Bilingualism

There was a curious sort of dichotomy on this subject.

On the one hand, my partner noted large advantages for being bilingual. She could learn more about English culture, she could attend school here with relative ease, and she could take any number of jobs. Currently, she works as a Vietnamese localizer for a Korean advertising firm, for example. English is a very common second language in Vietnam, and is taught in their schools, as noted prior.
She has encountered no prejudice or disadvantages for being bilingual, though her native English speaking cousins often tease her about her accent.

What I found especially interesting was when she expressed her desire for everyone to learn English, potentially replacing their native tongues. She seemed to feel that if we all spoke the same language, we'd all be more connected, which can only be for the betterment of all.

I tried to ask if she thought differently when speaking in the different languages, but she seemed to have some trouble understanding what I was getting at. I think I got the point across eventually, but she only gave a vague 'not really' and didn't seem to think there was a difference. Not being able to speak Vietnamese myself, I was unable to check.