FLAS

Summer language programs and FLAS in a time of uncertainty

By Eileen Kunkler, CSEES assistant director

Peterhof Palace, Russia

As a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic, plans for summer 2020 for many have been upended. In the past few weeks, most of us have had to make radical changes to our personal and professional lives, including cancelling study abroad and travel plans for the foreseeable future, learning how to teach or take classes online, and caring for children, loved ones, and pets while working from home. In point of fact, this article was written from the comfort of the author’s home with her trusty dog by her side, instead of in the pet-free confines of Enarson Classroom Building, and most of you reading this will presumably be doing something similar from your own home offices. And the situation does not seem likely to change within the next couple of months. Recent university restrictions prohibit travel for most of the summer, study abroad programs have been cancelled, and almost all colleges and universities have decided to keep teaching online for the summer until there is more clarity about the pandemic and its duration.

Park Pobedy, Moscow, Russia

From the student perspective, summer semester, or quarter for those of us from an earlier vintage, was the chance to study abroad, to visit a foreign country or continent, to explore the world and young adulthood with a degree of independence and unfettered by family or typical routines and obligations. This is not to say that studying abroad is frivolous or without academic rigor. Summer programs are appealing exactly because they combine both, the chance to experience something different, as well as plunging into research or learning about language, history, art, culture, etc. in depth and hands-on. For language students in particular, summer programs offer the opportunity to study a foreign language intensively and usually in an immersive setting, whether abroad or at one of the many U.S.-based language workshops. These summer intensive programs give students the opportunity to make significant progress in the development of their language skills, typically studying the equivalent of two semesters of language courses over the period of six to ten weeks.

Mikulov, Czech Republic

For decades, CSEES has been a Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowship granting institution, and the hundreds if not thousands of CSEES summer FLAS awards over the years have funded graduate, and more recently undergraduate, students to focus on language studies during the summer. Many readers may have at some point received a FLAS, whether from CSEES or another institution. FLAS alumni are spread throughout higher education institutions across the country, graduate programs, and government agencies, creating a lasting network that supports and advocates for the study of foreign languages in the U.S. If you have ever attended an area studies conference, you know that more than one introduction or conversation has been started by sharing a FLAS reminiscence.

Prague, Czech Republic

Despite COVID-19, CSEES’ summer 2020 FLAS program will continue, though in an admittedly abbreviated and drastically altered form. Understandably, many students are disappointed to not have the opportunity to study abroad or experience the camaraderie of studying with a cohort at a domestic program. But many programs are adapting to the current situation that we find ourselves in and are figuring out how to create good virtual, intensive programs for the summer. Additionally, the Department of Education has given FLAS programs temporary permission to award summer fellowships for online programs with case-by-case approval, a break from usual prohibitions against online learning. As a current language student myself, I must admit I started online coursework a few weeks ago with trepidation, but I quickly saw that with a good teacher and program, language learning can be effective online. Programs with long histories of providing quality, in-person instruction are making the leap to maintain what programming they can, and some such as the Critical Languages Institute are even offering a much-reduced tuition fee for many of their programs. Below are a few examples:

This is not meant as an exhaustive list, or to recommend certain programs over others. However, it is meant to say that there are still opportunities out there for language students that are FLAS eligible and ways to keep pursuing language and area studies even in a remote environment. Hopefully summer 2021 will see our world returning to normal. But in the interim, the CSEES FLAS program intends to keep supporting students’ language and area studies learning goals through new modalities, faithfully adhering to its mission.

Learning Russian at a U.S. Based Summer Language Program

By Steven Kenworthy, MA student in Slavic and East European studies and public policy

My name is Steven Kenworthy and I’m a grad student striving to complete a dual master’s degree in two years. Being in a unique situation where I would need to achieve 4 years of Russian knowledge within this 24-month window, I knew that my summers would be spent in immersive language programs. As much as I would love to have spent both in Eastern Europe, I knew that it was an unlikely option with a wife and two pets back in Columbus.

On top of that, we were down to a single income, which doesn’t exactly promote overseas study. I wasn’t aware as to whether or not I would receive a fellowship or scholarship for the summer, so I opted for the affordable route. I would enroll at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana.

