The Language of Home ✨
How love, culture, and connection remind us that belonging isn’t a place — it’s a feeling we build together.🤝🏽
This Week at Gladly Global 🌍
“Finding Home in Connection ✨”
👋 Welcome Note
At Gladly Global, we’ve always believed language learning is more than memorizing words — it’s about finding home in stories, relationships, and moments of shared understanding.
This week, we’re exploring what it means to feel connected — to others, to the world, and to ourselves. 🌿
🌍 Cultural Tidbit of the Week
Word/Phrase: Meraki (Greek)
Meaning: Doing something with soul, creativity, and love; leaving a piece of yourself in your work.
Why it matters: Whether we’re writing, studying, or reaching out in a new language, meraki reminds us that the heart we put into our efforts is what truly connects us. Every act of care — no matter how small — leaves a trace of love behind.
🧑🤝🧑 Community Spotlight
Maia — Storyteller, Creator, Connector 🌈
This week, we’re spotlighting Maia (they/she) — our Social Media Manager & Content Design Specialist, a polyglot and storyteller who brings empathy and artistry into everything they create.
Through their poetry, Maia explores what it means to find belonging — how we build “home” through love, presence, and connection.
Here’s one of their pieces, shared with the Guild:
📜 Poem: “A House Is Not a Home” — by Maia Feruzi (edited for Gladly Global)
A house is not a home
until love lives in every room.
Trust me, I know.
I’ve lived in many houses—
big and small, loud and quiet, foreign and familiar.
But I’ve only lived in two homes.
I know how it feels
when tension hums in the walls,
when silence weighs heavier than words,
when warmth feels earned but never given.
I remember the mess,
the clutter that grows from neglect,
and the loneliness that sits in the corners,
collecting dust.
It’s strange, isn’t it—
how the past never stays behind?
It lingers,
living inside you,
stealing from the present
until you forget where you are.
There were days I didn’t want to keep going—
not because I didn’t want to live,
but because I didn’t know how to live disconnected.
I didn’t want to disappear;
I just wanted to feel seen.
But lately—
I’ve been learning to live with the mess.
To see beauty in the imperfect,
to love the colors I used to hide.
The yellow of laughter.
The green of growth.
The blue of memory.
The red of love that returns.
You grounded me.
You showed me I hadn’t sunk—
I was floating.
And when you reached out,
you didn’t just pull me up;
you met me there.
Now, we rise together—
watching suns set on different horizons,
learning new words for the same feeling:
belonging.
Your hands cup the flame of my heart,
breathe life into my hearth.
And suddenly, I am home.
Not because of where I am,
but because of who I’m with.
This piece captures what Gladly Global stands for: connection, care, and the courage to create warmth in a world that often feels cold. 💛
✍️ Human-Centered Learning Reflection
The Language Between Us
We often think of language as something we use to speak — but more often, it’s how we listen.
Every new word we learn holds the potential to understand someone more deeply. Every misstep invites grace. Every shared story builds a bridge.
This week, as you study or speak, notice the small moments where connection happens — in kindness, curiosity, and the courage to reach out. That’s the real language we’re learning. 🌱
Reflection question:
When was the last time a word — or gesture — made you feel truly seen?
🎥 Watch Me!
🎬 “Japanese Host Culture, Sugaring, and Dating in Japan as a Foreign Woman” — with Rae and Anna 🌿
In this reflective video, Rae and Anna open up about navigating gender, culture, and connection while living in Japan — exploring what it means to find love and safety across cultural lines.
It’s a candid look at how language and context shape our relationships — and how understanding culture is part of understanding each other.
🚀 Inside the Gladly Global Guild
The Gladly Global Guild continues to grow — one story, one study session, one connection at a time. 🌍
If you’re searching for a place where curiosity and care come first — where we build community through shared learning, not hustle — the Guild is waiting for you.
💌 Spread the Love
Forward this to someone who makes you feel at home — in a language, a friendship, or a shared moment.
If you want to learn languages together, our Discord server is the best place! See you there 🤗💛
Together, we’re building a global home for learners who lead with love. 🌿✨