By: Alexia Williams

As someone who has been learning Spanish for over 10 plus years, I’m extremely grateful that I was given the opportunity to learn a language that is very versatile in many aspects, and fun to learn. Although neither of my parents speak the language, my grandfather is from Panama and Spanish is his first language. Given that, my parents placed me into a Spanish immersion program in kindergarten, which is something I’ve been continuing doing all the way up until now in high school.

Being bilingual and having the opportunity to learn Spanish for so long has been very beneficial for me because not only am I getting the opportunity to be able to learn the language but I also get the opportunity to be immersed in the various different cultures that speak Spanish. Whenever I go out with my parents, and are at a restaurant where we encounter workers who may not speak English, my parents immediately grab me to start speaking/translating for them. Sometimes it’s out of nowhere, but either way I genuinely do enjoy being able to lend a helping hand and communicate.  

My mom has always told me that being bilingual will always come in clutch, especially when I apply for jobs and start working. What she said was completely true because ever since I started working at my current job, I’ve had to use my Spanish on more than several occasions. 

Studies have shown that bilingual employees have 5-20% higher salaries compared to employees who only speak one language, and they have a 45% higher chance of promotions within their first five years in the workforce.

Not only does being bilingual provide career advantages and better job opportunities, but it also enhances cognitive abilities  meaning that bilingual individuals showcase better focus, and mental flexibility because of the fact that they have to navigate two language systems which strengthens the brain’s executive function.

There are many reasons why being bilingual is important and I think it’s critical that everyone gets the chance to learn another language.