[Hoi]

Hello, everyone.

It’s been almost a half year since I started working in audit at a mid-tier firm after graduation and I’d like to ask other non-native english speakers who also work in audit. To tell you a little bit about myself, I came to the US when I was 20, which means I had a hard time learning english as an adult and I’m still in the learning/improvement process. I was so happy when I got the offer from the company where I work now and thought I could do this and be a good accountant although my english is not perfect. However, as I’ve been working with varoius audit teams and clients, I have been extremely depressed and discouraged by the fact that I could not really “connect” with these people due to language barrier. To be honest, sometimes I don’t understand what they say if they use slangs or talk really fast. Additionally, I’m kinda introvert, which makes me more difficult to be friends with new people. It takes time for me to feel comfortable and speak to them more often. I have often got feedback from people that I have worked with and most of them said I need to speak more both formally and informally when I work with others. Although I know I need to improve this, I just don’t know what I can do anymore. It’s not like I don’t want to speak to them. In fact, I really want to get to know these people and get along with them better. But everytime I work with them, they often talk about things I’m not really familiar with or talk fast so I often end up not understanding what they are talking about. If there is anybody out there experiencing or experienced the same problem as mine as a non-native speaker, would you share your story with me?

[VR]

Hoi, I feel your pain…althougt I don't work in auditing. English is my second or actually 4th language…. I believe everything is in your own hands and you are your own worst critic. Reading your post I would never suspect that you was born in another country.When it comes to my nationallity (I am Easter Euporean), I just learned not to pay attention at people who pick at my accent, because they are not very…smart (or stupid). I noticed that low mentality people usually do that. Just couple weeks ago a post office employee at the post office told me to…go to my own country…. I didn't say anything, because I was in hurry, but in my mind I was thinking that I am doing in US much better than she …who was born in this country… When I am looking for inspiration, I always think about my aunt who came to US being 30yrs. old and became a vice president of the bank. Yes, she is very smart, hard working, but she still speaks with accent. For me that is the best proof that in this country you can achieve a lot if you don't affraid to work very hard. Good luck, Hoi !!!! In the end, US is a country of immigrants…somebody came 100 yrs ago…somebody just yesterday…

[Anonymous]

@VR, that’s true, we are our own worst critic. I am in the same boat. English is my second language and I emigrated here in my late 30’s.

Transitioning is really hard. My husband (a local) thought I don’t always pay attention to most of what he’s saying to me. But the thing is, there are many words I just miss though he is a very soft and fluent conversant. I would rather exchange emails with my in-laws than talk to them on the phone. The communication gap is huge. It is not uncommon. Even if we share first language with the people around us at home and at work, or wherever, communication can be very disappointing most of the times. So improving ourselves every day is a key to a better communication with people around us.

@Hoi, don’t be too affected with your environment. Chin up because you have strengths that many locals may not have. Just like you, I don’t always understand what most locals are talking around me. But that’s okay. Even when I watch movies or talk shows and the audience would unanimously laugh, I in effect would laugh too. I laugh at myself for having no idea what they’re laughing about. One time at work, I was talking to my co-workers pointing to the “Balance Sheet” I just printed out, to my surprise everybody cracked up. They thought I was cursing. So then we all laughed too. There were more incidents that they thought it was funny that I mix up pronouncing “Beech, Beach” words to sound like I was cussing. So everyone thought working with me was a lot of fun. Oh well…

[Hoi]

@VR, Thank you for sharing your story with me. I'm surprised your aunt came to this country when she was in 30s and is a vice president of a bank! She must be very smart and hard-working. When I speak to my co-workers at work and say things that don't make any sense due to my lack of english, my face turns so red. Especially if I read their face saying like “what the heck is this girl talking about?” then I feel more embarrassed and eventually talk less than usual. I'm pround of myself being an accountant in the US but sometimes I feel like other people are better/smarter than me just because they speak english with no problems. I think I need to have more confidence in myself but it's never easy haha.

@Amordiva, Thank you for sharing your story! I watch lots of American TV shows but to be honest, I understand only 60-70% of what people say in those shows haha. Just like you said, I laugh when people laugh without knowing why they are laughing. By the way, “sheet” and “shxx” still sound exactly the same to me lol. It's good though that people liked working with you! For me, pretty much everyone who worked with me didn't enjoy working with me because I was too quiet 🙁 I just don't know how to respond or what to say to other people. When I think about things to say to them, they usually move to a new subject lol

[VR]

Hoi, this is what I did to connect to my coworkers when I began to work at my present job 5 yrs. ago. I begun to take lunches at the same time with other accountants. In the beginning, I would sit quietly in the corner and would listen to their loud and long conversations in the lunch room. I could not find a courage to open my mouth,but after 2-3 months I began to talk more and more. These conversations let me know my coworkers personally and they began to see me as their colleague. Now…after 5 yrs. I know everybody and everybody knows me. There are several people who became my friends, however, there are few people who really don't like me and call me Russian ( I am not Russian) behind my back, but I am too mature and busy to pay attention to such things. If my boss is happy with me, this is all what I need..and for sure my boss values my no drama attitude.

Hoi…..good luck and don't be so critical to yourself !!! 🙂

[Hoi]

VR, sitting quietly in the corner during lunch = myself all the time haha I hope I can have courage to open my mouth and talk to my co-workers as you did! I'll keep trying and hopefully someday I'll be part of the team in the firm 🙂 Thank you for sharing your experience/giving me valuable advice!

[Author]

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