In 1998, I distinctly recall attending church on Bastille Day, the 14th of July, wearing my tricolor shirt (blue, white, red' the colors of France). It coincided with the championship match of the soccer World Cup 1998 between France and Brazil, with France emerging as the champion, making it a dual celebration for the French, and for me as a francophone.
This period also marked the zenith of my French language learning journey.
Learning foreign languages has made my world a little bit bigger, or smaller, depending on how you look at it. I love languages. Additionally, my interest in them has something to do with my passion for maps and geography in general. I wanted to travel the world and study abroad. I was interested in the countries where these languages are spoken. And though I literally had some minor difficulties studying on my own, my passion has made the language learning a little bit more enjoyable.
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| My first geography books- the main culprits, haha. I do still read them once in a while. |
Let's begin with...
French
When it was time for university, I initially planned to study nursing at the University of Santo Tomas (passed the entrance exams and everything was ready for enrollment). However, my trajectory changed when the results of the NCEE (National College Entrance Examinations) were released, and I ranked among the highest scorers. It was then that my eldest sister, aware of my keen interest in geography, languages, and countries of the world, called me on the phone and encouraged me to pursue a bachelor's program in Foreign Service instead.
It wasn't too difficult to convince me.
The first language in the program is Japanese, but that's another story. After an academic year, it was time to choose between French and Spanish. Despite having a personal preference for French, Spanish was the popular choice due to the perception that it is easier for Filipinos to learn. However, once again, thankfully, my eldest sister intervened and urged me to opt for French, knowing my genuine interest in the language even in high school. Although I initially leaned towards the "easy way" (meaning, to study Spanish), her challenge led me to embrace French, a decision she also favored—evident from her possession of a French dictionary even before my university journey began!
I took up French.
However, after a month or two, I found myself growing bored. I wanted quick results. I wanted to be fluent right away- without studying!
Over the next three semesters, attending French classes became a less-than-thrilling prospect. My now lack of enthusiasm even resulted in occasional exam failures, a consequence of my growing indifference. I distinctly remember a particular day, likely during a major exam, when a French professor demanded that students stand for the entire class if they couldn't answer her questions (I was one of many who were made to stand, haha).
The root of the problem was my waning interest in studying and worse, in the language itself.
It wasn't until the magic of geography came into play that everything changed.
I already finished 3 levels when my interest in Switzerland became an obsession, to the point where even in my other subjects, I would always find a way to squeeze in something about Switzerland.
Because French is one of the official languages of Switzerland, I started to look at French from an enthusiastic perspective, with a strong desire to travel, and eventually, to study in Switzerland. I started to study my lessons and participated actively in class. I also attended some classes for a few days at the Alliance Française in Manila just to interact with other students and improve my oral skills, though I soon got lazy going to class, and decided to simply study independently.
After completing my bachelor's degree in foreign service, I elevated my French language studies to a more advanced level. During this period, I (or rather, my parents) purchased numerous French learning materials to facilitate my self-study in the language. I am grateful that, despite financial constraints, my parents never questioned my pursuits. I was resolute in my commitment to language studies, and over time, my passion transitioned from being a mere French language enthusiast to aspiring to study in Switzerland. Subsequently, I undertook the DELF 1st degree examination and successfully passed it a few months later, in December of 1998.
Now, I still like Switzerland and I intend to visit it again, especially the French-speaking part.
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| I started to learn French using these books. I've been using them again lately (working on improving my French). |
I reached a point where I felt that my French language studies were sufficient, and during this period, I found myself falling in love with Argentina and Iceland (bear in mind that I hadn't traveled overseas yet when I was "falling in love" with these countries, haha).
Firstly, my affection for Argentina stems from its rich cultural heritage and natural wonders, including iconic places like Buenos Aires, the Pampas, the Andes mountains, Tierra del Fuego, and Los Glaciares National Park—a World Heritage site boasting Patagonian glaciers and Magellanic subpolar forests.
Being a nature enthusiast, I amassed numerous pictures of Argentina's natural wonders, adorning my room with them for inspiration. I envisioned that, someday, I would venture to this distant country and witness these breathtaking landscapes.
