our loved ones. “Mi niña”(my girl)- would say my mother, “mi chiquitina”(my little girl)- my boyfriend, “tesorito”(my little treasure)- my grandma, “cucu”(cucu)- my aunt and for my cat I would use “chonchito” (chubby )to call him. Those are some nicknames that we use, another word that I used a lot of is “cosita” (little thing) to name everything that I think is cute. This language makes me feel so comfortable and understood, but now I feel sad, because I am no longer with my family, and I have just moved to North America looking to continue my education and learn a new language. This new language, English, challenge me to communicate with other words and intentions, leaving back my accent and my own expressions. Getting adapted is being so difficult and more when Covid-19 circumstances make it hard to socialize and practice this new language.
The difficulties of learning a new language make you wonder about your identity and see how others classify you as “Hispanic” (a world that I never thought I will use to identify myself), and it gets worst when the stereotype of Hispanic is the first impression that people have from you. A lot of questions come to my mind: why I couldn’t get the same opportunities with my language? Why I must be different to make my dreams come true, how your own dreams could become true without your loved ones? Has any sense been here? I lose my time, my energy, and my life wondering all of this until I just resigned to wake up every day as one more day away from home.
I have been experiencing homesickness, willing to come back home and just be with my family again, but at the same time willing to know more about this country, learn more from new experiences, and see the world from another perspective. It pushes me to keep trying until English became part of my identity, as a lot of people must do as well.
Recently I heard a beautiful short history from National Geography about Naghmeh Farzaneh’s immigration and she mentioned her mother’s words when she worked in her garden “when you move a plant from one place to another you have to give it some time before to grow new leaves” to explain how long takes for a person accustomed to other ground, another language and food.
I feel I must give some time to myself to accommodate this new world and love the language and person that I am becoming to be.
Baldwin, James. “If Black English Isn’t a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is?”
The York Times. 29 July 1979,
Youtube, uploaded by National Geographic, 14 October 2017,
first I have to start off by saying that you moving to another country to further your education is so incredibly brave and I really do envy you so much for that. You should be very proud of yourself for what you’ve achieved and learning new cultures and languages is something that’s a huge accomplishment. I’m currently learning Spanish as a second language because I feel its a key language here and I want to further my language range. I also really love the fact you have these special words amongst your family members because family really is one of the most important things to have today. So honestly congratulations on everything you’ve done.
also side note I visited Columbia recently and fell in love with Bogota and Cartagena, both very beautiful places.
Hi, Ryan, Thank you for your comment I appreciate it.
I am so glad you already know a little bit about my country and you are able to move around the different cultures around the world.
and of course, I wish you good luck with the Spanish, as well as me with English it will open to you a million opportunities and beautiful people to know.
Hi Liz, I enjoyed reading your essay and it is cool how move from your home country to another country to experience another language and also to continue your education. I too experience the learning of another language which is Spanish. I also come from a Spanish speaking household as my family is from Mexico. I did not have the experience of learning Spanish first because of the belief that English is better to speak because many places, you will find people only wanting to communicate in English. Also, that stereotype of the Hispanic in the U.S. when you come from a Hispanic background, you are expected to speak in Spanish and speak it well or else get shamed for it. Thank you for sharing your essay!
Hey! I am so happy you read my essay, as we speak is hard to handle two cultures at the same time. I admire you as well and you made me understand that could be a lot of ways that ethnicity could affect us.
thank you!
You are very brave for taking on the challenge of adapting to new surroundings for the sake of giving yourself a better future. I can make a connection to how you felt about having to be different in order to make your dreams come true. I feel like this is a very similar feeling that many people in my community feel like as well. Knowing that our culture and customs won’t be accepted in American Society and in order to give ourselves the chance we have to alter ourselves to fit into more “accepted” cultures. Which can be very sad and disheartening. Though with that being said, it’s important for us to find ways that we can embrace our cultures, whether that be finding people in our own communities, or educating others about the places that we come from. That way we are never loosing or turning out backs on the culture that make us who we are. Great Essay.
you are right!
we have to find ourselves, and when we do it, we just discover we are a combination of everything, but the most important are our roots, and a truly agree that we should embrace our cultures, and learn from the other ones.
Thank you for connecting with me.
Great story Liz
I have a similar background from you but instead I was born in America but my first language was Fuzhounese learning English off of this language was really hard at first because I would have a lot of acent and especially I was scared to communicate with other so congrats that you made it.