Like any other course, I had heard mixed reviews from classmates on the “Indiana Experience”. Some said it was challenging, some easy, some said they loved it. I got a variety blend of the typical reactions. Me being an optimist, I assumed the best and took my positive hopes to Bloomington in late May.

Our nine-week course took off out of the gates, not speaking a dribble of English from day one. Mind you, this was Russian two. We were relatively new to the language and probably weren’t quite ready for this just yet. Okay, we were overwhelmed. Thankfully my class consisted of four other Buckeyes who beside me ground through the first couple of adjustment weeks.

I’d be lying if I said it was a smooth ride at the outset. It was uncomfortable. There were times when all five of us were completely lost. There were moments of defeat. There were days when we felt like we might never get caught up. But we did.

By week three or four, I felt more comfortable. I was beginning to understand everything the professors were saying and my Russian was coming along. It was finally slowing down for me. Not only were my language skills evolving, but rather quickly I might say. Of course, I’m still far from my goal of buttery-smooth fluency, but hey – you have to start somewhere.

To think that I struggled to say where I was from in the first days makes me laugh. To go from that hopeless state to being able to carry on basic conversations for upwards of 15 or 20 minutes is pretty remarkable. I’m nobody special either. My classmates achieved similar results and I think we were all pretty overwhelmed by the amount of content we’d absorbed in our brief time in Bloomington.

By the end of the semester I felt a sense of relief, accomplishment, surprise even. Through the discomfort of week one, to the finish line in week nine, I’d come quite far. Not only did I accumulate a year’s worth of Russian in just over two months, but I grew as a person as well. Sometimes we have to accept the lumps of discomfort to grow.

At Indiana, I not only got to learn a beautiful language, but I proved to myself that I can overcome my own doubt in the face of adversity.

Learning Russian in Kazakhstan

By Brenden Wood, MA student in Slavic and East European Studies

Bright blue lake between mountain peaks

Big Almaty Lake

When I told people that I was going to Kazakhstan this summer on a fellowship to study Russian, I got funny looks and funnier attempts at saying “Kazakhstan.” Most people would just take a gander at the spelling or think through the pronunciation, and instead ask why was I not going to Russia, since I was going to study Russian. I was never really sure how to respond. I had a hard time putting my finger on “why Kazakhstan to study Russian?”

Upon arriving, my question was soon answered by my host-mother, who said it was “because Kazakhs speak the best Russian.” I admit that I scoffed at this, and I’m sure that there are a few people north of Kazakhstan who would as well. Full of answers as always, she, with the help of her son, gave me a very interesting answer, one now that I do not dismiss as the mere words of a woman who is proud of her country.

Kazakhstan is a multilingual land. Generalization is never good, but I would hazard that almost all Kazakhs speak Kazakh and Russian, obviously with varying degrees of proficiency. That being said, Kazakhs typically spoke Kazakh with each other at home, although they often spoke on the streets in Kazakh as well. That isn’t to say that Kazakhs don’t speak Russian at home, but it seemed from my experience, along with what I gathered from others in my two months there, that most Kazakhs spoke Kazakh at home. However, there still remains a large population of ethnic Russians, and Kazakhs make up a relatively narrow majority in their own country, accounting for roughly 10 million of the 18 million citizens. Don’t forget the Soviet legacy either, where Russian was, and still is, the language of official and business communication. Knowledge of Russian, if you want mobility and opportunity, is essential, and is a bone of contention as Kazakhstan works to define itself in Central Asia and the post-Soviet space.

Rolling mountains with grass and trees with a bright blue sky and clouds

Medeu

Not following where they were going, my host brother clarified for me quite well here. He said that since Russian is the language of official communication, Kazakhs speak Russian almost exclusively in formal settings, meaning that they speak less colloquially, using Russian primarily only in circumstances that demand proper grammar. Therefore, your average Kazakh speaks Russian correctly and articulately, better, my host family thought, than your average Russian.

