In a globalized and digital world, it has never been as vital and as easy to be bilingual or multilingual. Its importance has been constantly rising over the past years, not only because it boosts our knowledge, our travels, and experiences throughout the world, but also because it has huge importance for studies, commerce, business, and communication. In addition, it also increases the power of your brain, that’s right, learning a second or third language actually increases your IQ! So yes, being bilingual does open your world to more experiences, possibilities, knowledge, and positive advantages. If you are thinking about learning another language, whether it is Spanish, French, German, etc…, we definitely recommend you to do it!
Here are some benefits of being bilingual nowadays.
1. Increases awareness of other cultures
Knowing another language exposes you to diverse cultures, costumes, traditions, ideas, perspectives, and experiences; it’s like an immersion that gives you the opportunity to interact with different people, make friends and understand other lifestyles that might be similar, somewhat similar, or very different than your own. Being bilingual also allows you to better comprehend foreign music, films, and literature in general; in other words, it gives you cultural knowledge and experiences that can make you more aware and empathic of other cultures. This is how you grow and this is how you realize that the world is wider, more beautiful, more diverse, and way more fun than you think or what you are used to.
2. Boosts your CV and job opportunities
One of the most important benefits of being bilingual is that it opens a new world of professional opportunities. Many international companies consider bilingualism as a crucial skill as it generates more effective communication with clients, customers, and partners from all over the world; therefore, it makes you more competitive, more versatile, and more knowledgeable. Knowing another language is also particularly beneficial if you want to relocate with your current job, work and travel, or explore other careers or professional fields, especially if you are keen on international jobs regarding politics, human rights, international affairs, etc… So, if you want to stand out and boost your CV, being bilingual is definitely a major plus in the world nowadays.
3. Make your travels more fun and enjoyable
Just being able to interact with locals directly is already a good reason to be bilingual for your travels. Actually, learning languages is a must if you are keen on traveling around the world to have long-lasting, once in a lifetime experiences. When the language barrier is eliminated, you can have more immersive and authentic experiences with locals, you can also get out of difficult situations easier (like when you are lost), you can ask for directions, order or make changes to your food, avoid getting overcharged, and make new friends! So yes, being bilingual definitely enhances your travels, and allows you to go to more places, understand cultural differences better, and have more enjoyable and fun experiences!
4. Improves your brainpower, knowledge, and social life
There’s no secret that one of the benefits of being bilingual is that you have more information and knowledge in your brain, but also creates new neural pathways and connections making you smarter, sharper, and more powerful. But it’s not only about the quantity of info, but the quality that’s able to boost your attention, creativity, communication, and many other skills. Studies have shown that bilingual people’s brains age much slower and that can delay neurological diseases such as dementia or Alzheimer. In addition, it helps you improve your social life as you are open to new possibilities and opportunities, and the more you immerse yourself in another language, the more you’ll understand people and the better your friendships and relationships would be.
5. It makes it easier to learn a third language and be multilingual
Learning a third language when you are bilingual is like riding a bike: the first time is hard, but the second is way easier. By being bilingual, your brain is already more skillful and more powerful at learning new things, and it’s also more used to understanding how another language works; this, coupled with the experiences you already had, gives you a better attitude and aptitude to learn a third or a fourth language (or more). Also, you already know the methodologies that suit you best or you can also explore new ones to boost your learning, which means you have many available options to choose from; and so, you can apply what you already know or you can avoid making the same mistakes.
If Spanish is what you are looking for…
There are plenty of languages out there to try, all of them interesting and important in their own way, but, if you have always wanted to learn Spanish, or if Spanish is the second or third language you are looking to learn, we recommend our Spanish classes online. We always always seek to deliver the best and most innovative methodologies for your learning process. Our classes have been tested by more than 2000 students from 80+ countries, and are taught by amazing professional native teachers that always make your intensive learning process a fun ride!
To book a weekly class with Whee, visit our website www.wheeinsitute.com. You can also try the class before and see if it’s for you before committing to the week (which we are 200% sure you will love!).
Wrapping up
Now that you’ve read about the benefits of being bilingual, don’t miss out on the opportunity of improving your life in multiple ways; it not only enhances your knowledge and professional opportunities but your health and cultural experiences as well. Now, more than ever, take advantage of this opportunity and discover a whole new world by also having tons of fun!
For another related article, check Benefits of Learning Intensive Spanish.
