Learning The Language

After watching this VIDEO from swissinfo.ch I realized just how many languages my husband and I will encounter in our daily lives once we move to Switzerland. I knew that French, of course, would be spoken in the area where we will be living and that German and Italian were common languages spoken in Switzerland but this video represents the majority of common languages we will hear spoken during our time in Switzerland. During our brief visit to Switzerland earlier this year we noticed that there was not a whole lot of English being spoken, not that we expected them to because that is not their native tongue. Just as they should expect that when they come to America, the majority of American's speak English as their primary language. This video was just another glimpse at our future. We are going to face everyday challenges in simple communication because while I speak English and a fair amount of Spanish and Portuguese and Jared speaks English and a fair amount of German, neither of us speak a second language fluently. I'm just thankful we have each other, it will be easier to face those types of challenges with someone else rather than facing them alone.

I wouldn't say I'm intimidated by the whole idea of not knowing the language, I am excited to learn it actually. We bought the French Rosetta Stone program and have learned some basic phrases and words and have enjoyed learning together. I know we will pick up the language much more quickly once we are there and in a sense, forced to use it. Of all the languages to be forced to learn I think French is a pretty good one. :)

I love learning about other cultures and because of that I am excited about this adventure and opportunity. I love to see how other parts of the world live, what their traditions are, their passions, their way of life. I can't wait to be immersed in Swiss culture!