Then there's Iceland. I'm drawn to this nation for its glaciers, waterfalls, icebergs, and other mesmerizing natural phenomena. The desire to visit had taken root since I was just 9 years old. Although it slipped from my mind for a while, my interest resurfaced in 1998, and during that period, I even attempted to learn Icelandic with the goal of studying in Iceland.
At one point, I entertained the whimsical idea of pursuing a field like glaciology or polar studies, driven by my fascination with the Argentinean Patagonia and Icelandic glaciers.
However, reality set in swiftly, prompting me to simplify things for myself: "Study Spanish and delve deeper into understanding Argentina."
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| The first reason why I studied Spanish: my interest in Argentina and its glaciers. These are still displayed in my room. |
In contrast to my French language studies, I didn't need to purchase Spanish books. I utilized the one my aunt had used during her college Spanish studies in the '60s, although I (or my parents) did buy a new Latin American Spanish dictionary. Drawing on my prior knowledge of French and fueled by the captivating landscapes of Argentine glaciers and subpolar forests, I found myself learning Spanish a bit faster than anticipated.
Daily immersion in Ricky Martin's Spanish songs, which I had been listening to even when i was learning French, proved immensely helpful too! While enjoying the music, I would analyze how the phrases were constructed.
In an effort to engage with fellow learners, I attended Spanish classes at the Instituto Cervantes for a month. However, the challenges of living in Manila prompted my return to the province, where I continued my self-directed learning.
After about a year, as my proficiency grew, I developed an interest in Spain and the entirety of Hispanic America. It dawned on me that proficiency in Spanish opened doors not only for personal enjoyment but also for employment and educational opportunities.
I haven't had the chance to visit Iceland and Argentina yet. Who knows, perhaps someday? However, I did get a taste of Argentina when I flew with Aerolíneas Argentinas from Paris to Madrid in October 2002.
As of Ricky Martin, I got to watch his concert live in Manila in 1998, right after I took my French DELF.
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| I started learning Spanish on my own using these materials. They are still of use to me these days. |
And then, it was time to learn...
Portuguese
Unlike French and Spanish, which I eventually found inspiration to study due to my interest in Switzerland and Argentina and Spain, my interest in Portuguese was immediate. Not only was I curious about Portugal, but I was also captivated by the inherent "beauty" of the Portuguese language itself—the words, the construction of phrases, the sound, and the manner of speaking of the Portuguese people (as heard on TV at the time).
It all began at my uncle's place in Manila in January 2001.
As I watched various programs on TV5 (French channel) and TVE (Spanish channel), I decided to explore the "neighboring" channels. That's when I stumbled upon this "new" language that, to me, sounded like Spanish but was spoken with a French accent. It was like music to my ears, and I instantly fell in love with it.
The channel was RTP, the Portuguese channel.
After the program concluded, I scoured Metro Manila in search of a Portuguese language book. I found one—the Teach Yourself Basic Portuguese book, which was on sale without audio, but I purchased it nonetheless (later realizing that this would pose a significant challenge). I also acquired a Portuguese-English dictionary.
Returning home to the province, I was filled with enthusiasm about becoming proficient in Portuguese (as if it were that easy).
Indeed, I embarked on my journey to study Portuguese while officially declaring myself a Lusophile, expanding my interest to the entire Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) World.
What I did was dedicate at least 2 hours a day to my Portuguese lessons, practicing the construction of simple phrases. I would also choose an article from a magazine or newspaper, dissecting how sentences were written. At this stage, I could grasp their meaning to some extent but remained clueless about pronunciation.
After a month, I could already compose and reasonably comprehend sentences. Nevertheless, a significant challenge persisted: I lacked knowledge of word pronunciation.
Though Spanish and Portuguese may appear to be "close" relatives in their written forms, they are "distant" relatives in their spoken forms.
To my untrained ears, European Portuguese sounded somewhat like a Slavic language, appearing closer to French than Spanish due to nasal sounds. Without a teacher to guide me, coupled with the absence of cable TV, internet, Portuguese cultural centers in the Philippines, and any accessible audio materials, a sense of frustration started to set in.
