Haitian Creole is a rather peculiar choice of language learning. You may ask yourself what the benefits of speaking Haitian Creole are. After all, can’t you get by with English or, better yet, French? English speakers in Haiti have a hard time dealing with day-to-day tasks and ordinary life, though. Professional settings and business contexts will require French, on the other hand.
Furthermore, most people in Haiti speak Haitian Creole rather than English or French. And, most times, it’s them you have to interact with. Speaking the natives’ language is an advantage that not many foreigners have when coming to Haiti. So, you’d stand out and make a perfect first impression if you’re fluent in Creole. Next, we’ll list a few essential benefits of learning how to speak Haitian Creole!
You can get by much easier in Haiti
Knowing the native language of a region or country will always set you apart from everyone else who doesn’t know the language. It allows you to be part of the local culture and assimilate it much more comfortably. The locals will interact with you from a more personal point of view, and they’ll strive to accept you as one of their own. Understanding and speaking Creole gives you an immersive experience of Haiti, unlike any other.
Life is much more comfortable in Haiti if you can speak Haitian Creole. So, if you want to begin your learning journey, you can use some of the free resources on the web, such as:
- Duo Lingo
- Haitian Creole Net
- Haiti Hub
- Sweet Coconuts Blog
- University of Kansas Creole Center
- How To Creole
Paid resources include Oxford Picture Dictionary Creole / English, Pimsleur Audio Program, Audible App Version of Pimsleur, Learn Haitian Creole with Gloria, and Haiti Hub Beginners.
Access the local culture with Creole
Knowing Haitian Creole will give you a unique opportunity to understand, assimilate, and interact with the local culture in an immersive way. Haiti is a beautiful part of the world, one with a rich history and an even richer culture. It would be a shame to miss out on these beautiful details just because you can’t understand or speak Haitian Creole. After all, the language isn’t at all hard to learn. And you have plenty of online resources to help you out.
Being a tourist in Haiti who knows the local language puts you in a superior position from all your friends who don’t speak the language. You’ll take center-stage in all the social interactions and various contexts where your group needs to talk to the locals. That’s a nice picture to have in mind.
Access new professional opportunities
If you’re reading this article, the chances are that you have a pretty good reason to consider learning Creole. It may be because you have a lucrative job prospect in Haiti or at a company that requires you to know Haitian Creole. Either way, you’ll need to learn Creole to have any real chance at the interview. Even if you’re not in this situation and you’re wondering why you’d learn Creole, this is why!
There are plenty of job opportunities waiting for you in Haiti. Going there as a tourist and exploring the local cultural and historical fauna may result in unexpected professional decisions to make. Knowing Creole makes you prepared for anything that may come at you, expected or unexpected. There’s no better impression than showing you care about the local culture and language by speaking Haitian Creole, even at professional interviews.