[Merskelly Metalien]

<x} In America, unless you're a part of a bilingual family culture, you are really only expected to know another language for academic purposes only. It's a sad "luxury" that most people have, only knowing English and nothing else, because it closes off a lot of the world beyond and negates the interaction of different languages in cultures. :/

I come from a Hispanic heritage and most of my dad's family speaks Spanish along with English, including my dad. My mom's family knows very little Spanish, as only my grandparents spoke it and their children, my mom and her siblings, never learned.

<x} As a baby, I spoke Spanish more than English, but then was taught more English with only some Spanish words staying in my vocabulary, so I never spoke Spanish or understood it later on. And the same went for most of my cousins on either side. <:/ I learned to understand it more, but I'm rusty and don't hold up a conversation as well as I did in a Spanish class.
It really takes actively speaking the language in order to truly know it. <x}

I tried learning Italian, but it's tough, since I know ZERO Italians. <xD And the reason I wanted to learn it was to connect with people who love Italian food, and cooking, and also because it sounds hella suave when you speak Italian. >x3