Writing in another language is a mix of challenge, vulnerability, and achievement for me. I did so with fear and shame when I started writing in English. Fear of not using words well, of not sounding natural, of it being evident that it wasn't my native language. But over time, I understood that this difference wasn't a weakness but part of my story.
Writing in English as a Spanish speaker has taught me to see language differently. To choose words with more intention. Pause before writing, thinking, and speaking: What do I want to say? Because when you're not entirely comfortable with the language, you must write with awareness. That, without realizing it, made me improve my writing and, eventually, my communication.
It also made me more empathetic because I understood how brave it is to express themselves in a language other than their own. How much is there behind a simple sentence written with effort, heart, and mental translation?
But it hasn't all been challenging. There's also something extraordinary about this process: when the English words flow freely and I feel capable, I feel like I'm growing. I'm fully embracing this new stage of my life as a migrant, student, and woman who dared to reinvent herself. I finally feel like I'm the same person in English as in Spanish.
Interestingly, writing makes me feel at home in both Spanish and English. Some phrases are born in one language and others in another, but the feeling is the same. Both languages coexist within me and, in some ways, allow me to tell my story from different angles.
Writing in another language is an act of courage. Sometimes, I stumble, and sometimes, I hesitate, but I always learn something new. And every word I write is a small victory, no matter what language.
Because in the end, the important thing isn't whether I use "the" or "el," but what I say comes from a place of truth.
