Code-switching

         Every summer that I can remember I have spent in Finland. Although I have never lived in Finland, it feels like home as both my parents are Finnish and as well is where all of my extended family resides. As well, I have made a great amount of friends, who I look forward to seeing all year. The nature, food and summer culture are as well amongst the things I look forward to. Although having to code-switch throughout the year at home when I speak Finnish to my family, the task is heavily accentuated when I visit the country. Throughout the academic year, I do not practice my Finnish language skills, and my parents have adopted ‘Finglish’ around the house. Therefore, when I visit Finland during the summer, although being able to understand the language perfectly, I have trouble expressing myself as I notice how rusty my speaking abilities are. Reflecting on this summer, I have had several family gatherings where my extended family have come together to celebrate differing occasions. During these events, I am often asked by older family members on my happenings throughout the year and prospective moves, which is when I find myself at hardship with the language as I am not able to use the ‘Finglish’ that I have been using all year. I am not able to communicate several ideas simply because I do not know the words or correct grammar to express them through. I am often a talkative person and have a lot to say, but during these times I am left at a loss of words. Especially when listening to my friends speak, I feel like an outsider as I do not understand new slang words emerged throughout the year. Having to code-switch from English to Finglish and then pure Finnish is challenging, and what I say is often corrected by those who I am speaking to. Maintaining two perfect languages is hard, especially when one is used significantly less than the other.