In New York Times article, Experiment alum stresses need for language learning

“When you take a new language on the road, it reliably brightens your journey and deepens your experiences.”

 

In an essay for The New York Times, Experiment alum Mark Vanhoenacker shares how his 1991 trip to Japan with The Experiment deepened his longstanding love for learning foreign languages.

Headshot of man wearing blue collared shirt and smiling.

Mark Vanhoenacker

“My love of languages began in childhood. When I was growing up in rural Western Massachusetts, foreign languages were inseparable from the wonder I associated with globes and maps and with the graceful airliners I dreamed of someday flying to distant places. I learned some French and Dutch from my Belgian father and studied Spanish in high school,” Vanhoenacker says. “The language I really fell for, though, is Japanese, which I first studied during a summer homestay in Kanazawa.”

As a pilot for British Airways, Vanhoenacker has traveled the world and often writes about flying, science, and culture. He notes that with translation apps and smartphones, many travelers today can get by on a trip without learning the local language. But he believes the benefits of learning a foreign language go far beyond being able to order from a menu.

“Language learning is associated with enhanced memory, creativity, and concentration. It boosts overall academic performance and may also delay neurological decline as you age. For all of us, language learning is a gym for the brain,” he writes, noting language learners also have an edge in the job market.

“The world has changed a lot since the summer of 1991. But there are still reasons for us to invest in foreign language studies. Despite the global pre-eminence of English and the growing sophistication of translation tools, U.S. businesses and government agencies have an unmet need for language skills. Yet as of 2017, only about one-fifth of K-12 students studied a foreign language, and enrollment in U.S. college foreign language classes dropped by almost one-third between 2009 and 2021. These gaps mean that career opportunities are plentiful for language learners, both at home and abroad.”

To read Vanhoenacker’s full essay, visit The New York Times.

 

What to learn Japanese? Read more about The Experiment in International Living’s Japanese Language & Culture program.