Who moved my English?

As a teenager, my girlfriends and I used to spend hours and hours watching video clips on MTV and VH1. We would sit in front of the TV and wait for our favourite songs to play. Then, while watching the girls from TLC chasing waterfalls or Toni Braxton begging her bf to un-break her heart, my girlfriends would memorize the outfits, makeup and dance moves. Meanwhile, I would listen to the lyrics and try to see how the sentences are built, what new words I can add to my vocabulary, and who's making grammar mistakes (Really Gwen? "If I was a rich girl?"!).

I grew up in a Hebrew speaking home, so really the only places I could learn English from were English classes at school and TV. Lots of TV. I did pretty well in school and have always been proud(ish) of my English and my ability to communicate with people whose English is their native language, verbally and in writing.

And then I moved to Canada.

Boom!

I had to speak English every day, all day

Suddenly a visit to the bank became a challenge. So many words that I'm not familiar with... Seriously, they should write more songs about adjustable-rate mortgages, appraisals and void checks. Every visit to the doctor for a regular check up sounded like I should get my will in place cause what the hell is cardiovascular? And I'm not even talking about the 'easy' stuff like Pilates. How am I supposed to strengthen my glutes when I don't even know where it's located? Jeez.... 

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY ENGLISH?! 

I soon realized that what I thought was excellent English is no more than medium-level, limited mostly to small talks and Take That songs.  

How will I go to job interviews? open a bank account with proper terms? ask the lady at the grocery store where the Kohlrabi is? (and find out it's the same in English and Hebrew?!).

So I did what I know best: I turned the TV on. I went back to 1998, only this time I focused on movies and TV shows, things with more substance (No offense, Peter Andre).

I also engaged in conversations with strangers just so that I can practice my English, but most of all, I wasn't ashamed to ask for help or clarification when I needed them. If the doctor said a word I didn't understand, I asked what it means. If my boss requested that I do something and I wasn't 100% sure what he meant, I wrote it down and googled it later. I wasn't ashamed because as much as Toronto is open to immigrants and I've never felt different, nothing will change the fact that English is not my first language.

I've improved a lot over the last six years, but I still struggle with expressing myself in a sophisticated way and speaking in front of large audiences. I do a lot of preparation before important meetings with clients, and my daughter Eve continues to teach me new words every day - did you know that Toot is another word for fart?! (she's 4, what did you expect me to learn?). 

My English might never be perfect, but I'll always have my Hebrew, and that can come in handy when you want to buy Challah or gossip with your Israeli friends.