Last night, I received a Valentine-themed video in Arabic from a colleague. Although I couldn’t understand the lyrics, I caught the words “إيميلي إيميلي” at the end, which means “Emily, Emily.” I was deeply moved, not just by the song but by the warmth of having such a thoughtful colleague and friend. However, this friend has been separated from his wife for nearly two years due to circumstances beyond their control. The thought of their situation brought tears to my eyes as I drifted off to sleep. 😢

Language learning is an adventure full of surprises, and Dutch has been no exception for me. During a casual conversation in class yesterday, I stumbled upon an amusing linguistic quirk that left me both puzzled and entertained.