I stand there, with multiple pairs of eyes staring back into mine. Then I hear the monotone "Hi _______."
I sit back down. It feels great to say it, to know that I'm not the only one.
And now that I have your attention, I'm actually talking about being bilingual. In case you hadn't realized this by now, I speak both English and Spanish fluently. I know a few words and phrases in other languages (Latin, Swedish, French, Mixteco, and Finnish are the first ones that I can think of) but not enough to have a conversation.
Anyway, I was having a conversation with a few of my friends a couple of months back and we brought up the subject of being bilingual. We realized that it's beautiful to be multilingual; it can help you in some tight spots. Just sayin'.
We also realized that one of the questions that many who speak only language (e.g. English) ask us is "So what language do you think in?" And the answer, is entirely dependent on the person. For me, I tend to think in English, but when it comes to emotions and food I think in Spanish. There is also times when the Spanish word for something comes more naturally for me so that I sometimes think in Spanglish. The situation/environment is also a factor in deciding what language runs in my head. For example: If I'm at a market that is clearly predominantly of Latino vibe, I'll think in Spanish. However, if I'm at school, I'll think in English. And if I'm at the auto shop with family members that only speak Spanish my brain will process English as Spanish and Spanish as English so I can translate.
I guess what I'm saying is: children should learn more than one language when of young school-age, it broadens horizons and allows them to think about lives differently. But if you want to try to learn a language once you're older, I encourage you and say "Go for it!". Get as much practice with native speakers as you can, not only will they help you sound like a natural, there are some things you won't learn in a classroom setting. ;) They're not always bad things, just mannerisms or enunciation. :)