A lake bordered by mountain slopes

Lake Kolsay

This obviously is an opinion, but it nevertheless made me pause to think, and, I shall admit, that I don’t necessarily disagree. Granted I was only there for two months, living in Almaty, where official language is much more prevalent than in the countryside. They did not contend that Kazakhs produce better literature or art with the Russian language, and they spoke strictly from a communicative point of view: for a foreigner or a native speaker, Kazakhs are easier to understand. It was a thought provoking conversation, and one in which I am glad that I had the opportunity to engage. It made me think a little deeper about travelling to a country to study a foreign language that is a foreign language there, even though the people speak it as if it is their native tongue.

Learning Russian in Central Asia: Hayden Hayes Explores Kyrgyzstan

By Hayden Hayes, undergraduate student majoring in International Studies and Russian

The decision to study abroad in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan was one of the most important decisions of my life and it was made possible by the Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) fellowship that I received for the summer of 2017.  It was my first time leaving the country, as well as flying, and I did not know what to expect.  Many of my friends and family had never heard of the Central Asian country I was traveling to and wondered why I had chosen Bishkek to enhance my Russian language skills, rather than Moscow or St. Petersburg.  Prior to departure for my 30 hours of travel, I began to ask myself these same questions.  However, upon arrival in Bishkek I realized why Kyrgyzstan was the perfect place to study Russian.

Downtown Bishkek

After settling in with my host family, I began my intensive study of Russian at the London School of Languages and Cultures located in central Bishkek.  My weekly schedule usually consisted of 20 hours of class every week, with lessons specializing in grammar, writing, reading, and conversation.  In addition, we participated in individualized tutor  sessions and excursions to cultural destinations on a weekly basis.  Each class session was entirely in Russian, which was coupled with the complete immersion of living with a host family.  This immersion in the language at all times contributed toward a rapid development in my language skills.

While in Bishkek, I lived in an apartment building from the Soviet era on the outskirts of the city with a Kyrgyz family, which spoke both Russian and Kyrgyz.  My host family was definitely a rewarding part of the trip, as they were eager to help me practice the correct pronunciation of new words and discuss the news of both Kyrgyzstan and the United States.  One of my favorite memories will be the long conversations that took place with my host dad after dinner about various topics of politics, culture, and life.  Some of the most interesting talks centered around the upcoming Presidential elections in Kyrgyzstan, as well as the nostalgia for the Soviet past that is shared among the many members of the older generation in the country that lived during the Soviet era.

Ala Archa National Park

During my time there, I noticed that most individuals in Bishkek speak both languages, but some of the people I met spoke only Russian.  The appearance of Russian in Bishkek is due to the migration of Russian speakers to the area during the Soviet era, however, in recent years there has been a push to focus more on Kyrgyz language education in schools, as well as the implementation of a Kyrgyz proficiency requirement for possible Presidential candidates in the Kyrgyz Republic.

Part of the reason that I chose to study in Bishkek was due to the fact that there are fewer English speakers in the city

My host family did not speak English, which forced me to learn the language at an even faster pace.  In conjunction with this, my daily twenty-five minute commute by marshrutka (local shuttle vans) also forced me to use the language in a colloquial context as I communicated with fellow passengers.  The minimal amount of English speakers in Bishkek proved vital as it forced me to improve my weakest language area: speaking.  Prior to the program, I found myself being able to understand the grammatical concepts of the language, but having a difficult time expressing my thoughts in spoken language.

Fairy Tale Canyon

After completing the program, I found that my speaking and listening abilities greatly improved as I can now hold substantial conversations on everyday topics.  Part of this was due to being constantly immersed in Russian everywhere I went in Bishkek, but the most beneficial part of the program were the Language Partner sessions that were organized through the London School.  These two-hour peer tutoring sessions took place three times a week after classes.  During these sessions, we would meet with a local student and explore the city together while only speaking Russian.  These activities greatly improved my speaking ability and provided an insight into the cultural and political views of my generation in a country 7,500 miles away from home.

Now that the program is finished and I have returned to Ohio after my two-months in Bishkek, I plan to continue studying advanced-level Russian at Ohio State and hope to improve my language skills even more while at home.  In addition to this, I plan to study more about the politics and culture of the area as it is truly fascinating.  I hope that I can return to this country someday and once again enjoy its beautiful landscape and the hospitality of its people.

