Polyglot

From Page 4 opened a myriad of opportunities on and off duty; opportunities that he would not have had otherwise.

“Learning German was probably the most fun for me because it is the one language people wouldn’t expect for me to be proficient in,” said Bonilla. “Ever since my childhood, I have been captivated by the German culture and try to travel there often.”

Bonilla detailed how experiencing Germany’s Oktoberfest with friends who didn’t know how well he spoke German was one of his favorite memories with another language. He distinctly remembered how being able to switch from English to German mid-sentence with a native-German speaker caused a level of confusion, surprise and delight in his friends’ eyes that he will never be forgotten.

“My friends thought they were honestly hallucinating for minute when they heard me speaking German,” said Bonilla. “Their excitement was contagious afterwards, like somehow I have unlocked the secret to enjoying the German culture to its fullest, and I vividly remember that first night in Germany with them and how much better our night became after that moment.”

Besides English, to maintain his USAF quadrilingual proficiency and certification, Bonilla practices each foreign language he has learned in conversation at least once a week.

“I don’ think there will come a time that I will not be interested in learning other languages,” said Bonilla. “My ultimate goal with this is to become a hyperpolyglot, which is someone who can speak six or more different languages.”

For reference, according to The International Association of Hyperpolyglots, less than one percent of the world’s population are polyglots and approximately 1,000 people in the world are hyperpolyglots.