Kolorowe Kredki

When learning a language, it is important to practice speaking it in order to learn it fully. Learning Polish allowed me to understand this. Growing up, I learned both Polish and English simultaneously, but when my parents were working all day and I was surrounded by my English-speaking brothers, my Polish skills suddenly vanished. It wasn’t until third grade that I started speaking Polish again, as my parents sent me to Polish school every Saturday for four hours. I started strictly speaking Polish at home and watching Polish television shows with my parents. I quickly mastered the language. So my childhood taught me the ultimate secret to actually learning a language: by constantly speaking it and being surrounded by it.
I believe that knowing another language fluently is truly a super power. My friends have always been in awe about how I’m able to switch between Polish and English so quickly. I am able to think in both languages. I’ve even dreamt in Polish. My absolute favorite thing about knowing another language is that I can choose when people don’t understand me. Let me explain. My best friend Kristina also knows Polish, so in high school, we would always talk to each other in Polish to make other people mad. My peers would think that we were talking bad about them, but in actuality, we were singing a song about colored pencils that we learned in Polish School. This was our favorite thing to do. Here's a translation of the song:

Kolorowe kredki w pudełeczku noszę;
Kolorowe kredki bardzo lubią mnie;
Kolorowe kredki, kiedy je poproszę,
Namalują wszystko to, co chcę!

I carry colored pencils in a box;
Colored pencils like me very much;
Colored pencils, when I ask them
They will paint everything I want!


When coming to college, I was scared that I would forget my Polish, since I wouldn’t be using it everyday. In addition to that, Washington DC doesn’t have a large Polish community, so I would have no where to speak it. However, I am able to practice my language by watching Polish videos and listening to Polish music. I actually watch this Polish vlogger named Lexi Chaplin who makes really funny Youtube videos. Being at American University has allowed me to realize how important language is to me. Knowing Polish will always be a part of me, as I have found ways to incorporate it within my daily life.

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