Alumni Representatives

How did you learn about NSLI-Y?
I learned about NSLI-Y through a feature in my school’s newspaper about a student who traveled to China through the program.

Why were you interested in studying your NSLI-Y target language?
Minnesota has the greatest population of Somalis outside of Somalia and I wanted to learn more about my neighbors since Arabic is one of the official languages of Somalia. I became intrigued by the language and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

What are your educational and/or professional goals?
In college, I plan to pursue degrees in Arabic and a STEM field. Eventually, I hope to commission into the military and use my language skills and experiences studying abroad to serve in the MENA region.

How do you plan to use your target language and cultural skills in the future?
In addition to using my language skills and observations of Moroccan culture to bridge the gap between Arabic and English speakers while working in the military, I plan to use the global perspective I gained through NSLI-Y to navigate unfamiliar cultures while traveling and working abroad in the future.

How did participation in NSLI-Y affect your life and future goals?
My interactions with Moroccans on my NSLI-Y program taught me the importance of connecting to others by speaking their native language and inspired me to seek out additional opportunities to study Arabic. During the summer of 2019, I spent a month in Cairo, Egypt, through the BP Global STEM Academy scholarship. Currently, I study Arabic through dual enrollment with my local university and I hope to live in an Arabic-speaking country again - inshallah!

What skills did you gain during your NSLI-Y experience?
Meeting so many new people forced me to step outside my comfort zone on a daily basis and become a more outgoing person. I also gained a lot of flexibility and humor when things didn’t go quite as planned during my program, and the tasks I carried out on a daily basis provided me with a newfound sense of independence and many general life skills.

What was your favorite part about studying in your host country?
I loved the street art in Morocco. The art often reflected the culture and featured Moroccans—an Amazigh woman, a figure in a djellaba carrying a bucket to the hammam. I lived in the medina and always scanned its busy streets as I walked home to find giant murals, smaller series of graffiti, and tile art.

What did you learn about your host country or culture that you didn’t know before your NSLI-Y experience?
Morocco was the first country to recognize American independence from Great Britain! I also learned that Darija, the Moroccan dialect of Arabic, was influenced by French occupation and so Moroccans often leap from Darija to French and back while speaking. It wasn’t unusual to hear a “bonjour” or see a stack of French books alongside Arabic and English.

What is your favorite target language word or phrase, and what does it mean in English?
My favorite phrase, ماشي مشكل (mashi mushkil) means “it’s not a problem” in Darija, the Moroccan dialect of Arabic. Mashi mushkil exemplifies the Moroccan culture of flexibility and I heard it a lot during my time in Rabat. Since returning to the US, I often remind myself of this phrase when facing an inconvenience or sudden change.

Share one interesting factoid about yourself, your personal background, or your language learning.
My most embarrassing moment on my NSLI-Y program was when I told my host family that I wanted to bake poop cake instead of chocolate cake. The course of language learning never did run smooth!

How did you learn about NSLI-Y?
I learned about NSLI-Y from a poster in the hallway of my school.

Why were you interested in studying your NSLI-Y target language?
When I was in Middle School, my brother was deployed to Syria. Talking to him and hearing about his experiences sparked my interest in Arabic and the Middle East, but I never had an opportunity to study Arabic until NSLI-Y. I also volunteer with refugees in the Austin community, and I knew learning Arabic would allow me to communicate with more people.

What are your educational and/or professional goals?
In the future, I would like to major in Political Science and Arabic, and possibly explore other languages such as Hebrew or Turkish. I hope to become a Foreign Service Officer or work for an NGO in the Middle East.

How do you plan to use your target language and cultural skills in the future?
In addition to my professional plans described above, joining the Peace Corps or volunteering abroad has always been a goal of mine. Even if I am not in Jordan or speaking Arabic, NSLI-Y taught me how to respect and adapt to other cultures, as well as the value of language immersion to quickly pick up a language.

How did participation in NSLI-Y affect your life and future goals?
Before the NSLI-Y program, I planned on becoming an engineer or working some other STEM job, but after visiting the U.S. Embassy in Amman and hearing Foreign Service Officers speak about their careers and answer questions, I decided that was a path I would like to pursue.

What skills did you gain during your NSLI-Y experience?
Through NSLI-Y, I learned to be flexible. I have always been a person who likes schedules and routines, but in Jordan, being late is almost expected and plans can change quickly. Even though I was a bit uncomfortable with it at first, this forced me to be more adaptable which is a great skill to have.

What was your favorite part about studying in your host country?
My favorite part about studying in Jordan was living with a host family. I stayed with 2 host families, a young couple with four kids and an older couple with grown children. This allowed me to witness two different versions of Jordanian family life, and through staying with host families I learned so much about Jordanian culture and improved my Arabic quickly.

What did you learn about your host country or culture that you didn’t know before your NSLI-Y experience?
Before going to Jordan, I didn’t know how many beautiful archaeological sites and ruins there were other than Petra. Jordan was a part of the Roman Empire and we visited sites like the Citadel and the Roman Amphitheatre right in central Amman.

Please share a short highlight about your NSLI-Y experience.
During the program, my roommates and I were able to attend my host sister’s wedding. Seeing how another culture celebrates weddings, and all of the similarities and differences from American weddings, was an amazing experience. We got to help prepare for the wedding, meet extended family members, and listen to Arabic music, and it was an experience I will never forget.

What is your favorite target language word or phrase, and what does it mean in English?
My favorite word in Arabic is إن شاء الله, pronounced “insha’allah” and meaning “God willing”. It was one of the first words we learned in Jordan from our Resident Director Lisa, and it is used in many contexts, but usually expresses the idea that the future is uncertain and if God steps in, some event might not happen.

Share one interesting factoid about yourself, your personal background, or your language learning.
My older siblings live in Norway and Japan, and from a young age visiting them sparked my interest in learning about other cultures and languages.

