What is Barlingue?

I’m Paula, the founder of this site.  I’m a 40 year old geordie who has spent the last 15 years or so learning languages in my spare time – first Spanish then Italian.   I’ve been very lucky to meet and connect with some amazing people in that time, and it’s only on reflection that I realise just how important that has been to me and my language learning journey. You can read my story here….

Countless books, studies and documentaries tell us that a strong sense of community is a key factor in living a long and happy life, and as I go to more language events and meet more people, I hear more and more stories about people who found their community through language.  It could be someone like me who is learning a second language and because of that found a group of people they connected with, people who they would otherwise never have crossed paths with.  Maybe it’s someone who moved to a new country and struggled to fit in, but through a shared language they found their people and made that new place home. Maybe it’s someone who connected with other speakers of their endangered native language through an online group.  

This is about talking to people from around the world and collecting those stories. How did they find their community through language? How did it shape their experiences and world view? How did it help them find their identity in a new place? These stories are important, but they are also fascinating, emotional and funny.  They’re stories of shared experiences, of connections, of resilience, of frustration and of joy.  But we need somewhere to tell them…..

Welcome to Barlingue. Imagine yourself sitting in a comfortable but worn chair, listening intently to the stories of people from every corner of the world.  Everyone is smiling and laughing together, with a warmth of spirit that immediately makes you feel safe and welcome. Conversations are going on in various languages – if we forget a word we help each other out or make it up! So take a seat, make yourself comfortable, and keep reading for more stories

You can read more about my story here https://barlingue.com/my-story/