There is a particular kind of silence that every language learner knows. You understand the question. You know the answer. But the words will not come out in the right order, and by the time they do, the moment has passed. I have experienced that silence in more than one language. And each time, breaking it has changed my life.

Growing Up Between Two Languages

I grew up in Afghanistan speaking Dari (Persian) and Pashto, the two main languages of my country. Moving between them was natural. At home, at school, and in the community, I learned early that every language carries its own rhythm, humor, and way of seeing the world.

Being bilingual from childhood gave me a gift I did not appreciate until much later: I was not afraid of a new language. I was curious about it.

English: My Bridge to the World

English was my first big language challenge. It was my first foreign language, and at times, I really struggled at it. At first it felt like a school subject. I did not yet know it would become the bridge between my work and the world. I discovered that language could carry knowledge across borders.

Becoming a Teacher

In 2014, I began teaching English. Over the years, I taught at several well-known language centres in Kabul, sometimes part-time alongside my environmental work and sometimes full-time. I have coached students preparing for TOEFL and IELTS and mentored young Afghans applying for scholarships abroad.

Teaching taught me something I had not fully understood as a student: language is not only about knowledge. It is about courage. Most learners already know more than they can say. What they need is a safe place to practice and someone who believes they can do it.

Italian: Starting From Zero Again

Then I moved to Italy, where I lived for almost two years.

Suddenly, I was the beginner again. I could not read signs, follow conversations at the market, or understand jokes among colleagues. At work, English connected me with colleagues across Italy, Belgium, France, Spain, and Poland. But outside the office, I needed Italian.

This time, I used everything I had learned as a teacher:

• I spoke before I felt ready. Mistakes became practice, not failures.

• I learned the language of daily life first: greetings, shopping, directions, and small talk.

• I practiced a little every day, instead of waiting for perfect study conditions.

• I learned the culture along with the words. Italians speak with their whole bodies, and understanding the culture helped me understand the language.

• I was listening to Italian language podcasts on my way to work, on the bus.

Today, I speak Italian at a B1 level. I can hold conversations, handle daily life, and connect with people in a way that would have been impossible without it. Italian taught me what my students feel every day, and it made me a better teacher.

French: My Newest Chapter

Now I live in Ottawa, a city where English and French meet every day. So, naturally, I am learning French. Each new language gets a little easier (Although French is tougher...). Not because the grammar is simpler, but because I know how to learn now. I know the frustration will pass, that progress comes in waves, and that every conversation counts.

Somewhere along the way, learning languages stopped being something I had to do. It became something I love.

Why I Still Teach

Today, I design language programs for newcomers and refugees in Canada, focused on the situations they face every day: speaking up at work, understanding their rights as tenants, and communicating with confidence in their communities.

When a learner hesitates before speaking, I recognize that moment. I have been that learner in Kabul, in Italy, and now in Canada. So I try to create classrooms where mistakes are expected, practice is safe, and every step forward is celebrated.

What Being a Polyglot Has Taught Me

• You are never too experienced to be a beginner. Starting over is humbling, and it is also exciting.

• Speak before you feel ready. Confidence comes from using the language, not from waiting.

• Learn the language of daily life first. Real conversations matter more than perfect grammar.

• Your accent is part of your story, not a weakness to hide.

• Every language changes how you see the world. Each one brings new friends, new ideas, and a new way to belong.

• It gets easier with each language because you learn how to learn.

Final Thoughts

Dari and Pashto gave me my roots. English carried me onto international stages. Italian taught me to be a beginner again. French is helping me build a home in a new country.

If you are learning a language right now and feeling frustrated, I want you to know this: the silence does not last forever. One day you will realize you are no longer searching for words. You are simply speaking, and people are listening.

Nasrat Mateen