How did you learn about NSLI-Y?
I was looking into ways to study abroad and came across the NSLI-Y website.

Why were you interested in studying your NSLI-Y target Language?
I wanted to learn a language that was not commonly known by non-native speakers. After looking at a few of the less widely spoken NSLI-Y languages, I chose Hindi because I loved the food and the weather in India.

What are your educational and/or professional goals?
I have not yet decided on a major, but am confident that I will seek out opportunities to continue my language learning and global experiences.

How do you plan to use your target language and cultural skills in the future?
The Hindi/Urdu-speaking diaspora is one of the most far-reaching in the world. I have used and will continue to use, Hindi with the significant South Asian community in the U.S. and abroad.

How did participation in NSLI-Y affect your life and future goals?
My life can be divided between the time before and after I completed NSLI-Y. I never would have been able to study overseas in high school had it not been for the program and I am forever grateful for the opportunity. It was through my experience in India that I discovered an interest in global affairs and a belief that I could someday work abroad.

What skills did you gain during your NSLI-Y experience?
My experience on NSLI-Y was tremendously enriching, and not just in a linguistic sense. I learned to live outside of my comfort zone and how to interact with people who might think in a radically different way. I have found that I am far more independent of a person, as well as considerate of varying perspectives, as a result of my NSLI-Y program.

What was your favorite part about studying in your host country?
I loved the atmosphere in Indian cities, the constant hum of life that is always present. From the moment I woke up till I fell asleep I was surrounded by cooking food, rickshaw horns, and calls to prayer. There was never a dull moment during my time there.

What did you learn about your host country or culture that you didn’t know before your NSLI-Y experience?
India is a tremendously diverse place which I had not really grasped fully before going there. Someone that lives in Delhi would speak a different language than someone who might live in Mumbai, Bengaluru, or Chennai. There are an incredible number of independent languages and cultures interacting with each other throughout India.

Please share a short highlight about your NSLI-Y experience.
On Thanksgiving, our NSLI-Y group decided to put together a traditional American spread for our host families, classmates, and teachers. This was no easy task as India lacks both conventional ovens and most staple North American ingredients. The relative difficulty (and our total lack of cooking experience) ended up being part of the fun as we were able to create a feast worthy of a Norman Rockwell painting using a microwave, a plastic knife, and Amazon-India. It was tremendously rewarding to share a quintessentially American holiday with our new extended Indian family.

What is your favorite target language word or phrase, and what does it mean in English?
Jugaad (जुगाड़); translation is difficult to explain but is best embodied by the classic clever fixes from the U.S. TV show Macguiver. Jugaad is Indian craftiness to creatively build solutions with limited or challenging resources. Our teacher would often say that the students who used cricket bats on our campus to collect mangoes were demonstrating ‘jugaad’.

Share one interesting factoid about yourself, your personal background, or your language learning.
I have always been a big sports fan and when I went to India I adopted cricket.

Why were you interested in studying your NSLI-Y target language?
When I was in elementary school, China was starting to become a very hot topic and was predicted, in a short amount of time, to be one of the most important and powerful countries in the world. I thought it would be a great opportunity to be able to speak the language of such an important country that is home to billions of people. It is very important to have strong relations between countries like the U.S. and China and being able to speak both languages helps achieve that. Countries need to work together to solve global issues and the ablity to speak Chinese is just the first step toward understanding each other and collaborating.

What are your educational and/or professional goals?
I hope to use my knowledge of Chinese language and culture in whatever profession I pursue. I think it would be very interesting to combine my interest in Chinese and environmental sustainability to contribute to saving our earth from global warming. Being able to speak Chinese will help make stronger connections between the two countries, and will make it easier to work with each other to achieve this critical goal.

How do you plan to use your target language and cultural skills in the future?
I intend to continue to study Chinese language and culture in college and to pursue a career in global business or international relations using these skills.

What skills did you gain during your NSLI-Y experience?
I gained many skills during my NSLI-Y experience. The biggest impact was on my Chinese language proficiency. From the entrance Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) to the OPI test after the program it was clear how impactful being in China and taking the language and culture classes was on my speaking and listening skills. Other traits that I feel like I discovered in China were independence, self-advocacy, bravery, and so much more.

What did you learn about your host country or culture that you didn’t know before your NSLI-Y experience?
There are so many different types of food in China. I'm grateful that my host family introduced me to foods that were unknown to me previously. Before the program, I used to be a picky eater, but when I got to China I made sure to try everything that was offered to me. Not only were almost all of the foods delicious, but it also built a stronger connection between my host family and me because I was immersing myself into their culture. Because I took the chances to try new foods, I now know that I like certain foods like pigeon (which was actually my first meal in China!).

Please share a short highlight about your NSLI-Y experience.
One of my greatest highlights in China was going to do karaoke with my host family and friends. This is something that we would do about once a week. I really felt like I was a part of my host family when we were singing songs together. We would sing a few in Chinese, which was great practice, and then we would sing a song in English so they could practice their English a bit. Singing brought a whole new side out of everyone and every single time we would do karaoke everyone was smiling and laughing throughout the whole night.

What is your favorite target language word or phrase, and what does it mean in English?
My favorite Chinese phrase is 人山人海 (renshanrenhai). It is a hyperbole that means there are people everywhere/there are a sea of people. This is a phrase that I used a lot in China because truly, wherever you go, there are people everywhere. From supermarkets, to gymnasiums, and especially the subways. The best part about people being everywhere is that you get to meet so many nice, amazing people.

Share one interesting factoid about yourself, your personal background, or your language learning.
One interesting fact about me is that I really enjoy photography. I do black and white film, digital, aerial and underwater photography.

How did you learn about NSLI-Y?
There was a student at my high school who participated in NSLI-Y and loved their experience; I looked into it the year after and applied.

Why were you interested in studying your NSLI-Y target language?
Having come from a multiracial and multicultural background, language and cultural exchange had always been important to me. I was exposed to South Asian cultures from a young age and the choice to pursue Hindi came naturally.

