FOREIGN LANGUAGES

Top Ten Reasons to Learn Languages

You’ve heard all the reasons why some people don’t
learn languages, many of these founded on long-
held myths and misconceptions. The truth is, in
today’s increasingly interconnected and
interdependent world, proficiency in other
languages is a vital skill that gives you the
opportunity to engage with the world in a more
immediate and meaningful way—whether in your
neighborhood or thousands of miles away—while
better preparing you to compete and succeed in the
global economy.
Here Are Our Top Ten Benefits of Learning
Languages:
1. Connect!

One of the most rewarding aspects of the human experience is our ability to
connect with others. Being able to communicate with someone in his or her
language is an incredible gift. Bilinguals have the unique opportunity to
communicate with a wider range of people in their personal and professional
lives. Knowing the language makes you a local no matter where you are,
opening up your world literally and figuratively. You will be shaped by
communities. You will be humbled by the kindness of strangers. You will build
lifelong friendships. And for these reasons alone, you will see the reward of
learning languages for many years to come.
2. Advance Your Career

Language skills can be a significant competitive advantage that sets you apart
from your monolingual peers. They are among the top eight skills required
of all occupations—no matter your sector or skill level—and the demand for
bilingual professionals is rising exponentially. In fact, between 2010 and 2015,
the number of U.S. job postings specifically geared toward bilingual
candidates more than doubled.1 Employers are seeking professionals who
can communicate seamlessly with customers in new and expanding overseas
markets, as well as serve and sell to a large foreign-born population here at
home. With more than 60 million U.S. residents who speak a language other
than English at home, you don’t need to get on a plane to put your language
skills to work.2 As an added incentive, in many instances, language skills also
lead to hiring bonuses and increased salaries. Whatever your career
aspiration—with language skills added to the mix, you’re ahead of the crowd!

3. Feed Your Brain

The many cognitive benefits of learning languages are undeniable. People

who speak more than one language have improved memory, problem-solving
and critical-thinking skills, enhanced concentration, ability to multitask, and
better listening skills. They switch between competing tasks and monitor
changes in their environment more easily than monolinguals, as well as
display signs of greater creativity and flexibility. If that weren’t enough, as we
age, being bilingual or multilingual also helps to stave off mental aging and
cognitive decline.
4. Deepen Your Connection to Other Cultures

Language is the most direct connection to other cultures. Being able to

communicate in another language exposes us to and fosters an appreciation
for the traditions, religions, arts, and history of the people associated with that
language. Greater understanding, in turn, promotes greater tolerance,
empathy, and acceptance of others—with studies showing that children who
have studied another language are more open toward and express more
positive attitudes toward the culture associated with that language.
5. See the World

Traveling as a speaker of the local language can revolutionize a trip abroad.

While monolingual travelers are capable of visiting the same places, travelers
who know more than one language are more easily able to navigate outside
the tourist bubble and to connect and interact with the place and its people in
a way that is often inaccessible to those without the language. Learning  a
second language also opens additional doors to opportunities for studying or
working abroad.
6. Go to the Source

In a world of more than 6,000 spoken languages, we sometimes require

translation, but speaking at least one additional language empowers us to
access information that would otherwise be off-limits. For example, individuals
proficient in other languages are able to navigate the Internet as genuine
global citizens—consuming and assessing foreign media and entertainment.
7. Become a Polyglot

Not only does learning a second language improve communication skills and
multiply vocabulary in your first language—yes, really!—but research shows
that it makes picking up additional languages a much easier feat, especially
among children.3 That’s because when you learn a new language, you
develop new brain networks that are primed and ready when you embark on
learning a third language.
8. Boost Your Confidence

Any language learner can attest to making his or her share of mistakes while
discovering a new language—often in front of an audience. It’s a necessary
part of the learning process! Learning a language means putting yourself out
there and moving out of your comfort zone. The upside is the amazing sense
of accomplishment you’ll feel when conversing with someone in their native
language.

9. Strengthen Your Decision Making

Studies show that decisions made in your second language are more reason-
driven than those made in your native language. 4 Contrary to popular
assumptions, when we deliberate in a second or third language, we actually
distance ourselves from the emotional responses and biases deeply
associated with our mother tongue. The result? Systematic and clear-headed
decisions based on just the facts.
10. Gain Perspective

As we explore a new language and culture, we naturally draw comparisons to

what is most familiar. Learning about another culture sheds light on aspects of
our own culture—both positive and negative—we may not have previously
considered. You may find a greater appreciation for what you have, or you
may decide to shake things up!

BENEFITS OF TOURISM

Advantages of Tourism

Now-a-days, tourism is the flourishing industry. The advantages of tourism

includes employment opportunity, growth of service sector, foreign exchange
earnings, opportunity for recreation, economic growth, cultural exchange, better
international relations, enjoyment, better health and wellness.

1. Employment: Tourism provides employment opportunity for local people.

Tourism industry is growing very rapidly in India employing millions of people.

2. Growth of Service Sector: Services sector engaged in tourism sector get the
most out of tourism sector. A large number of businesses engaged in service
sector such as airlines, hotel, surface transportation, etc. grows with the growth of
tourism industry.

3. Foreign Exchange earning: Many tourist destinations attract a good number of

foreign tourists. This helps the country earn foreign exchange.

4. Recreation: Travel based recreation provides relief from the monotony of daily
routine. A change in place and climate helps a traveler to recharge his mind, body
and spirit.
5. Economic growth: Tourism helps in the development of economy of a country.
It helps in the overall GDP development of a country. It helps the local people to
earn their livelihood. The tourists spend lavishly during vacation. The local people
engaged in assisting the tourists earn a good income.

