First Person

Why I learn: putting a face to a language

Going abroad is a much better experience with language at your back, and this story proves it.

Our Why I Learn series features stories from real people about why they decided to learn a new language and how language learning has…

Hi! Hola! Привет! Bonjour! 안녕하세요! こんにちは!

My name is Kristina Lachaga, ‘The Girl With The Big Pink Heart™.’ I’m a pop singer…

The unexpected joy of being bad at French

Alongside my frustration, a surprising feeling emerged. Not discouragement — but…

Foreign language anxiety: the universal equalizer

How I discovered the secret Paris hiding in plain sight

What it’s like to feel lost in your own language

How I learned that limiting myself to only English-speaking countries was not only a loss on my part, but also not a particularly effective way of avoiding culture shock.

One language barrier, two distinct memories

Being a kid in a foreign world came with its fair share of social challenges. It’s all a big blur by now, but a couple memories still stand out.

By Olga Eskina

What hitchhiking in Ireland taught me about selflessness

How to travel to 21 countries in one year: life lessons from The Nomad Barber

Inspirational people live a life beyond the ordinary. Meet Miguel, 29, from Liverpool. His story will show how passion and…