BabbelinFirst PersonHow I learned Teeline shorthandI’ve wanted to be a writer since I was little, but no one told me it would require relearning the alphabet.Apr 1, 2022Apr 1, 2022
BabbelinFirst PersonThe unexpected joy of being bad at FrenchAlongside my frustration, a surprising feeling emerged. Not discouragement — but delight in my failure.Mar 30, 2022Mar 30, 2022
BabbelinFirst PersonEnchanté, goodbyeThe French aspirated their h’s and swallowed their r’s the same way the Yoruba did, but no one thought that the Yoruba accent was sexy.Mar 25, 2022Mar 25, 2022
BabbelinFirst PersonSay my nameHow learning a new language helped me to untangle my heritage.Mar 23, 20221Mar 23, 20221
BabbelinFirst PersonWhat speaking Spanish taught me about self-careAs soon as I discovered the link between speaking Spanish and mental stillness, it took on the proportions of a superpower.Mar 18, 2022Mar 18, 2022
BabbelinFirst PersonAdventures in (German) babysittingTo these two sisters, language learning was a game every bit as exhilarating as clambering over monkey bars.Mar 16, 2022Mar 16, 2022
BabbelinFirst PersonMy missed opportunity to grow up bilingualI never learned my family’s language, but I cherish the snippets I do know.Mar 14, 20221Mar 14, 20221
BabbelinFirst PersonLearning a language for love in Costa RicaNavigating love in a new language can be a challenge, but the rewards make it all worth it.Mar 9, 2022Mar 9, 2022
BabbelinFirst PersonHow learning German alleviated my dismayBurned out and unfulfilled by my supposedly successful life, I looked for meaning in an entirely foreign set of words.May 7, 2019May 7, 2019
BabbelinFirst PersonHow I learned to hear again in FrenchWhen an audiologist confirmed that I’d lost a significant portion of my hearing comprehension, I decided to retrain my brain in a new…Apr 3, 2019Apr 3, 2019