Archive by Author
Globalization, Brexit, and Linguistic Diversity Posted by Jakob Gibbons on Jul 13, 2016 in Archived Posts
It’s been a short two weeks since the Brits portmanteau’d their way out of the EU with the shocking Brexit vote. But while economists, investors, and world leaders scramble to do damage control, language lovers around the world have different concerns. Whether the UK is or isn’t part of the EU, whether students are electing to learn…
The Value in Learning Less Commonly Taught Languages Posted by Jakob Gibbons on Jun 22, 2016 in Archived Posts
Let’s be clear about one thing: while many folks behind finance blogs and money magazines continue to debate whether or not it’s “worth it” to learn a language, the entire rest of the world knows that this question has been conclusively answered for decades. Science, government, and the good old free market all agree that…
Parental Advisory: How Language Parents Help You Learn Like a Kid Again Posted by Jakob Gibbons on May 18, 2016 in Archived Posts
I’m a big believer in learning a language on your own. But even learning a language independently, you can’t do it all by yourself: all of us can benefit from some on-the-fly coaching from those who’ve been in the game for years and know it well. Entrepreneur and language coach Chris Lonsdale argues that one of…
Verbal Typos, Foreign Language Anxiety, and Why Native Speakers Don’t Notice Your Mistakes Posted by Jakob Gibbons on Apr 4, 2016 in Archived Posts
We all struggle with foreign language anxiety. I speak three languages most days of my life here in Medellín, Colombia, and I still get nervous about conversing in the two foreign ones just about every day. I learned both of my languages, Dutch and Spanish, pretty fast, and got used to speaking and using them in…
5 Ways to Translate Your Language Skills into Online Earnings Posted by Jakob Gibbons on Mar 9, 2016 in Archived Posts
Last month we shared some tips on putting your languages to work on the ground, how to land in country X with nothing but a couple of bags and a few languages and start making money. But the really secret secret is that you don’t have to actually be anywhere to translate language skills into income. Globalization and the Internet…
Putting Your Languages to Work: How Languages Can Fund Your Travels Around the World Posted by Jakob Gibbons on Feb 10, 2016 in Archived Posts
Proficiency in a foreign language is more than a line on your resume or an impressive party trick—it’s a ticket to self-funded world travel. Most people think that you need to be a translator or language teacher to make a living off your languages, but the opportunities hardly end there. While those are both great…
How to Wake a Sleeping Language Posted by Jakob Gibbons on Jan 18, 2016 in Archived Posts
You always hear about it happening to other people. The pain; the heartwrenching sense of loss. But surely it could never happen to you, you who has worked so diligently at mastering multiple languages, pouring so much of yourself into them and letting them pour so much of themselves into you. Surely you will never…