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 Chinese (Mandarin) stories from .

image of a plate full of dumplings

Chinese (Mandarin)

When in Rome, Do as the Romans Do

Ekaterina is from New York, NY and an alumna of the Chinese AY 2019-20 program in Beijing, China & Taipei, Taiwan. I glanced at my watch. 11 pm. December ...
Stacy posing with friends in China

Chinese (Mandarin)

The Quintessential Chinese New Year

Stacy is from Pleasanton, CA and an alumna of the Chinese AY 2018-19 program in Beijing, China. My host family's hometown Pengshui is the quintessen...
An image of Ben Marcus-Willers in the mountains

Chinese (Mandarin)

‘The Chai Guy’: An Alum’s Passion for Tea and Chinese Comes to a Crossroad

By Ben Marcus-Willers, Academic Year 2012-13, Kaohsiung, Taiwan It all started with a high school social studies project on the tea growing culture of East Asia...
An image of the NSLI-Y Alumni Reps posing with a NSLI-Y banner

Global

Learning How to ‘Rep’: The 2020 NSLI-Y Alumni Representative Workshop

Hello! My name is Halden, and I am the NSLI-Y Alumni Representative for Chapel Hill, NC in the Southeast region. Traveling to Chengdu, China in 2018 through NSL...
Sarah posing in front of a Taiwanese cityscape

Chinese (Mandarin)

The Sounds of Chaishan (柴山的聲音）

Noah is from Plano, TX and participated in the 2018-19 Chinese (Mandarin) Academic Year program in Taiwan. In Taiwan, I spent most of my time at the university...
Shivam poses in front of a crowd of people in China

Chinese (Mandarin)

My Experience in China / 我在中国的经历

Shivam is from Saratoga, CA and participated in the Chinese Summer program 2019 in China. As exciting as the prospect of studying abroad for an extended period ...
A banner that reads "Celebrating underrepresented stories abroad" and shows an image of NSLI-Y students sitting on a bench.

Chinese (Mandarin)

Pablo Gutierrez: Setting the Tone for Language Learning

Pablo Gutierrez's music teacher gave him his first introduction to Chinese language and culture. To further this interest, he attended Mandarin Startalk summe...
A banner that reads "celebrating underrepresented stories abroad" and shows an image of Natalie in China

Chinese (Mandarin)

Rewarding Challenges: Natalie in China

Natalie Johnson was raised in Milwaukee. As a child, she developed an interest in East Asia through her passion for anime. During her junior year of high school...
an image of Pierce in Taiwan in front of multi-colored dragon statues

Chinese (Mandarin)

My Best Advice: Worry vs. Reality

Pierce is from Virginia Beach, VA and participated in the 2019 Chinese summer program in Taiwan. The best advice I got before spending the summer in Kaohsiung, ...