What are your educational and/or professional goals?
I will be entering graduate school soon and hope to pursue history and/or Middle East and South Asian studies. My ultimate goal is to help produce a scholarship in South Asia that honors such a rich and intricate history.

How do you plan to use your target language and cultural skills in the future?
Attaining the language skills required to conduct thoughtful and accurate research is immeasurably important. I hope to produce translations (and analysis) of original documents in Hindi (as well as Urdu, Persian, Punjabi, etc.) and make South Asian history more accessible to students and scholars. Additionally, I have worked with marginalized communities in South Asia and would like to continue to do so both in and outside of South Asia. Hindi has enabled me to communicate with communities for whom I have great respect.

How did participation in NSLI-Y affect your life and future goals?
NSLI-Y instilled in me a love for Hindi and India. I have since returned every few months—once for CLS, once for a semester of Hindi study at the American Institute for Indian Studies, once for an internship with a Jaipur-based NGO, and several other times to visit. My experience during NSLI-Y encouraged me to pursue South Asian studies and ultimately adopt the professional and academic goals that I have today.

What was your favorite part about studying in your host country?
I really enjoyed being able to interact with my local community via my host family, with whom I am still very close. The moments I enjoyed most were going to temples, or grazing on street food, or walking the bazaars together.

What did you learn about your host country or culture that you didn’t know before your NSLI-Y experience?
I was well-versed on Indian history prior to NSLI-Y, but I became extremely interested in the history and cultural aspects of Pune itself, and on a larger scale, the history of Maharashtra. By the time I left, I was quite knowledgeable about famous Marathi historical figures and events, and the cuisine and music exclusive to Maharashtra.

Please share a short highlight about your NSLI-Y experience.
One of my favorite memories from NSLI-Y was the day trip that I took with my host family and some extended relatives. We hired a small bus and ventured a few hours outside of the city, stopping every now and then to get tea, or visit the ashram along the way, or to have lunch on the cliffside. Our destination was a waterfall which we hiked to amid the hills turned bright green by the monsoon. It was seriously spectacular and an incredibly fun adventure.

Share one interesting factoid about yourself, your personal background, or your language learning.
I know several languages, including German, Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Latin, and a rather unimpressive amount of Punjabi, Marathi, and Mandarin. I feel like the more languages I understand, the more it assists me in improving grammar and vocabulary in the others. These aspects of languages are not only transregional but provide interesting introspection into their connected cultures and even affect the way we think and what values are most salient to us. I am a dancer of both Middle East and South Asian styles, and language has greatly informed my choreography and appreciation for this art form.

How did you learn about NSLI-Y?
I learned about NSLI-Y my freshman year of high school while searching online for language learning opportunities. I also participated in a STARTALK program where I learned more about the program from alumni.

Why were you interested in studying your NSLI-Y target language?
I have always loved to learn about history, and the linguistic history of Arabic and different Arabic dialects—especially Darija—intrigues me endlessly. The first few words of Arabic I learned were actually in a Spanish class where the teacher and an Arabic-speaking student compared words like the Spanish “azúcar” (sugar) and the Arabic “sukkar” to show how the languages influence one another. I also want to use knowledge of Arabic to learn more about the rich collections of art, literature, and music from the SWANA region.

What are your educational and/or professional goals?
I plan to double major in International Studies and Arabic with a minor in Teaching English as a Second Language. Throughout my education and in programs like STARTALK and NSLI-Y, the helpfulness and selflessness of my teachers has always inspired me. I am still exploring various careers and fields but am interested in working in international education or with an NGO through which I can combine knowledge of Arabic with my passion for helping others.

How do you plan to use your target language and cultural skills in the future?
Storytelling has always been an integral part of my upbringing. I love telling stories, and I also love to listen to them. In the future, I hope to use my language and cultural skills to learn from new stories in Spanish and in different dialects of Arabic. I would love to use my knowledge of Darija in the realm of public diplomacy in order to share the stories that I have heard in the United States and in Morocco.

How did participation in NSLI-Y affect your life and future goals?
Participating in NSLI-Y gave me further motivation to study Arabic so I can communicate more easily with host family and friends from Morocco. My experience with NSLI-Y solidified my interest in international education and learning world languages.

What skills did you gain during your NSLI-Y experience?
My NSLI-Y experience gave me more confidence in myself. As I navigated an unfamiliar city with limited language skills and learned how to express myself despite a language barrier, I learned how to adapt and react to situations in which I am not always certain of what is going on.

What was your favorite part about studying in your host country?
I loved living in Rabat, a city where there is always something intriguing happening, always new people to learn from, and always new places to explore. Coming from a smaller town, I was not used to the ability to explore a city through public transportation or to have a store within walking distance from my home. From walking the bustling medina streets with my host family to learning more about the history of the city at Roman ruins around the city, living in Rabat was a highlight of studying in Morocco.

What did you learn about your host country or culture that you didn’t know before your NSLI-Y experience?
While in Morocco I learned more about the Amazigh languages in Morocco. Morocco has two official languages, Arabic and Tamazight. Tamazight is spoken by the indigenous Amazigh people of North Africa, and along with Arabic and French, is often featured on street signs in Morocco. I love to learn about the histories of languages in Morocco and want to continue to learn about how various languages and dialects influence one another.

Please share a short highlight about your NSLI-Y experience.
Every day after I returned from class, my host sisters and I would watch Chada TV, a channel that showed the most popular music videos in Morocco. I deeply value this time spent with my host family—from the moments listening to music on Chada TV, to afternoons sipping on mint tea and eating fresh msemen, to the nights visiting the fair by the Kasbah de Oudaias. My host family was more than welcoming. My host dad would always help with homework, and my sister would often show me better ways to navigate the Old Medina. My host sister and I even tried our hand at baking together once! The warmth and kindness of my host family is a memory from my NSLI-Y experience that I value dearly.

