Coronavirus: Divers find Philippine reef covered with single-use face masks

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is washing up on coral reefs close to the Philippine capital, Manila. According to an estimate by the Asian Development Bank, the city has been generating an extra 280 tonnes of medical waste per day, since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Environmental groups are warning that the plastic inside face masks is breaking down and being consumed by marine wildlife. They’re urging the Philippine government to improve its handling of medical waste, to prevent further pollution of the seas.

The BBC’s Howard Johnson joined divers from Anilao Scuba Dive Centre, a group affiliated to the United Nations Environment Programme’s Green Fins, which promotes sustainable marine tourism in South East Asia.

The Filipina and culture: Her role in heritage conservation

 

by John Legaspi, Manila Bulletin

No matter how light or heavy the jobs are, it is important to have women involved in rehabilitating cultural sites

Throughout history, we have seen women depicted in different forms of art. Women sat still as artists immortalize their beauty through canvases, capture their every curve with carved stones, and write about them in novels and poems. Women as muses played a viral role in helping to give the world the best masterpieces artists can create. And as time went by, some women even went onto produce art themselves. 

These days, the role of women branches out from being muses and artists. We may not know much about it, but here in the Philippines, women play significant roles in preserving heritage sites and art conservation, doing tasks from construction works to artifact restoration.

Through Escuela Taller de Filipinas Foundation, Inc., women were able to participate and help in keeping the integrity of some of the cultural spots of the Philippines. Started out as Escuela Taller de Intramuros in 2009, it was a project between the government of Spain and the Philippines, represented by the Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (AECID) and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). Later in 2013, it transformed into an independent private foundation to ensure its sustainability. 

“Our female conservation workers do everything. They work as wood carvers, masons, painters, carpenters, etc. Some of them are even involved in the documentation of the heritage buildings,”  Escuela Taller de Filipinas Foundation, Inc.’s Philip Paraan tells Manila Bulletin Lifestyle. “As part of our training, they get to be exposed right away to work or heritage sites after their regular training in Escuela Taller Intramuros. As graduates, they are employed as conservation workers by the projects (funded by our clients, usually churches). Our trainees and graduates including the females have worked in almost every project that Escuela Taller has handled and managed.”

Female woodcarver from Escuella Taller Bohol

The female conservationists help in the rehabilitation of heritage churches and sites in over 19 locations in the National Capital Region, Laguna, Pampanga, Cebu, and Batanes. While the pandemic has put a pause on their noble mission, their work went on and continued after the first months of the community quarantine.

What these women put to the table is far beyond heavy liftings. “They are patient and detailed oriented. Though they are not as physically strong as their male colleagues, they do almost everything except in lifting extra heavy stones or furniture, but they can lift stones,” Philip says. “Our work entails carving stones, wood, etc. Women workers tend to be more polished in their output. Not all, but they give their work extra attention.”

Female mason workers busy shaping stones in Angeles Church, Pampanga

Bernalyn Lucindo, an employee at the Cultural Properties Division of the Intramuros Administration which handles the care and restoration of artifacts

But no matter how light or heavy the jobs are, whether reworking sillerias (choir seats) or handling masons, it is important to have women involved in preserving heritage sites.

“It is because heritage conservation knows no gender. The skills taught and required of the conservation projects see no gender, only the skills itself and commitment,” says Philip. “For us in Escuela Taller, we believe that women are just as good as men and the industry, the field of conservation should just be populated by women as much as men.”

Ladies in training at the Intramuros campus

“Regardless of gender, what is important is that we are able to transfer the skills, the know-how, traditions, and building knowledge of the past to a new generation of builders, artisans, and skilled workers in conservation to ensure the protection of our built heritage,” he continues. “We can say that the rise of women involved in any type of work including the heritage sector suggests a sense of advancement in society and these gender inclusive spaces should be widened and supported more.”

Started her training at age 18, Kristine from Tondo has been part of several conservation projects including Paco Park, Sta. Ana Church, and Angeles Church in Pampanga.

Philip also noted that apart from the power the women are bringing in the local heritage conservation movement, it is important to also get the public involved in the initiative.

“They can help the foundation by directly donating to the foundation to support its training and conservation activities. At the local level, they can help the churches, heritage groups in fundraising initiatives for the restoration of sites or just be mindful  of the importance of heritage in our collective identity as a people,” he advises. “Tourism is also essential and can be a good start. Visit the heritage sites and museums to learn more of our history and culture. The public can also be part of advocacies that call for sustained heritage conservation in the country. Community and civic involvement is important in heritage management.”

