Hobby: Bonjour

It is human nature to survive on aspirations and to constantly look forward to change. However, the main problem is that we lead a programmed lifestyle, following the same routine day in and day out. We seldom realise that we need a good challenge so that we do something out of the ordinary for a change. Even though our busy lives are far more eventful than that of the older generation, they probably led a far more interesting life than us. They really believed in having a hobby — something that they truly enjoyed, a means of relaxation and of course, self-discovery.

In the busy lives we all now lead, it is essential to have a hobby in order to break free from the rut. A hobby which people usually take up, and I too, admit to have joined the bandwagon, is learning a language. Have you ever wondered about how many words you know? How many different types of conversations you have in a day and all sorts of sentences you phrase? And of course the ideas we store in our heads? It’s all a play of language and words. Our thoughts are always formulated in the language we know best.

Living in a metropolis and having easy access to a hundred plus television channels and the Internet, English and Urdu comes to us naturally. Learning new phrases and terms from another language is always fun, when you have someone to communicate with, or even better, when no one can understand what you’re saying. This can either be in your mother tongue or a foreign language. A new language can act as a coded medium between you and your family/friends and of course, it’s always helpful when you travel.

Learning a language involves commitment and motivation, after which it is highly rewarding and soon becomes effortless. It comes with its set of advantages and disadvantages like everything else in life. In my case, taking French classes has suddenly developed my interest in French writers and novels, though it is playing havoc with my English grammar and spellings. Languages such as Arabic, Italian, Persian and even Spanish open avenues for an individual as far as travelling, reading, watching movies or listening to music is concerned. Learning a language is probably the only hobby which, (for lazy people like me) kills lots of birds with one stone. It covers history since you learn about the origin, geography, as you get to know all the places where it is spoken (and of course, that adds to your next travel destinations), literature and music. Learning a language is not just about words, grammar and forming sentences. It is about people, countries, culture and not to forget, cuisine.

Learning languages has become easier now, with the availability of so many television channels, online tutorials as well as forums and chats. People who feel they can not do it on their own can always learn with friends and family, as a group activity. One should know the basics of all the main languages at least such as knowing how to ask someone’s name, asking for directions and know other polite terms such as thank you, please, etc. You won’t learn a language immediately but if one gives adequate time, repeat words and phrases often and steps out of one's comfort zone by thinking in that language, nothing is difficult. So go ahead, pick out a foreign language and discover your linguistic talents.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 28^th, 2010.