What is your favorite target language word or phrase, and what does it mean in English?
On the first day of class, I explained to my teacher how strongly I value getting a solid ten hours of sleep when the opportunity is present. Laughing, my teacher taught me the phrase النوم والكسل أحلى من العسل, which means sleep and laziness are sweeter than honey. The phrase would sometimes make its way into class as a humorous reminder of my values, and it is something I still find myself repeating.

Share one interesting factoid about yourself, your personal background, or your language learning.
I have played cello for eight years and have played in various chamber and symphony ensembles, pit orchestras, and even some jazz and folk groups just for fun. I love music— anything from Bach to bossa nova—and often incorporate learning song lyrics into my language studies.

How did you learn about NSLI-Y?
While googling opportunities to study abroad, I found out about NSLI-Y on the State Department website three days after the application deadline. I excitedly waited for the next application season to begin and immediately started my application.

Why were you interested in studying your NSLI-Y target language?
In my first year of high school, I had an amazing history teacher who majored in Russian studies. Her teaching of Russian history and the Cold War was really interesting and sparked my passion for U.S.-Russian relations. My love for Cold War history is what initially drew me to Russian. Since then, learning more about the complex relationship between the United States and Russia has further motivated me to learn more about Russia and the Russian language.

What are your educational and/or professional goals?
My current plan is to double major in International Relations and Russian and Eastern European studies. In the future, I hope to be a Foreign Service Officer and work in countries throughout Eastern Europe.

How do you plan to use your target language and cultural skills in the future?
I plan to use my target language and cultural skills in my career as a Foreign Service Officer. These skills will allow me to better communicate with Russian-speakers and be successful in an increasingly globalized world. I also think they will play a large role in my daily life and in the interactions I have with ordinary people.

How did participation in NSLI-Y affect your life and future goals?
My participation in NSLI-Y reaffirmed my interest in a career with the U.S. Department of State and has encouraged me to continue studying Russian. It has also motivated me to study other languages, learn about other cultures, and just generally become more globally minded. I think the knowledge and cultural awareness I gained will play a large role in my future.

What skills did you gain during your NSLI-Y experience?
Besides developing my communication skills and cultural awareness, I learned a lot about how to adapt to new environments. Since traveling to Russia was my first time leaving the United States, there were a lot of small and large challenges that I initially faced. By the end of the six weeks I became very accustomed to life in Russia and a lot more confident in my abilities.

What was your favorite part about studying in your host country?
I really enjoyed being able to learn more about the Russian language and culture through the arts. Art, literature, and music are important aspects of Russian culture and central to modern Russian identity. My host family took me to see two ballets, a play, and the Kostroma National Dance show while I was with them. Not only were these amazing experiences, but they also allowed me to see a new side of Russia and hear the language in a way I had never heard it before. Today, these experiences are still some of my best memories from my time abroad.

What did you learn about your host country or culture that you didn’t know before your NSLI-Y experience?
I never realized how diverse Russia actually is until I got there. Besides ethnic Russians, Russia has a large Uzbek, Tajik, Ukrainian, and Armenian immigrant population. In fact, almost half of my group—myself included—had an Armenian host parent!

What is your favorite target language word or phrase, and what does it mean in English?
My favorite word in Russian is Удачи (pronounced “ooDAchi”), which means “good luck” in English. My host family used to tell me this before dropping me off at the dorms for Russian class.

How did you learn about NSLI-Y?
I learned about NSLI-Y through my mom! She spoke to another parent whose daughter had applied to the Russian program. The idea of a funded study abroad program with cultural immersion, language instruction, and host families immediately enticed me.

Why were you interested in studying your NSLI-Y target language?
As a Chinese-American by blood whose parents do not speak Mandarin, I have always longed to reconnect with my Chinese heritage. I love my family’s multicultural background, my dad immigrating from Vietnam and my mother’s side settling in the Philippines. However, I knew studying Mandarin and fostering a relationship with Chinese culture was integral for me to understand my cultural and racial identity. In addition, since English is none of my grandparents’ or extended family member’s first language, I felt motivated to learn Mandarin to communicate more easily with them.

What are your educational and/or professional goals?
I currently attend Wellesley College and hope to double major in Peace and Justice Studies with a concentration in Education and Theatre Studies! The interweaving effects of race, ethnicity, culture, class, sex, gender, and religion on education fascinates me, and I wish to build opportunities for minority communities within the school system to facilitate equality and understanding. I also have been singing, dancing, and performing my entire life and aspire to use theatre as a tool to bridge cultural boundaries.

How do you plan to use your target language and cultural skills in the future?
I hope to live and work in a Chinese-speaking country in the future and have a particular fondness for Taiwan. Knowing more about Chinese culture has given me perspective on the United States’ relationship with China. I hope to use my experiences to encourage more understanding between our two countries, especially regarding political and cultural conflict.

How did participation in NSLI-Y affect your life and future goals?
NSLI-Y solidified my desire to bridge cultural divides by learning languages and immersing myself in new places. At one point I wanted to study law or legislation, but studying abroad opened my eyes to the unforgettable experiences I gain by living in other countries and working with the local community. I now hope to become a teacher or work for a non-profit whose goal centers around cultural understanding and providing educational opportunities around the world.

What skills did you gain during your NSLI-Y experience?
Not only did my Mandarin and Chinese cultural knowledge reach unpredicted heights, but my NSLI-Y experience allowed me to grow into a braver, stronger, and kinder person. Before NSLI-Y, I was unsure and apologetic. However, studying abroad forced me to be vulnerable by using Chinese, adventuring to new places, and practicing cultural empathy. Surmounting these new challenges every day cemented courage and self-assuredness at the foundation of my being, bringing me to a level of peace and happiness I had never felt before. In addition, studying in China gave me the space and support to explore my racial/cultural identity and redefine what it means to me to be Chinese-American.