Images are from Escuella Taller De Filipinas. Facebook: @escuelatallerph

A woman is flying the plane: Female pilot breaks stereotype

by Czarina Nicole Ong Ki, Manila Bulletin

Second Officer Alyanna Arañez is a registered nurse who pursued her dream to be a pilot.

She wanted to be a pilot since she was in high school because she loved traveling, meeting people, and trying new cuisines.

Some passengers would ask for their photos to be taken with her to show their children that women are now flying planes.

Seeing families reunited in the airports is what tells her that she had done a good job.

When flying was disrupted during the lockdowns, she designed silk and cotton sleepwear and sold them online.  The merchandise is selling very well.

There is an undeniable stereotype in the aviation industry where pretty girls are flight attendants and the men are pilots.

But female pilots are slowly breaking the stereotype. One of them is  Alyanna Alexandria H. Arañez, 28.

Arañez wanted to be a pilot ever since she was in high school. Because her mom used to be a flight attendant, she was exposed to the aviation culture early on and she was used to travelling.

The fast-paced life excited her. Exploring new places, meeting new people, and trying out different cuisines were something that she wanted to do for a living. Instead of following her mother’s footsteps, Arañez wanted to carve her own path.

That path led her to being known in her workplace as Second Officer Alyanna Arañez.

But this woman may have broken more than just the stereotype of a pilot’s gender.  She is also a registered nurse.  But since she felt that flying is in her blood, after graduating from college, she bravely pursued her dream of becoming a pilot and entered the Philippine Airlines Aviation School.

“I feel like my personality is more fit to be a pilot,” she said. “I wanted to be in control. It’s also about service to the people. They might not see me at all times during the flight, but I serve them by making sure that I do my best in bringing them safely to where they need to be.”

She said she gets her confirmation of a job well done when she sees families reunited and hugging each other in the airports.

Arañez said being a pilot is a demanding job, but she took on all the challenges with gusto. In school, she studied hard because good grades were crucial to being accepted as a pilot. Arañez also discovered that the studying never stops because pilots are constantly learning new skills and updating their techniques.

“We always have to be at our best. We must be mentally, physically, and emotionally prepared every flight,” she said.

Arañez admitted that she was not the smartest among her peers. But there was one thing that made all the difference in her career: “I was determined,” she said. “Whatever you put your mind, heart, and soul into, you can achieve.”

She soon discovered that being a pilot was not all fun and excitement.  It also demanded personal sacrifices.  “Sometimes I don’t get to celebrate special life events with my family due to my schedule. I miss out on birthdays and Christmas,” she said.

When asked if her gender ever became a hindrance in her career, Arañez shook her head. “Luckily, I am blessed to be able to work in an environment that encourages gender equality and women empowerment,” she said.

In fact, Arañez has observed that being a female pilot actually inspires people as she would often get encouraging smiles and nods from disembarking passengers.

FEMALE PILOT IS ALSO A NURSE. – Second Officer Alyanna Arañez is actually a registered nurse, but flying is in her blood. After graduating from college, she pursued her dream of becoming a pilot and entered the Philippine Airlines Aviation School.

“It’s the 21st century,” she said. “People are more than excited to see women taking over the skies. There were instances when passengers would ask to have a photo taken with me so they can show it to their children.”

When the pandemic broke out, Arañez’s job was affected and she had more personal time than she was used to. Not one to do nothing, the young pilot stepped into a completely new territory – online business.

From the skies to online

Since people were spending more time at home, Arañez realized the value of comfortable sleepwear and loungewear. She knew people wanted to feel good about themselves even when stuck at home, so she launched @thegoodsleepcoph, where she offers pretty silk or bamboo cotton pajama sets.

Arañez was surprised by the feedback she received for her products. “I do a happy dance for every purchase made by my customers!” she gushed.

Now that the aviation industry is slowly getting back on its feet, Arañez finds herself busier as she juggles time between career and her business. But she is not complaining.

“The pandemic gave me more time to expand my creative side. I really do enjoy conceptualizing my business. I have something to look forward to since I’m continually learning how a business.

No stopping ‘summer’ fun in the Philippines, DOT says

 Tara Yap, Manila Bulletin

by Alexandria Dennise San Juan, Manila Bulletin

Summer, as they call it, has come but as the threat of the coronavirus disease remains, would it still be more fun in the Philippines? Yes, according to Department of Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat.

