(Reflection of Christopher Russo, Assistant Superintendent in Portland and Reynolds and currently the Director of the American School of Asuncion, Paraguay.)
I grew up hearing different languages spoken--my dad's side of the family was filled with immigrants from both Poland and Italy. It ended up being this eclectic mix of word and expression that crossed three languages that at times only people in my family could understand.
It was from my youth and this double-dipping in culture and linguistics grew my fascination with language, which in the end drove my studies and led to my profession. I was in this interview the other day with several of my staff, when one of my Paraguayan staff members asked this question of one of the candidates: "What have you done to promote multi-lingualism or bilingualism in your work?"
It immediately struck me--my staff member is completely bilingual and sees the ability to speak more than one language as a necessary asset and something that should be non-negotiable in any hire we make. Such conviction felt with one simple question.
I am firm believer that learning and speaking another language only enhances the mind, opens pathways and corridors yet unexplored.
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