What was your favorite part about studying in your host country?
The people. Whether my cohort, Resident Directors, teachers, administrators, host family, classmates from school, or strangers in the supermarket, I never failed to meet kind, compassionate, driven, intelligent, and interesting people. I still call people from my cohort every day and keep up with friends from China. The relationships I made will last me a lifetime. The people I met are VERY CLOSELY followed by food; I miss the food.

What did you learn about your host country or culture that you didn’t know before your NSLI-Y experience?
I learned that in Chinese culture, people see their country as “一家人,” or “one family.” On the streets, perfect strangers still use words meaning brother/sister, aunt/uncle, or grandma/grandpa to refer to each other. I think Americans do not know how kindhearted and genuine Chinese people are, or how deeply they care about your wellbeing and future accomplishments. I felt like everyone in the country is on the same team, like one family.

Please share a short highlight about your NSLI-Y experience.
Every weekend, my host grandmother would make dumplings for me. They were delicious round morsels of chewy, glutinous dough, salty pork, rich Chinese cabbage, and savory scallions. Although she has severe back issues, she spent hours bent over the kitchen counter, painstakingly filling and wrapping the dumplings she knew I loved. Through her food, my host grandmother made me feel loved and at home in a foreign land.

Share one interesting factoid about yourself, your personal background, or your language learning.
I love yoga and Pilates! Working out was one of the main ways I stayed calm and grounded throughout my NSLI-Y experience and it has proved even more useful during quarantine. I hope to become a certified yoga and Pilates instructor one day!

How did you learn about NSLI-Y?
I learned about NSLI-Y from a friend of mine who had completed the Russian summer program in Moscow.

Why were you interested in studying your NSLI-Y target language?
In my high school Modern World History class, we had a unit on India, and I became fascinated with the country. India has such unique cultures and religions, and as I was relatively uninformed about countries outside of Europe at that point, I was quickly captivated.

What are your educational and/or professional goals?
I’m attending Georgetown University in the fall, where I hope to graduate with a degree in Regional & Comparative Studies or International Politics. I hope to work for an NGO or the State Department—truthfully any career that would allow me to travel and learn more about the world.

How do you plan to use your target language and cultural skills in the future?
Coming from Montana, I don’t have much of an opportunity to practice Hindi and further my studies. Luckily, living in Washington D.C. will supply me with ample opportunities to continue studying the language. I plan to use Hindi and the cultural skills I gained in India to travel around the country more broadly in the future, and be able to communicate on a deeper level with those I come across. And of course, with a degree in international relations, cultural and linguistic literacy are always coveted.

How did participation in NSLI-Y affect your life and future goals?
Participating in NSLI-Y undoubtedly shaped my future. Studying abroad encouraged me to pursue a career that would allow me to continue exploring the world, and thus guided my college application process.

What skills did you gain during your NSLI-Y experience?
Adaptability is the first thing that comes to mind. When you’re in a new country, with new customs and food and climate and people, you have to learn to be flexible and accept every difference with grace and curiosity. I also became a lot more social, because when every person you meet is new, it becomes imperative to enhance your social skills.

What was your favorite part about studying in your host country?
Besides all the amazing people I got the chance to meet and become close with, I have to say that authentic Indian food was my favorite part.

What did you learn about your host country or culture that you didn’t know before your NSLI-Y experience?
Something that I knew in concept but not reality was how close Indian families are. In the United States, we are so used to small “nuclear” families, and the concept of near immediate independence upon going to college. In India, though, it’s extremely common for multiple generations to live in one house. This creates more of a close family community than we have in the United States, and I was extremely lucky to get to witness and be a part of that.

Please share a short highlight about your NSLI-Y experience.
Getting to see the Taj Mahal was an experience I will never forget. The whole day itself was magical, with my NSLI-Y friends laughing and telling stories on the bus ride from Delhi to Agra. When we walked through the arch and saw the Taj Mahal for the first time, we were all freaking out in awe. It was a gorgeous sunny day and the building was shining and we all felt so lucky. Truly a once in a lifetime experience!

What is your favorite target language word or phrase, and what does it mean in English?
Sooraj means “sun” in English and I just think it’s a really pretty word!

Share one interesting factoid about yourself, your personal background, or your language learning.
My name, Estrella, means “star” in Spanish. I grew up speaking Spanish because my mom is Cuban!

How did you learn about NSLI-Y?
I learned about NSLI-Y through my amazing college counselor! She introduced the program to me and I immediately fell in love with the thought of traveling and being a part of a culture different from my own. Being a merit-based scholarship program, NSLI-Y gave me an opportunity to travel I would have never gotten otherwise.

What are your educational and/or professional goals?
I will be attending Arizona State University’s Barrett Honors College majoring in Biological Sciences (Genetics, Cell and Developmental Biology) (BS) on the pre-med track! I have goals to be a doctor and plan to specialize in something, but I’m keeping my options open until my second year of medical school.

How did participation in NSLI-Y affect your life and future goals?
My time in Russia allowed me to explore my interests and really think about who I was and what I wanted to do in life. After researching and developing my interests, I found a passion for health and wellness. NSLI-Y helped me find my newfound dream to become a doctor and passion for health. I plan on using my experience with different cultures to help me understand my patients to a higher degree. Hopefully I’ll be able to use my Russian in the field one day!

What skills did you gain during your NSLI-Y experience?
In addition to learning Russian and becoming more aware of the cultures surrounding me, I learned how to assert myself in a respectful way and manage my time. Time management has allowed me to accomplish many of my dreams, such as obtaining the Congressional Award Gold Medal, Girl Scout Gold Award, and Taekwondo Black Belt. I have NSLI-Y to thank for allowing me to achieve some of my biggest dreams.

What was your favorite part about studying in your host country?
One of my favorite parts about studying in Moscow by far was staying at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy. It felt like you were in a different realm as you walked through the hallways and ballerinas were stretching or practicing before class. There was nothing more enchanting than seeing them dance in neighboring rooms as you walked to class. I also loved the architecture in Moscow. As someone from Phoenix, the buildings seemed intricate and impressive no matter the size or importance.