 

Justin Ciucevich’s Romanian and Moldovan Adventure

*We are republishing this post from autumn 2016 on an older blog that CSEES maintained on its website.

Justin Ciucevich is an MA student at the Center for Slavic and East European Studies. He received a 2016 summer FLAS fellowship to learn Romanian. He spent the summer in Moldova and Romania, strengthening his language skills and conducting research for his MA thesis. Read his story below!

A man wearing sunglasses standing next to a large tombstone

Justin Ciucevich

“I was fortunate enough to spend the summer of 2016 improving my Romanian language skills in Chișinău, Moldova. I was afforded this opportunity thanks to funding from the Foreign Language Area Studies fellowship and the Center for Slavic and East European Studies (CSEES) at the Ohio State University. I took part in the Eurasian Regional Language Program (ERLP) offered by the American Councils – a government organization which provides opportunities for (among other things) crucial language training. I can honestly say that my summer in Moldova was among the most enjoyable and intellectually fruitful experiences of my life.

Though I had initially hoped to hone my Romanian language skills through a program in Romania, upon my arrival, I quickly became quite enamored with Moldova. As it was my first time to visit (much less live in) a former Soviet republic, which is also the poorest country in Europe, some culture shock was inevitable. As an ardent scholar of Romanian and, by extension, Moldovan history, I knew that nearly fifty years under Soviet administration (as well as just over a century under Imperial Russian rule prior to World War I) had left a mark on the country from which it was still recovering. While this fact was disconcerting in some ways, it also allowed for me to experience a radically different culture from my own.

I had the benefit of staying with a Moldovan host-family, the Buciuceanu’s. Neither my host-father, Ion, nor my host-mother, Nina, spoke any English – only Romanian and Russian, which presented a wonderful and necessary opportunity for me to only speak in Romanian. In my experience, being forced to speak the target language was essential for gaining proficiency. Despite obvious and expected miscommunications, my host-family spared no effort in assuring that all my needs were met and truly took me in as a son. I was also privileged to have two wonderful instructors who not only dilligently helped me to hone my language skills but also took me on some amazing excursions to the medieval fortress of Soroca, the monasteries of Orheiul Vechi and Curchi, the house of renowned architect Alexie Șciusev, and more.

I also made some very good friends who made my visit all the more enjoyable. I grew close to a girl named Liliana, who was very enthusiastic to show me as much of Chișinău’s culture and social life as possible. My many hours of conversation with her and my other new friends over glasses of Moldovan wine and authentic native cuisine at La Placinte contributed to my increased language proficiency greatly and provided a forum for me to practice what I learned each day in the classroom environment. I would not trade their companionship or assistance in learning the Romanian language and adjusting to Moldovan life for anything.

A town on the shores of a lake

Upon completing the language program Chișinău, I made the bittersweet train-ride across the border to Romania. Part of my funding from the CSEES allowed me to put my heightened command of the language to good use in Romania as I conducted research in preparation for my upcoming MA Thesis. My short stay in Romania could warrant many more pages of reflection but I will conclude by saying that my stay in Moldova and Romania was well-worth any culture shock, discomfort, or hardship that arose. This past summer was not my first time to study abroad but it certainly served as the most enlightening adventure of my life. As I plan on returning to Moldova and Romania as soon as possible to continue honing the language and conducting research, I hope that my experience will persuade anyone reading this to pursue studying abroad – no matter what the objective may be.”

Between Pittsburgh and Podgorica: Jon Harris’ Intensive Study of BCS

Jon Harris is an MA student at the Center for Slavic and East European Studies. He recieved a 2016 summer FLAS fellowship to learn Bosnian-Serbian-Croatian (BCS). He spent the summer between the University of Pittsburgh’s Summer Language Institute (SLI) and the University of Donja Gorica (UDG) in Podgorica, Montenegro, improving his language skills and experiencing the culture of each place. 

Seven students sitting on a stone embankments with a tower in the bacground

Mount Lovcen

“I participated in an intensive ten-week course at the University of Pittsburgh’s Summer Language Institute (SLI), which is renowned for offering critical and less commonly taught languages. One of the many strengths of this particular program is that language courses are offered in a hybrid format, which allows students to combine six weeks of domestic study at the Pitt campus with an optional four-week study abroad component. As such, my time was split between the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Donja Gorica (UDG) in Podgorica, Montenegro.

