Linguistics

I am good at languages.  It's a talent I possess, a natural ability that I've always had.  Words and grammatical structures just fall naturally, easily into place in my mind.  I often say things not because I actively know the grammar is correct, but because I just feel they're right.  I'm particularly good at accents.  Many Germans tell me I sound German, and I even had a man in Italy assume I was from his hometown after speaking to him!  I don't even speak Italian!  I can succeed at languages without trying.  After one semester of Arabic, I jumped into a class where everyone had taken at least 3 years of Arabic!  And though of course I couldn't speak as well as they could, I was able to read and understand the teacher just as well, and sometimes even better!  And I never did the work!

What an opportunity I passed up!  Had I put forth any effort, I could have been amazing with Arabic!  There were just other things that I thought were somehow more important.  Not anymore.  I've decided to focus all of my God-given ability with language on actually learning, and not just absorbing.  I've gotten lazy, and it's starting to work against me.  

I've forgotten much of my German.  Vocabulary is just gone, and I find myself struggling with simple sentences and constructs.  It is like a small part of me has somehow been diminished.  I have always spoken German, and I've always been good at it.  But I let it slide.  This has been very frustrating to me, but I'm letting that go.  I have always had so much pride wrapped up in my German (because I was always the best in my class, always quite the oddity: an American who could speak perfect German.)  But the time for pride is gone.  It's just getting in my way now.  I'm letting it go.  I'll make mistakes, and that's ok, because I'll learn from them.  I am surrounded by wonderful Germans who don't judge me for my mistakes.  What is there to hold me back?!

I am also going to dedicate myself to learning Spanish.  I've been meaning to all my life.  For me it is a matter of culture.  I grew up in a region that has a lot of Mexican immigrants.  There are entire streets in my hometown where all of the signs are written in Spanish.  I heard Spanish nearly every day while growing up, in the stores, at school, on tv.  It's so much a part of my life, and though I can understand bits and pieces, I can't speak very much.  

I want to use my powers for good!  I'd like to look into programs to help immigrants learn the native language of their new home.  I don't just want to help Mexicans learn English.  I'd like to maybe help Americans learn German, or Spanish. And I can teach English all over the world!  I've given some thought to being an interpreter, maybe at a hospital.  I don't know.

I consider this my first major step in learning how to fly on my own. (see post entitled Against the Wind)  I'm feeling somewhat trapped in my current choice of masters.  Ancient history has served its purpose for me, or so I feel.  But it's too late now to change course.  So I intend to make the best of this time.  I'm going to focus on ancient linguistics, so I can focus on modern linguistics later.  I'm also going to try to take Spanish here.  

It sounds like a lot.  It is a lot.  I'll be learning Dutch, Spanish, ancient Egyptian, and Coptic all at the same time. But I'm willing.