Barbie couldn't break the language barrier.
Words I didn't know I needed to hear. Walking on language borders and barriers. And a bit of the Barbie world before my birthday.💅🏻
I ran into a friend on the street today. I haven’t seen him in a while! After sharing some good news, he turned the conversation to me, “¿Y tu, que tal?”
"Me acaban de despedir del trabajo.” ↔️ “I just got laid off .”
He assured me not to worry. With my profile, I'll find something soon.
I also had a conversation with an ethics and compliance queen. We're collaborating on a Webinar about AI on Ethics Reporting and Employee Feedback. She praised my dedication and smarts, mentioning that she'd hire me if she could. She even called me fantastic!🥹
I didn't realize how much I needed to hear these words—and from such remarkable people!🥹🥹🥹 I'm so grateful for all of you who have faith in me, even when I'm filled with doubt and worry.
I’ve come to appreciate my worries though. They've taught me to prepare for the worst, which helps propel me forward! As long as I also hope for the best and let go of the doubts when they start pulling me down, I should be ok.😳
Can you relate? Do you worry too much too?🥲
Barbie and the Beauty of Language Barriers
I watched the Barbie movie in Spanish recently. Visually, it was stunning. There were a few moments that made me chuckle. But I found some scenes and lines ridiculous and not particularly funny.🙊 It could be the nuances lost in translation—the delivery, tone, words... How did you find it?
I watched the movie with two strong, independent, intelligent Basque women.🤩
Here in the Basque Country, they speak Euskera, an entirely different language from Spanish. They are often (at least) bilingual and, while some don’t mind shifting between the two languages, others prefer speaking Euskera.
This adds a barrier for newbies trying to connect with the community.
When we’re with la cuadrilla or da barkada (That’s ‘group of friends’ in English!), there are moments when I can't quite follow their conversations. Should they all adjust to Spanish, I feel self-conscious for being the reason they switch to the dictator’s tongue.😬 Nakakahiya!
While it does make things less convenient for me, I have a great appreciation for their staunch commitment to the Basque identity, with Euskera being an essential ingredient. Their language—not dialect!—is proof that they're not Spanish but Basque, and it symbolizes their relentless effort to preserve their traditions, way of life, and sense of being, even when the dictator Franco tried to suppress Euskera, making it illegal to teach and speak.
The fact that each generation still uses the language in their day-to-day, despite the brutal crackdown, demonstrates the strength, pride, and beauty of the Basque culture.
I do wish we would preserve all the wonderfully rich languages of the Philippine islands. But I’ve also developed an appreciation for the Filipino adaptability, flexibility, and creativity that shines through in the way we speak. I realized my native tongue isn't English or Filipino; it's Taglish.😂 The ability to weave words from both languages, picking the ones that best express my thoughts or even creating new expressions and words when needed has helped me become the communicator I am today…
That is: a communicator that can make do with my broken Spanish to talk fluidly about the struggles of womanhood across different cultures and societies with two strong, independent, intelligent Basque women.😆 The real magic of the Barbie movie occurred afterward at a café over two pots of tea, a beer, and great conversation.
Immersion and Connection
It’s important to me that, while I maintain my connection with you from afar, I also make lasting friendships in the society I now call home.
My strategy is to build connections in bite-sized portions. Because in big groups, I gravitate to people I already know and am comfortable with. When I get to connect with someone new, I get that “Mission Accomplished” feels and I love it!
It's uplifting to have these small yet meaningful victories, especially with my birthday just around the corner this Friday.👵🏻 Every year, I find myself cycling through the same phases of sadness-for-not-accomplishing-enough, self-reflection, appreciation, and, finally, celebration! The birthday blues grow shorter with each passing year. YAY!
I've lived a rich life filled with experiences and I’m still making memories! Imma keep trucking on, surrounding myself with remarkable people who believe in my spark, just as I believe in theirs.