If I was given the opportunity to learn one skill free of charge... What skill would i choose?

     If  I was given an opportunity to learn a skill free of charge, i would choose to learn a foreign language. I do not know the real reason behind that choice but i find that learning a new language is so exciting and appealing. Maybe it's because that meant I can rattle of in French or Spanish or Japanese or Italian and nobody would know what i'm talking about here in Malaysia that is so funny. I know it sounds ridiculous but that is how i see it ever since I'm young. Anyway, learning a foreign language does have its benefits too.

     Learning a foreign language boosts brain power and improves multi-tasking. A foreign language is a whole new system with distinct rules, etymology, and meaning, which are just a few of the complexities of a language. Learning a new one puts the brain to task by recognizing this new language structure. As the brain works out meaning and makes full use of this new arsenal to express ideas, it sharpens skills on reading, negotiating, and problem-solving. As for multi-tasking, it is not easy for those who are not skilled at it.People who are multilingual are proficient at slipping from one tongue to another, one language system to another totally different language mechanics. This is a very distracting and demanding work, not only for the tongue and language faculties, but especially for the brain. People who have developed this are highly proficient multi-taskers and commit very minimal error when juggling various activities. 

     Besides, it also makes a person to be more open to other cultures. Since a language is a doorway to a particular culture, learning a new language enables a person to have a broader understanding of that race or culture. Opening up to a culture allows you to be more flexible and appreciative of other ways of doing and looking at things. As a result, if you are multilingual, you have the advantage of seeing the world from different vantage points. In today’s interconnectedness, this is a valuable tool.

     Not only that, it too builds confidence. Self-confidence is a natural consequence after summing all benefits of learning a new language. By simply mastering one skill, the other faculties are developed. People tend to gravitate around multilingual people because of their skills; others simply find the polyglots’ openness and quick-mindedness naturally attractive.