The Global Language Network

This is not my first post on The GLN, and it likely won't be my last, but I figure I should raise awareness for those who haven't heard of it yet.  Also, I'm President of GLN-GW, so I think a bit of shameless plugging won't hurt anyone!

Here's the deal:  The Global Language Network began 6 years ago as a GW student org, and since we have branched out to become an official 501(c)3 non-profit.  We teach over 50 languages to the GW and greater DC communities, and our classes are taught on GW's campus and the surrounding Foggy Bottom area.  Also, classes are offered nights and weekends, so they can work around your class/work/interning schedule.  

Sounds great, right?  But wait, there's more!  All our classes are FREE!  You have to put down a $100 deposit as a GW student, but if you don't miss more than 3 classes, you get your money back!  So it's just a win-win-win.  Everyone wins.  Classes began yesterday for the fall session, but log in to our website at www.thegln.org or email me at shireen@thegln.org to sign up for our newsletter so you're in the know on our other events and preparations for the spring session!  And use your GW email when creating an account to secure yourself priority registration for classes!

Email me at shireens@gwmail.gwu.edu for everything else!

~~~Shireen

Tarea.... what?!

Hi readers!!

Hope everyone is still enjoying their warm summers. I myself am starting to crack down and remember what needs to be done before I leave for Chile. It is unbelievable to me that in so little time I will be getting on a plane and leaving the United States of America until December. While I have been abroad before, the longest I've spent away is 2 months and this will be double the time.

In preparation for my program, I am starting to do some reading they have assigned. It is truly unfair that I must read on a gorgeous Portland day and begin to brainstorm the organization of a 500 word essay on the article. But that is only half of it...

THE ARTICLE AND ESSAY ARE IN SPANISH. Oh, yes. You are looking at someone right here who hasn't spoken Spanish since high school. So hello dictionary I am having some troubles. Thankfully, most of it is coming back to me except for several complex vocabulary terms which are very specific to public health.

I will get back to this article.. but it is actually turning into something enjoyable, surprisingly. Let me know if any of you would like to proofread!!! :) marisaw@gwmail.gwu.edu
- Marisa

Interesting Speaker at GW

I attended a professional lecture on Wednesday hosted by the Hong Kong International Society. The speaker was Mr. Donald Tong, the US Hong Kong Commissioner for Economic and Trade Affairs. As Commissioner, he directs the Hong Kong Government's efforts in promoting U.S.-Hong Kong economic and trade ties, and constituency-building activities in the U.S. He also oversees the work of the three Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices in Washington, New York and San Francisco. While I expected the lecture to be similar to those that I've experienced at LSE (London School of Economics, where I studied abroad last year) which are more academically and economically focused, it was still refreshing to learn about the history of Hong Kong and the career opportunities available to graduates. One student asked if he could work in Hong Kong despite not knowing any Mandarin or Cantonese, and the Commissioner said it is nearly a norm for most foreigners to only speak English in Hong Kong. Perhaps you all could potentially study abroad in Hong Kong one day!!

他の言葉で話すことについて・Speaking in Tongues

In this post, I want to offer readers a look inside a particular academic experience I've had here at GW. Unlike some past and upcoming posts, this will focus my experience with a department rather than a class or a school.

For clarity's sake and so I don't lose anyone, the makeup of the teaching and research sides of universities (as opposed to financial or administrative spheres) works like this. Professors are attached to departments made up of various faculty members working together under a chairman. Every academic period (for us, this the semester; some schools go by quarter or trimester) professors are assigned classes, and these often change up.

So, given the amount of "churn" in the system, it really says something that every single class I've taken with GW's Department of Japanese Language and Literature has been really outstanding. The first class I ever attended here was a Japanese course, and from then on I've stuck with it without taking a break.

A few weeks ago, I started my fifth semester of Japanese here. While it isn't a language that's that commonly studied or one with a lot of opportunities to practice, if you want to find opportunities the department is very helpful. There's a language chat room up at our Mt. Vernon Campus (affectionately, "The Vern") every month and the department also hosts some "chat rooms" hosted by faculty.

I've stayed in the regular course track throughout my time here, but for those who are lucky enough to be able to stay in DC over the summer following their freshman and sophomore years, there are many language classes available. (My professor from Tibetan Buddhism last semester even teaches interested students Tibetan--talk about a unique opportunity!) For its part, East Asian Language and Literature (the umbrella department for Asian languages) offers "intensive" courses that meet more times a week and allow for quicker advancement.

In the next few posts, I'll run you through what homework looks like, introduce you to the syllabus for my current Japanese course, and hopefully be able to offer some insights into what language study offers GW students.

質問があれば、私にメールしてください。(e-mail me if you have any questions.)
Adam