Language Learning for Expatriates

After years in the UK, I thought my English was ok.  Until I moved to Hungary. I had been living in the south of England for a while, and then a year teaching in Glasgow. I felt so confident about my English that I remember thinking: “This is too easy, I need a new challenge - let’s move to Hungary, at least learning the language will keep me busy.” English wasn’t so popular back then in Hungary, so at the beginning I’d always ask English-speaking people for help. But I was gobsmacked that they simply couldn’t understand me! 🤯 I went to the bank to open an account.  → My friend had to translate English-to-English for me. I tried to discuss the contract with my landlady.  → She couldn’t understand me either. I tried to ask a question in a souvenir shop.  → The shop assistants were staring at me like I was from a different planet. Their faces of confusion were priceless. Then I realised - it didn’t matter how good my English was.  If I couldn’t communicate in English with the people around me, then it wasn’t good enough. I had to adapt.  ➡️ Forget colloquialisms.  ➡️ Develop a more neutral accent.  ➡️ Use simple language. Simple structures. I had spent YEARS trying to blend in with natives.  Now I had to re-learn how to use the language in a way that helped me communicate. With people who were NOT native speakers of the language. I carried those skills throughout the rest of my career. Meetings at the EU?  → Everyone will be using their own version of English. Speaking at the UN?  → You’d be lucky if there were any native speakers in the room. Working for American multinationals?  → Most of my colleagues were from Europe, Asia and the Middle East. International English is NOT the English native speakers use. If you are learning English for international business, you don’t need to sound like a native or speak like them. Focus on what matters.  👉 Communicating your idea.  👉 Connecting with the people.  👉 Using simple language everyone can understand. That’s what makes a great communicator in English today. Have you had any similar experiences with English (or with any other language)? 😅 ***** I am Dr. Esther Gutierrez Eugenio, PhD in Language Education. 👆 Follow and hit the 🔔 for daily insights on language learning, international communication, and the role of English in global business.

The secret to learning a language isn’t about how you study. It’s about how you feel: Many people learn poorly   👉🏻 spending hours on vocabulary/grammar 👉🏻 following instructions, exercises & apps 👉🏻 reaching a plateau and getting frustrated   Linguists can tell you   👉🏻 Languages are about communicating, not speaking correctly 👉🏻 Everyone has their own best style of learning. 👉🏻 You learn most effectively when you’re “present”   Every method has something to offer. But you’ll learn faster and better when you: 👉🏿 Embrace immersion and mistakes. If you can’t spend time in country, surround yourself with a language-rich environment: TV, podcasts, conversation partners, exchange apps, social media accounts, online fora. Write daily journal entries or posts. Change your phone settings. Solve problems, complete real tasks imperfectly. 👉🏿 Make it fun your way Use what you love: News videos? Soap operas? Social media? Movies? Podcasts? Audio books? Lessons? Group lessons? Social activities? Sport? Comedy shows? Support networks? Hobbies? Events? Language challenges? What’s enjoyable? Brainstorm and learn with AI. 👉🏿 Fall in love with the culture Explore all that intrigues you. Ethnicities, histories, music, cuisine, pop culture, youth trends, regions, hierarchies, families, art, entertainment, traditions, ideas. 👉🏿 Work in an environment that lifts you up and gives you energy Dive in and get things done using your new language, however badly. Make mistakes and laugh at yourself. It's not what they taught at school. It took me time to change. Once I did, it helped me improve my Thai, Spanish, Korean and other languages. What’s your best tip? #diplomacyforall

If you're fluent in the local language of a country, does it make job hunting easier? 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿: 𝗬𝗲𝘀. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝘁. 📌 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀: 1️⃣ 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗔𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Many roles (especially customer-facing ones) require local language proficiency. If you're applying for such jobs, fluency isn't just a plus—it’s a necessity. 2️⃣ 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 & 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀: Many high-value opportunities emerge from casual conversations and local professional circles. If you can’t engage in those, you're missing out on a huge chunk of the hidden job market. 3️⃣ 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Beyond landing a job, thriving in one requires effective communication with colleagues, clients, and leadership. Language barriers can slow career growth. 💡 𝗛𝗼𝘄𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿, 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁: Tech, finance, and MNC roles often use English as the primary language. If your skills are in demand, companies may hire you despite limited local language skills. Some countries actively recruit international talent, making language proficiency less critical for specific industries. 🚀 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼? 🔹 Research your industry—do most roles require local language fluency? 🔹 If yes, invest in language learning before or after moving. Even conversational proficiency improves your odds. 🔹 Leverage expat networks and global firms where English is widely used. 𝗙𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲 𝗮 𝗷𝗼𝗯, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀, 𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀. Would you relocate for work? If yes, would you learn a new language for better opportunities?👇 Follow Priya Vajpeyi for more!