A few reflections on learning a language in another country

Before I came out to the Ukraine I had been following Michael Thomas' teach yourself Russian beginners course and trying to write in Cyrillic as much as possible to help myself get as firm a grip of the language as possible and so as to not be completely stranded when I arrived. In fact I had actually started to learn the language before I decided to do my CELTA course, to come to the Ukraine in stead of Russia and I had already learnt a bit of Cyrillic back at university for my module in Russian politics. However the difference between completing one of the basic teach yourself courses and actually being a proficient speaker is huge.

It's hard to appreciate how much language we actually use until you place yourself in an environment where everyday you have to use another language and notice all the elements of your own language that you do not know in this other language and yet want to use. Bearing this in mind it is actually very impressive the amount of language that all economic migrants (and students) require to be able to enter our country. Many of them have a much strong grasp of English than most English people will ever have of another language and yet despite this, some people still make statements like 

"these foreigners coming over and taking all our jobs can't even speak our language!"

The fact of the matter is that if I had wanted to come to the Ukraine and the Ukraine had the same immigration laws that we did then I would never have been able to come over. I know no Ukrainian, very little Russian, I did have a job lined up before I travelled. However I have basically "taken" this job from a Ukrainian (as there are many Ukrainians who are very proficient speakers of English and very good English teachers.) In addition I barely have any qualifications in this subject (and in fact only got a C at GCSE
English).

Fortunately this wasn't the case in the Ukraine and so I have been able to come over and I am really enjoying the opportunity to improve my knowledge of the Russian language. I find it a really interesting language with the lack of prepositions and only having 3 tenses yet relying heavily on word endings to inform you of the how the word fits into the sentence (whether it is the subject, direct object, the process of the sentence etc). Having daily informal classes with the Ukrainian teachers here and with general people in shops, salsa dancing (great for learning the words for body parts) or a whole host of other situations.

I am really glad that I have had this opportunity to spend time experiencing the wonders of living in another country, learning the language (even when it means looking like a complete idiot in a shop with a shop assistant just saying the same thing louder and I still have no idea!) I just hope that people from other cultures will get that opportunity in Britain as well.