Student Spotlight: EMILY GADEK
Emily, all smiles after an online lesson!
Tell us a little about yourself ? Have you always had an interest in foreign languages and cultures?
Yes, definitely! I think part of it was being fascinated by the idea that my family had once spoken all sorts of different languages, and that they were gradually lost with assimilation. My dad would always trot out the same few phrases of Polish, for example, which was his grandparents’ native language; my mom would do the same for German, which her mom grew up with. And my adopted grandma grew up in Lebanon and speaks a crazy number of languages – Arabic, French, Turkish, English, even some Aramaic, which still blows my mind! Plus, I’ve also always really loved both physically traveling and getting lost in reading, both of which reward fluency in your native tongue and learned languages.
What motivated you to start learning French and Arabic simultaneously with Speak!?
To be honest – I felt myself getting really rusty! I was a French minor in college and also studied Arabic. And I had studied abroad in France and Egypt, so there were a couple years when I was truly fluent in French and getting pretty good at Egyptian Arabic. Then I got invited on a research trip to Israel/Palestine/Jordan for work this year (inshallah it will still happen when it’s safe to travel!) and it seemed like an ideal time to brush up on Leventine dialect! And French, as well. When I had traveled before in the Middle East, I found French to be pretty useful – quite a few people still speak it as a second language, and it can be kind of nice chatting with people in a mutual learned language. It puts you on equal footing.
Emily’s Arabic Instructor, Dr. Aliaa Khidr
What do you love about your lessons with Anne and Aliaa?
They are both so wonderful. With Anne, I really enjoy deepening my skills and getting a really expressive vocabulary. Like in this week’s lesson, when we listened to a Francophone podcast about a Swiss woman who was raising chickens, but when it came time to kill them, she couldn’t do it. Long story short, I learned how to say “dead drunk” in French. Delightful.
With Aliaa, I love her love of the language, which is infectious. Arabic can be really difficult for English speakers – it takes a lot of practice before you can hear the roots and patterns of the words. And reading can be really hard outside of textbooks, because the vowel sounds aren’t always written out, so if you’re unfamiliar with the word you’re just guessing what it sounds like. Aliaa really makes it come alive – explaining things really clearly but also bringing out the music and the joy of the language.
Emily loves graphic design, as exemplified by this French/Arabic water bottle label
How do you feel during and after your lessons ?
Honestly – I’m often really tired after my lessons! But in a good way, like going to the gym and getting a good work out. You can feel those mental muscles building. The lessons themselves are fun – it feels like getting together with friends.
Are you able to use French or Arabic in your daily life now?
It’s a little tougher with quarantine, I admit! If I speak either, it tends to be with friends on the phone and not that often. I have been trying to read a French book every month as a quarantine goal. But I know when we are able to travel again, both will be really useful.
Emily’s French Instructor: Anne
Is there an advantage to the one-on-one format? To online vs. in-person (since you experienced both)?
For me, the one on ones have been really great – it started because I was at a different level in both than the group classes being offered. But the flexibility was fantastic for my schedule. It’s definitely more intense that a group class since you’re always ‘on,’ but it’s worth it.
Online classes are definitely not the same as in person, but still extremely helpful. And also, psychologically, as we’re all stuck inside, they give structure to the week. It’s a treat to be able to do something that’s not work or cooking, and talk with someone who’s not in your house.
How would you describe your Speak! courses to a friend?
Ha! They hear about them all the time. They’re a delight and a boost. Totally worth it.
Emily wearing red in Morocco
When it’s safe to travel again, where do you hope to go to connect with locals in French and/or Arabic?
Mais bien sur! A lot is up in the air right now, but I very much hope to be in Palestine if not next year, then 2022. I would love to travel in both France and Morocco again, too. Oh, and Canada! I’ve never been but I’d love to go to Quebec.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Take a class with Speak!
