Speaking Esperanto

When I set up the poll this week, I wasn't sure what to expect. But I'm surprised that half the people who visit the site have never met anyone who speaks Esperanto.

Maybe I shouldn't be surprised. When I started learning Esperanto, I hadn't met anyone who was an Esperanto-speaker either. And after I started learning, it was only once I started making an effort, that I began meeting with speakers. Of course, I started meeting speakers right away.

I first met an Esperanto speaker when I stopped by the Centra Oficejo to buy some Esperanto books. I was traveling around in California at the time. I remember being grateful that he was willing to speak in English, but I was also a bit surprised to discover that there were people who were fluent in Esperanto. It wasn't clear when I was learning that there were many people who were fluent.

When I moved back to Kalamazoo, I found a local group of speakers who were also fluent and, by meeting and practicing with them every week, it wasn't long before I was relatively fluent myself.

Having a local group is the best part of speaking Esperanto, in my opinion. It's fine to write to people or exchange email or have a blog. But there's something magical about speaking with people face-to-face. We have a lively group in Amherst and there are 5 or 6 of us who get together most weeks.

So, if you haven't met anyone who speaks Esperanto, what are you waiting for?