However, my determination to elevate my proficiency and use Portuguese professionally drove me forward.
In what I considered very basic yet correct Portuguese (at least in my perspective), I composed a letter to the Embassy of Portugal in Makati City (February 2001). I inquired if they could provide learning materials to aid in enhancing my newfound Portuguese skills.
After a week of proofreading the letter, I visited the embassy and handed it to the front-line officer. Reading it on the spot, she remarked (not using exact words), "You wrote this letter, but you mentioned studying Portuguese for only a month... is this correct?"
With full confidence and pride (haha), I said... "Yes".
With a puzzled smile, she replied, "This is strange...".
She looked puzzled and told me to wait. Before I knew it, two top embassy officials (one of them, I believe, was the ambassador) conversed with me in Portuguese as if I were fluent. They may have introduced themselves, but their words were unintelligible. Nervous and disoriented, I noticed employees seemingly appearing out of nowhere, anticipating my response. I wanted to say something but didn't know how. I felt embarrassed, wanted to run away, but stood there like a fool.
Perhaps realizing my delayed responses, the diplomats switched to English. They expressed happiness about my interest in Portuguese and promised to organize Portuguese lessons for me. Finally, I managed to say, "Obrigadinho" (yeah, very informal, haha) and conveyed, in English, my gratitude for their kindness.
As requested, they provided the reading materials I had sought (listed below). The front-line officer who initially read my letter also recommended a website with ample information about Portugal and Portuguese society in general.
I also visited the Embassy in Brazil to acquire additional materials (given that Brazil is the largest Portuguese-speaking country in the world).
I persisted in my independent study of Portuguese, attaining a certain level of proficiency. However, advancing my comprehension skills proved challenging through self-study alone.
Upon relocating to Manila 4 months into my Portuguese language studies, I secured a position as a Portuguese-speaking trade analyst in a Swiss-based multinational company, marking my first job post-language studies. The availability of the Portuguese channel at our place in Manila became a valuable asset, significantly aiding my listening and speaking abilities. I watched it nearly every day, even though initially, I had no idea about the content (a situation I later grew accustomed to). My sisters, though unable to comprehend the language, patiently tolerated hearing a foreign language being spoken on TV (there were also occasional disagreements about who should have control of the TV remote).
To enhance my proficiency, I continued dedicating 2 hours daily to Portuguese study. And at work, I met someone who gave me a copy of a book (Português Sem Fronteiras) that was used at the University of the Philippines.
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| This textbook was given to me in 2001 by a colleague. 10 years after, this was the same textbook that I was using in teaching Portuguese. Now, I still use it. |
In April 2001, I submitted an application for a master's program in translation (Spanish-Portuguese) at the Complutense University of Madrid (I was transferred later to French-Spanish group due to lack of students in my chosen group). Simultaneously, I participated in a nationwide competition for a Spanish government scholarship, backed by the endorsement of both my employer and the university where I had completed my bachelor's degree.
In August of the same year, I successfully secured the scholarship, and three months later, I embarked on my first-ever trip abroad to Spain.
I studied in Spain for 2 years and it's an experience that turned out to be one of the best in my life.
Looking back, I consider myself lucky. However, this wasn't an overnight occurrence. I dedicated years to self-learning languages. Even with limited resources, I was resolute in achieving my goals, with French, Spanish, and Portuguese playing and continuing to play pivotal roles in my journey.
Additionally, I am fortunate to have the unwavering support of my family.
Just A Thought
I will never forget the year 2001.
In 2001, my Portuguese learning journey kicked off in January. By March, I secured my first job in a Swiss-based multinational company. In April, I was accepted into a Spanish university for their French-Spanish translation master's program. The month of May saw me being awarded a Spanish government scholarship. Come October, I was en route to Spain. By December, my dream of visiting Portugal came true. All of this unfolded in the same year, involving my three target languages.
After years of daydreaming and virtual immersion through TV and books, the moment I set foot on European soil was overwhelming. Many spoke familiar languages, and I did too. We understood each other—it was a surreal experience.
Right place, right time? Or more than that?