Washington DC

I knew that I would learn a lot of Hebrew, but I did not realize how much I would also learn about myself. Middlebury’s Language Pledge and the live-in experience takes you out of your world, and it also takes you out of the normal course of your life. It’s hard; its disorienting; but it can be deeply transformative. I think this is particularly true for those who are starting as relative beginners in their language. 

I attended the School of Hebrew as a 2018 Kathryn Davis Peace Fellow. I chose Middlebury because of its reputation as an effective and rigorous program. I am planning to start rabbinical school in Fall 2019 and needed to learn as much Hebrew as possible in a limited amount of time.

My language skills improved drastically at Middlebury. I went into the program having never spoken a sentence in Hebrew. I had studied Biblical Hebrew for a little less than a year and had done a bit of Duolingo. I think I feel more comfortable having a conversation in Hebrew now than in Arabic, which I studied for 6 years. I’m keeping up my Hebrew with my Israeli colleague and in conversation with classmates from Middlebury. 

The time goes by fast. Make the best of it, but also be gentle with yourself. Remember that even when you feel like you’re not learning, you are. When you hear people from other language schools speaking and think that they sound so much better than you, remember that you sound the same to them, even if you’re just polling your group to see who likes dogs or cats (I can guarantee you will know everyone’s preference by the end of the summer).

I had studied at the Middlebury French School in 2014 and knew that there was no better place to study a language. The immersion environment at Middlebury not only accelerates your language learning but also gives you the cultural competencies to use your skills confidently with native speakers long after the program ends. 

At about week three, I realized I was forming sentences and using vocabulary that I hadn’t studied from my textbook. Instead, I had absorbed what my peers were learning. Because of the immersion environment, I wasn’t limited to what my professor had taught me to say, but by how willing I was to take risks and try to imitate those around me. Now that I’ve left the Portuguese school, I find myself thinking “where did I learn that word?” or “I’m not sure why you say it that way, but I know it’s correct.” It’s an amazing feeling and speaks to the power of the Language Pledge to go beyond the classroom: it allows you to truly internalize the language.

I had never learned Portuguese before but knew that learning the language was the right next step for me, professionally and personally. When I decided it was time to learn Portuguese, I knew that I wanted a program that was tailored to the specific needs of Spanish speakers. I wasn’t disappointed! Over the course of the summer, I went from no Portuguese to Advanced-Low Portuguese in 7 weeks because of the dedication of my professors and peers in and outside of the classroom. As a student and future practitioner of International Relations, the diplomats, writers, and professionals who came to teach at Middlebury as guest professors were exceptional resources for me and allowed me to develop sector-specific vocabulary.

Be open to taking risks! Everyone at the language schools wants you to succeed. Lean into your limitations and push back when you think you can’t do something. Your brain is wired to communicate. Give it a chance to adapt to your new environment! Pretty soon, it’ll feel more like fun than hard work.