Hello, everyone! My name is Collin, and I graduated from Adelphi in
2016 with a BA in French. I also minored in Spanish and completed the
certificate in translation studies as well as the Levermore Global
Scholars program. Here's just a small part of the story.
When
they tell you that languages are living, they mean it in more ways than
one. The languages themselves change and evolve, but they also change
the lives of those who speak them. They live inside you, and they open
your eyes, mind, and heart to more of the world than you ever thought
possible to see. When I first started at Adelphi, I had never actually
spoken another language. I had studied them written, but I had never
spoken them, and that was difficult for me. I'm not that kid that's
"just good with languages" nor am I that kid that "gets by without even
studying". I'm the complete opposite. I actually didn't even know which
language I wanted to study when I got to Adelphi, so I tried 4. I came
in as a French major, because I knew I wanted to work at the UN, but
other than that I wasn't sure. At Adelphi, I took French, Spanish,
Portuguese, and Italian. I settled on French and Spanish, and let me
tell you something. I didn't like Spanish when I started. I was just
taking it because "I should", even though I preferred the two that I
dropped. As for my French? I didn't understand a word that was spoken.
However, the professors for every single language I studied made me fall
in love with the countries that spoke them, and that was it. I was
hooked. At Adelphi, I learned to pull Francophones out of a crowd and
learned how to make jokes with Hispanophones in the local deli. I saw a
Frida Khalo exhibit in the Botanical Gardens and saw a flamenco dancer
perform live. She even taught us how to dance a bit. I took a
presentation on wine in Spain to a national undergraduate research
conference. We learned how to dance salsa, rumba, cha-cha, etc. We
translated a book that was published and then even presented on it with
an audience from the Ecuadorian consulate. I made a close group of
friends and continuously took my language classes with them. We helped
each other with homework and studying for exams, and we just grew closer
since we had courses together every semester. I even ended up joining 2
different language honor societies with these same friends. We went out
to eat at restaurants where people didn't speak English, and it was
some of the best food I've ever had in my life. I struggled in my
classes a bit. It happens to everyone in college, but my professors
worked with me and gave me the extra time and material I needed to
succeed. And you know what? On multiple occasions, I've been mistaken
for a native speaker in both French and Spanish! This is all coming from
a person who is actually incredibly shy and was mortified to speak in
front of crowds or even attempt to open my mouth in another language. I
used to get so nervous that I couldn't even think straight, and now I
can't stop talking. I could go on and on. After all, I was in the
department for 4 years and worked with them very closely! However, I
just want to say that the Department of Foreign Languages at Adelphi is
one of the best things that's ever happened to me. After graduation, I
was accepted to programs in France, Spain, Germany, and Micronesia. My
next stop? Well, I was accepted into 3 master's programs, one at NYU in
New York City, one at NAU in Germany, and one at the University of
Westminster in London. Guess who's getting another visa!
Think
foreign languages are just for the classroom? Think again! While I was
an undergrad at Adelphi, I was offered a position working with the Many
Languages One World conference hosted by ELS and the UN Academic Impact
for 3 consecutive summers (which is actually where I met one of the
Spanish professors at Adelphi). This is one of the best conferences you
can participate in! Apply! I also worked inside JFK International
Airport, and that was amazing for me. We always had people who didn't
speak English, and being able to help them find their flights, purchase
items in a store, or even acting as an interpreter in the security lines
was commonplace for me (let me remind you that I didn't actually speak
any other languages before I got to Adelphi). Here's the fun part. After
graduation, I moved to France! I spent a year there teaching English.
My French skyrocketed, and I had trouble convincing people I was from
the US. People thought I was from Quebec ironically enough! With my
Spanish as well, I was told I "had a perfect accent and could be from
Spain" (Spaniards told me this), even though I also have my moments
where various Latin American accents slip out! I'm not one to get
homesick, but I felt very comfortable around Latin Americans, so I spent
most of my time with a group from Venezuela and Mexico. While in
France, I learned to make Mexican tacos, Venezuelan arepas (an absolute
must!!!), Venezuelan empanadas, and plenty of other items. I even went
on a 250-mile bike trail with a friend from Mexico called the Loire à
vélo! It was only supposed to be 190 miles, but we took a detour. We
biked through the countryside, small towns, and major cities, all
following a river, and we ended in Nantes, a major port city in France.
We met locals who made pizza from flour ground at the local mill and
with vegetables grown by local farmers. We slept on islands in the
middle of the river and enjoyed night views of castles, fortresses, and
bridges all with lights. We drank the local wine in each city and tried
the local desserts. Believe it or not, while we were in France, some of
the best food we ever had was actually a blend created by immigrants
from African countries who mixed their traditional foods with the local
French traditions. Even with my students, those who had English or
Spanish-speaking parents would be so excited to hear me utter a few
words. I even learned some Arabic, Portuguese (of course!), German, and
Dutch while I was in France! I spoke French with a woman on a train in
Greece and spoke Spanish in the heart of Paris. I bonded with and spoke
French with new friends from Brazil, Japan, Switzerland, Belgium, and
plenty of other countries. I struck up a conversation about traditional
flute music with a Frenchman who had lived in Ecuador, because I had
learned about the country during a project at Adelphi. I went to visit a
friend from Adelphi in Paris and London. I ended up getting a part time
translation position with a company in Paris and working as a volunteer
with a company from Ghana as their representative for France. Foreign
languages are only foreign for a short time. After that, they become
part of you and you always use them whenever you get the chance. Even if
it's not your main area of expertise, they live within you, and they
stay there. The world becomes smaller and closer, and you see new things
in ways you can't imagine until it's happening.
Language
learning isn't about learning words to communicate in business. It's
about building another part of yourself and falling in love with places
you've never seen. It's not about what you know, but how you use it. Let
me explain. I've always struggled with French. Something about it just
confuses me, but the people and places that speak it draw my attention.
No, I'm not just talking about chic Parisians who wear scarves and know
exactly how to dress. I'm not talking about baguettes. I'm talking about
the people, that beautiful blend of 29 countries that speak French. I'm
talking about the Caribbean islands and their music and food. I'm
talking about all of the African cultures and their extensive
intricacies. I'm talking about European cities with their vast history.
As for Spanish? I'm not just talking about reggaeton, salsa, and
bachata. I'm talking about the mountains of Peru, the food of Mexico,
the waterfalls of Venezuela, the people that we share the Americas with.
Remeber I said I didn't like Spanish when I started? I thought it was
overrated, because everyone spoke it. It's exactly because of everyone
speaking it that it's important. For a language that I didn't even like,
it's fairly impressive to me that it has become such a huge part of my
life. Now when I hear Spanish, I feel at home.
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