The Pros of Learning a Language:
1. You are more culturally aware. I really enjoy learning about other cultures and countries, especially through their language. It's so cool to be able to understand what they are saying on the news or when they speak in public, or when they're telling you a story. It makes me feel more connected with them as people too, because I can communicate with them even though we may be thousands of miles apart! Plus after you learn a language for a while, it's easier for you to pick up on slang and colloquialisms that native speakers use every day. It's pretty awesome! :)
2. You can do cool things like travel abroad or work overseas if you want! As I've said before in my post "5 Reasons Why Foreign Language is Important", knowing another language gives you so many advantages when traveling abroad (especially if your country doesn't have an official language). If there aren't enough English speakers where the tourists go, then it will make your trip much better if you know some basic phrases in the local language(s). The same goes for working overseas - knowing another languages is such an asset no matter what career field you choose! For example, if I wanted to become an international lawyer someday (or any sort of law-related job), then knowing French would probably help me out tremendously because French is actually one of the main languages spoken in many parts of Africa and Europe. I speak three languages, so I am a multilingualism (if that's even a word)! :)
3. You have more job opportunities. If you are multilingual, then it is likely that you will have an advantage over other people when it comes to finding a job (especially if there aren't many English speakers in the area). Maybe you can start working at a small language school or become an interpreter if your languages are rare and not well known (like Chigaonon, which is my native language). Or maybe like me, your languages are all common ones (English being the third one), then perhaps teaching would be an option for you! I know many people who teach abroad through organizations like EF or TEFL Certifications...and they make pretty good money as well! lol I also think that knowing more than one language makes it easier for students to adapt to new situations and cultures because they can easily communicate with native speakers. This makes learning their culture much easier as well - especially in places where English isn't used often! Learning another language(s) can open up so many doors for you - don't underestimate this benefit!
4. You get some street cred too :P I think most of us who learn other languages do it because we love them and want to show others how cool we are by being able to speak them fluently. I know I do...lol. Language learners are usually very intelligent and smart, which people can see when they look at you. Plus, being multilingual is one of the coolest things someone can be - so if you're a language learner then other people will probably view you in a more positive light!
5. It improves your writing and reading skills in your native language too! This may not seem like such a big deal, but this is actually true for me because my English has really improved since I started learning languages (especially Japanese!). When I write something now or read something from an author who uses vocabulary that isn't common or doesn't have an easy definition...I can usually figure out what the word means by comparing it to words in my other languages (or even asking native speakers). It's fun to learn new words and phrases in English as well - sometimes it feels like I'm adding another layer of meaning to my own language! :)
6. You are more interesting/intelligent/interesting/smart/knowledgeable than most people around you :P Okay okay okay....maybe not all those things, but still!! Learning another language(s) makes you unique, especially if there aren't many other people around who speak them too! And when there are tons of people who speak only one language around us all the time. I am learning a language for each of my grandparents, and my mom is learning a language for me too. I am also planning to learn another language in the future (probably Spanish or German) as well!
7. Just because you are bilingual doesn't mean you can read minds :P Many people think that if someone knows two languages, then they have an advantage over other people when it comes to knowing what someone else is saying without actually hearing them speak - this is not true!! It's true that bilinguals can usually understand things better than monolinguals, but that doesn't mean we can read minds...Geez.
The Cons of Learning a Language:
1. It's hard :P This is true. But if you love languages then it won't seem so bad! :)
2. It takes a lot of time and effort to learn another language, but in the end it will be worth it! Just keep on going and don't give up! You can do this!! :) I know many people who have done it...and you can too!
