From Marathi Medium to English Dreams: My Journey of Learning a New Language

When I look back at my childhood, one moment still feels fresh in my memory - the first time I saw an English textbook.

Until 4th standard, all my studies were in Marathi. Every subject, every story, every poem came to me in my mother tongue. But in 5th standard, for the first time, I held an English book in my hands. At that time, nobody around me spoke English except the English teacher. Yet, the moment I opened that book, my heart filled with excitement.

I felt like I was entering a new world.

Our whole class would still talk in Marathi, but when the teacher introduced us to English, I was eager to dive in. I wanted to learn quickly—new words, poems, stories—everything felt magical. I didn’t even understand the meaning of many words at first, but little by little, I started learning.

I still remember the happiness of speaking even a single English sentence with my classmates. It felt like an achievement, as if we had conquered the world.

But it wasn’t easy.

All the other subjects were still taught in Marathi. English was the only subject in a different language, and there were no extra resources—only the teacher’s guidance. Still, deep inside, I had decided: I want to learn English. I want to speak English.

The challenges didn’t stop there. In my village, hardly anyone accepted English. People around me continued to speak Marathi, and I had no environment to practice. My progress was slow, and my exam marks were always low. But instead of giving up, I made a promise to myself: I will learn this language, no matter how long it takes.

Yes, I struggled with pronunciation. Yes, I felt behind compared to English-medium students. But years later, when the internet entered our lives, everything changed. Suddenly, I had access to resources, videos, dictionaries, and examples from all over the world. My passion found fuel, and once again, I started learning with renewed energy.

Today, my journey is still ongoing. But I realize something important: learning a new language is not just about grammar and vocabulary—it’s about persistence, passion, and patience.

Every small step, every single sentence, every little improvement matters.

So to anyone who feels stuck while learning English or any other language, I want to say this:

Don’t compare your journey with others. Don’t give up just because progress is slow. Remember, even if you start with just one word, you are still moving forward.

And one day, you’ll look back at your first textbook, your first broken sentence, and smile proudly at how far you’ve come.