What's your super power?

I have always wondered why people do not focus on the positive things and appreciate their own special skills. I believe we all have some super power in us.

I myself feel blessed with the gift of learning easily different languages. I spoke English long before going to school. After that I just noticed English followed by Swedish and French, then came German, Italian and Spanish.

I have to thank my big sister and mother for that. My sister sent me from USA all possible Barbie magazines and books in English which my friends could only dream of those days. From thereon, I got so curious that I tormented my mother to teach me to read and write in English. The first time I needed to study some English grammar was in the high school, before that I just went and completed the exams. Thanks to my family members, I learnt to appreciate and value multiculturalism already in my childhood.

In a way, I accidentally ended up being a polyglotte and speaking seven languages fluently, my favorite languages being Italian and Spanish. This has opened me the world of traveling and different cultures more in depth. I simply love to communicate with people in their own language and I am blessed to be able to fully communicate with my multicultural family members and dear friends.

Funny enough, when I speak or write in a different language, I also think in that language, not in my mother tongue Finnish.

I enjoy so much more dancing the Afro-Caribbean dances, since I speak Spanish. It just opens up the world of music and dance in a different way making the whole experience much more authentic.

My language skills have also helped me out in many tricky situations around the world, like for example with cheating taxi drivers in Brazil. Even though Portuguese is not among my languages, I easily get by with my mix of Spanish, French and Italian.

But already with basic language skills you will get by once traveling. It just helps you out a lot, if you bother to learn some basics beforehand. Like I always recap the basics of Greek before traveling to Greece.

I have never felt the need of envying anyone's talent. I know people who are tremendously gifted in dancing, and I could not be more proud of them. I actually believe that once you are comfortable in your own skin and know your own strengths, life feels much more easier and fun.

So next time you wish to be in someone else's shoes, think first what is your super power. And make the most of it! I know I try to.

Happy European Day of Languages!