Meet Our Teachers

As-Salam Alaykum, Jowhara is excited to teach you what that means and how to respond to it like a native Somali speaker. She was born in Kenya, and she is of Somali-Bantu heritage (someone who is Kenyan ethnically, but culturally Somalian). She is a college student, barista and activist who loves to share her knowledge with anybody who is willing to listen. Jowhara believes communicating our knowledge, skills, and perspective with one another is what breaks barriers and helps us better understand. ultimately bringing change that benefits all. She is excited to learn from her students just as she is to teach.

She came from the legal and business world, but she always had
a passion for Chinese language and culture. Thanks to GLN, she has the
opportunity to share her interests and connect people with Chinese
culture. Let’s have fun learning and inspiring one another.

Teaching has always been one of my passions. I love to teach and to explain my language to people. I love to make new friends through conversation. I believe that knowing the language helps to build peace and to create a healthy society.

I am going to teach Arabic with GLN, and I will try to my best to make my class more fun and exciting for my friends and students on the course. 

I am energized to be part of the GLN Teaching Fellowship because it is an opportunity of mutual learning and sharing. It has given me the space to share my language, knowledge and learn from the divers group of learners. The GLN learning technique is very unique and it create more a sense of community building and mutual learning. There is a saying of‒Nelson Mandela ❝If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.❞

GLN is an exciting platform to bridge the gap among communities of worldwide through sharing your language, knowledge and culture. I am honored to contribute into The GLN mission to create learning communities, break down cultural barriers and bridge the gap between a diversity of people.

Hi, my name is Adi and I’m an occupational therapist. Living in Israel for 28 years, I have extensive local connections to Hebrew and Israel. I think Hebrew is a very unique language and much different from English and other Latin languages. I like this language a lot and I am excited to have the opportunity to teach it. I look forward to meeting students from around the world and I hope to gain new friends, knowledge and experiences.

I love teaching Portuguese and sharing my culture with others. Brazil is a cultural giant that is growing and receives a huge number of foreigners interested in food, soccer, dance, etc. I try to bring a little bit of these aspects to my classes. Portuguese is a beautiful, musical language and enchants those who learn it. I am proud of being part of GLN which is a wonderful organization that is helping me to improve my teaching abilities and endeavor the spirit of community.

I really love getting to know my students and getting them excited about learning not only a new skill set, but other cultures and viewpoints. Every class I feel like I am just as much of a student as they are – you learn something new every day!

Teaching has always been a passion for me. GLN gives me the opportunity to fulfill this passion and contribute, at the same time, to an amazing mission of connecting and empowering people through language and culture. It is rewarding to know that I can contribute to making people better and providing tools that will allow them to use a new language to make a difference in the world.While I am in the classroom, I disconnect from my work and crazy day schedule, and focus on something fun and fulfilling. What makes the experience in the classroom even more fun, is that there is a cultural mix that brings diversity and enriches the learning process.  Through the eyes and cultural background of my students, I have the opportunity to think about my language, culture and country in a different way. This experience goes beyond giving for me… it is also about receiving. It is a nurturing experience, as I also learn from my students and it challenges me to continuously improve and be creative.

I believe education has a transformational power. I see this opportunity as something more than just teaching a language: it’s about sharing different cultures, different ways of living.

I’m a Peruvian lawyer who recently moved to the DC Metro area with my husband and our little dog. Back in my city, Lima, I used to work as a legal counsel and definitely enjoyed it, but always had the passion for teaching. Now, with GLN, I feel honored to have the opportunity to share not only my language, but also my culture and life experiences.

He was born and raised in Puebla City, Mexico. He holds a Master’s Degree in Policy Management from Georgetown University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Law from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). Alejandro is focused on governance, elections, and communication policies. From his perspective, Alejandro believes that the biggest challenge of any government in Latin America is to reduce corruption, which is not a cultural issue, but a problem related to incentives, lack of legislation, and institutional design. As a foreigner, he wants to share his experience in learning a second language, but also wants to bring more innovative ideas to the classroom. He is convinced that the best way to learn any language is talking, so his students can expect several discussions, debates, and presentations. 

Alessia is from Italy and will be joining the GLN as an Italian teacher. She looks forward to learning from her students as much as they will be learning from her! It will be a pleasure to share parts of her culture, history, and even Italian dialects! She enjoys learning new languages and finding new and dynamic ways to engage with languages and cultures.

I believe that education is our greatest resource. I am very happy to be a part of expanding that wealth. I love my birthplace’s language and culture and am very glad to share it with my students. I hope that we can open each other’s eyes and see the world.