“There is no stopping summer. Marami nang tourist destinations ang nagbukas ngayon — nagbukas na ang Boracay, Puerto Princesa — marami nang pwedeng puntahan ngayon (There are so many tourist destinations that reopened like Boracay, Puerto Princesa — there are many sites to visit now),” said Puyat said in an interview over DZRH on Saturday, March 6.

The national government, along with the Local Government Units (LGUs), is even trying to revive the economy via tourism as more areas have started to open their borders and also eased the travel restrictions like cancelling the Travel Authority and Medical Clearance Certificate as requirements.

Several destinations also have no age restrictions which are perfect for a quick getaway with the whole family including grandparents and children.

“Ang pamilyang Pilipino malungkot ang bakasyon kung hindi kasama ang buong pamilya. Ito na ang pagkakataon na ang buong pamilya ay magkasama-sama at ma-enjoy nila nag napakagagandang beaches sa Pilipinas (Filipinos want to travel with their families. This is the opportunity for the whole family to get together and enjoy the beautiful beaches in the Philippines),” Puyat said.

Aside from the opening of favorite vacation spots in the country, Puyat said that the streamlining of required travel documents will also encourage more tourists to visit these destinations.

The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases approved last month a uniform set of travel protocols for land, air, and sea across the country while keeping strict health protocols in place.

These include the scrapping of the mandatory coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing, except when required by the local government unit (LGU) of destination, as well as the need to go on quarantine unless the traveler shows symptoms.

“When we travel sinusunod namin yung mga travel requirements as respect na rin to the LGUs kaya nararamdaman namin kung gaano kahirap kapag maraming hinihinging documents. At least ngayon mas simple na ang requirements (we follow the travel requirements as respect to the LGUs so we know how hard it is when there are many documents needed. At least now, the requirements are simpler),” Puyat shared.

While many people are now confident to travel amid the pandemic, the tourism chief reiterated the need to strictly follow the minimum health protocols even during a vacation such as wearing face masks and face shields, maintaining physical distancing, and practicing proper hand hygiene.

“Kailangang meron pa rin na minimum health and saftey protocols lalo na ngayon na dumating na ang vaccine. Mabuti nang mas maingat para we are good to go (Following the minimum health and safety protocols is a must even during vacation especially now that the vaccine already arrived. It is better to be more careful),” she added.

Tourists were also reminded to always book with accommodation establishments and tour operators that are accredited by the Department of Tourism to ensure their health and safety during their trip.

Puyat said tourists from Metro Manila can still avail of its subsidized RT-PCR test at the Philippine General Hospital for as low as P900 to help reduce travel costs.

PLGU-Davao de Oro opens first molecular lab

 

Davao de Oro --- The Provincial Government of Davao de Oro opened its first COVID-19 Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory at the Provincial Hospital-Montevista (DdOPH) on Friday (March 5, 2021) after it was granted a license to operate by the Department of Health (DOH).

 The laboratory has one PCR machine that can process 90 samples a day using the real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test. It will have a result turn-around time of two operating days.

In his statement, Governor Jayvee Tyron Uy said that the laboratory will help improve the province government's testing efforts in its COVID-19 response.

 

“Mapasalamton ko sa atuang mga provincial doctors ug partners ang Philippine Genome Center (PGC) of the University of the Philippines-Mindanao ug ang Department of Science and Technology (DOST) XI nga giubanan kita sa pila ka bulan nga giagian natung proseso aron mahimo kining accredited ug operational aron magamit ug mas mapadali ang testing capacity sa probinsya”, Uy said.

 

He emphasized that increasing testing capacity will enable the government to provide appropriate responses especially to those most in need and rest assured that the medical technologists who will operate the said molecular laboratory are well-trained.

 Present during the inauguration were Vice Governor Maria Carmen Zamora, Annabelle Yumang, Regional Director of Department of Health, Chancellor Larry Digal of UP Mindanao, Director Lyre Murao of the Philippine Genome Center, Regional Director Anthony Sales of DOST XI, Ferdinand Anthony Soberano, PEEMO PG- Department Head and provincial doctors.

In the long run, the laboratory can also accommodate other tests of various emerging diseases in the future.

Davao de Oro has a total of 1,156 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of March 4, 2021, of this number, 122 are active cases, 992 recovered, and 42 have died from the virus. (Rheafe Hortizano, Provincial Office of Davao de Oro, Photo Courtesy of Ronel Renz B. Alvarez)

Lernen Sie Deutsch in Davao City/Learn German in Davao City

 

Looking for bad news or 'doom scrolling'

 Since the beginning of the pandemic, I keep on scrolling and scrolling and scrolling. I find myself in bed at night scrolling news sites and knowing this is not healthy for me… so why am I doing this?” Easy to explain: I am looking for (somehow) good news.

