More Than Words

I think it’s amazing how people communicate without words. Whether or not you’re a believer in “energy” or “auras,” it’s impossible to deny that there are moments when you can feel the personality of someone without even sharing one word with them. This is how I felt when I first arrived at the VAMOS program. I walked into a classroom full of kids who all spoke Spanish. And while at first our conversations couldn’t really progress beyond, “hola, como estas?” I could still share laughs and sarcasm with the student that was sitting next to me. Now, I know people are very complex and the moment you think you have someone “figured out”, they usually prove you wrong. But, I have already met some people here (young and old) that, despite a language gap, I’ve caught a glimpse of their spirit and that it’s not so much what we say but how we say it. I know this is a bit cliché and not the most profound discovery, but, the other day I sat next to a student at VAMOS named Fernando and we really couldn’t understand each other’s words. However, I couldn’t deny the personality shining through his smile and whenever I get discouraged in my efforts to learn Spanish, I remember this and feel comforted in the fact that words are often times just supplementary to communication.