“Canadian-South African-American.” This is the title so affectionally bestowed upon me by my best friend, as a reflection of my diverse upbringing. The intricacies of this title beautifully reflect my international background, stemming from my birth in South Africa, upbringing mainly in Canada, and years spent residing in the United States. As a product of both traditional schooling and homeschooling, my formative years were marked by a unique blend of educational experiences.

Growing up, my experience and interactions with three different cultures further deepened my love and admiration for learning about other cultures. I became interested in learning Chinese. Such a passion, not only led to my undergrad major in International Studies but also to my pursuit of tutoring English for non-native speakers over the last 4 years. Additionally, my passion for cultures and learning languages led me to pursue my M.A. in Linguistics.

Through communicating with individuals from diverse ethnic backgrounds, I learned that despite our differences, we share the same basic human experiences. My connections with people from other countries were strengthened not by language proficiency, but by a willingness to understand one another. I discovered that investing in effective communication is key, and while language level helps with conversation flow, it is ultimately of secondary importance as it improves with time.

Over the years, my journey in learning various languages, about different cultures, and engaging with those from different countries has led to one simple truth: “We are all the same.”