in English is a lot «messier» than we try to make it seem in the language classroom. Pronunciation or grammar mistakes, which it is part of our job to correct, do not matter that much as long as one is able to get their message across. Most teachers should be aware of that, but unless you travel internationally, it is hard to feel what you teach is completely real and is actually a communication tool.
That kid who started learning English back in the 90s had absolutely no idea she would get to travel outside her country at all. English has definitely been an extremely powerful tool in making something I wouldn’t even dare dream of a reality. So, having this power available to me makes me feel different while speaking English. I am naturally introverted and don’t feel too comfortable in big groups. But when I speak English, I generally feel more cheerful, friendly and confident as if I were exploring this new side of me I had no idea existed. I am still an introverted me in English as well, but by speaking this language I feel I am embracing internationalism and cosmopolitanism as well as celebrating all the work I have done in order to master English. I also feel my voice sounds different in English, which I had others point out as well. In Russian I feel more vulnerable and even less interesting to myself feeling the exciting new life English has offered me has been snatched away from me. It is easy to take our first languages for granted – probably that is the price we pay for the commitment we make to another language, which has been more than just a communicative tool, more than just a job which pays my bills, but a real passion. I am still confused as to how incorporate my «Russianness» into my English (i.e., international) identity. I don’t think I have developed any sort of other personality for the other languages I only know some basics of.
As the U.S. is a linguistic and cultural melting pot, I might even get to practise these extra languages (German, Italian, French, Spanish) while I’m there. Honestly, I had never expected I would get to go to this country – especially for such an extended amount of time. I can’t believe I have won a Fulbright scholarship, which my English has certainly played a part in. Actually, as an English teacher, I was expected to go to the UK first, because in Russia we were taught and some say they teach (I’m not one of them) the British variety of English. Now I see this language as truly international and not belonging to any specific country. That is how I like to feel when I speak and particularly write in it. Yes, I feel a lot of us (i.e., non-natives) have to claim the ownership of this language.
I know I am going to be in a country where English (there is no official language in the U.S., by the way) is predominantly spoken. However, I am more excited not about linguistic adventures (which I am sure I am in for), but cultural experiences with people all over the world – fellow Fulbrighters as well as other internationals living in the U.S. As Fulbrighters we are also supposed to be «cultural ambassadors» of our respective countries, which is a daunting role knowing that you might be the first person from Russia someone is going to meet. Also, given the never-ending political tensions between Russia and the U.S., I realize when I return home, fellow Russians would expect me to be their guide into what life in the U.S. is like. Some might even think I have somehow betrayed my home country by going to America, which some Russians think is our number-one enemy… There will be definitely be others wondering why someone would even come back from what might be paradise on Earth… All I know is that it is going to be complicated, but exciting as well!
Even though the Russian society is still divided over how the West (how it is collectively imagined) is to be treated, a lot of Russians – at least those living in bigger cities – have a more nuanced understanding of life abroad due to having been able to travel internationally, which has certainly become more accessible for some. So, the «iron curtain» mindset cultivated in the USSR when overseas traveling was restricted is no longer ever-present. Going abroad is no longer universally seen almost as flying to the Moon. English is no longer seen as something abstract and simply prestigious either. Even though it is not widely spoken in Russia, more active and ambitious Russians treat as a tool that would fast-track their international careers. It is not a secret there are some compatriots who would love to move to other countries either temporarily or permanently, for which English is mostly likely essential.
Finally, to everyone looking to succeed in language learning, I would recommend simply falling in love – with the language itself, its culture, people (or a particular person for that matter). Each aspect (listening, reading, writing, speaking) would involve certain difficulties and practice, but you will be able to deal with any problems and find the time you need to build your skills if you are genuinely into this.
∞ Now that I have caught a glimpse of Miami through a plane window, I know my U.S. adventure has finally started! I can’t wait to ask my participants these same questions I have just answered and find out their perspective.
A charming and super educated bilingual (Apoorva, India)
Languages spoken: Hindi, English, Urdu.
Field of study/career: Literature, Higher Education and Administration Policy (Teacher’s College, University of Columbia).
I met Apoorva, an epitomy of the Bollywood beauty, during the Fulbright orientation event in Miami and was really amazed by how charming she was from outside and inside. She comes from India where English is quite widely spoken.
During my first days in New Jersey where my host university was located as well as during my first (quite humble and intimidating) commutes to NYC, even being a university English teacher, I had to admit to have been struggling with English a bit. For example, while ordering my coffee at the university diner I would sometimes have difficulties interacting with waiters as they spoke super fast and there were too many options to choose from, which I wasn’t used to at all. That certainly reinforced that stereotype of the culture of consumerism so prevalent in the U.S.
NYC can be too much – visually, sensually and linguistically as well. When a fellow Russian Fulbrighter, Apoorva and I met in Central Park in New York City, we all probably needed a break from the city’s linguistic hustle and bustle.
The choice of the first interviewee wasn’t intentional or scientifically justified. Back in Miami I had mentioned my project to Apoorva and she volunteered to participate. Probably I felt she had just the right energy as I knew from the get-go, it wasn’t going to be a purely rational and rigorously scientific endeavor…
Being in Central Park and picking a random bench to get comfortable for the interview had a certain cinematographic feel to it. As I was filming it (as well as most of the interviews that followed), for some reason I had a random thought of Woody Allen. So many iconic Hollywood films have been made (and I guess some by many other companies in many other languages as well) right in this spot. I knew I would be writing about this moment so here I am…
Apoorva started learning English as part of a basic curriculum at school at the age of 3. In India it is common to go to an English-medium school as this country used to be a British colony. So, as a result, Apoorva thinks that «50 to 60% of Indians speak English very well».
At her English classes back there was a lot of focus on grammar and eventually the emphasis on writing well increased. Then in what could be an equivalent of an American «high-school» spoken English skills got «polished». Apoorva attended a convent and in these institutions students actually got penalized if they were found speaking any other language rather than English and their mother tongue were only allowed during recess. As for mistake correction,
