Chinese (Mandarin)

My Experience in China / 我在中国的经历

Shivam is from Saratoga, CA and participated in the Chinese Summer program 2019 in China. As exciting as the prospect of studying abroad for an extended period of time is, there also many questions, concerns and worries. What food will I get to I eat? Will I get along well… Read More
Shivam poses in front of a crowd of people in China

Arabic

Identity, Nationality, and Community in Morocco

Shraddha is from Round Rock, TX and participated in the NSLI-Y Arabic Academic Year 2019-2020 in Morocco. She wrote the first part of this story as a NSLI-Y student in 2019 sharing her on-program experience, and shared a second part this year as an alumna of the program describing the… Read More
Images of Shraddha in Morocco with her peers

Russian

A Visit to the Matryoshka Factory

Julia is from Milwaukee, WI and participated in the 2019 Russian summer program. In Kirov, Matryoshka dolls are begun by splitting a piece of wood into four. Then a piece is selected, and inserted onto a lathe that spins parallel to the master carver so fast that the wood becomes… Read More
nsli-y cohort poses in front of a mural at the matryoshka factory

Arabic

Alumni Spotlight: Jacob

Jacob is from Malaga, New Jersey and participated in the 2012 Arabic summer program in Morocco. Jacob is using his language skills to help the next generation learn Arabic. After returning from the NSLI-Y Arabic program, Jacob carried on his Arabic studies at high school during his senior year. He… Read More
Jake in front of Moroccan tile

Persian (Tajiki)

Building a Library in Tajikistan

Abigail is from Wyckoff, New Jersey and participated in the 2018 NSLI-Y Summer Persian program in Tajikistan. After spending seven, life-changing weeks last summer with NSLI-Y in Dushanbe, Tajikistan became my second home. However, no home is perfect. Educational resources are extremely limited in Tajikistan, and I was motivated to… Read More
Image of a library in Tajikistan that Abigail assisted in construction of

Chinese (Mandarin)

Being a Superhero Abroad

Hassane is from Westchester, NY and participated in the 2019 Summer Chinese program in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Not all superheroes wear capes. I, along with the fellow Taiwan participants, didn’t wear super suits or costumes. Yet, we had superpowers abroad. When I first applied and earned acceptance to NSLI-Y, I had… Read More
Hassane standing in front of a green landscape in Taiwan