I have always been incredibly interested in the study of foreign languages. I have studied several languages including Spanish, Japanese, and Russian. I am currently in Honors Spanish 3 at my School and an active member of the Spanish Honor Society. I have always been fascinated with other cultures and linguistics studies in general. I am looking into minoring in linguistics in the future and have been researching extensively into the field of linguistics, as it is something that piques my interest. 

Recently, though, I have decided to broaden my horizons and begin studying a new language altogether. Through the state department, I began studying with a program called NSLI-Y, or the National Security Language Initiative for Youth. NSLI-Y is a highly selective program with a very thorough application process that very few people have the opportunity to be a part of. I am one of the incredibly lucky and amazingly fortunate people that get to participate in this prestigious program. The application process consists of essay writing, many forms and surveys, and lots of soul-searching. The essay I wrote for the program pertained to my struggles with learning mathematics and how I have learned to adapt and overcome them. With hard work and possibly a little luck, I was accepted into the program and I am currently on my third week of study with NSLI-Y.

NSLI-Y has a couple of different variants of programs. I am currently enrolled in the online language academy, which presents a unique, one-on-one form of language learning. My class is small so my teacher is able to help us learn in a more cohesive and personally tailored environment. I am not allowed to go into explicit detail about what is being covered in the class, however, I am learning so much more than I thought I was capable of in a mere three weeks. I am so excited to continue my Arabic journey and learn as much about the culture and language as I possibly can. I just know that my fellow classmates are just as eager to learn as I am and I look forward to getting to know them more.