What did you learn about your host country or culture that you didn’t know before your NSLI-Y experience?
When my group was asked what stereotypes we were expecting at our pre-departure orientation, we collectively said that we expected Russians to be stern, blunt, and not smile. While it is true that Russians don’t smile nearly as much as Americans, the people were just as, if not more, friendly as Americans. Strangers would often help if I was struggling ordering in Russian or give me directions if I looked lost. Russia surprised me by welcoming me with open arms, and I can’t wait to go back.

Please share a short highlight about your NSLI-Y experience.
Walking into the Большой Московский Цирк (Great Moscow Circus), I didn’t know what to expect. I had never been to a circus before and could only imagine what I had seen in the movies. Walking in, I was blown away, and that was just the front lobby. My host mom recognized a friend, and they led us up through a seemingly back entrance to the arena. I didn’t realize I was in the presidential seats until I saw the engraved plate next to me. That night I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the flying acrobats, fire eaters, and mighty lions. Watching one of the greatest circuses in the world in the best seat in the house is a memory I will never forget.

What is your favorite target language word or phrase, and what does it mean in English?
My favorite word in Russian is блины (blini), not only because it is fun to say, but also because it is my favorite food in Russia. A блины is a Russian or Ukrainian pancake, but it resembles a crepe. My host family taught me how to make them and we enjoyed them together with the prickly pear jelly I brought from my hometown.

How did you learn about NSLI-Y?
I first learned about NSLI-Y when one of my high school friends did the program in Moscow. She had such an exciting and immersive time that I knew I had to look into it.

Why were you interested in studying your NSLI-Y target language?
I just always loved the way Russian sounded when I was little. I had a friend named Marina growing up, and I always had so much fun trying to learn little phrases in Russian. The more I learned about the food, music, and culture, the more it fueled my love for Russian and desire to visit someday.

What are your educational and/or professional goals?
I am currently studying in my sophomore year at Lawrence University and am majoring in Global Studies and Russian, with a possible minor in French. Afterwards, I would like to spend some time abroad either teaching English or by working with NGO’s in the developing world and hope to later pursue a career in international education or human development.

How do you plan to use your target language and cultural skills in the future?
I would love the opportunity to work for a Russian NGO that might be looking to expand access towards education as well as English-language-based programs that support a more global future. Both my background in Russian and experiences in Moldova will be vital assets in making my voice heard with local governance and further enable me to connect with the community on a deeper level. Ultimately, I want to apply my Russian skills in an international work environment.

How did participation in NSLI-Y affect your life and future goals?
Russian had always been a language that fascinated me, yet I never really saw it as anything more than a hobby. Getting the chance to speak Russian every day and study in an immersive environment instilled in me a desire to understand what it means to be Russian. I applied these experiences by helping organize an international ecological volunteering competition called Clean Games this past fall and would love to continue working along a similar path in the future.

What skills did you gain during your NSLI-Y experience?
Becoming more independent was probably one of the biggest skills I gained. I learned how to be pushed into a linguistically immersive environment while also utilizing the support system that was in place. I had to learn bus routes to get to school, and especially make sure I knew how to communicate to my host mom when I would be home for dinner. The language skills were of course one of the best advantages of the program, but NSLI-Y is an experience that pushed me to grow individually as well as with a team.

What was your favorite part about studying in your host country?
I loved getting to experience daily life. It was the little things like learning to take the trolleybus on my own, or being able to order a coffee during our break. While it may have been difficult at times, being immersed in Russian was probably one of the best parts because it pushed me to integrate into the culture. Some of the best parts were getting to create relationships with locals. These interactions made the entire experience all the more immersive.

Please share a short highlight about your NSLI-Y experience.
My host uncle owned a huge farm outside of the city and one day I remember him driving to our apartment with his tiny car filled with fruits and vegetables. Almost as soon as he got there, he looked at me and said, “Ah! Американец! (American),” and then pulled me in for a hug. He was incredibly welcoming of me into his family, and I loved getting to see all the work he put into his produce.

What is your favorite target language word or phrase, and what does it mean in English?
I think my favorite word is probably “вкусный”. It means “tasty” in English, but I think it’s my favorite just because my host mom used to say it all the time and it took me forever to understand what it meant. She would either ask me, “вкусный?" at dinner, or sometimes she would just say it a few times while we ate dinner. I love the word because I feel like “tasty” is a one that we don’t use often enough, and my host mom used it in such a way that emphasized the importance of cooking delicious food.

Share one interesting factoid about yourself, your personal background, or your language learning.
I was homeschooled growing up, and one of the interesting reasons why was because my family owns race horses and wanted the freedom to watch them run at tracks around the U.S. We used to drive all the way from Minnesota to Oklahoma or New York just for a weekend. This eventually brought us to Canada for my first time when I was nine years old. Even though I was young, this experience was one that shaped my love for adventure and desire to explore other cultures.

How did you learn about NSLI-Y?
I learned about the NSLI-Y program through several ways. Ever since sixth grade, I started my search for study abroad opportunities in high school and college. This interest stemmed from my passion of studying foreign languages, which led me to apply for a month-long residential program at the University of Pittsburgh called the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for Global and International Studies (GSGIS) in 2017, where I had the opportunity to study Chinese. At the end of the program, one of the resident assistants hosted a session on funded opportunities to continue language interest beyond the program, including NSLI-Y.

Why were you interested in studying your NSLI-Y target language?
Since I was also studying Japanese, I chose to learn Mandarin Chinese to increase my reading comprehension of kanji, Chinese script in the Japanese language. When I began learning Chinese, I realized that they were two very separate languages despite their few similarities.

What are your educational and/or professional goals?
My educational goals include further enrichment in global studies and international affairs. A professional goal of mine is to promote the development of global competency and an interest in second or multiple language acquisition.

