Korean

International Education Week Alumni Spotlight: Breauna Oldham

Breauna was initially interested in Japanese as a high school student, but felt her interest blossom once she learned about Korean language and culture. She went from listening to Korean music and watching Korean dramas to self-studying Korean in the library after class. Her NSLI-Y experience confirmed her interest in… Read More
A NSLI-Y student poses in full traditional dress outside of a house in Korea

NSLI-Y Alumni Leadership and Public Service Workshop Reflection

Hello! My name is Logan Burgess, and I participated in the virtual Chinese program in summer 2020 and the Korean program at Songdo in summer 2021. I am currently a junior studying international relations with the goal of becoming a foreign service officer. In this pursuit, I often get lost… Read More
Four seated panelists speak onstage before an audience at the State Department

NSLI-Y Alumni Leadership and Public Service Workshop Reflection

One of the most impactful experiences during the NSLI-Y Alumni Workshop was our visit to the Department of State. For many of us, this visit began with exploring the exhibit on Madeleine Albright’s pin diplomacy. It was amazing to see the impact that jewelry could have on diplomacy, while also… Read More
A large group poses with a NSLI-Y banner at the Department of State

How NSLI-Y Students Get to School

From Annika Ikeda Shields, a 2024 Russian summer alum who studied in Kazakhstan: I took the bus every day to school using my bus card, which charged 100 tenge (like 20 cents) every time I took the bus. From Jude St John, a 2024 Chinese summer alum who studied in… Read More
An image of the highway in Korea with city buildings in the background

Arabic

Alumni Spotlight: Ahab Chopra

Although it’s been over eight years since I visited Morocco, I often reflect on my summer in Rabat. Not only did I make lasting connections with my host family and friends who I converse with often over WhatsApp, but I have also loved being able to continue to study and… Read More
Breads bake in an open air oven

Korean

Winning Over My 12-Year-Old Host Brother

When confronted with a 12-year-old host brother, what do you do? Are you the older sibling type: diving headfirst into bonding activities while roleplaying a comedian? Or, are you the shy type: one who waits idly by waiting for them to interact with you first? While I knew enough Korean… Read More
A hand written page of Korean