Immigration is a complicated enough procedure as it is. Even before the immigration process has been completed, you will be very familiar with the need to read and write in English or at least, have a representative who can act on your behalf. This is in order for forms to be correctly submitted to USCIS. It can slow down the whole process if you are not aware of what is required. But, if you have just emigrated to America legally then well done! This is the first hurdle you will have to overcome.
I can only imagine how hard it must be to move to America and not be able to speak English. It is something that many people take for granted. I often hear nothing but abuse from people who say all immigrants must speak English in America. Even on AC, I see prejudice and abuse, rather than tolerance and acceptance, and that is truly sad. I am sure that when people first move to America they wish to quickly settle in to their new surroundings and get used to their new home. But it is hard! I am an immigrant, but I am from the UK. So I have not had to overcome the language barrier by having to learn English. However, I can sympathize with people who are also immigrants, even though I do not have a personal insight into their language difficulties. Rather than abuse people who move to this country, it is best to look at their situation and see what is really going on.
Think of the reasons why people like to maintain a link to their first language after they emigrate. It is the language they heard from their earliest infancy and it is the language they are most familiar with, whether that is French, Spanish or Japanese. If immigrants speak no other language, it is only natural that they will speak their first language when they first arrive. What is so wrong with that? Would you drop English if you emigrated to a non-English speaking country? That is highly unlikely. Their first language is a source of comfort to them. It always will be.
I have noticed that Spanish is a predominant second language in America. This is understandable when you look at the percentage of immigrants who have come from Spanish-speaking countries. It is useful to see signs, instructions and even food items described in Spanish, so that people can easily identify the service they need. I try to look at these signs and learn some phrases myself, as I was not exposed to the Spanish language on such a scale in the UK.
Now that we have established that it is beneficial to make use of the Spanish language in America, we can turn to the advantages of learning English as a second language. Adult immigrants will find it harder to learn the language than children. But that does not mean it cannot be done. If possible, try to learn some English phrases before moving to America. Borrow some library books and learn a few new words each day. Gradually build up your vocabulary and look for important words that you will need to know when you emigrate.
When you move, enlist the help of your sponsor (if they speak English) and ask them to teach you English. If your sponsor is your spouse, they can help you by speaking to you mostly in English rather than your first language, until you are able to grasp the language more easily. It really will help you to settle in more easily if you are able to converse in English. You will need to speak English with your work colleagues, your children’s school teachers, at the bank and when you go shopping. If you do not learn English, many doors will be shut to you and you are likely to feel very isolated and lonely. People are often prejudiced against immigrants (legal and illegal) in this country anyway. If you do not speak English that will be something else they will have to complain about. It is easy for people to make assumptions and say that immigrants do not wish to assimilate into society. So even though it may seem to be a difficult task, it is worthwhile to try and learn some English. You may never become fluent, but that is not what is important. Life will be much easier for you and you will feel a greater degree of independence if you can speak English. Just think of how hard it will be to take care of basic, every day tasks if you cannot speak English. Many TV channels will be off limits to you, it will be harder to make friends and filing tax returns will be difficult without outside assistance. There is a great deal more that you will not be able to do without knowing English.
To conclude, you can still maintain your first language and cultural identity, as well as learn English. If you speak Spanish or some other language, then by all means continue to use it. I like to hear different languages and to see people retaining their culture, rather than compromising it. It would not hurt for native English speakers to make an effort to welcome immigrants by speaking to them in their own language, if they are able to. They will greatly appreciate this. But when all is said and done, learning English really will help to improve your quality of life once you move to America.
