How have you taken advantage of your multilingualism?

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How have you taken advantage of your multilingualism?

My ability to speak both Korean and Spanish has allowed me to interact with many people and also to help others. Speaking Korean even before I knew how to speak English, I have always been exposed to Korean settings, where I learn more about the culture by surrounding myself around those who belong to it. I have not yet been able to go as far with my Spanish skills as to where my Korean skills have taken me. However, I have begun to exercise my Spanish skills as well, and I hope to enrich them even more.

A way I take advantage of my Korean is by helping my grandmother to communicate. My grandparents both live in Tigard, Oregon, very close to where I live. My grandpa has learned English since immigration (from Korea) into the U.S.; however, my grandma has never really achieved this. Thus, throughout my life, I have been helping my grandma to communicate here in the states. For instance, a common task of mine is to go to the hospital with my grandma. My grandmother suffers from numerous ailments and must make frequent visits to the doctor and to the pharmacist. I am able to translate the doctor’s words into Korean for her so that she can take the correct dosage of medication and take better care of herself.

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Another way I help my grandparents is through my knowledge of Spanish. My grandparents own a small apartment and the residents are Spanish-speakers. They have difficulty with English, so when communication is difficult, my grandma asks me to help by acting as a translator. Many times, the residents have problems with the stove or the bathroom, and I tell these to my grandparents who are then able to fix them.

When one speaks a foreign language fluently, it is inevitable to interact with others who speak the language. I attend a Korean church, and for over a year, I ...

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