I am not a shy person. In my own language, I speak easily and clearly, and I feel comfortable with people and new situations. But when it comes to English, something changes. I start thinking too much about every word, I worry about mistakes, and very often I choose silence instead of speaking, even when I know what I want to say. When I travel with friends, this usually does not feel like a problem. Someone else speaks, and I listen. I understand the conversation, I follow everything, and I feel safe standing in the background. I often tell myself that next time I will speak, but when the moment comes, I stay quiet again and let someone else take the lead. One morning, I was alone in a busy city. People were walking fast, cars were loud, and everyone…