It’s a question many doom scrollers have been asking themselves. There are multiple reasons why the urge to read may be so strong: the feeling of safety in knowledge, especially during difficult times; the design of social-media platforms that constantly refresh and boost the loudest voices; and, of course, the human fascination aspect.

Beyond knowing intuitively that doom scrolling makes us feel awful, studies conducted during the pandemic have corroborated this, linking both anxiety and depression to the consumption of Covid-19 related media and increased time spent on smartphones. So, why do we keep endlessly scrolling ­– and why can the practice feel oddly soothing? And could there actually be surprising upsides to keeping our eyes locked on our feeds?

“The precursor to going online was that people would watch the 11 o’clock news, [which] was terrifying,” says Dean McKay, a Fordham University psychology professor who specialises in compulsive behaviour and anxiety disorders. That terror, when witnessed from the comfort of the viewer’s home, however, had a potentially calming effect. McKay describes the attitude as people acknowledging “things are pretty horrible, [but] I’m comfortable, so I'm going to be able to sleep well tonight knowing that [I can feel good about] my station in life”.

McKay suggests doom scrolling could be a “modern equivalent”. But, unlike the 2300 news, it doesn’t stop at a fixed hour. During the uniquely uncertain and scary times of 2020, it’s no surprise that people like Bernstein scrolled well into the night. They needed information – at first because little was available about the virus, and then because they got sucked into the never-ending news cycle about it.

As Pamela Rutledge, director of the California-based Media Psychology Research Center, puts it, doom scrolling “really just describes the compulsive need to try and get answers when we’re afraid”.  After all, we do have to assess whether new information constitutes a threat. “We are biologically driven to attend to that,” says Rutledge.

Doom scrolling really just describes the compulsive need to try and get answers when we’re afraid.

“Unfortunately, journalism to some degree plays to that tendency,” she adds. Provocative headlines and stories draw in readers because they elicit fear and urgency. “There’s a sense of, if I know all the latest news, I can better protect myself and my family.” Pamela Rutledge, I strongly agree with you!

Anyway, I am still looking for "somehow" good news to write about. Maybe, I'll be getting a chance in the near future.

WITH BEETHOVEN UNDER PALMS (VII)

Chapter VII: A series of transitions

My buddy and best friend Jürgen invited me to dinner. We were at our favorite Italian restaurant in the elegant part of Berlin Zehlendorf. We talked about times gone by. Yes - gone by. Well, I agreed and tried to explain that I really underwent a series of transitions. "And what are we doing together again?" Jürgen asked. I shrugged my shoulders.

 As I mentioned earlier: 1980 - the year of great upheavals? Up and downs? Oh yes... . 

My job as Editorial Assistant for law magazines made me a lot of inner reassurance. After one year, my then publisher told me, "Well, I told you - learning my doing". For this job, you don't need to study law!" Another project was on my desk. JURA - law, or legal education, a magazine for law students. By editing all posts and articles, I found myself back in a real law study. I was obsessed with doing a very good job. "My" authors belonged to the elite of German lawyers: attorneys, judges and politicians. One of the latters was the then German Federal Minister of Foreign Minister, who would sign my appointment as German Honorary Consul for the island of Mindanao many many years later.

My job was totally fulfilling. Ludwig van Beethoven was with me day and night. Some palm trees were still a long way off. I became a member of the Berlin Theatre Club. My publisher's wife Blandine Ebinger recommended me to become a member. 

"Some things can only be said softly, some things can only be done secretly". Friedrich Hollaender had written this, Hollaender, the one with "The Blue Angel". For Blandine did he write this  because she was his muse. And his former wife. Ebinger became acquainted with Friedrich Hollaender in 1919, and with him she became heavily invested as a performer, writer, and composer in the Berlin cabaret scene in the 1920s, beginning in the cabaret Schall und Rauch and the Café des Westens. She recorded many of her husband's, Friedrich Hollaender, cabaret songs, including the set of songs entitled Lieder eines armen Mädchens (Songs of a poor girl). Ebinger emigrated to the United States in 1937, returning to Berlin in 1947. She moved to Munich, where she met her second husband, the publisher Helwig Hassepflug, in 1961. They eventually settled back in Berlin, where she continued her career in the theater and as an actress on television productions.

