Why ?

 

Son:         “Father…what do they call a person

                 who speaks three languages ?”
Father:     “Ah, well, you say tri-lingual.”
Son:         “…and what about a person
                who speaks two languages ?”
Father:     “You would call him bi-lingual.”
Son:         “…and how about if they speak
                one language ?”
Father:    “Ah, well, that’s easy…
                …that’s an American.”

                        -    South American Joke

There was a time, and it’s still true in many places around the world, when a person lived their entire life within 20 miles of the place where they were born.  Of course, especially in agrarian times, we didn’t have the means, the need, or the time, to travel far.  Now, for many of us, things are different.  Many have the time and the money for a little vacation travel, and of course, there are those of us who travel for work, often far and wide. 

Travel is a means of learning about the world.  As I wrote in “Culture”, quoting Maya Angelou, as she quoted Terentius, “I am a human being: nothing human can be alien to me.”  It’s not just languages, or even culture in general...everything we learn is important.

I think it matters.   All of it.

(http://writtenpost.blogspot.com/2011/05/culture.html)

 

“Homo sum: humani nil

a me alienum puto ”
                           -     Terentius

Photo by Doug Maclam

This is my friend Hugo, and his mom. 

Wet met on the Mutianyu Great Wall, near Beijing. 

Hugo heard us speaking English. 

He stepped up and said "Hello". 

I think Hugo would understand

what Terentius was getting at.

                                          - m