How do you plan to use your target language and cultural skills in the future?
With an interest in anthropology and East Asian area studies, I plan to use the language and culture skills I gained in Mandarin Chinese in daily conversations, anthropological research, recreational activities, and potentially in my professional life.

How did participation in NSLI-Y affect your life and future goals?
Before NSLI-Y, I was unsure of where my passions lay. I knew that I loved studying foreign languages and engaging in virtual language exchanges with my global peers. My NSLI-Y experience pushed me to consider pursuing a career in academia. I am still very much undecided as of this point, but NSLI-Y has taught me to be flexible and take one opportunity at a time.

What skills did you gain during your NSLI-Y experience?
Not only did I gain intercultural understanding skills, but I also learned independence. My NSLI-Y experience also allowed me to exercise flexibility and to seek comfort in the unforeseeable and, more importantly, how to prepare for the uncertain future.

What was your favorite part about studying in your host country?
My favorite part about studying abroad in China is split between my host family and the amount of opportunity we were given to host our own club meetings, organize cultural events, shadow nurses, surgeons, medical professionals, firefighters, etc., and volunteer at local institutions such as preschools, primary schools, and hospitals. All in all, I just enjoyed the opportunities there were for a foreigner to immerse themselves in the community and local culture.

Please share a short highlight about your NSLI-Y experience.
My host sister turned two years old the day after my birthday. My host family treated us to dinner and a beautiful birthday cake. They invited my “阿姨妈妈” (aunt) and we all ate as a family. That was a moment where I really felt like part of the family.

Share one interesting factoid about yourself, your personal background, or your language learning.
I have been cooking a lot during quarantine. I have been learning to cook my cultural food (specifically soul food) and cultural food from my recent ancestry such as Caribbean cuisine. This has been very important to me. In kindergarten, we had a project where we were supposed to make a doll of our early ancestors. Of course, like many other African Americans, I had no idea where my family came from. Our family tree cuts off at my great-grandmother. Over the past year, I have been discovering my recent ancestry with my parents.

How did you learn about NSLI-Y?
I found out about NSLI-Y after going to Chinese school for a few years and subsequently participating in STARTALK. I applied for NSLI-Y twice and the first time I was a semifinalist, and then I reapplied the next year and was accepted.

Why were you interested in studying your NSLI-Y target language?
I am interested in studying Indonesian for many reasons. My grandpa was born in Indonesia which sparked my initial curiosity. As I learned more, I became fascinated by the linguistic aspect of Indonesian as it is made up of different languages such as Arabic, Dutch and local languages. As a result, learning Indonesian has, and will make it easier to learn more languages in the future. I hope to work in South East Asia in the future either in the Foreign Service or for an NGO.

What are your educational and/or professional goals?
I plan to graduate in 2025 from Agnes Scott College with a degree in International Relations. While I am not entirely sure what I want to do professionally, I hope to work abroad and eventually become a Foreign Service Officer.

How do you plan to use your target language and cultural skills in the future?
I currently use Indonesian as I virtually volunteer with a community center in my host community. I also use it when communicating with my host families. In the future, I hope to use Indonesian in work and to connect with Indonesians both in the U.S. and abroad. I plan on using my cross-cultural skills in work and when communicating with others from different cultures, whether it’s with new refugees to the U.S. or while traveling abroad.

How did participation in NSLI-Y affect your life and future goals?
Participating in NSLI-Y made me want to study abroad again, which I did with the YES Abroad program in Indonesia. Living in Indonesia showed me the impact that decisions made by both individual Americans and the government have on the world as a whole. Because of that, I hope to work in South East Asia either for the Foreign Service or an NGO.

What skills did you gain during your NSLI-Y experience?
I learned how to advocate for myself and communicate with people more efficiently. As I discovered a new way of life in Indonesia, I also learned the importance of being a listener and how to ask for help. Finally, I gained a greater understanding of what it means to be an American, and how to share that with others.

What was your favorite part about studying in your host country?
I loved the diversity of Indonesia, learning about it and living in the center of it all in Jakarta. My NSLI-Y host family taught me so much about Indonesia, but also about their region, which is south Sulawesi in east Indonesia. I also enjoyed having the chance to learn about Indonesian culture and cultures of the different groups that make up Indonesia, from the Batak fabric of Northern Sumatra to the gamelan music of East Java.

What did you learn about your host country or culture that you didn’t know before your NSLI-Y experience?
I learned that Indonesians value relaxing and not rushing through things. One of my language teachers said it best as “Americans have clocks, but Indonesians have time.” I have tried to have a more relaxed attitude about time.

Please share a short highlight about your NSLI-Y experience.
My host family was the highlight of my experience. From talking with my host mom on the way to school, to my host dad giving me daily quizzes, to hanging out and making silly YouTube videos with my host sister—my host family taught me so much, both about Indonesia and life. They included me in community activities such as going to church, and made me feel like a member of the community rather than an outsider.

What is your favorite target language word or phrase, and what does it mean in English?
My favorite word in Indonesian is Semangat (suh-man-aht), which can mean different things depending on the situation. It can mean keep the spirit, don't give up, you can do it, or good luck. You use it when encouraging others before a test or during a challenging time.

Share one interesting factoid about yourself, your personal background, or your language learning.
I try to take a picture of any sunset I see and continued doing so while studying abroad.

How did you learn about NSLI-Y?
I learned about NSLI-Y from a couple alums from my school who had attended. Before I read up on it, I expected such an amazing program to cost quite a bit. When I found out that it not only was a merit-based scholarship program, but provided opportunities for intense language learning, I knew I had to apply.

Why were you interested in studying your NSLI-Y target language?
Turkey is a country that bridges the West and the East, both geographically and culturally. Turkish is a language that reflects that. Written in a Latin script and containing loanwords from French, Arabic and Persian, Turkish is truly a cosmopolitan language. That, compounded with Turkey’s delicious food and amazing music, drew me to the program.