Helwig Hassenpflug, my then publisher, became my mentor and my father figure. I would work for him and his company till 1999. As a Berlin Theatre Club member, I met a lot of TV and movie actors and actresses as well as performers from classics until pop - even German rock legend Udo Lindenberg in Hamburg or the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra with star conductor Herbert von Karajan. And, my music library kept up growing ... .

On the other (sad) side: my list of friends got small and smaller and smaller.

My buddy Jürgen and I spent our last trip together in the Holy Land - in Israel. A sad good bye to each other. Jürgen planned to get married in South Korea.

Another one of my relationships had broken up. My mother got cancer. My father left us because of another woman.

I went to the nearest travel office planning to book a flight - taking me as far away as possible. The sales lady asked me, "Sir, I think you love Asia. How about the Philippines?" I agreed. Berlin - Frankfurt - Bangkok - Manila. And since I got three Filipina penfriends during that time, the Philippine round trip ticket Manila-Davao City-Zamboanga City-Manila was added.

(To be continued!)

KZ Tandingan to sing ‘Gabay,’ the first-ever Filipino Disney song

KZ Tandingan (Photo from Walt Disney Facebook Page)

by John Legaspi

It’s official. All hail Asia’s Soul Supreme!

KZ Tandingan will sing the song “Gabay,” the first Disney song in Filipino, in celebration of the studio’s newest film “Raya and the Last Dragon.” 

In the past years, many Filipino artists have officially recorded versions of movie theme songs for Disney. We’ve heard Filipino artists’ takes on Disney classics such as Janella Salvador’s “How Far I’ll Go” from the movie “Moana,” Darren Espanto and Morissette’s “A Whole New World” from the movie “Aladdin,” and much recently, Moira’s “Reflection” from the movie “Mulan.”

But with “Raya and the Last Dragon” set in a fictional world called Kumandra, which is inspired by Southeast Asian cultures, it is just fitting to have a rendition of the movie’s theme song in our local language.

Featuring the voice of Asian international stars such as Kelly Marie Tan, Akwafina, and Gemma Chan, “Raya and the Last Dragon” brings Disney’s first Southeast Asia princess, who is on a journey to find the last living dragon to that will help her to stop the Druu monsters that are threatening her land.

The movie is set to premiere on March 5, 2021 on the streaming service Disney +.

How to learn a language in an hour a day ...

 

Being bilingual has vast benefits – but getting there needn’t be a lifelong slog. One hour per day? I am not sure, if this is enough.

Learning a new language is an inherently scary idea. Thousands of unfamiliar words, an entirely different grammatical structure and the high potential for embarrassment are enough to intimidate many of us. With a busy work life, finding the time to commit to a new language can be a challenge in itself.

But experts agree that it’s more than possible to make meaningful progress in just one hour a day. Not only that, the skills gained from practicing a new language can feel like superpowers in the workplace and beyond.

Research shows there is a direct correlation between bilingualism and intelligence, memory skills and higher academic achievement. As the brain more efficiently processes information, it is even able to stave off age-related cognitive decline.

Depending on your native tongue and which new language you’re learning, you can develop a diverse toolkit of both short-term and lifelong cognitive benefits. Of course, the further apart the language the tougher the challenge (think Dutch and Vietnamese), but focusing on a specific application can drastically narrow the practice time.

Whether it’s for a new job, for literary competence or for making casual conversation, you can sharpen language skills no matter your age or previous exposure.

The most difficult languages

The US Foreign Service Institute (FSI) divides languages into four tiers of difficulty for native English speakers to learn. Group 1, the easiest of the bunch, includes languages like Danish, French, Italian, Romanian, Spanish and Swedish. According to FSI research, it takes around 600 to 750 hours of practice to reach basic fluency in all Group 1 languages.

The US Foreign Service Institute divides languages into four tiers of difficulty. The easiest take around 480 hours of practice to reach basic fluency

The difficulty begins to spike as we move down the list. It takes 900 hours to achieve the same level of fluency in Group 2 languages, which include German, Malay, Swahili, Haitian Creole and Indonesian. More difficult are many languages like Bengali, Czech, Hebrew, Polish and Tagalog, which places them in in Group 3. Group 4 is comprised of some of the most challenging languages for English speakers to grasp: Arabic, Chinese, Japanese and Korean.

