In a place where nothing felt familiar, she found strength in staying open and grounded in who she was. That’s how she adapted, grew, and eventually found a sense of home. Phimphiroon is a university student who shares her journey of learning a non-native (third) language — Spanish — and adapting to a new culture under pressure and time constraints.Her story draws from studying abroad in two very different environments: New Zealand, where English was spoken and life felt manageable, and Argentina, where language and cultural barriers pushed her far beyond her comfort zone.In Argentina, she struggled with miscommunication and feelings of isolation, as no one at her school spoke English. But within just one month, she began speaking Spanish fluently — a breakthrough that didn’t just improve her language skills, but also strengthened her mental resilience and adaptability. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx