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Think about how complex it would be were you to devise a whole new language. And then consider how many languages humans, in fact, have invented! Would it surprise you that in the island nation of Papua New Guinea, there are more than 800? Or that in Africa, more than 2,000? Or in Asia, almost 2,300? How many might there be worldwide? Linguists estimate close to 6,900. (WHO/UNICEF)
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“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.” —Nelson Mandela
If you have traveled in another country where the populace speaks a language other than your own, for sure you have discovered one of two things: (1) It is an enormous advantage to speak the local language; or (2) It is an enormous disadvantage not to speak the local language. No ifs, ands, or buts.
Perhaps nothing quite encapsulates how the Peace Corps values the learning of the local idiom better than former South African President Mandela’s outlook, quoted above. When the Peace Corps sends Volunteers overseas, one of the most intensive aspects of early training is always learning how the locals speak. Working at the grass-roots level inevitably becomes more effective if a Volunteer can communicate with people in their own language, rather than relying on knowing English or using an interpreter.
Why learn another language? Well, it’s fun and satisfying to be able to converse with others in their native tongue. In a practical way, it’s extremely helpful to be able to read road signs, store labels, menus, train timetables—and, of course, the literature in another land. But probably most important, it shows people that you respect them and their culture by having made the effort to speak their language. Even saying “hello” or “two eggs over easy” in the local language goes a long way toward opening doors, rather than relying on English—or whatever your native tongue may be—somewhere else in the world.
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| Language Resources |
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Would you like to read great stories about the challenges of mastering another language? Check out former Peace Corps Volunteer John Deever's experience with young students in Ukraine in “Mr. John and the Day of Knowledge.” Or share Peter Hessler's struggles, laboring to understand and memorize the nuances of Chinese in “Running,” a chapter from his Peace Corps memoir River Town. |
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How about actually learning phrases and vocabulary in the language of your choice—right here online? Visit the Peace Corps lessons for Mandarin Chinese, Jordanian Arabic, Malian French, Kazakh Russian, Ukrainian, Thai, and Chichewa (from Malawi). Your students will swell with pride when they can greet each other and ask for items over lunch in the language of a country served by the Peace Corps. |
| Peace Corps Exposition for Seattle-area Educators |
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The Peace Corps, the National Peace Corps Association, and the Seattle Area Peace Corps Association are hosting a Peace Corps exposition on Sunday, May 4, in Seattle to increase awareness of returned Peace Corps Volunteer activities in local communities in the greater Seattle area. This expo, with the participation of schools, communities, and community-service organizations, will bring attention to how returned Volunteers bring their international experience home and now make a difference in their own communities.
As a Coverdell World Wise School educator, you are invited to join us at this exposition to learn even more about the impact of the Peace Corps in communities both internationally and here at home. more 
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