A water perspective on language research

“Do not ask for free drinking water in Germany!”

This was a travel tip I received from a friend who had recently returned to Manila from Europe. As a first-time traveler to this continent, I was easily impressed by lessons learned by those who had been there before. So, where and how to get enough water to drink was part of my anxiety coming to Hamburg to attend the Next Generation Literacies Network Conference on January 11 to 12, 2024.

Held at the University of Hamburg, the Next Generation Literacies Network Conference was attended by network members from the three partner institutions – Universität Hamburg, Macquarie University, and Fudan University, as well as scholars from other places.

Representing the University of Santo Tomas, Manila, I was one of three delegates from the Philippines. Aimee Joy Bautista (an offshore accountant who participated in my research about language practice and ideology in this work world of numbers) posted about her unique NGL conference experience here. I was also happy to meet another kababayan (co-national), Dan Henry Gonzales from Ateneo de Manila University, who spoke about practices of monolingual English bias in Laguna-based schools.

The nearly 100 attendees in the 2-day conference shared their research related to linguistic diversity, multilingualism, and multiliteracies in diverse settings across the continents of America, Asia, Australia, and Europe. The sharing of discoveries and dreams concluded with a reflection session starting with Ingrid Piller’s reflections about the legacies of Next Generation Literacies Network, which she accurately described as a network of networks.

In my reflection as a network member, I told the story of how my views of research have evolved over the years since I joined Next Generation Literacies Network. Revisiting the metaphors I mentioned in my presentations during Next Generation Literacies Network events from 2021 to 2023, I recognized with gratitude how the Next Generation Literacies Network research seminars, the mentoring program, and the generously collaborative spirit of the members have helped me grow as an early career researcher.

I pondered on how my views of research have evolved from a journey and a game, to a resource and a voice, to open doors—images of access.

To conclude, I proposed a final metaphor for research—water.

Like the research we dedicate our lives to, water should be accessible.

Thankfully, this was my experience of water in Hamburg, despite my early worries about not having easy access to das Trinkwasser in Europe. Not only was I relieved to find that water was, in fact, abundantly available during the Conference, but I was also impressed to even have the option to have water that is leise (still) or laut (sparkling).

Amazed and happy to have my anxieties proved false and unnecessary, I was reminded in this life-giving conference that water, like research, can look and taste different depending on where I am, who I do it with, and what my purpose is. But, the purpose is always to serve life.