The structure of this program was highly beneficial in that I completed one academic year’s worth of language training at Pitt prior to departing for Podgorica. Therefore, when I arrived in Montenegro, I was able to converse with a greater degree of fluency across a wider range of topics. This truly allowed for me to make the most of my time spent abroad.

As a person from the Buckeye State, I had been conditioned to scowl at the sight of black, yellow, and all things pertaining to Pittsburgh. However, after putting aside deep-seated sports rivalries, I began to fall in love with the Steel City. Pittsburgh is nothing if not beautiful; situated in the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains, there is no shortage of breathtaking vantage points to take in the best views of the city’s forests and rivers.

Stack of different books

BCS textbooks

Despite the urban setting of the University of Pittsburgh, there are plenty of green spaces for recreation and relaxation between classes. The crowning gem of the Pitt campus is, unmistakably, the Cathedral of Learning, a Late Gothic Revival cathedral standing at 535 feet. Every morning for six weeks, I attended classes in the basement of this iconic, towering edifice. Upon entering the threshold of the building, the intellectual atmosphere permeating the Cathedral of Learning becomes instantly palpable, as if one is carrying the torch of an academic tradition larger than him or herself. The Cathedral is also home to the widely known Nationality Rooms in which artifacts from 30 different nationalities are continually on display.

In addition to 180 hours of classroom instruction, SLI provided ample opportunities for language learning in informal social settings. Pizza Tuesdays, Lunch with the Instructors Thursdays, and Film Fridays allotted time for students to practice their respective target languages in a fun, carefree manner. At the end of each week, all SLI students would congregate for Language Happy Hour, a weekly picnic hosted by students and instructors of the various language groups. The South Slavic language group, represented by students of BCS and Bulgarian, prepared traditional food and drink for the event in addition to performing songs and dances.

A bright green boat off of a dock in a lake that is reflecting the surrounding mountains and trees

Black lake in National Park Durmitor

Studying BCS—or any Slavic language, for that matter—in Pittsburgh is particularly beneficial. Owing largely to the legacy of the early U.S. steel industry, the Slavic communities within Pittsburgh are strikingly visible. For the duration of my stay in Pittsburgh, I resided in the picturesque Polish Hill, a thriving neighborhood replete with Polish delis and a Catholic church. I ate ćevapi, somun, and ajvar at the Bosnian markets; I attended an all-Croatian mass at St. Nicholas Catholic Church; and I even heard a sermon in Russian at the Дом молитвы для всех. Upon becoming a member of the Carnegie Public Library, I had a seemingly infinite reserve of BCS grammar textbooks at my disposal. For these reasons, the initial six weeks spent in Pittsburgh prepared me exceedingly well for the transition to Podgorica.

In my experience, academic and otherwise, Montenegro is often overshadowed by her Balkan brothers of Bosnia, Croatia, and Serbia. When I arrived in Podgorica, the capital of this small, mountainous country, the air bustled with patriotic fervor in both celebration of ten years of national independence and the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Prior to studying abroad in Montenegro, I had never heard anybody, personally, refer to their mother tongue as crnogorski (Montenegrin). The unique Serbo-Croatian dialects spoken in Montenegro were traditionally referred to as Serbian; however, in the wake of national independence, the Montenegrin variant is becoming more and more standardized. As a student of the Balkans, this was exciting to witness firsthand.

For four weeks, I studied BCS with six other students from Pitt at UDG, the largest private university in Montenegro. Because I was the only advanced-level student, UDG provided me with one-on-one tutoring sessions prior to our normal classes. This month-long course emphasized practical BCS, which was particularly useful for navigating daily interactions at restaurants, stores, and on the streets.

