Arabic in math class. Arabic in biology. Arabic in French. Arabic in English. Despite my school not offering an Arabic class, I have managed to incorporate Arabic language or culture into nearly every one of my classes. Of course, there's my study hall period, which I have transformed into a legitimate Arabic class. Every other … Continue reading Weaving Arabic through my Junior Courseload
It is possible to be addicted to language learning. I know, because I have all the symptoms. When I have an essay due for my IB HL English class, or a test in calculus the next day, when I am crumpling under academic stress, when I tell myself I am going to finish my homework … Continue reading Perfecting the Art of Procrastination: So Far(si), So Good
I live in Round Rock, Texas. Outside of Texas, I like to say that I’m from Austin, which is only minutes away, but to be honest, Round Rock and Austin are worlds apart. Round Rock is small suburban town that looks nothing like its big-city counterpart. Round Rock is quiet, whereas Austin is said to … Continue reading Finding Our Voices in a Small Texas Town (March for Our Lives in Williamson County)
**Caution: This post is for language nerds.** It’s Spring Break, and unlike many breaks, this one has been incredibly busy for me. In addition to seeking out summer opportunities and filling out program applications, I have been planning my very first NSLI-Y Alumni event, an information session about The Language Flagship. All the while, I … Continue reading Levantine Music and a Linguistic Epiphany
Imagine being surrounded by so much knowledge that all you can do is stare in awe. Imagine seeing so many shelves, stacked top to bottom, with books filled with hidden treasures. Imagine walking through rows and rows of books in hundreds of languages. Spending a day at the Perry-Castañeda Library at the University of Texas … Continue reading French, Arabic, and My New Favorite Library
Sitting in the small university lecture room, I flip through my notes. The girl on my right speaks Spanish as her first language, the student on my left knows French fluently, behind me sits an Arabic speaker, and the boy in front of me has grown up speaking Hindi. The past five minutes have been … Continue reading Diplomacy, Language, and a Weekend in Canada
[VIDEO BELOW] Music has always been a part of my life. As a student, it's a way to stay focused while I do my homework. As a teenager, it's a way to relax. As a language learner, it's a way to create my own listening immersion environment without leaving my house. I've always thought that … Continue reading Singing to Learn, Learning to Sing
January 14th, 2017. I remember walking into the Austin Library last year, waiting for the 30 minutes that could possibly be my key to a life-changing experience: my NSLI-Y interview. Having arrived half an hour earlier, I was convinced that I would spend the time stressing out about what the interview would entail. In the … Continue reading From Applicant to Alumna: Volunteering at NSLI-Y Interviews
It’s the 21st of January. Again. Last year, on this day, millions of Americans across the nation took to the streets in what would be the largest protest in the history of the United States. Last year, on this day, it was Trump’s first day in office. I couldn't march on the 21st last year. … Continue reading “Displaced”: One Year Later
Matching names with faces. Profile pictures and speech bubbles on a Facebook group chat come alive. Last weekend, I spent four days in the busy capital of the nation, Washington D.C., for the 2018 NSLI-Y Alumni Representative Workshop. NSLI-Y Alumni Representatives lead the NSLI-Y Alumni Association, and work to bring alumni in their region together … Continue reading 2018 NSLI-Y Alumni Representative Workshop
