You are the same person of course, but a new side of your personality emerges, one that more closely fits the culture. You may actually enjoy your Russian or Chinese or Spanish or Hausa you . Language learning implies participation . Language ability is not just for a task. Whether or not they enter into our world and participate with us.
Language learning entails building relationships.
Language learning implies emotional involvement . It is not just a cognitive pursuit. For example, word-meaning is more than what is conceptualized or what is found in the dictionary. Language learning results in empathy . Relationships get you into feelings.