Recap on AFS/NSLI-Y Involvement in the 2019 Academic Year
This has been an incredibly busy year for me balancing academics, extracurriculars, and applications for various opportunities. Much has happened since August in the realm of continued AFS/NSLI-Y involvement, so here's a quick timeline of events:
September 14, 2019:
Post-Arrival Orientation
After the AFS exchange students had the opportunity to settle in to their lives in America, we held another orientation to get to know one another, discuss some AFS rules and expectations, and explore American culture and the cultural iceberg. We started out with name games and a "Get to Know You" Bingo, broke up into individual groups to discuss AFS rules and expectations, created a bucket list of activities, attractions, and foods the AFS exchange students should try or visit in America, and discussed the cultural iceberg, introducing their country of origin to the community they reside in, and slang commonly used in America. Before the first day of the orientation came to a close, we interviewed the students to make sure they were adapting to their new lives and feel supported by their host family, community, and AFS. Unfortunately, I was unable to stay for the second day because I hosted a poetry seminar on Sundays during first trimester.
Making a bucket list for the AFS exchange students
AFS exchange students engaging in our enthralling discussion about the cultural iceberg
The current AFS exchange students and volunteers (note: I am not in this picture because this was taken on Sunday.)
From Left:
First Row: Luca (Italy), Clarissa (Italy), Anna (Germany), Emma (Slovakia), Giorgia (Italy), Thea (Norway), Abdullah (Palestine), Peter (Germany), Anthony (Switzerland)
Second Row: Christi (USA, Volunteer), Cinzia (Italy, Volunteer), Maria (Germany), Nara (Thailand), Rodrigo (Cuba), Juni (Norway), Mauro (Spain), Sejal (USA, Volunteer), TJ (USA, Volunteer)
September 23, 2019:
NSLI-Y Informational Session @ NCSSM
In collaboration with Ms. Smith and Dr. Connor, Spanish Language Instructors at NCSSM, and Dean Moose, the Dean of Humanities, I organized an NSLI-Y Informational Session at NCSSM for residential and online students. In addition to hosting a panel of NSLI-Y alumni on campus, three current NSLI-Y Academic Year participants Zoomed in and another provided a video about her experiences. The event was a success! Over one-hundred students attended the event, and seventeen NCSSM students became NSLI-Y Semi-Finalists.
This was the announcement in the Weekly Unicorn, the weekly NCSSM newsletter for residential and online students and their families:
REMINDER For students: Apply for NSLI-Y critical language scholarships by Oct. 30!
On Sep. 23, a standing-room-only crowd of students filled the ETC Lecture Hall to hear students and alumni talk about their experiences in the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y). Three alumni of NCSSM and NSLI-Y joined the presentation live from India, Taiwan and Moldova where they continue their studies abroad, while another alumna in China shared her thoughts in a pre-recorded presentation. Five current NCSSM students—Megan Wohlfarth (Pune, India - Hindi), Shruti Temkar (Pune, India - Hindi), Joseph Campbell (Estonia - Russian), Talia Wilson (Estonia - Russian), and Halden Levin (Chengdu, China - Mandarin Chinese)—who participated in NSLI-Y summer programs also presented on their experiences.
Students participating in the program did so for a number of reasons, from academic and career ambitions to exploring their cultural heritage. Regardless of motivation, all participants described their experience as life-changing.
NSLI-Y is a U.S. Department of State program that provides merit-based scholarships for high school students interested in intensive overseas instruction in languages not generally taught in American public high schools. Summer and academic-year programs are available.
Watch a recording of the information session, or view the presentation. The application deadline for 2020-2021 programs is October 30! - Elizabeth Moose
October 29, 2019:
Submitted NSLI-Y Academic Year Application
Since I previously participated in the NSLI-Y Summer program, I was still eligible to apply for the NSLI-Y Academic Year program this year. As I applied to various universities and scholarships, I considered where exactly I saw myself in the next chapter of my life. Considering my strong interest in being a global citizen and continuing to develop my foreign language skills and cultural understandings, I decided to apply to a number of study abroad scholarships, as I would love to take a gap year prior to beginning my undergraduate education. Ultimately, I applied to the NSLI-Y Academic program with an interest in studying abroad in China to further my long-term professional, academic, and personal goals, which primarily include becoming a pediatric neurologist with a focus on caring for children with neurodevelopmental disorders internationally.
November 18-22, 2019:
International Education Week (IEW) Collaboration w/ Emma Holmes
IEW is a wonderful week to promote... well... international education! Last year I celebrated IEW by writing an NSLI-Y Interactive story in Chinese and English about my experiences studying abroad in China through NSLI-Y. This year, I collaborated with Emma Holmes, a 2019 NCSSM Alumna and current YES Abroad participant, to share a video of her experiences studying abroad in Bosnia and Herzegovina through YES Abroad.
