Breaking down the Language Barrier

Having now been in Europe for a month and a half, I am starting to understand the true importance of language. It may irritate the locals, cause some inconveniences, or even lead me to order something grotesque from the menu, but in all reality, it has been possible to get through my travels without ever having to stray away from the English language which I speak. I can get by with little to no problems. Perhaps it is because the United States is a world superpower as Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri discuss in their work, Empire. They speak about this idea that the United States not only affects its own territories, but also influences other areas of the earth.  In this instance, the influence is reflected through language.  Many people in other countries speak English, and I have been able to travel comfortably without having studied a European language. Through Germany, Austria, and Italy, I was always able to find several people to communicate with. With that said, I especially noticed this week how much richer my travels have become now that I am able to speak the native language (or at least attempt to).

In the past in Italy, I have been excited to use my Italian. I think this was more of an excitement that came about because I was able to formulate a sentence than it was an excitement to have the key into the Italian culture. It wasn’t until I traveled to London that I realized how much of a barrier this lack of language in Italy created between the culture and me. While there, I was able to communicate completely. People even stopped and asked me for directions because they heard me speaking the country’s language.  I have such fond memories of London and I think a large portion of this was the comfort I experienced due to communication. I was able to really taste the culture of London. These experiences and realizations have encouraged me to spend more time and effort practicing my Italian this past week. I have always known that it is important to know the language while in Italy (hence the reason we are taking an Italian course), but now I really can feel the importance.

The city where I practiced the most and seemed to get the most out of the experience was Siena. This town was nowhere near as touristy as say Venice or Florence, and therefore had far fewer English speakers. It was nice to be able to speak in Italian and have the locals speak back in Italian. In the touristy cities I often find myself discouraged because I am immediately marked as an English speaker. Whether they are irritated by my poor Italian or they are trying to convenience me because of their ability to speak both languages, it still takes away the opportunity that I could have to practice the language. By truly having the opportunity handed to me in Siena, I felt like I was more immersed into Italian culture then I have been at any other point since I arrived in Italy.

Communication is the foundation of a culture. It leads to relationships, the ability to read the news, and many other things.  In Siena it gave me the opportunity to interact with locals and to feel as though I wasn't a burden to them.  They did not have to change their lifestyle or their language, I had to change mine.  It gave me a new outlook which is what the purpose of studying abroad is. 

It was so enjoyable to hear what people in Siena had to say, but at the same time it was very challenging. Speaking to them made me realize just how far away I was and just how narrow minded I have become throughout my life. Having never traveled out of the country before, I had these preconceived notions of how difficult communicating would be.  I was worried about reading signs and ordering in a restaurant. Once I arrived and realized how accommodating other countries were of English speakers, I almost instantly began to expect this ease everywhere that I went. Regardless of whether it was the idea that all signs would have the English translation, or that all store owners would speak English, I had my expectations fairly instantaneously upon my arrival to Europe.

Experiencing a small town such as Siena took me for a spin. I was not in the least bit disappointed by the lack of tourism or American comforts. Instead, I was so grateful. It opened up an entire new level of immersion that I am now striving to reach. The tiny sample of genuine communication has left me desiring to immerse myself more fully into the culture, something that I have been resistant to do so far in my journey.