What are your educational and/or professional goals?
In the future, I hope to study political science or international relations in college and, of course, continue my study of languages. In addition to bolstering my Turkish, I hope to find a program that offers Persian. My career goals are pretty open right now, but I hope, no matter what career path I go down, I can help make the world around me better.

How do you plan to use your target language and cultural skills in the future?
Even if I don’t join the foreign service or do diplomatic work directly in other countries, I would like to use my Turkish in helping the Turkish immigrant community in the United States.

How did participation in NSLI-Y affect your life and future goals?
Participating in NSLI-Y rekindled my passion for working with other people and trying new things. Being plopped into a completely new country, almost entirely on your own, without knowing the language is incredibly difficult. However, it is the fact that I tried this experience out that I am far more confident to step out of my comfort zone!

What skills did you gain during your NSLI-Y experience?
One of the most critical skills I gained during my NSLI-Y experience was human connection. Since I was limited for a good three weeks by my lack of Turkish knowledge, I had to learn how to connect with my host family through other means. With games, sports and photos from America, I was soon able to connect with my host family even without the use of words.

What was your favorite part about studying in your host country?
There were two things I loved about Turkey: the food and the people. I fell in love with the cuisine. From cigkofte to simit, I definitely ate my fill on program. The people in Turkey are also incredibly hospitable and kind. Turkish hosts go above and beyond to ensure you’re comfortable. Coming from Virginia, a state known for its Southern hospitality, I was overjoyed to find that in Turkey.

What did you learn about your host country or culture that you didn’t know before your NSLI-Y experience?
After spending a while in Turkey, I learned that Turks are not a monolith. Every family I met had their own stories and unique customs that were germane to them. I found that despite American misconceptions about the Middle East, Turkey is truly a vibrant and diverse country, filled with people from all across the world!

Please share a short highlight about your NSLI-Y experience.
Probably my favorite part about my NSLI-Y trip was visiting “Camp Future Stars”, which was a summer camp an hour outside of Bursa filled with Turkish teenagers who were learning English. By talking to them in my broken Turkish (and English, of course), I learned the power of language learning, and how impactful it is to learn different languages to better communicate with others.

What is your favorite target language word or phrase, and what does it mean in English?
My favorite Turkish phrase is “çok güzel” because, literally, it means “very pretty”. When my teacher said to me “çok güzel” after completing an assignment, I was initially taken aback. I soon realized that “çok güzel” actually meant “good job”. This disconnect between the literal meanings of phrases and the way they are used make Turkish so interesting.

Share one interesting factoid about yourself, your personal background, or your language learning. Although I love learning languages, I love teaching them even more. That’s why, on a regular basis, I teach tidbits of French and Turkish (two languages that I’ve studied) to elementary and middle schoolers in my community.

How did you learn about NSLI-Y?
I first learned about NSLI-Y from my high school counselor who had sent me an email about opportunities abroad. After scouring the NSLI-Y website, I couldn’t believe a program like it existed and excitedly applied.

Why were you interested in studying your NSLI-Y target language?
Having experience learning Japanese Kanji, I was curious about the similarities and differences between Chinese characters, so in high school I decided to take a Chinese class. From learning about radicals, Chinese history, tones, and Chinese idioms, I fell in love with learning the language and culture. I then later attended an intensive STARTALK Mandarin program to learn more. I quickly realized how effective immersion is in learning a language and was driven to apply to NSLI-Y!

What are your educational and/or professional goals?
Currently, I plan on majoring in Civil Engineering and minoring in Chinese Studies. I am fascinated by the intersection between STEM and language. I hope to further explore this in my professional career by potentially working as an engineer for the State Department in China.

How did participation in NSLI-Y affect your life and future goals?
NSLI-Y has allowed me to realize the value of global learning and how important it is to speak another’s language to engage in cross-cultural understanding. NSLI-Y ultimately engaged my love of language learning and has allowed me to think greatly about the role language will play for me in the future. I am now committed to the lifelong process of learning Mandarin and look forward to living abroad in the future.

What was your favorite part about studying in your host country?
My favorite part of studying in Beijing was exploring the city. Public transportation in Beijing was extremely convenient with a bus or train station always within a few minutes’ walking distance. Thus, my host family and cohort were able to take many different adventures to various museums and historical sites such as the Forbidden City, Great Wall, and Temple of Heaven. One of my favorites was the Summer Palace which I ended up visiting three times. Given how expansive the palace was, I had a different experience each time I went!

What did you learn about your host country or culture that you didn’t know before your NSLI-Y experience?
While in Xi’an and Beijing, I learned how 面子 (miànzi) plays a large role in Chinese culture. While mian zi does not have a direct translation, it can be loosely defined as “saving face.” I initially encountered this when learning about compliment culture in China. When receiving a compliment in China, it is common for the compliment to be deflected as a way of showing modesty. After learning about this cultural norm, I since then have always deflected compliments in Chinese.

Please share a short highlight about your NSLI-Y experience.
One of my favorite parts of attending a Chinese high school was being allowed to participate in extracurriculars. I joined the school’s astronomy club and attended the weekly meetings alongside Chinese nationals in the school’s beautiful observatory. The teacher who led the club had a great sense of humor and would always make us laugh. During these meetings, I was also able practice my Mandarin and make friends with the students there. Being able to learn about astronomy in a different language allowed me to appreciate the universality of science and truly understand the depth language carries.

What is your favorite target language word or phrase, and what does it mean in English?
My favorite phrase in Mandarin is 慢慢来 ( màn màn lái ) which means “take your time” or “take it easy.” My speaking teacher in Beijing would often say this to me when helping me with my tones. It was always a great reminder that language is a continual process that requires time ad practice in improving.

Share one interesting factoid about yourself, your personal background, or your language learning.
I was born in Japan and I speak Japanese at home with my mom.