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reflections

Not so bilingual

I use ride shares to get around now, and have for many months. In the couple of months since I’ve last written, I don’t use them nearly as often because I’ve moved , but occasionally I do. I don’t usually get anyone rude or weird. Sometimes I’ll get a silent person that gives off a leave me alone vibe, and a large portion of the time I will get a Spanish speaking person. Those are my favorite ones to get. Not because my Spanish is that great, although it can be when my brain lets me access all the Spanish stored in there, but because I know what it is like to not be able to communicate. I am an American and speak English, but what I mean is i know what it’s like for the words that I want to say come out in a jumbled mess…or not at all. I know what it’s like to not be able to speak to others, and so I relate to these gentleman in a round about way, get out my translator app, and try. Then of course they get really excited and start speaking REALLY FAST. They’ve missed talking! But I think they appreciate someone making the effort. Someone not thinking you’re in America so you need to learn English! 🤦🏼‍♀️They do try to speak and most of them are actively trying to learn a language that is tremendously difficult to learn because they’re humans that want to communicate with others. We need to open our hearts to others and throw preconceived notions and prejudices out the window. How can we ever expect things to get better in America if we don’t extend grace to each other and especially to those that need it the most?