A Love Affair

My love affair began a long time ago. When, exactly?
idk
The first time I heard the fairytale of a wooden puppet who became a real boy, I remember thinking:

Pino = Pine or wood
Chio = Child

Wooden child or, since Pinochio was a boy, wooden son. Thus began my love of languages. 

In the small town where I lived as a child it was pretty much small town America. Nearly 100 % WASP . There were a few people of other than American descent, yet, still, white bread, no butter!

As a child, I yearned for a bit of spice in my life. In a small town where everyone knew everyone, my parents never allowed me to do very much. Most associations were with family, occasionally a neighbor or two. Closest neighbor, like, right next door or across the street.
As a child with a bend toward mischief, my parents were extra vigilant with me. I was a very quiet, introverted girl with a wild imagination!

In 8th grade, I elected to take French Language class. The teacher was an "in your face" type of woman who didn't like me. Maybe it was because I was so quiet. She may have wondered if her lessons were sinking in or wasted on me.

She ended up kicking me out of French Class.

No worries, I learned to speak perfect French, later in early adulthood.

To fulfill the educational requirement, I had to take a language class. I transferred to Spanish Language where the female teacher was much more kind, more patient.

My talent for languages revealed itself to me later, after I had overcome my shyness, gained self confidence, found my voice! 
The beast was released!

As my repertoire of languages built, I began to think in languages other than English or Amerikanische as I learned it's called while living in Deutscheland.

Living in Hawai'i, I was fascinated by the way the people spoke, the way the Hawai'ian language was intertwined with English. It was lyrical, so beautiful!

When the local guys spoke Pidgin, it was positively sexy to me! I went out around the islands, just listening to the local guys. I was mesmerized at the primal rhythm of their voices.

Upon moving to Germany, I began to understand the conversational German that was rarely taught or used in classrooms. Soon, I was engaging in conversations in the village of Rodenbach, Kaiserslautern, Germany.   

Going across the border into France, I   conversed  with the French people easily.

It was so natural for me to "click" between languages in my personal thoughts, in every day life. I was speaking English to people I was with. When a German person asked me a question, I turned to answer their query in German. 
Same for answering a French speaking person in French.
Same for turning to an Italian person, answering in Italian.

Upon moving to Central America, I spoke Spanish to the people there, while retaining my other 4 language skills.

It came naturally to me.

Still, in present day, I think in 5 languages in my own personal thoughts.
My Italian language skills are lagging while the others stay sharp. Even so, if I were to find myself in a situation whee I had to use my Italian language skills, I know I would be able to pick it up, again.

Aufweidersehn!
Au revoir!
Aloha!
Adios!
Arriverderci!

Aloha oe, Aloha oe, Until we meet again.