Letters Home

Language plays a crucial role in any culture. It is how people communicate, build relationships, and create a sense of community. Through language, we express our feelings and thoughts, and it also helps shape our identity.

I come from South Africa, which has 11 official languages, each with unique regional variations. Language allows us to convey unique ideas and customs within different cultures and societies. When I visit my family in the Kalahari, I enjoy the beautiful words, descriptions, and accents of Kalahari Afrikaans. Charl often comments that it sounds like we speak an entirely different language.

Language evolves as social groups change

Our way of speaking can even shift during different stages of our lives. I noticed how my children’s language and word choices changed, reflecting the influence of their social circles. As university students, our language has also transformed. My dad found some of the new words we used amusing. He even tried to incorporate them into his work meetings, which made his colleagues laugh.

Integration in a country with a different language

We live in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, where several dialects, collectively known as Swiss German, are spoken across different regions. Understanding Swiss German is challenging for us. Even native Germans who speak High German sometimes struggle with it. Mastering a new language is the key to immersing yourself in a new country.

At Zander’s international school, language plays a crucial role. The school community consist of families from all over the world, covering various native languages. Some families often relocate frequently, which means their children must adapt to and learn the local language of each new country they move to. In many cases, the parents have themselves grown up in different countries with different native languages, leading to children who are fluent in multiple languages.

Zander’s poem on language and its impact on identity

After our move to Switzerland, Zander had to work hard to elevate his English skills to a native level. He also had to learn German as a second language and Spanish as a third. As part of his grade 10 curriculum, Zander had to write a poem about the effect of language on identity.

I share his poem, in which he beautifully reflects on his different linguistic identities with you.

Between Tongues

Afrikaans, the voice of my source,
Where “hoesit” echoes, and “lekker” supports,
It’s the language of rugby, of cricket games,
Of visits home, and calls for birthdays,
In Afrikaans, I say “I miss you” in words that know,
A time much simpler, of places long ago.

English, the language you can’t ignore,
A tool you need if you want to explore,
The language of strangers, now friends I find,
In corridors where new beginnings unwind,
It’s the voice of the world, the one you must know,
The voice I use when my past lets go.

German, the tongue of my new country’s streets,
Where friendships grow through no easy feats,
I’ve learned to connect, talk, and share,
In a tongue that still feels foreign, yet fair.
Though fluency is still a time away,
My expressivity grows with each passing day.

Spanish, a language I’m still working to speak,
Learned in class, though my skills are nothing unique
With Spanish, I interact with people I meet,
Brief encounters, but memories that stay complete.

Afrikaans, for family and past ties,
English, for school and global eyes,
German, for shopping and navigating new streets,
Spanish for travelling and exploring new feats.

Four voices, like rivers, converging in me,
Each one shapes how I see the world around me,

With Afrikaans, I’m the child, of my roots
With English, I navigate global pursuits,
With German, I handle daily tasks and more,
With Spanish, I explore and open new doors.

Four languages, four worlds, all part of my soul,
All built connections. Each uniquely fills a hole.

Groete, Regards, Grüße

Emsia

My eBook is now available on the Amazon Kindle online store in English and in Afrikaans. It is a celebratory reflection on our five-year journey in Switzerland. The book is composed of fifty letters. They delve into our internal and external experiences as a South African family as we adjust to life in a foreign land. I believe readers who have undergone similar experiences, planning it or have family or friends living abroad will find aspects in the book that they can relate to.

In the letters, I aim to articulate the complexities of our journey and encapsulate the essence of our joys, challenges, and reflections. They are more than just a recounting of events. I have intertwined our emotions, thoughts, and cultural experiences into a narrative to provide the reader with an honest and balanced depiction of our process of change and adaptation in Switzerland.

Thank you for the encouragement, assistance, and support

I am thankful for all the encouragement, assistance, and support I’ve received. My gratitude extends to family and friends who urged me to publish my letters in a book and those who served as beta readers. Their constructive feedback helped enhance the value of my stories. Additionally, many individuals suggested incorporating photos into the book. Kindle Publishing enabled me to include almost a hundred of my favourite images in the eBook.

