Finding Home in Every Language
By Maria Laura Orellana
I grew up in Buenos Aires, a lively city full of culture, noise, and rhythm. I lived with my parents and worked as an ESL teacher, passionate about languages and helping others communicate.
When I left Argentina more than two decades ago, I packed more than clothes and books. I carried with me a heart full of hope, the spirit of an educator, and the uncertainty of not knowing exactly where I would belong.
I spoke English, Spanish, and French—a solid foundation, I thought. But arriving in Quebec, especially in a smaller city like Trois-Rivières, was a shock. Coming from a metropolis of over 15 million people to a much smaller, quieter city meant adjusting to a completely different pace and lifestyle. Despite my language skills, navigating daily life, decoding Quebecois expressions, and adapting to a new culture felt like starting over.
One of the treasures languages have brought me over the years is friendship. I’ve always loved connecting with people from different backgrounds. Before digital communication, I exchanged letters and postcards with friends overseas—a slow but meaningful way to connect across cultures and time zones. These exchanges taught me patience, curiosity, and the beauty of storytelling in different languages.
I also found immense joy in traveling. Exploring new cultures, learning local customs, tasting unfamiliar foods, and hearing new ways of speaking fills me with wonder and keeps my love of languages alive. Every trip is a classroom, every encounter a lesson.
Gradually, I began building bridges—first through language, then through connection. I volunteered with Colombian refugees, helping them learn French while learning about resilience, shared struggles, and the quiet power of kindness. For the past 17 years, I’ve also volunteered with isolated elderly people through Les Petits Frères, offering not just conversation, but companionship and support. These experiences didn’t just help others—they helped me feel like I belonged.
Today, I teach Spanish and English at a public primary school. My greatest joy is sharing my passion for languages and cultures with my students, helping them discover the world beyond their borders and giving them the tools to express themselves in more than one language.
I’m also married and have two teenage children, to whom I’ve passed on my languages and cultural identity. At home, we blend traditions, recipes, music, and expressions from many parts of the world. Sharing my heritage with them brings me pride and joy—it’s how I keep my roots alive while nurturing new ones.
Over time, I’ve brought my identity as a polyglot, immigrant, and lifelong learner into the classroom. I understand what it means to live between cultures, to long for home, and to slowly build a new one. I’ve come to see that language is not just grammar and vocabulary—it’s identity, emotion, and connection.
Today, I speak Spanish, Italian, English, and French, and I’m learning Greek. But more importantly, I speak the language of adaptation, empathy, and resilience. It’s the classroom where I teach, the community I’ve built, the friendships I’ve nurtured, the journeys I’ve taken, the family I’ve raised, and the lives I’ve touched, and that have touched me in return.
