From Carly: "After completing a yearlong exchange program in Germany at age 16, I decided to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations at Franklin University Switzerland in Lugano, Switzerland. While studying, I completed two semesters abroad, in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. I was a participant in a Persian-language immersion semester hosted by American Councils and later served as the Summer Resident Director for the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLIY) program for Tajiki Persian. Now, I work as a Language Copy Editor for an academic publishing company in Göttingen, Germany. I am 23 years old and am originally from Portland, Oregon."
1. Tell me how you first studied abroad in Germany. What were your greatest takeaways?
I attended a study abroad fair recommended to me by my High School Spanish teacher, where I learned about a program called the Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange, where young Americans can apply for a scholarship to spend a year living with a family in Germany. I applied on a whim, despite not speaking any German, and was surprised to learn that my application was successful. I lived in a small village near the border to Switzerland, where I attended a German high school. Not many people in my village were keen on speaking English, so spending 11 months there meant that I needed to become proficient if I wanted to make friends, travel, and participate in activities. Since I didn’t have any formal language instruction before or during the program, this was a very challenging experience for me. At the end of this experience, I had the feeling that I could do anything! I made lifelong friends, learned about a culture much different from my own, and was eager to do it all again in another place!
2. How did you come to study Tajiki Persian, and how did that experience compare to learning German?
While spending a semester in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan during my undergraduate studies, I traveled to Tajikistan during my host university’s Spring Break. I got a chance to experience Navruz, one of the biggest Persian holidays, and was enchanted by the hospitality, mountains, and culture I saw during the short trip. After my semester abroad, I did an internship in refugee counseling in Germany, where I met many Afghan and Iranian refugees who also inspired me to start learning Persian. Since I spoke a little Russian and could read and write in Cyrillic from my time in Bishkek, Tajiki was the perfect dialect of Persian for me to choose. I applied for a semester-long program to learn Tajiki in Dushanbe, and the rest is history! Becoming proficient in Tajiki was a lot easier than German, since one has to get used to the process of learning languages. In addition, I was more “forced” to speak in Tajikistan, since very few locals speak English (many Germans learn English in school). In terms of grammar, Persian is much easier to learn than German, but the vocabulary and pronunciation (with many Arabic and Turkic words) were harder for me to master.
3. Now that you’re living in Germany, how have or haven’t you adapted?
For the most part, I have few problems communicating since moving back to Germany. However, many people I meet are surprised and even laugh at my “very American accent”. This can be a bit discouraging, but since not many Americans learn German this accent is funny because most people just aren’t used to hearing it. And even after many years of practice, sometimes I still have “blackout” days where I just can’t think of how to say something — which can be pretty embarrassing depending on the situation.
4. When discouraged (culture shock, regression in language-learning), how do you pick yourself back up?
I think it is best to surround yourself with a good support system of native speakers when learning new languages. These should not be people who seek to correct every error you make (because this tends to discourage you) but rather those who listen to what you are trying to express and remain patient when you struggle to find your words. It can also be important to be reminded of your own progress — reading something you wrote or listening to something you recorded when you first began is a great way of reminding yourself how awesome you really are!
5. Do you have any “aha” language moments?
One of the greatest experiences I can think of from my language-learning journeys was the opportunity to translate (German/English and English/German) for asylum seekers and refugees going through trauma therapy (since many spoke fluent English but little German) during my internship. To be able to help people from Syria, Iraq, Malawi, and beyond through language was a gift and an important learning experience.
6. Fun Facts! What are your favorite words (and food words) in the languages you’ve studied?
My favorite word in Tajiki has to be “milt-milt”, which means something like “wink” or “twinkle". My favorite German word has to be “Fernweh”, which can be translated as the longing to travel. My favorite Tajiki food has to be “Fatir”, which is a flaky, dense bread that tastes a bit like a croissant and is perfect for dipping in soup! My favorite German dish is Spätzle, egg-based noodles that can be topped with melted cheese and fill your tummy in the wintertime.
7. What are your goals for the future, and does language study play a part in them?
I would love to learn another language fluently! I am currently decided between Russian, Italian, and Spanish at the moment, since I know a bit of each already. I hope to continue traveling (especially to the Persian-speaking world) and will maybe pursue a career in international education one day.
8. What would be your 10-second pitch to convince skeptics to do study-abroad and language-study (especially for less-popular languages like Tajiki)?
No matter which language you choose, this experience will certainly make you a more knowledgeable, empathetic, and open person. Learning less-popular languages like Tajiki is like gaining access to a secret box of treasure, it will allow you access to rare opportunities and will grant you the privilege of knowing one of the most interesting (and undiscovered) corners of the world.
Vanessa's Note:
Carly was my Resident Director when I studied Tajiki Persian in Dushanbe, Tajikistan for 6 weeks under the National Security Language Initiative for Youth Scholarship. Throughout the program, she was my pivotal source of support and strength for me, from trying to consume ALL the fruits my host mom offered us, to encouraging me in my language-study self-doubts (see question 3!). Her pursuits across the globe -- from Germany to Switzerland, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Germany, and wherever she goes in the future, truly inspires me to continue my passions for language and global awareness.
Thanks for tuning into our FIRST special interview of Volume 2! Keep an eye out for more student pieces (and interviews!) soon!
Comentários