A World of Conversation at the Moorhead Public Library

Bonjour! Salve! Olá! Hola!

Imagine stepping into a library in Paris or Mexico City, just three miles from campus. That’s the experience offered every Wednesday at the Moorhead Public Library during its language exchange.

Facilitated by polyglot Monique Ammi, the library hosts language exchanges to practice conversation skills in French, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish. French conversation is offered the first Wednesday of each month, Italian on the second Wednesday, Portuguese on the third Wednesday and Spanish on the fourth Wednesday. October’s conversation theme was pastimes and hobbies. November’s Language Exchange will have participants discussing “Planning the Perfect Gift.”

As a student taking Spanish classes at NDSU, I was excited to practice listening and speaking outside the classroom. Better than practicing with the green Duolingo owl, Duo and his friends, this conversation required no registration, fee or regular attendance. The exchange lasted only an hour, making it a low time commitment for many.

Entering the library for my first language exchange, I searched for the correct space but couldn’t find it. However, when I heard someone say, “Voy al baño,” to their friend, I thought I might have a lead on possible participants. The other woman approached the front desk, grabbed some handouts, and I realized she was the facilitator. Following our leader into the room, I took an empty seat and found myself surrounded by conversations in Spanish.

Voluntary, free conversation in Spanish doesn’t even happen in my 300-level Spanish classes without direction from our professor, so I was even more excited to chat with people of different ages and abilities who genuinely wanted to learn and communicate. As the language exchange began, Monique shared a list of questions regarding the theme, along with helpful vocabulary. Then, we started introducing ourselves.

When it was my turn to introduce myself, my autism pushed me into an entirely nonverbal moment. Sixteen people watched me and waited. I learned later that some of us were just starting college while others were 75-year-old retirees. Some were native speakers from Mexico, while others were students at NDSU or other nearby schools.

From the start of the hour, Monique explained that all proficiency levels were welcome and that we could use English whenever needed, but I was unable to speak in either English or Spanish. Luckily, my silence was greeted with smiles and patience. I grew calm and was able to explain my experience on the spectrum and my plan to learn Spanish.

For the rest of the hour, I enjoyed listening and talking with others about their hobbies, which ranged from knitting to learning their sixth language. We all had a great time, sharing laughs and interests. I even rounded out the evening by adding new friends on Duolingo.

You can join any of the language practice groups free of charge and without prior registration. Simply stop by the Moorhead Public Library’s Fireside Commons on 450 Center Ave. on Wednesdays from 7-8 p.m. The first Wednesday features French, followed by Italian, Portuguese and Spanish on each consecutive Wednesday.

¡Hasta luego!