It All Starts with “Hello”
"Hello, Hola, Hallo, Shalom, Hei, Marhaban, Ni Hao, Namaste, and Preevyet." To you, these words might represent different languages. To me, they are gateways—each one an opportunity to connect with diverse individuals and vibrant cultures, helping to expand my view of the world in ways I never imagined.
I still remember when, back in third grade, a new student named Enrique joined our classroom. He was an African American boy from Chicago, while our classroom was primarily made up of Caucasian and Asian students. As everyone stuck to their cliques, I noticed Enrique sitting alone, looking a bit out of place. Without thinking much about it, I walked up to him, introduced myself, and invited him to join me at recess and lunch for the rest of the week. From that first “hello,” our bond grew through laughter, sleepovers, and shared moments of trust. What began as a simple gesture blossomed into a lifelong friendship.
A few years later, I met Matvey, a new teammate from Russia who had just moved to Bellevue, WA. With only a few words of English, he was reserved and unsure how to communicate. I saw him struggle with the language barrier, and something in me wanted to make him feel welcome. After our first soccer practice, I went home and used Google Translate to learn a few basic Russian phrases. The next time I saw Matvey, I greeted him with “привет, меня зовут Алекс” or “Hi, my name is Alex” in English. His face lit like someone who had just heard the best news of his life. With feelings of joy and a pleasant surprise, he responded with his own “hi, my name is Matvey.” That moment marked the beginning of a close friendship, both on and off the soccer field.
In 2019, during an Honors Biology trip to Panama, I had another opportunity to bridge cultural gaps. Our tour guide, Gabe, and our bus driver, Paolino, seemed to view us as just another group of entitled American tourists. Wanting to change that perception, I greeted them in Spanish, saying, “Hola, mi nombre es Alex,” and made an effort to learn about their lives and culture. Over the week, our conversations deepened, and I discovered the richness of Panamanian culture—the food, the traditions, the diversity of the people, and their passionate love for fútbol, something we shared as fellow fans of the game.
With more than 7,000 languages spoken around the world, it’s easy to feel as if our differences divide us. But through my travels and interactions, I’ve learned that making even a small effort to speak someone else’s language can open doors and create connections. While English is widely spoken, it can sometimes be seen as a barrier, especially if we approach the world with a me-first attitude. That’s never been my way. By stepping outside my comfort zone and learning phrases in various languages, I’ve built bridges across cultures and made lifelong friendships with people from all over the world.
Looking back, I realize that many of the friendships I cherish most began not with shared interests like soccer or school but with language. Language was the first thread that connected us, and it continues to be the bond that keeps us in touch. While some people see language as something that divides us, I’ve found that it can do just the opposite. It has the power to bring us together, to help us understand and appreciate one another’s differences, and to create lasting relationships.
In addition to my fluency in English, German, and Spanish, I’ve made it a personal challenge to learn words and phrases in many other languages. This willingness to engage in unfamiliar ways of communication has opened up opportunities I never would have had otherwise. It has allowed me to experience the world in a deeper way and to connect with people from diverse linguistic backgrounds, from Hebrew and Finnish to Arabic, Mandarin, Russian, and Hindi.
Every journey I’ve taken, every conversation I’ve had, has been a reminder that the simple act of saying "hello" can unite us in ways we often overlook. Whether in a crowded city or a quiet town, in a classroom or on a soccer field, language has the power to bridge the gaps between us. It’s a universal connector, reminding us that, despite our differences, we are all part of the same human story. And through these words, I’ve learned that no matter where we come from, we all share the same desire to connect, to belong, and to understand one another. And it all starts with “hello.”
Pictured here is my good friend Gabe and I at the incredible Panama Canal in 2018
