In an Immigrant's life there is this thing called language barrier
@Gorillafootprints925 (3586)
United States
July 15, 2010 9:45pm CST
Immigrants, especially those who are not very familiar with their new country's language is the first thing they must learn. I myself was an immigrant some time ago. I was 14 when my family moved here in North America, in my first year or so I didn't talk as much because I was having a hard time with conversations with people. You can say I was in culture shock back then. Even though I knew how speak English before we came it is still different because back in my homeland English was something we only used in school and not usually for casual talk. I can say that for a while in my first few years that a Language barrier got me. In school I met people who didn't know a thing about English, learning them for the first time. It was really hard for them especially passing some English tests that required writing essays. Have you experienced anything like this?
3 responses
@ilann1 (372)
• Israel
16 Jul 10
I know many people in my country who immigrated from Russia and have a culture and language shock, since they new language they have to learn is completely different from the Russian one. Therefore, my country government decided to give an easing for the immigrants. I'm not sure what the easing is all about but one thing is for sure, it makes their lives in here somehow easier.
@Muteki (114)
• Japan
16 Jul 10
I am immigrant to Japan, came here 10 years ago and diden't know the language. I wanted to learn the language the best I could because I hated the feeling of being functionally illiterate. I learned the language to a decent level but there are a lot of people around me who don't speak the language at all and are very successful in their careers.
The language barrier doesn't have to be such an obstacle, I think it depends on what you can offer in your new environment, especially in terms of employment skills.
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
16 Jul 10
I have experienced the language barrier from the other side down here in Florida. We have a lot of immigrants who don't speak English and it causes problems and confusion sometimes. In fact, I had a problem earlier in the month because I collect the rent from the people who rent my stepdaughter's house. This month the lady didn't come by until the 7th, so her rent was late and she owed a late fee. But, she doesn't speak English and her daughter, who does, wasn't with her so I had to write a note asking the daughter to call me. When she called she explained that her mother had been in the hospital and that was why the rent was late so I told her to forget about the late fee. If someone hadn't been able to break the language barrier my stepdaughter would still be mad because the rent was paid late. 
