My Life Between Two Languages and Cultures

 

Growing up bilingual is a great richness, but the road to growth can sometimes be a little rocky. I moved from Nepal to Finland at the age of six and immediately started first grade here. There were many good reasons why my father decided to stay and study in Finland, such as the praised education system and the excellent level of safety.

However, when I moved to Finland, my father was nervous about how I would learn Finnish and adapt to a new society. Finnish is, after all, considered one of the most difficult languages in the world.

That is why learning Finnish became my primary goal both at school and at home. Fortunately, my learning at school was supported by the English language, which I had already learned at school in Nepal.

In my free time, I wrote a diary, and often after school I practiced new Finnish words and pronunciation together with my mother. My father chatted with the boys next door and asked them to play with me and teach me Finnish, because I didn’t have Finnish friends.

In the middle of a new language and culture, I often felt very lonely. I missed my grandparents and cousins, whom I saw almost daily in Nepal. In addition, of course, I missed my old friends. I just wanted to talk casually, without having to think about the words.

Thanks to hard work, my language skills developed quickly, and after first grade I was able to have basic conversations. So, I began interpreting for my parents in many situations, such as in the store, and I helped them with Finnish-language documents as best I could.

Gradually, Finnish became my strongest language. At home, I still spoke Nepali with my family, but otherwise Finnish filled my life. As I moved to higher grades, I enjoyed spending a lot of time reading Finnish books and magazines at the library, my friends were Finnish-speaking, and I wrote newspaper articles in Finnish. I noticed that I often thought in a mix of two languages – and sometimes even three, when English was included.

The change in my strongest language was at first, of course, a great source of joy and pride. I had managed to adopt an entirely new language almost perfectly and to adapt to a new society. As I grew older, however, a little uncertainty and even fear crept in behind the pride. What if my Nepali skills weaken over time and I lose a part of myself? What will happen to future generations – will I be able to pass on the language skills and, at the same time, a gateway to Nepali culture?

These questions have deepened my understanding of who I am. I know that the Nepali language and culture are an important part of me, and this will not change. As I have grown older, a new spark has awakened in me to connect more closely with the Nepali language and culture. I have noticed that this awakening is familiar to many other young immigrants as well. As you grow older, you understand yourself and your own identity better, which is probably the reason for this phenomenon.

Bilingualism has opened many doors for me. It has taught me to see things from two different perspectives and to interpret them more deeply. Growing up in two languages and cultures has taught me to understand people with different backgrounds and ways of life. It did not make me two versions – it created unique qualities in me of which I am proud.

Aayush Khadka