Below, I included excerpts from the feedback provided by beta readers, organised into themes.

The letters are honest, personal, and authentic

“The raw honesty hit me. It is personal, authentic but also interesting, instructive, and balanced.”

“Thank you for the honesty and sincerity with which you portray everything. You lay your heart bare about the uncertainty about the unknown, the beauty, the victories and big challenges you overcome in the foreign country.”

“Emsia, you have shared your life journey and experiences in Switzerland with the readers. However, what I take with me is your inner journey that you also shared. The information shared is authentic and gives the reader a lot to think about. My favourites include Inner Journey, The Gift of Time, Book of Life and South Africa Through New Eyes. The latter brought tears to my eyes.”

“The book provides an honest share of and a good description of the adjustment, challenges, and experiences in a foreign country. The text provides the reader with information and delves into the deeper emotional and spiritual elements of being an expat.” 

Still proudly South African

“It was exciting to go on the journey together and explore new worlds, but at the same time, also experience how your heart is still in Africa and your family ties here, and that there was nothing derogatory or disparaging of our continent written about.”

“The platform is not misused to make a political point of view, something that could easily happen here and which I often find, to my annoyance, on social media and the subject is very relevant in the SA environment. This volume is necessary.”

“The most significant idea is that people can remain proud of South Africans and enjoy the gift of diversity and challenges.”

“I realised that South Africa will always form a part of my roots. I love South Africa and can tackle new adventures and interests. With the love from God and our family, life can be fulfilling no matter where you choose to walk the path. It is also okay to accept that such a big decision can only be a season and that one (especially us South Africans) will always have a home to return to.”

A valuable tool for an expat experience

“For a person who has to adapt to Switzerland, there is a lot of valuable information that will make the expat journey easier.”

“It is also a valuable and realistic guide for someone considering settling abroad.”

“I would like to put this book in the hands of every person who has to decide to live in a foreign country, especially in Switzerland. It will be a valuable tool to overcome the newness and strangeness of a new country and culture.”

“Life is a challenge we can always master because of the humanity around us and because of our adaptability and resilience. Change is scary but has many positive sides.”

The letters inspire self-development and growth

“It reminds me of my gifts and how I can develop myself. Everyone faces challenges and I must learn to focus on the good in changes. It also reminds me of the hard times in my life, and how I grew and benefited from the circumstances. The book underlines a clear sociology and psychology.”

“The book is full of emotion and experience. It gives advice one should carefully consider before making such a big decision. It ultimately encourages me to take on a new adventure and discover and experience other cultures.”

“I lived in Europe for extended periods. Although I realise it requires a lot of sacrifices, the letters made me feel like I am sharing a feeling with someone willing and inspired to take on a new beginning.”

“Moving abroad away from your home country affects all aspects of family life and leads to personal growth.”

“I think that people who have lived abroad will be able to identify and resonate in this way. It also makes you want new adventures and experiences. It enriched me.”

“Your book is about self-development. I like it because I often consider how I can see a topic from a different point of view.”

Valuable treasures and life lessons

“Do not read it too quickly because it contains many precious insights and life lessons, which you should reflect on before you turn the page to the following letter.”

“The book is stimulating, and one should not read it too quickly. One must take a break between chapters to think and reflect.”

“The use of language is generally beautiful and pure. I liked the Time as a Gift chapter the most.”

My hope for the book

My hope for the book is that the right words will reach the right people at the right time. Would you please help recommend the book to people who will find it appealing? I am attaching a book preview if you want to see what it looks like. On the free preview, you can see the first seven letters.

I further hope that I will encourage more people to read eBooks. Our move to Switzerland prompted me to move from printed books to eBooks. I downloaded the free Kindle App on my phone to read my books wherever I go.

Regards

Emsia