Just a quick note to call your attention to an intriguing article by our intern, Ben Matheson, in his native city’s newspaper, the Albert Lea Tribune. Amid its coverage of pay-to-play junior hockey scandals, the Trib found room to run Ben’s thoughtful look at the importance of learning a foreign language and the way it affects not only how we communicate with others, but how we think, as well.

Excerpt:

“The United States has a disproportionately large influence on the organizations, industries and conflicts that define life around the world in 2010. But we’re not the only game in town. Our future will depend on our ability to collaborate with an increasingly diverse population. Could multilingual citizens, soldiers and diplomats help calm our conflicts around the world? I have to believe that they would.”

Take a look for yourself. Hygge.