In my family we speak three languages: English, isiZulu and Makhuwa. At first I only spoke Makhuwa.

The hard thing about starting to learn a language is that at first you don’t make sense. I used to feel like a person who was not doing well. There were no encouraging words, only laughter. I experienced difficulty. It took a while for me to understand new languages but I had to overcome these obstacles because I only had one thing in mind: to learn these languages.

Now I am fluent in English and isiZulu. Knowing these languages makes me feel like I have conquered the world. I’m proud of myself because of the way I handled the learning of new languages. I want to pass a message to all those who are learning new languages. Learning new languages comes with responsibility. Sometimes you feel like you want to give up. Don’t give up because if you stay strong you will be able to overcome anything that stands in your way. In the end you will be able to hold up your hand and say, ‘Nothing is impossible to conquer!’

Yes, you heard this from me, Rakim Abdullah!