Language has been a part of humans live since their existence. From the cave time till today people found it a necessity to be able to communicate with one another. Whether to convey ideas and feelings, discuss complex subject, or if it was only to pass the time in ideal chat, humans considered language to be a very important part of their daily life. Language for humans is not only a way of communication, it is also a way of social interaction, it is a reflection of the environment, culture and religion of the user and it is a part of that humans’ identity.

For me whether it was the TV, family members or friends, I have grown up hearing different languages and dialects of languages. This experience has constantly piqued my interest in the subject of language. Whenever I heard someone speaking in a different tongue, I always wondered and asked myself many questions such as, why do not we all speak one language? What is the origin of language? Or, how was language spread to the point it now has its own geographical borders?

As a young girl who was born in Kuwait for a Palestinian father and a Jordanian mother, I have always noticed this significant difference in the way my mother and father used the language, or in the way my friends at school talked to me. Although they all were speaking Arabic, every one of these groups used a different dialect. It was explained to me, since a very young age, that people who lived in different places spoke differently. It was an amazing fact that still makes me think till this day.

As I grow up, I have started to notice languages even more. I would sometimes flip the channels on the TV just to listen to people speaking French on some film, hear Spanish from the actors of that Mexican soap opera, or try to understand German on that sports show. For me, I have seen this as a fun activity that I can do all day long.

When I started going to college, my activity turned into insatiable hunger. I want to understand the reason of my fascination with the subject of language. I want to find a reasonable, sensible answer to my many questions but most of all, I want to understand and be able to communicate with as many people as possible. I moved to the United States and leaned English. I have taken French, and German classes and I am still planning to learn Spanish and Russian in the near future.

Language was never a burden to me. Learning a new language is always fun. Whenever I learn a new word, a feeling a clarity and understanding increases in my heart. Whenever I read an article in a foreign language and I realize that I understood what it said unconsciously I start to smile. Learning languages is what makes me happy.