While there are no sharks in Bratislava, I have noticed a great deal of humility from my students as well as other Slovaks who are learning English. Indeed, it is something that I first came across in Australia while I was backpacking around the world at ages nineteen and twenty. I have been apologised to numerous times by those who do not have English as a first language for their poor English, which is usually anything but poor, as they communicate with me.
Now perhaps this is not unreasonable to expect in Australia, but I have received the same treatment at least a dozen times in the few weeks I've been in Slovakia. The language here is Slovak, not English and I feel constantly pre-empted as I am the one who should be apologising for my extremely limited command of their language.
There is no denying that English is an extremely important language for global trade, diplomacy, communication, improving work prospects, travel and the online world. What is so interesting is how humble learners of English tend to be (in my experience) when conversing with a native speaker and how much humility and respect it instills in me.
I suppose it is because, to them, I have a native command of the language that so many people want to learn. It's quite amazing to realise how many advantages we have in the world that, certainly I, take for granted.
So to those who are learning English and have shown such humility and have been so nice to me I just want to say.....
