Language.

I have been thinking about language a lot recently. On Saturday night I went out with some couchsurfers from Madrid. (I am a member of this website.) We call this an “invasion.” Around 15 people invaded Geneva. The group was very international: a few Spaniards, a few South Americans, an Australian, a German and me. In the group, only three of the Madrid invaders spoke English. The rest spoke Spanish or Portuguese. My Spanish is very limited. The reason I am thinking about language is that even though we could not communicate with words I still managed to make friends with many of them. There was something that we shared that was not definable; something that we could not communicate even if we had had a language in common.

Language is what we have invented to help us communicate. It is just that – an invention. People are human no matter what language they speak and we can join together despite language barriers. We use language to communicate concrete ideas that help us live together. We use language to share our joys and sorrows. We use language to give an idea of what we perceive as our mission in life. We use language to connect. However, language is not the only way we can connect. As humans we have something inside of us that can connect, something that does not need a language or words to share with another person.

I think back to my week in Taize. I spent a few days in silence at the end of that week. I was in silence; but I was silent with other people. Another young woman and I had Bible reflections together with the same sister every morning. I never spoke to that girl during our time of silence. However, on Sunday, when we broke our silence, we found each other and embraced. Despite not knowing each others’ names and having never shared a word, we knew each other. We had shared something that is not sharable in language.

As I write this, I am also acutely aware of the fact that my job currently depends on language. I am the Communications Intern. Although I will not always be communicating through language that will probably be my primary medium.

An update on the housing search:

I did not get the house that I was very excited in the past post. I have been looking at more flats, but I have not found one that I really like that is within my budget. I will probably spend the month of April at a “foyer” while I search for more permanent housing. (A foyer is much like a dorm in college, although they are for any young people and not necessarily related to a particular school).