On October 2nd we had our first Each One Teach One meeting. We decided to meet by the lake, because we thought it was the perfect place to talk with no hurries and without the feeling of being in a class. More than a lesson, it was a hangout between friends where we shared cultures, interests and experiences.
We started with the basics: words and simple sentences in different languages. Andrea, Daira and I learnt how to say hello and some phrases in Persian, while Alijon practised Spanish expressions. The great part of the conversation was in English, which helped us maintain communication and ensure that we all understood each other. Soon I realized that this meeting went beyond learning vocabulary, as we kept having the conversation we learnt about Tajikistan: its climate, the life there and how it is to live in that country. At the same time, we told him things about Spain and our traditions and customs. Seeing pictures from his city made everything seem more authentic. It reminded me that a language is not only used as a way of communicating, but as a gate to the other person’s world.
The fact that we were walking by the lake while we talked about what we saw and used vocabulary related to the landscape made everything more natural. It surprised me how cultural exchange can happen in such a natural way when you are not in class, but in a real context, sharing stories and anecdotes. There were of course some difficulties. Persian is not an easy language to pronounce and I forgot some words easily, I felt very comfortable speaking in English and that made it easier to clear what we didn’t know.
This meeting helped me open my mind up, be more patient and become aware of how connected languages and cultures are. I am very excited to continue with these meetings and be able to notice how I improve my linguistic skills as well as my understanding of other ways of living and seeing the world.
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