Stories

The NSLI-Y program languages include Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Indonesian, Hindi, Korean, Persian (Tajiki), Russian and Turkish. Listed below are all multimedia stories written, and shared by NSLI-Y students, alumni, partners, and supporters. These stories include all NSLI-Y program languages and are ordered chronologically from the most recent post.

Alumni and current students, join the conversation by submitting your own story.

Click on a language below to see stories and media related to a specific NSLI-Y program language:

Displaying Korean stories from .

Jessey poses in traditional Korean hanbok.

Korean

Learning Korean: From a Pandemic to Reality

NSLI-Y alumna Jessey from Knoxville, Tennessee reflects on how both virtual and in-person NSLI-Y activities positively impacted her Korean language-learning journey.
My language partner, 윤서, and I at a nearby café studying.

Korean

Tabula Rasa

Maija, an alumna of the 2022 Korean summer program, reflects on entering her program with a "blank slate" linguistically and culturally. By the end of her program, she found a renewed sense of intrigue in the Korean language and culture, and a strong appreciation for both the ups and downs on program.
Isabella Turilli poses in fall foliage.

Korean

Alumni Spotlight: Isabella Turilli Named Rhodes Scholar

NSLI-Y Korean Alumna Isabella Turilli was recently awarded the Rhodes Scholarship. The Rhodes Scholarship is the oldest and most competitive international scholarship and is awarded to approximately 30 individuals annually. The scholarship selects promising young people from around the world who demonstrate integrity, leadership, character, intellect and a commitment to service to study at the University of Oxford.​
From left to right, NSLI-Y alumnae Kristie Moore, Brooklyn Burgess, and Kelly Huang pose in front of large group of CLAPS students

Global

NSLI-Y Alumni Receive Citizen Diplomacy Action Fund for Middle School Program

NSLI-Y alumnae Brooklyn (Hindi Summer 2020 and 2021), Kelly (Korean Summer 2021), Kristie (Russian Summer 2019), and Sierra (Russian Summer 2019) have received the 2022 Citizen Diplomacy Action Fund award to create Critical Language and Pronunciation for Students (CLAPS), an introductory critical language program for middle school students.
Vanessa Rogers-Wright Headshot

Korean

Alumni Spotlight: How NSLI-Y Impacted Vanessa Rogers-Wright 

NSLI-Y Korean 2017 alumna, Vanessa Rogers-Wright reflects on her language learning journey and the impact the NSLI-Y program has had on her professional and academic pursuits.
A title card for the NSLI-Y Interactive Virtual Event: Celebrating Holidays with NSLI-Y featuring all the alumni panelists

Global

NSLI-Y Interactive Virtual Event - Celebrating Holidays with NSLI-Y

On Wednesday, December 21st at 7:00 PM EST, NSLI-Y Interactive will host our final virtual event of 2022: "Celebrating Holidays with NSLI-Y". Summer and Academic Year alumni from a variety of NSLI-Y programs will share about the holidays they celebrated on program and what they learned from them.
Rachel with friends in Morocco

Global

NSLI-Y Parent & Alumni Testimonials: Summer 2022 & Academic Year 2021-2022

While some parents are excited for their child to study abroad, others may be nervous, particularly given the pandemic and geopolitical events worldwide. After many NSLI-Y overseas programs resumed in 2022, NSLI-Y was fortunate to receive several testimonials from parents and alumni addressing their experience.
Img 7030

Korean

A Harmonious Bond

Gabriela, a 2021 Korean summer alumna, reflects on the power of music to build connections and memories, and what she learned from her host family.
Host family

Korean

Overcoming Feelings of Inadequacy as an Absolute Beginner

Dominic, a 2019 Korean summer NSLI-Y alumnus recalls the intimidation of living in a new country without language experience - and how it has enriched his life.