6. Meet new people: It helps the local people to get in touch with the people and
country. It also helps building international relations.

7. Cultural exchange: Tourism gives opportunity to people of various cultures to

assimilate together. People belonging to various cultures meet together and
understand each other. This gives them an opportunity to build respect for each
other. Hence, it fosters cultural harmony.

8. Health and wellness: Many people visit other places for the purpose of getting
treatment for diseases, improving health and prevent diseases. This is called
Medical and health tourism. Wellness tourism aim at achieving complete mental,
psychological and physical well-being. There are many tourism destinations
offering yoga, aerobics, and other therapies for improving health and wellness.

9. Fun and enjoyment: Many people travel for fun and enjoyment. They simply do
whatever excites them, or gives them enjoyment.

10. Spend time with families: The life of modern people is hectic. They are too
busy in their professional life. There is immense pressure even on children. Hence,
such people plan for a holiday trip to spend quality time with their families.

FOR THE SAKE OF OUR PLANET, TOURISM

SHOULD BE DISCOURAGED

Everyone loves holidays. Relaxing in sandy beaches, riding up precarious hillsand galloping
on the verdant fields of exuberant beauty. Some may choosesinking into the exotic city
scapes of the east, or simply a enjoyable stroll in theromantic Europe. Not to forget! The
shoppers paradises and night clubs. Yet havewe ever thought of the impact we may have
upon the environment with our veryentertainment we glean from the womb of mother
nature? It is then important,or even urgent for us to answer such a question as the age of
ever increasingconnectivity looms large upon us.

One of mankind's biggest blow upon the environment is the pollution of the air.Traveling
simply aggravates the problem. Undoubtedly, the very start of ourjourney would have
needed more than the usual amount of fuel. Driving to a faroff place, hitching a ride on a
train or flying up above the sky, all that need fuel.Fossil fuel. The fuel that has for decades
heavily spewed smoke and soot up intothe air. With the ever increasing affluence of man,
more will travel. More soot released, more nitrogen oxide. In the end, we will see an area
coveredwith photo-chemical smog. Places like China has already felt its pinch,
eternallyshrouded with this tainted air. As more people travel to the places, morepollution
occurs. For the sake of tourism, many cities, especially in the thirdworld country will upgrade
its infrastructure and image. This means the need of electricity spikes. When most countries
still rely on fossil fuel, up to 80% for thegeneration of electricity, the horrifying implication
cannot escape the moderneye. More energy needed meant more power plants needed.
Once again, we areglancing into the abyss of eternal smog. Air pollution is a pressing matter.

Another mainstay of man is the ability to consume in an alarming rate and thencreating tons
of rubbish on the way. As the world faces the prospect of thedepletion of materials, tourism
simply kill the slim hope what we may have. Theincreased amount of people to a certain
region just for tour would suck dry theresources, in terms of water or food available. As if he
problem isn't enough, theywill then regurgitate out tremendous amount of rubbish. This is
an alarmingproblem. There will be a need for more land for garbage disposal. In
developingcountry, where the public waste management is in dilapidated state, garbage
willbe strewn across the street. Rivers heavily polluted as garbage cannot bedisposed
properly by local authorities, or irresponsible tourist dumping intorivers. This kills the
aquatic life. For the hardly clean rivers like the Ganges,tourism no doubt will doom it to a
certain death. Rivers of life now become dead,aggravated by the amount of people visiting
it.

The final blow comes from the greed of man itself. Where there is tourist, there isbusiness.
Swanky hotels, top brand shops, insanely huge malls. All that needs

construction. All that needs land. Land that has to be cleaned of forest, of naturalhabitats.
This is the huge abomination hat man can do. For the sake of money,man will cut down
everything. Once green pastures stripped of grass lands just tosatisfy the craves of tourist for
shopping centers and souvenirs. Tropical rain-forest torn down to build expensive resorts
claiming to be in the heart of thewild. Habitats for animals destroyed, the ecosystem
disrupted beyond repair. Theonce magnificent biodiversity reduced to nothing, plant life
barely surviving.Resorts on beaches yet offer direct threat to the local wildlife. Imagine a
turtle,who in the holy act of laying eggs for the survival of its kind being ogled bytourists
who know nothing better. Some even go to the extent of stealing them tobe sold to tourists.
Sadly, it is the very truth, and the result is obvious. Once in the80's the Rantau Abang beach
in Malaysia had dozens of turtles visiting its shore,now barely one do come ashore. Good for
tourists, bad for wildlife.

We cannot then ignore the welfare of man. Many people in tourism sector rely onthis to
support the family. People from nations like Thailand, Indonesia, heavilydepend on the
coming of tourist to derive their income. Without it, there is noway they can live
by. Especially for those in the field of ecotourism. Many of themact as guides and trackers.
Without tourists , there can be no guided tours.Without hotels, there can be no tourist.
Without transport no one would come.They will be condemned to a lifetime of poverty.
Nations like Tunisia weredesperately poor, but with the advent of tourist from Europe, life
got better.Nearly 70% of its economy depends on it. Places like Bali, Indonesia became
themajor earner with it being the second highest gross domestic income area, onlylosing to
a oil rich but sparsely populated area. Fortunes change for them, theirchildren able to have a
better life, a future, albeit at the expense of theenvironment.

We have to realize one thing. Tourism is something inevitable, but for the sake of the planet,
it has to be discouraged. Yet discouraged does not mean a total ban.They can go for some
trips, but not as often as some obscenely rich people. Thewelfare of man still has to be taken
into consideration, but if there is no demand,there is no supply. They can, though, be
supported in different ways. Unless wecan find a way to solve the current woes against it, it
is best we leave it for themoment. Home is still the best place to be.