My experiences have thought me that one of the best ways to learn is interacting with others and learn from and with them. This is one of the main reasons I enjoyed teaching with GLN. I love been a mediator between my culture & language and my students. Facilitating their learning process has helped me better understand Latin America and multi-cultural interactions, complementing my work in international development. I also know first-hand that learning a new l can be tricky. I migrated to the U.S. after finishing high school, and I learned English at an adult school in order to go to Community College to later transfer to a four-year University. I learned Portuguese in grad school.

I love languages and learning about different cultures. My experience of living in 5 different countries on 3 continents has definitely opened my mind up to different ways of thinking, understanding and even living life. I got to experiment this because I could speak the local language in each country. My goal teaching this class is to help my students reach their desired level of fluency of the French language. My class should be very interactive and students should leave feeling that they have learned the basics in order to communicate more easily and effectively in French.

I’ve been teaching languages for over 6 years and I’m excited to meet my future GLN students this summer and share with them about the Brazilian culture and the Portuguese Language. It is going to be a lot of fun!

Hi! I’m Alize! I live in New York, I’m of American and Turkish descent, and I was educated in the French system. I speak French, Turkish and Italian. I came to DC to study at American University. I’m so excited to share the gift of language with everyone in the GLN community.

Indonesia is made up of over 17.000 islands, about 700 ethnic groups, and more than 500 languages. Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian) is the language that unites us all. Having been an English teacher to Indonesian students for over five years, I am happy and honored to share my culture through teaching Indonesian with the GLN during my stay in DC.

I have always being passionate about languages. However, I haven’t had opportunities to enjoy classes or when I have, I found it very difficult to learn and be committed to practicing. GLN has been part of my Saturdays for the past year when I took Italian Foreigner in the spring and Russian Foreigner in the Fall.

Everything got me hooked from the affordable price to the environment in class. Now it’s time to give it back and share my own language and culture. I am excited with the people who are interested in learning Portuguese. I hope to share the music, the food, the people, the dance and so much more.

I envision the teaching and learning of languages as a fascinating and pleasurable journey. The past 10 years of my teaching have probably given me the most valuable learning experiences and a platform to achieve professional joy and satisfaction. My passion for helping others and learning foreign languages have led to a passion for education and teaching. I am excited about teaching at GLN and meeting students from all over the world.

Hi everyone! I’m from Northern India, and I work as a Research Analyst at the International Monetary Fund in D.C. I am really looking forward to becoming a part of the GLN community and am excited to have the opportunity to share my language and culture with you 🙂

I’m very excited to teach Spanish at GLN because it’s a  beautiful and unique opportunity to support others not only to learn words, but to understand and actually live the Spanish culture! I’m a major in business management but I really enjoy teaching cause in that way others can continue growing and developing, also it helps me to continue learning during this process. I enjoy meeting new people, cooking and dancing.

I grew up in upstate New York in the Finger Lakes, went to school at Claremont McKenna College in California, lived for some time in Atlanta, Georgia, and recently moved to DC. I love the exposure to so many different cultures in such a relatively small city. I look forward to sharing my love of learning languages with my students.

Besides my job in public health, language learning is my big passion and hobby. I lived abroad for several years teaching English to French and German students and I spent several years working and volunteering with refugees and immigrants in the US after I returned. I speak several languages and I’m learning several more; I’m also the kind of language nerd who will go home and read about Kirundi grammar for fun. Language learning has also opened doors in my life to travel in new places, work more effectively with clients, and connect to people in meaningful ways. New to the D.C. area, I’m really looking forward to meeting people and getting involved while sharing my passion for language learning and culture.

The Swahili language has at least three proverbs on patience. “Pole pole ndio mwendo” means “slowly, slowly, indeed we go.” “Haraka, haraka haina baraka” means “hurry, hurry has no blessings.” And “Haba na haba kujaza kibaba” means “little, by little you fill the pot.” Patience is the currency of life in Tanzania, where nothing goes as planned or works as designed. Nevertheless, patience is not a weakness but a strength, because it indicates a steadiness of intention and purpose. This is just one of the many life lessons I have learned during my five-year study of Swahili. I hope to share the wisdom embedded in the language with others, and this is why I am a GLN Fellow.

I feel inspired by my students every time I teach. They are so motivated; it makes me want to learn how to teach them better. And they always make me laugh! The community of fellow teachers and students, everyone is great. I have met so many fun, interesting people passionate about different cultures – it really motivates me to learn more.

