Fascination with Culture

I would like to take the opportunity this week to reveal one of my passions. I love learning about different cultures. This fascination probably stems from me being very cultural myself. Everyday, I experience two worlds: an American school and a Polish home. I speak, write, and read both languages and I believe that being bilingual really opens one’s mind to what the world really consists of and how diverse the human race is. In school, I am currently studying Spanish and German. Personally, I enjoy Spanish more, but that is only because I know it better and have been it learning for a longer time. Language, however, is not the only thing I am learning. I am apprehending the way of life, the traditions, and characteristics of these cultures and I can’t wait to visit the countries, either for the first time or once again.
This brings me to my next point. I am very fond of traveling abroad. So far I have visited Canada, France, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, and Italy. This coming summer I am planning to visit Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. I firmly believe that everyone learning a language should have an opportunity to visit the country they are learning about. It gives a totally new perspective and helps teach the language better than any school here in America. Up-close experience and day-to-day situations in which one has to communicate are the best tools there are to becoming a fluent speaker.
Now, a little more about me. My family is Polish and we only speak Polish at our house. It’s terrible when some families don't continue their tradition, and their native language is not passed down to their children. Thankfully, my parents didn't let that happen. My mom is a great cook, and thanks to her we can still have a Polish kitchen here, in America. The food is amazing and I would recommend it to anyone. My mom knows Italian as well and how to cook Italian food. It’s a pasta-lovers paradise.
On the other hand, there are some aspects that I don't particularly enjoy. I think that the stereotype of foreign parents being stricter is true, at least at my house. However, this has taught me discipline, a valuable characteristic for life. So, being multicultural does bring a person to a different perspective. It creates opportunities and options. I believe that everyone should, at least, be bilingual. :)