Tell me about yourself and what languages you speak.
I am a third year Political Science major and I speak Spanish and English. Spanish is my first language and then I started speaking English once I started grade school. I also just completed my first year of Italian here at Berkeley.
What made you decide to study a language at Berkeley?
I had always opted to study a variety of languages in High School, though they were limited. It’s always been an interest of mine. When I got to Berkeley, I found that taking a language introduced me to people who also had an interest in being multilingual and were interested in knowing about other cultures, as am I.
What advice do you have for students who want to study another language at Berkeley?
Do not be intimidated! Just go for it and sign up for a language class that you think you might be interested in. Like I said, you’re going to meet people who also want to learn the same language and you will all, more or less, be learning at the same level. It’s an amazing feeling to be in these language communities because you have common interests and you’re all there to support one another in your journey.
How do you imagine your multilingualism serving you in your career?
I’d like to pursue a career in international relations and I’d like to work in international law. I plan to attend Law School after this, so I know that my future clients will be global and the more languages that I can speak and the more understanding of other cultures I have, the better I can serve. Ideally, I’d like to work in immigration law.
What other languages are you interested in learning and will you take any more classes at Berkeley in language?
Once I master the Italian language, I’d like to learn French and even ASL. Although this is my last semester on campus, I do plan to study abroad for the following academic year. I will be visiting countries like Spain and Italy, where I hope to meet people who speak various languages and take more classes in language!