Language!

Having lived in a few countries, I noticed that speaking 7 other languages in addition to a persons native language is fairly common in many other countries outside the USA. This knowledge led me to wonder if maybe I was supposed to be born in in a European country. Languages other than my native English or as the Germans call it, "Amerkanische", have always fascinated me.

The German  reasoning is that speaking "Englische" is with a British accent. "Amerikanishe" is the national language of the USA without a British accent. 
Makes sense to me. Makes sense to the Germans!

Languages have always drawn me in with a fascination that is like candy for my mind. Living in a small town in Michigan as a child, life was okay. Always, I knew that there must be more out there!
Taking the plunge to enlist in the United States Air Force, I was going to go out in search of that "something more."

I had the look of a fresh faced, girl next door from a small town. Very shy. Home life was dysfunctional with an alcoholic dad, an unstable mom. Bullied at school, I knew I had to break through to the freedom of a life I would create for myself that was better than where I came from.

Shyness, to many people, is kinda cute, kinda sweet. For the person living it, it's painful. I was painfully shy, scared of everyone & everything. Taking French language class in High School seemed like a good idea. Possibly the beginning of something good? Possibly.
Except...
The teacher was an aggressive French woman with an "in your face" attitude. She would get right up in my face, drilling me fiercely on conjugations, conversational exchange, which terrified me, left me sitting in French class in tears. Usually wrecked me for the rest of the day.
Teach finally kicked me out of French Class, telling me I was too stupid to be able to learn French.

So, needing a foreign language credit to graduate, I was "placed" in Spanish Language class. The teacher was a much nicer person, softer, more patient. It worked out well. I felt like a bit of a failure, kicked out of French Class, yet the wheels in my mind were turning. Something interesting began to happen.
Thoughts began to play in my mind in French. Ideas, self talk, began to be in French then as time went on,sometimes in Spanish. With my Grandmother saying many phrases in German throughout my childhood, I knew a few phrases in German, too. I had all these phrases, thoughts, ideas, running around my brain in 4 different languages.

Moving to Europe with the USAF, there was the chance to test it out! I lived in Kaiserslautern, Germany. Just 45 minutes from the French border. I also found that when I crossed the border into France, on a day trip, I would go into the French stores and I was speaking French! Back to Germany, I was speaking German again. Interacting with only English speaking family or other members of the American military, I was speaking English. With thoughts swirling around in my head in 4 different languages feeling normal to me.

Moving to the Republic of Panama with the USAF where the national language is Spanish, was so good for me. I was speaking good Spanish then, became completely fluent. More language, more language! Forget more cowbell, lol, I would adore more language!

To this day, I still think in 4 languages. It's a natural gift. That's the way my mind works.

Michael Jackson never had a dance lesson.

Elvis Presley never had a music lesson.

Michael Jordan wasn't taught how to play basketball.

With the exception of a chin implant and the tip of her nose shaped, Marilyn Monroe was natural.

Some gifts are simply natural. I have been given many many natural gifts, language is one of them.

What are your gifts? You have them, like everyone. Find them, enjoy them!

Namaste.