This was the announcement in the Weekly Unicorn:
DEADLINE EXTENDED: Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Abroad program
Emma Holmes, 2019 NCSSM alumna, is currently studying abroad in Bosnia and Herzegovina through the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Abroad program. In celebration of International Education Week, Emma created a video about her experiences in Bosnia and Herzegovina, why she chose to study abroad, and about applying to the YES Abroad program.
YES Abroad is a year-long scholarship program for high school students sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, in countries of strategic importance. For the 2019-2020 application cycle, 65 full scholarships are offered to American high school students nationwide to study abroad in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Morocco, North Macedonia, Philippines, Senegal, Thailand, and Turkey.
Students live with a host family, attend a local school, engage in various cultural activities, and promote mutual understanding between the United States and their host country. Check out Emma's video and blog, as well as the YES Abroad website, if you are interested in this wonderful study abroad opportunity. The YES Abroad application deadline has been extended to December 16, 2019 at 11:59 p.m. - Halden Levin '20
November 20, 2019:
Attended NSLI-Y Interactive IEW Panel on Diversity and Inclusion
During IEW, NSLI-Y alumni hosted an NSLI-Y Interactive IEW Panel on Diversity and Inclusion. This was an awesome opportunity to gain a better understanding of the experiences individuals from various cultural backgrounds experience in studying abroad in other countries. When I studied abroad in China, I did not experience racial discrimination as a white female, but I did feel objectified at times when Chinese men came up to me and asked to take pictures... or sometimes didn't even ask. I was constantly told that I was beautiful and skinny, which I suppose is flattering, but is that really what I want emphasized about my being?
If you are interested in hearing the discussion, check out the video of the panel: https://youtu.be/PXr0CXJoE5g.
November 25, 2019:
Submitted NSLI-Y Alumni Representative Application
There are eighteen NSLI-Y Alumni Representatives across the nation who serve to organize events to promote NSLI-Y, support applicants, and further cultural and linguistic learning and engagement in NSLI-Y alumni. I applied to be the 2020 NSLI-Y Alumni Representative for Chapel Hill, NC in the Southeast Region because I am committed to continuing my and other alumni's NSLI-Y journeys. As I've mentioned time and time again, NSLI-Y was one of the most life-changing experiences in my eighteen years of life, truly opening my eyes to the international community.
December 3, 2019:
Submitted YES Abroad Application
As I mentioned above, I applied to a number of study abroad scholarships with the aim of taking a gap year prior to beginning my undergraduate education as a means of furthering my professional, academic, and personal goals in a different context. I applied to YES Abroad with an interest in studying abroad in Malaysia since Malaysia has a fairly significant population of ethnically Chinese individuals, as well as other ethnicities, so I could potential further my Chinese language skills and cultural knowledge while being exposed to other languages and cultures.
It's important to note that the major difference between NSLI-Y and YES Abroad is that NSLI-Y is language intensive while YES Abroad is focused more on cultural immersion and exchange; both programs include aspects of linguistic and cultural immersion, but their focuses are different.
December 4, 2019:
Accepted as 2020-2021 NSLI-Y Academic Year Semi-Finalist
One step closer. I was accepted as a 2020-2021 NSLI-Y Academic Year Semi-Finalist at the beginning of December, which felt wonderful. After submitting medical forms, renewing my passport, and attending an interview, I will wait until April to determine where I will be going in the near future. I'm just taking one step at a time.
December 11, 2019:
Accepted as 2020 NSLI-Y Alumni Representative for Chapel Hill, NC in the Southeast Region
Soon after discovering that I was accepted as an NSLI-Y Semi-Finalist, I became the 2020 NSLI-Y Alumni Representative for Chapel Hill, NC in the Southeast Region. This position was previously held by Caroline Brewton, who lives in Pinehurst and went to Pinecrest High School and graduated from NCSSM last year. Caroline is an absolutely amazing individual; she's currently studying abroad for a year in Moldova to learn Russian through NSLI-Y, and then she's going to attend Sciences Po for her undergraduate education. Any who, I am elated to continue promoting NSLI-Y and furthering the NSLI-Y mission with additional support from American Councils and the State Department. With seventeen other Alumni Reps across the nation, I will be attending the NSLI-Y Alumni Representative Workshop.
January will be yet another busy month with the NSLI-Y Alumni Representative Workshop, NSLI-Y/YES Abroad Interviews, and the AFS Mid-Year Orientation. Let's not forget TEDxNCSSM either. More valuable experiences and stories to come!