STEPHANIE ORTYNSKY
Opinions Writer
“Learning another language opens a world of opportunities.” This was similar to a promotional saying that was advertised in the ’90s when Canadian Parents for French were attempting to increase enrolment in French Immersion programs in Canada.Â
It was a time when a lot of parents were skeptical about the benefits of putting their youngsters in a program that could potentially impede their — heaven forbid, basic English reading, writing and communication skills and possibly “confuse” their children.
I was fortunate enough to have forward-thinking parents who, despite not knowing much French, enrolled my sisters and me in this program from the wee age of five. I will admit that at times it was tough; my parents had to essentially teach me to read in English, which wasn’t so bad when I look back on it. It was better than watching endless hours of TV with them instead. It was also hard on my self-esteem to be called a “French fry” — just kidding.
It pains me to see how ignorant people are about learning to communicate with other cultures and even in the languages of their ancestors. In the summer, I read a reader’s opinion in Regina’s Leader Post that French education in Canada was a huge waste of money. Half-way through that article I was ready to hunt this man down.
So many of the conflicts strewn across the news everyday would be more quickly and readily resolved if people were not so centered around every other culture catering to us, expecting them to speak English when we visit their countries.Â
Although Canada is bilingual, sometimes it is hard to see the relevance of a second language when you live in an Anglophone province. I was at a presentation where a couple university students had the chance to travel abroad to practice their discipline for a month in South America. They came back jaded because they weren’t able to communicate with their supervisors. If you are planning on going somewhere else, learn the language, especially if you will be immersed in their culture.
We as Canadians are extremely fortunate and privileged to have access to education in a variety of languages. At the University of Saskatchewan, people have to opportunity to learn dozens of languages from the beginner level up to the advanced level of communication. We just need to take advantage of these amazing resources and opportunities.
The U of S also has an amazing Language Centre that offers a variety of courses throughout the school year as well as during the spring and summer sessions. Learning another language is a great way to get in touch with your family history.Â
Canada is a nation that is open to diversity. Instead of playing Playstation with my cousins on Thanksgiving, I studied for my Ukrainian 114 midterm with my grandparents. It was great to see my Gido busting out an array of words that I probably won’t be learning until the 300-level courses.Â
Next time you think of taking a trip to Mexico, Cuba, Thailand or even Europe for winter break, be proactive about it, take a short three-month course at the U of S Language Centre and learn, at the very least, the basics of the language of where you are planning on traveling to. Trust me, it will be a lot more fulfilling to communicate with the locals than suntan on a beach for an hour.Â