Our rogue humanitarian is worried her ability to learn languages is all used upI disapprove learning languages. It’s boring,it’s hard, and everyone laughs at me. The trouble is I’m a career foreigner, or that doesn’t leave me much choice. Either I learn the local language or I risk turning into that expat – the one who has to ring up a translator to divulge his chauffeur where to drive him.
No likes that expat,and not only because most of us report to him. Language is the key to understanding a culture, and culture is at the core of what we do. When aid workers are dim on language and culture they discontinuance up teaching people to keep condoms on bananas instead of on human body parts.
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Source: theguardian.com