Georgia, USA
Learning English is highly beneficial for non-native speakers. English is the most commonly used language among foreign speakers and is generally considered to be the best language for international travel. Throughout my many years of traveling to 53 countries, I have always been able to find people who speak enough English to help me when I need it. For example, I lived in Cairo, Egypt, for a few months in 2011 and 2012 as an English teacher. I never learned Arabic while I was living there, but when I needed assistance shopping for food, traveling on the metro, getting directions, ordering food in restaurants, etc., I never had any real problems. Some kind person would always assist me after noticing my dilemma.
Since English is based on a very specific alphabet, it is rather easy for non-natives to learn. A student who is fluent in English has opportunities for a higher quality of education. Scholarships to some of the world’s best universities are much more accessible as well as opportunities to attend international conferences and events where English is necessary. Nabil, one of my best Moroccan friends, won the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship and was happily able to do a wonderful work/study program at a university in Miami, Florida, in 2016-17. He is currently teaching English in Morocco. He hopes to return to the USA to pursue his Master of Arts degree in the next couple of years. His fluency in English and his ambition to succeed were the reasons for this huge accomplishment.
For those foreigners seeking international career opportunities, being fluent in English is extremely advantageous since English is the language most frequently used for international business. Thus, being bilingual with English as one of your languages makes you more employable in every country. Statistics show jobs involving the use of English normally offer higher salaries. Friends who have legally immigrated to my country of the USA have had very little difficulty acquiring jobs. One of my closest friends Ahmed is an Egyptian architect. Within three weeks after his arrival to Atlanta, Georgia, in December 2017, he was offered a position in his field. Two other close Moroccan friends Ayoub and Houssin are doing well supporting themselves. Living in the USA can be expensive, but their impressive English skills have enabled them to adjust to the American culture and to be successful in our work community.
English is the major language used in technical innovation, economic development, and medicine. The USA is an important leader in these areas. Thus, the documents regarding these are written in English. In addition to this, most researchers or authorities in these areas generally prefer to write in English since it is the international language of business as previously mentioned.
English is also the language used in some of the greatest literature ever written as well as the language of many of the popular films, movies, books, and music in modern times. Using these for English instruction is enormously useful by the way because of the slang and the idioms often used in them. They can also be valuable in introducing foreigners to the culture of English-speaking countries.
Being proficient in English can open the doors to successful ventures for which most people strive. As I always say, “Don’t dream big; dream bigger.” Proficiency in English can certainly help one’s dreams come true.