I think language learning is like one of those infinity fidget cubes. The cube makes a square, then it turns in on itself and takes on a different pattern over and over. It is never static and it is not meant to be. It’s the same with language. The infinite number of combinations of nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, and pronouns create unlimited options for success and failure in every social situation. Language learning is exhilarating and disheartening all at once.

I never take any language failure personally because I’m in excellent company in Côte d’Ivoire. As much as I may struggle with French, I’m working with people every day who are also struggling with English. The main difference is that their acquisition of English is a bonus for their future prospects, while my language acquisition of French is a bit more life-critical. I’m left with only one choice every day: be brave and speak French and take the hard knocks from failure. I’ve also learned that fear can be a great motivator when it comes to acquiring skills.

In my job as a teacher, I am, by default, the cheerleader for language learners everywhere. I spend every day encouraging my students to set aside fear and be brave with me. I also know that the only way to learn anything is to dedicate time to practicing it. Want to be an artist? Stop dreaming and start drawing. Want to speak a language? Open your mouth.

To this end, each time I teach a class, I show this image:

The students believe that it is a reminder for them, but what they may not know is that it also serves as my own private pep talk. Some days are better than others with language, and I have to accept failure as a learning opportunity.

Speaking of failure, the other day, I was on a break from my teaching, and I was really craving some emotional support food, namely French fries. I stopped by a restaurant near my job and ordered a plate of French fries called “assiette de frites.” The server told me he would check if they could do that. Since menus are more optional than required at most restaurants, there is often no set food offering, so you can ask for what you want and the staff will tell you “yes” or “no.”

He came back and said they could do it, but it might take some time. It’s hard to know what the holdup might be (no fry cook? no cut potatoes?), so I told him it was no big deal. I really didn’t need fries from a health perspective, only an emotional perspective, however, he insisted that he would get the fries.

About 30 minutes later, I finally saw him walking out of the kitchen with a plate for me. This is what I recieved:

Apparently the sound differences between the French words “frite” (meaning “fries”) and “fruit” are slight and something I need to work harder on.

What was the delay? The woman from the kitchen had to walk to the store to buy fruit.

Language is a muscle, friends.