A few summers ago my family traveled to Belgium, where we lived in a family's home for three weeks in a small town outside of Leuven. As part of this house exchange, the Belgian family whose farmhouse we were staying in and whose chickens we were collecting eggs from was living in our home in Vermont.

It was great biking along the country roads, visiting the old cities, and buying fresh bread and pastries from bakeries. I loved this trip, but looking back, I think I could have gained so much more if I could speak Flemish or French. Luckily, my brother Luke speaks French, so he was able to communicate for us when we went to Paris and stayed with a family. Of course, nearly all of the people we came in contact with (neighbors, bakery owners, even farmers) spoke enough English to talk with us. However, I still felt like I was on the outside of the country and could only observe.

My trip to Belgium really made me want to continue my Spanish classes so that someday I will be able to spend time in a foreign country and really connect with the people who live there, and not just see the sites. Because language really is how us humans communicate and share common experiences. Architecture, beautiful landscapes, and art do contribute to memorable trips, but there's more to gain.