Yesterday after lunch, everyone went inside instead of continuing to work because it began to rain. Our friends Sonam (co-founder of Arhaus Children’s Home), Tirsana, and Sukurani all took time out of their days to teach us a little bit of Nepalese. We learned basic phrases such as “thank you”, “my name is _____”, and “delicious food”- to name a few. However, even through our stumbled pronunciations and best attempts at copying down the intricate letters of an unfamiliar alphabet, there was a different, greater kind of language at play. Not just yesterday, but throughout our time abroad as a whole, there has been an overarching theme of nonverbal yet entirely universal communication. Whether it be smiles shared, glances exchanged, overflowing laughter- even the smallest act of kindness; all of these dialects require not even a single word in practice, but can be understood and “spoken” internationally. So, no matter who you are and where you find yourself in the world, always remember that, yes, your words can certainly be helpful when conversing with new people. However, don’t ever forget the importance of what is spoken silently, as it can be equally helpful as (if not more than) what isn’t.