From an early age, rising Belmont High School senior Benjamin Hanna had an affinity for languages.
In preschool, he started taking Chinese lessons. Years later, as a middle school student, he continued that study. He speaks Vietnamese with his mother and grandmother and taught himself Spanish to communicate with coworkers at a part-time job. As a nod to his father’s Lebanese heritage, he’s also taking Arabic classes.
So, when he had an opportunity to apply for a scholarship that would take him overseas to immerse himself in a foreign language, he went for it.
“I was inspired by my mom; she grew up overseas,” said Hanna, 17. “I thought an experience where I could live with another family and learn about that language … and try to become fluent in the language and cultural practices would be a really interesting experience.”
Hanna was one of 540 high school students selected to participate in the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI‐Y) scholarship program. The program will take him to Taiwan in June for about a month and a half.
“The goal of the program is to create an understanding of other cultures and languages in the American people so it can foster international cooperation,” Hanna said.
While in Taiwan, Hanna will live at a university and with a host family, immersing himself in local culture.
“I’m hoping to have a better proficiency in Chinese, as well as a better appreciation for that experience of moving to a new place and not being able to speak the language and having limited knowledge of cultural norms,” Hanna said.
He’s also looking forward to all the new food he’ll get to try.
“I’m excited to explore the night markets … and try food I haven’t tried before,” he said.
According to its website, the program provides intensive in-class language instruction (at the beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels) and host-family stays. Cultural classes such as calligraphy, tai-chi, kung-fu, and Chinese chess, as well as local excursions to cultural and historic sites, complement classroom learning and provide students with diverse opportunities to practice their language skills.
NSLI-Y is a program of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
Hanna said college is in his future, and he is considering majoring in international relations and pairing that area of study with a degree in business or law.