Despite the daunting time frame, experts say it’s worth learning a second language for the cognitive benefits alone. Doing so naturally develops our executive functions, “the high-level ability to flexibly manipulate and utilize information, and hold information in the mind and suppress irrelevant information,” says Julie Fiez, a professor at the University of Pittsburgh’s department of neuroscience. “It’s called executive functions because it’s thought of as skills of a CEO: managing a bunch of people, juggling a lot of information, multitasking, prioritizing.”

Bilingual brains rely on executive functions – things like inhibitory control, working memory and cognitive flexibility – to maintain balance between two languages, according to a study from Northwestern University. Because both language systems are always active and competing, the brain’s control mechanisms are constantly strengthened.

At an hour a day's practice, a native English speaker could learn a Group 1 language in two years.

Lisa Meneghetti, a data analyst from Treviso, Italy, is a hyper polyglot, meaning she is fluent in six or more languages - in her case English, French, Swedish, Spanish, Russian and Italian. When embarking on a new language, especially one with a lower difficulty curve that requires less cognitive stamina, she says the biggest challenge is to avoid mixing words.

“It’s normal for the brain to switch and use shortcuts,” she says. “This happens more often and more easily with languages that belong to the same family…  because the similarities are great but so are the false friends!”

While it might seem counter-intuitive, combating this mental hurdle is as simple as pursuing a language with fewer similarities to the one you already know, according to Beverly Baker, a professor of language and bilingualism at the University of Ottawa.

“If you choose two that had different writing systems and very different areas - Japanese and Spanish - at the same time, you wouldn’t have that annoyance of mixing up the words,” she says.

Learning the basics of any language is a quick task. Programs like Duolingo or Rosetta Stone can guide you through a few greetings and simple phrases at lightning speed. For a more personal experience, polyglot Timothy Doner recommends reading and watching material that you already have an interest in.

“If you like cooking, buy a cookbook in a foreign language; if you like soccer, try watching a foreign game,” he says. “Even if you’re only picking up a handful of words per day - and the vast majority continue to sound like gibberish - they will be easier to recall later on.”

Learning a new language becomes much easier if you combine it with something else you enjoy – for instance, watching a football game with foreign commentary. Before you go too far, however, it’s important to consider exactly how you plan to use the language in the future.

“A busy professional might see Mandarin as important to learn because they have business contacts, or it could be a language your family spoke and you lost, or you’re in love with someone who spoke that language. Maybe you’re just interested in saying a few things to your in-laws,” Baker says. “It’s your personal motivations - the level you actually want to realistically live in the language.”

Once your intentions for the new language are defined, you can begin planning out a productive hourly schedule for daily practice

Once your intentions for the new language are defined, you can begin planning out a productive hourly schedule for daily practice that includes multiple learning methods.

Advice on how to best spend this time varies depending on which polyglot or linguistics expert you’re speaking to. But there’s one tip they all seem to stand behind: devote at least half of your hour to stepping away from the books and videos to practice with a native speaker face to face. “To go over questions and do activities, to talk together in the language, and to discuss the culture,” Baker says. “I would not skip that part, because learning about the people and culture will motivate me to keep up with the rest of my learning.”

“Adults, some of them do their language learning trying to memorize words and practice pronunciation, all in silence and to themselves. They don’t actually take the leap to try and have a conversation actually using the language,” Fiez says. “You’re not really learning another language, you’re just learning picture-sound associations.”

Language-learning programs are important, but spending time with a native speaker is the most effective method. 

Just like exercise or musical instruments, people recommend a shorter amount of practice time on a regular basis rather than larger chunks on a more sporadic basis. This is because without a consistent schedule the brain fails to engage in any deep cognitive processes, like making connections between new knowledge and your previous learning. An hour a day five days a week is therefore going to be more beneficial than a five-hour blitz once a week.

According to the FSI index, it would take 150 weeks at this pace to achieve basic fluency in a Group 1 language, or just under three years. But by following the advice from experts, narrowing down your lessons for specific applications rather than general fluency, new speakers will be able to shave off significant time towards reaching their desired level.

“Learning a second language can satisfy an immediate need but it will also help you become a more understanding and empathic person by opening the doors to a different way of thinking and feeling,” says Meneghetti. “It’s about IQ and EQ combined.”

Dedicating one hour of your day towards learning a new language can be thought of as practice in bridging gaps between people. The result is a more malleable communication skill set that brings you closer to your peers at work, home or abroad.

“You’re faced with a different worldview with someone from a different culture. You don’t rush to judgment and are more effective at resolving the clashes in the world that come up,” Baker says.

“Just learning one language, any language in any culture, helps you to develop that adaptability and flexibility when faced with other cultures, period.”