Handling foreign languages hasn't posed significant challenges for me, largely due to my prior experiences. Having spent a year as an exchange student in the USA and participating in the Work and Travel program in Wildwood, New Jersey, during the summer of 2022, I've maintained a strong grasp of English. While my home university required a B2 English level, I went a step further and obtained the Cambridge English Advanced (CAE) certificate in May 2021, demonstrating proficiency at the C1 level.
The first time when I came to the university, I went for coaching course which supposed to be a cross faculty elective course. I entered like 5 minutes before the start of the class and all the students were talking in German. I sat down and waited a few minutes. The teacher entered and said a few words in German. I barely understood what he said. The two other students introduced themselves and now was my turn. I said something like my name is Petr, I am from the Czech Republic, and I don’t really speak German. The teacher afterwards asked if I could understand at least, and I told him that I know around 100 words. We both agreed that if the class is in German, it does not make sense for me. So, my first course ended up after 5 minutes for me because of the language barrier.
Luckily, after visiting an international office I was ensured that all my other courses are in English. In terms of difficulty, none of the language tasks have proven overly challenging for me. I've spoken a few sentences in Spanish and a few words in Russian with some of the other Erasmus students.
One important strategy I've adopted is active listening, particularly in situations where language proficiency varies widely. By making an effort to understand not just the words they say, but also the meaning and feelings behind their communication.
Furthermore, I've learned to empathize with individuals who may possess limited English vocabulary, drawing upon my own experiences as a language learner. By putting myself in their shoes, I make an effort to anticipate their needs and preferences, considering the attitudes they might adopt given their language knowledge. This empathetic approach enables me to adapt my communication style accordingly, fostering a more inclusive and supportive environment.
By prioritizing understanding, empathy, and adaptability, I aim to foster meaningful connections and navigate linguistic barriers with confidence and grace.
I feel like these skills will be particularly important when traveling and encountering people from diverse backgrounds. Not only based on my stay in Liechtenstein, but I have also been able to benefit from that skill. I have had a Korean boss that wasn´t proficient in English so our communication wasn´t the smoothest, but thanks to that I was able to hold a conversation with him and understand his needs.
A similar situation occurred when I was waiting at the bus station to Schaan. An older man approached me and said something, presumably in German. Not understanding, I smiled and asked him in English what he said. Through gestures, we managed to communicate, and I gathered he was remarking on the cold weather. I responded with a simple "JA JA". Despite the fact that I have very limited amount of vocabulary, it made him smile back.
Before arriving in Liechtenstein, I had assumed that most Europeans could understand basic English. However, my experience at Spar in Feldkirch, Austria, proved otherwise. I found myself relying on an English-German translator app on my phone. But I feel like it is my mistake since I should know more German.
One thing I noticed in the Liechtenstein that people tend to speak in their native language even when there are others present who don't understand it. But it might be caused by the variety of nations.
For instance, during a group task with Siddiq and Rai, both from India, they began conversing in Hindi, which I found to be quite rude. Similarly, when attending gatherings in Liechtenstein and talking with Anita, who is Slovakian, we avoid speaking Czech or Slovakian it because we find it impolite, and some people might think that we are saying bad stuff about them.
Not only students do it but I have attended some lectures where the teachers were talking with the students in German, explaining them something and switched to German so most of the international students couldn´t understand it. But despite the fact that I don’t like it, I can understand it.
I chose a picture from a meeting with the US Ambassador in Switzerland and Liechtenstein, Mr. Scott C. Miller which was hosted by the Rector MR. Christian Frommelt and the Head of the International Office Ms. Mirjana Schädler. I think that it is a nice example how the intercultural communication can happen between people from all around the world with one main mutual interest which is English language communication.