From experience, you tend to pick up bits and pieces quickly. Vietnamese is one of the hardest languages because it has so many different tones. One word can mean up to 6 different things depending on how you pronounce it. I've been here 1.5 years and I'm slowly picking it up just from necessity.Aneira wrote:Moving to another country and experiencing different cultures and people has been an absolute dream of mine (Especially in Europe!), so I'm as excited as I am scared. But I trust that I'm adaptable enough to manage well enough. And, in the worst case scenario, I'll have some friends to rely a bit on if I get a bit lost on the way.Against wrote:Haha, but you still seem determined, that's the most important.
And I really feel like moving to a different country is one of the best opportunities to grow and learn more about yourself and other people - which wouldn't be the case without the struggles, I guess.
That sounds a very good plan. I feel like even if everybody spoke English perfectly well, a country's own language is in a way also part of the culture and way of life. And everybody expresses themself a bit differently when using a foreign language. So being able to communicate with people in their native language is differently going to be an asset to get the most out of the experience.
Also, I feel like people in general are a lot kinder and more willing to help a foreigner if it's clear that they are trying to learn. At least that's my experience in Germany (native German, but my flatmate and many friends are not).
I agree that the language is a vital part of the culture! That's why I'd prefer to learn it rather than ask people to adjust to me. Like yeah, I'm going there for work, but I also took this job for the sake of learning and experiencing something new, language included. And I feel like learning the native language is showing that you respect the people there as well. I definitely worry that people will think I'm ignorant as an American. I know not everyone thinks that..but I've definitely come across a few people that do.
I hope you have a blast! After my experience, I really think all Americans should spend at least 1 year working abroad. It really opens your eyes.
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Spoiler
I'm in a awful mood today. I was supposed to have my date last night. It was an absolute disaster of a night.
First, the guy never showed up.
Then I started talking to this other girl at the bar who was also stood up.... BY THE SAME FUCKING GUY.
He invited TWO women to a bar and then ditched both of us. We waited.. for hours.. cause he kept saying he was on the way and then after almost 2 hours just stopped texting.
We ended up getting drunk together and joined a table of other expats who invited us over. That was okay, I did have lots of laughs with them. I texted the dude later and called him a dick for this. Lol he never read my text.
Today my mood is shit because I think the emotions I suppressed with beer yesterday are finally hitting me. I'm angry. I'm depressed. I've cried. I want to stab him.
First, the guy never showed up.
Then I started talking to this other girl at the bar who was also stood up.... BY THE SAME FUCKING GUY.
He invited TWO women to a bar and then ditched both of us. We waited.. for hours.. cause he kept saying he was on the way and then after almost 2 hours just stopped texting.
We ended up getting drunk together and joined a table of other expats who invited us over. That was okay, I did have lots of laughs with them. I texted the dude later and called him a dick for this. Lol he never read my text.
Today my mood is shit because I think the emotions I suppressed with beer yesterday are finally hitting me. I'm angry. I'm depressed. I've cried. I want to stab him.
Also the initial shockwave was "felt" as far as Puerto Rico, who were reporting very slight tsunami activity! Super crazy... And the entire Pacific Ocean is just off limits today as nearly every location within the ring of fire was put under a tsunami warning. Already seeing activity along the West Coast and the SA coastline.
