You probably are wondering why I am greeting the viewers in so many different languages. Well, there is a reason. My name is Kati Balachandran and I am the Einstein of languages. I am 15 years old, an only child and in Grade 10 Pre-IB. I currently live in Toronto, Canada.
My life before I attained this super-power was like any other Grade 10’s however my interests and dislikes were rather much more unique. I have such a desire for travelling around the world. I collect souvenirs everywhere I go including postcards, keychains, stamps and especially coins for my coin collection. I usually travel back to India, but there is always so much to see as it is so vast with over 325 languages spoken. You can just imagine how different the cultures and traditions would be between the North and the South.
Other than India, I also lived in Tanzania, Africa at a very young age. In specific, I lived in Mwanza with several other families of Indian Descent. I cannot recall this, but my parents told me that we visited Serengeti National Park and Mount Kilimanjaro as we were heading to and from the airport. The most commonly spoken language is Swahili and it was mandatory for me to study it in school as well. To communicate effectively in all these languages, you would need years to practice however, people do not have that much time before heading off on a vacation. This is why my super-power is so useful in my life.
Many people spend their time during the flight journey watching movies, listening to music, reading a book or the most favourite one, “sleeping”. I, on the other hand, utilize my time wisely by looking through brochures of the region that we intend to be visiting. More importantly, I look through translation dictionaries for common phrases to use. During one of my journies to India, we were at the Toronto Pearson Airport going through Security Check when an immigration officer stopped me. He asked me to open my luggage and while I did, my translation dictionary fell in the garbage. As I reached down to pick it up, it disappeared. I was devastated as my only hope to enjoy the trip was gone.
As I entered the flight, the flight attendant greeted me with the traditional “ Namaste ” which means welcome in Hindi (one of the official languages in India). I immediately reciprocated and started conversing with them. To my surprise, I was speaking in Hindi very fluently. I was shocked and went to sit in my seat. A lady sitting beside me was speaking in Italian to her husband and I understood every single word. It was like a miracle and I was filled with happiness. That was the first day when I realized I had this super-power.
Several superheroes do their job to improve the world and some of course use it for evil purposes. My super-power is being utilized for myself. I use it to make my life easier when I am travelling, however if someone would like to have my assistance, I have no objection in helping them. If they want my help for deceitful reasons, I will have to decline my offer. If I am in public areas such as the washroom, the bus or the street, I will be able to comprehend the conversations of the people near me. This may seem like a rude thing to do, but my mind will only stay focused on my purpose. There might be situations where I think it is for a good reason and near the end, I might change my mind or vice-versa. To solve this problem, I don’t commit to anything unless I am 100% sure.
As of today, I am able to use my super-power minimally on a daily basis. At home, my parents speak in Tamil or English. I was able to understand these languages before I acquired my super-power. During school, I converse with my friends and teachers in English. However, French class is now like English class! Toronto is a very multicultural city so anyone with my super-power can visit places like Chinatown, Gerrard India Bazaar and Little Italy without any difficulty. I visit many places in the United States such as New York, New Jersey, California, Minnesota, Nevada, Pennsylvania and many more. Equally, going to India definitely means a halt in Heathrow, London as we travel with British Airways. English is a universal language so my super-power isn’t needed a whole lot but it is life-saving when you do need it!
All Images Retrieved on 2010-02-16
Background Image source: http://www.picturesdepot.com/wallpapers/28861/lake.html
Albert Einstein Tongue of Languages Image source: http://www.toonpool.com/user/4484/files/world_languages_508985.jpg
Travel Guide Book Image source: http://tungwaiyip.info/2004/img/TheTravelBook.jpg
Map of Tanzania Image source: http://www.tanzaniaparks.com/images/TZNP_map.jpg
Toronto Pearson Airport Image source: http://www.worldofstock.com/slides/TRA2110.jpg
Air India Flight Attendants Image source: http://www.marthastewardess.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/air-india-flight-attendants.jpg
Good or Evil Image source: http://www.ewtn.com/series/2005/Series_Good_evil.jpg
Language Power Image source: http://jizzypants.blogspot.com/
