Student Ambassadors

Holly Hathaway

Hometown: Clovis, California
Program: 8-week Immersion
Current: Regent University, International Studies

What surprised you about your experience at the Middlebury Language Schools?

As a level 1 student, I was slightly trepidatious but was pleasantly surprised to see how quickly I learned conversational skills. The program was effective; it was appropriately challenging and produced encouraging results.

Why did you choose to study at the Middlebury Language Schools?

I chose to study at Middlebury Language Schools because I desired to acquire Korean language skills outside of the typical classroom experience. I believed the immersion experience would be an excellent language learning environment, and it was! I achieved what I had hoped for and more.

Please describe how your language skills improved due to your studies at Middlebury.

I began the program with little knowledge of the language and absolutely no speaking practice, and I left speaking confidently at a low intermediate level. I plan to continue my language studies and see what the exciting journey holds.

What advice would you give someone wanting to attend the School of Korean?

Middlebury Language Schools is the perfect environment for any individual wanting to master a variety of language skills in a short time. It takes a level of commitment but is a highly stimulating and rewarding experience.

William Kay

Hometown: Charleston, South Carolina
Program: 8-week Immersion
Current: The Citadel, Education and Department of State Intern

What surprised you about your experience at the Middlebury Language Schools?

The passion of the faculty for the language they taught and their students. Also, the enduring relationships that I have maintained with my instructors over the years.

Why did you choose to study at the Middlebury Language Schools?

I studied at the language schools to help me meet language proficiency goals as my university only taught until the intermediate level.

Please describe how your language skills improved due to your studies at Middlebury.

My language skils improved immensely due to my studies at Middlebury. I came in with little knowledge and no experience in using the language. After 2 months I was able to comfortably engage with my professors and friends at meal times regarding a variety of topics.

What advice would you give someone wanting to attend the School of Korean?

If you put the work in you will make remarkable gains towards your personal goals for proficiency in your target language. Beyond that however, the relationships you build during your time at Middlebury can last a life time. People I met four and five years ago when I first went for Japanese have become some of my closest friends since. Those relationships have directly impacted the direction of my life. If I am able I will be going back to Middlebury a 4th time this coming summer to continue my study of the Korean language.

Antonio Romano

Hometown: Ashley Falls, Massachusetts
Program: 8-week Immersion
Current: English Instructor at Chungdahm English Academy

What surprised you about your experience at the Middlebury Language Schools?

I was surprised how much I was actually able to learn in the span of just 8 weeks. It feels like a short amount of time relative to the years of effort it takes to learn a language, but I felt as if I got a years’ worth of study done in that short summer.

Please describe how your language skills improved due to your studies at Middlebury.

My language skills improved immensely because I was able to use it day in and day out. I feel I especially improved when I spent time talking to higher level students or teachers, and still to this day remember phrases they taught me at mealtimes. I’m currently using Korean every day because I ended up moving to Korea for work. It has made adjusting to life here much easier.

What else?

I’d like for people to know that Middlebury is truly an experience where you get out as much as you’re willing to put into it. You can achieve so much not only in terms of language skills, but the personal growth from completing a rigorous program like Middlebury is also important. It’s also an opportunity to create long term friendships that continue even after Middlebury finishes.

Paige Roussell

Hometown: Burlington, Vermont
Program: 8-week Immersion
Current: University of Vermont, B.A. in Linguistics

What surprised you about your experience at the Middlebury Language Schools? 

The thing that surprised me the most about Middlebury was how much fun I had and the number of connections that I made. I never would have expected to look back on the summer so fondly. 

Why did you choose to study at the Middlebury Language Schools? 

The reason I applied to Middlebury Language Schools was because I had been doing Korean self-study for multiple years with practically nothing to show for it (mainly because I lacked the time to study). So I wanted to do a program where I could completely focus on my language study. 

Please describe how your language skills improved due to your studies at Middlebury. 

For me I felt like I really made huge improvements in my Korean ability, especially speaking. Before the program all I could really do was read the alphabet without any concept of the meaning of what I was reading or how the grammar operates. By the end of the program I felt really comfortable with what I had learned during the program and could hold full conversations with my friends just in Korean. I was amazed because after so long of not making any progress on my own, I finally felt like I had actually learned something. 

Is there anything else that you would like to let a student know about your experience? 

This is something a supervisor of mine, who also attended Middlebury Language Schools, had told me before I attended: The program can be really difficult at times. I am not saying this to mean you shouldn’t attend Middlebury because it’s too hard, in fact, it’s the opposite. It’s an amazing opportunity and experience if you can go. That said, it is still an intensive and immersive learning environment in a language. You need to be prepared to struggle, especially if you are going in as a beginner since you may not be able to say much or understand the people around you for at least the first week.

There were times where I felt like I was the only one not making any progress. But in those situations it’s important to remember that as long as you are engaging with the opportunities and people around you, you are progressing. Even if it doesn’t feel like it. Language learning is not a straight line up, there are ebbs and flows. So it’s okay to feel like you are plateauing or making a lot of mistakes, it’s all part of your growth!  

Describe a typical day at the School of Korean.

7:00-7:30 : Wake up, get breakfast if early enough

8:00 - 12:00 : Class (with 10 breaks every hour)

~12:00 - 1:00 : Lunch with the School of Korean (Best time to practice what you just learned that day)

1:00 - 3:00 : Decompress at my dorm or study

~3:00 - 5:00 : Potential extracurricular (if none then I usually played games in Korean or watched K-dramas until dinner)

6:00 - 7:00 : Dinner with the School of Korean

~7:00 - 9:00 : Potential extracurricular (presentation/movie/club)

9:00 - 12:00 : Study/Daily homework/Decompress

~12:00 : Sleep!

Alex Shykov

Hometown: San Francisco, California
Program: 8-week Immersion
Current: IDA - Research Associate

Why did you choose to study at the Middlebury Language Schools?

I picked Middlebury for two reasons: first, Fletcher classmate (Norva Hall) vouched for the program; second, the Language Pledge. Through past language learning experiences, I know that mastering a language takes full immersion, so I was excited to experience it with Middlebury. 

What surprised you about your experience at the Middlebury Language Schools?

I started learning Korean at a Korean university in Seoul. It was challenging to speak Korean, so English became a default.  Naturally, I was pleasantly surprised that on a daily basis, I used more Korean with Middlebury than I did in Seoul. 

Please describe how your language skills improved due to your studies at Middlebury.

Practice makes better – perfection is too high of a bar. By practicing Korean essentially 24/7, inside and outside of the classroom, my Korean speaking and writing improved drastically. I fully realized it during an OPI when I wanted to continue talking to my interviewer, and I, to my surprise, didn’t run out of things to say. 

What advice would you give someone wanting to attend the School of Korean?

Don’t fight the pledge – embrace it. It will be tough, of course. But that’s what will take you to the next level. Plus, get to know all instructors, assistants, and students – they are all there to help you.