Wide green valley

View from Tara Bridge in Zabljak

Language instruction and cultural lessons took place not only within the classroom but also outdoors. Our instructor devised a curriculum that incorporated weekly excursions to the awe-inspiring national parks of Montenegro. We climbed the 461 steps of Mount Lovćen to visit the Mausoleum of Petar II Petrović-Njegoš, the final resting place of the most revered Montenegrin writer and national hero. We spent an entire afternoon hiking around the turquoise glacial lakes of National Park Durmitor. Traveling along the Montenegrin Adriatic coast, we visited the exceptionally beautiful towns of Budva, Kotor, Perast, and Tivat. In Virpazar, we beheld the ancient ramparts of the Besac Fortress, which was built by Ottoman Turks at the end of the 15th century. Montenegro truly offers some of the most memorable landscapes in the world, too numerous to list here.

In both Pittsburgh and Podgorica, I dramatically improved my mastery of BCS, acquired new experiences, and made personal and professional connections that will last me a lifetime. I was so impacted by my time spent overseas that I am currently applying for career opportunities in Montenegro. As such, I wholeheartedly recommend Pitt’s SLI program, which offers approximately ten Slavic languages annually, to all future FLAS applicants.”

Amelia Smith practices Russian in Bishkek

Amelia Smith is a fourth year undergraduate student at The Ohio State University, studying Russian and French. She received a FLAS fellowship for the summer of 2016, which allowed her to spend the summer studying Russian language in Kyrgyzstan through Arizona State University’s CLI program for third-year Russian language. Below she reflects on her time in Kyrgyzstan.

Woman sitting on a rock ledge with a valley and streams below, her back to the camera

Amelia in Kyrgyzstan

“The people in Kyrgyzstan are more than enthusiastic to see someone from an English-speaking country, especially one who has mothered to learn some Russian or Kyrgyz. English is a language of opportunity for them, but surprisingly, almost no one is able to speak it (except for grade schoolers, for whom learning English has become more important in recent years). It forced me to actually speak Russian for most of the day, which was terrifying at first. As the weeks went on, however, I got used to the idea that I would make mistakes; people would know I was a foreigner, and that I should always keep my eyes and ears open for chances to improve. Coming back to the U.S. and entering fourth-year Russian, I actually feel comfortable at this level and quite prepared for our coursework.

The London School in Bishkek was the hub of our activities. About thirty or forty of us students, mostly from Arizona, studied for five hours for four days a week. Three times a week, we would then have a two-hour excursion into the city with Kyrgyz teenagers and speak solely in Russian. It gave me a chance to see the city and culture and, frankly, leave my comfort zone by choosing places that I would like to visit. All of the tutors and teachers I had were friendly and sweet, even if a few of them were a little intimidating.

My host family was also better than I had dared to hope. A single mother and her young son and daughter, they gave me the largest bedroom, the most food, and any other accommodations I wanted as the weeks progressed. At the end of Ramadan, they took me with them to partake in feasting that involved a lot of noodles and an entire sheep’s head on the table. Kyrgyz cuisine involves a lot of Uzbek, Russian, and Mongolian foods. I really enjoyed everything, except for shoro (a popular cold drink) and kumiss (fermented horse milk). On my birthday, my host mom bought me flowers, a cake, and some champagne (I turned 21) and celebrated with me. They were very sweet and intelligent people, willing to work with me through my lack of Russian knowledge.

Five people sitting together on a couch

Amelia with her host family

On three or four occasions, we had excursions through the London School to other parts of Kyrgyzstan. This may have been my favorite part of my time spent there. We visited the lake Issyk-Kul, one of the cleanest and highest-elevation lakes in the world. We went hiking to see waterfalls and canyons, rode horses in the mountains with a local family, and even visited Kazakhstan for a weekend to see Almaty. At these times, I was thrilled to be in Kyrgyzstan and be part of a culture that most Americans will never get to see.

The only complaints I had about the trip were simply cultural differences that took some getting used to, such as the European floor toilets, the uncomfortable marshrutka rides (the fixed-route taxi), the heat and lack of air conditioning, the air quality in Bishkek itself (there is a lot of traffic), and the water quality (we bought water bottles to drink from, as the tap water was unsafe). But again, these were all easily overcome with a little open-mindedness and patience. I made several American and Kyrgyz friends that I’m still in contact with now, too! This trip helped me grow as an individual, and I couldn’t be more thankful for this very special chance to see a hidden corner of the world and live in a different linguistic sphere.”

A field with large boulders, a stream running across, and bright blue sky in the background

Kyrgyzstan