The Only Language Understood Everywhere — The Smile

Each time I work somewhere my language does not reach, I confirm that humanity has one language needing no translation: the smile. Psychology has reported that expressions of joy are recognized almost universally across cultures. A smile may be less something we learn than something we are born with.

At eighteen, landing in Canada without any English, my only tool for making friends was a smile. I smiled, gestured and spoke broken English, and people smiled back. The conversation barely worked, yet the relationship did. That experience still sits at the foundation of my work.

Offering a smile seems faster than memorizing greetings — at least that has been my experience in many countries. When we say we want to increase the total number of smiles in the world, it is because the smile may be the one goal shared by all people that needs neither translation nor local adaptation. What do you work for?