Anna Kanterova came from Tomsk, Russia. Being born and raised in Siberia, she loves snow and enjoys ice-skating. Anna is a Master in Social Work working in nonprofits for over a decade. You can see her cycling through D.C. or one of its trails listening to an audio book. Teaching Russian using GLN approach is very exciting experience for Anna as when you share your knowledge and passion to your own culture you also can learn more about it from students and know their cultures better.

I enjoy sharing my culture and language and find it inspiring to help people better understand the culture they live and work in. I love sharing idioms, grammar, pop culture, and social norms and attitudes…and it’s quite interesting to cross-compare American culture to my students’ cultures. For example, my class spent time discussing hipster culture last term.

What I love in teaching my language with the GLN is helping my students fulfill their different language learning goals. I love to see my students acquire enough language skills to communicate with their loved ones, get that promotion at work, improve their grades or simply gain confidence to travel abroad. One of my favorite moments was when my French students were able to tell me about their dinner at a French restaurant using the right past tenses. It was heartwarming to see them so excited and confident in their speaking.

Annika was born and raised in a small town in Germany, but left to explore the world when she turned 18. Having studied, worked, and lived in six different countries, she has realized how language opens doors and gives you the confidence to try new things on your own. She recently moved to the US for a job at the World Bank, and one of the most fascinating moments was being in the elevator with a diverse group of people speaking different languages. By teaching German at GLN, she wants to give back to the community and help people have the same good experiences travelling to Germany as she had visiting other countries.

Teaching for me is a passion. The opportunity to exchange culture, experiences, and knowledge is great. I am from Bahia state, in Northeast Brazil, which has influence from Africa, Portugal and Native Brazilians. We are very receptive and outgoing people and love to have fun, and music and dance are in our roots. I am very glad to be part of the GLN team and to teach Portuguese language and Brazilian culture. Looking forward to meet you all.

Born in Yerevan, Armenia, Araxie Vann immigrated to the United States with her family, settling in Lynn, Massachusetts.  She received a B.A. in Russian Language and Economics from Mount Holyoke College and an M.A. in Russian Language and Literature from Norwich University. Her original goal was to teach Russian.  However, in 1980  she moved to Washington DC to work at the Voice of America’s Armenian Service as an international radio broadcaster, covering  international news in the Armenian language.  After the fall of the Soviet Union she continued covering Armenia’s struggle to become independent  and its first democratic presidential election.  In 2004 , Araxie spearheaded the transition of Armenian broadcasts from radio to television.  She won several awards from VOA for her work in producing television programs for an affiliate TV station in Armenia’s capital, Yerevan.  Under her leadership, VOA Armenian reporters have generated original television stories about US government and non-government assistance for Armenia’s economic, political and social development, as well as about Armenian Americans and their role in U.S .politics.

After retiring from her career at VOA Araxie wants to return to her original goal of teaching the languages of her native country, Armenian and Russian.  She feels that the knowledge of foreign languages resolves many problems and breaks down the barriers between countries.  In particular, she wants to teach the Russian language, because she feels that superpower countries like the US and Russia have a lot more in common than they realize, and that knowledge of  Russian will lead to better understanding and build mutually beneficial conditions for world peace.

I am from Mexico; I will teach Latin Spanish who has some pronunciation differences from Spain and share a bunch of cultural facts about Mexico and Latin America. I studied Agroindustrial Engineering but finally, I can make one of my dreams possible: teaching. I have found in GLN the chance to start teaching and obtaining good personal and professional experiences. My main hobbies are dance, specifically Polynesian dance and enjoying nature, especially in spring. 

I´ll plan every class like I would want as a student– you learn something new every day!

Teach Portuguese, his native language, is a pleasure for him! In his opinion, it is the best way to share his culture and to be in touch with interesting people that are looking for some extra knowledge. His goal is make the road to this knowledge a lot of fun.

About him: Relatives and friends sometimes are his “guinea pig” during his attempts of Chef and Master Brewer. He is also addicted to extreme sports such as surfing, kitesurfing, snowboarding and skydiving. His education background includes a master’s degree in finance and a Bachelor’s degree in electronic engineering and he is an entrepreneur-minded executive.

Hi, my name is Arwa and I’m teaching Arabic with GLN for 2018 summer semester. I’m from Tunisia which a lot of people do not recognize on the map (hint the Arab uprising and the first democracy in MENA). I wanted to teach Arabic to teach people about my beautiful culture and region.

Arabic is the language of peace, love, science, and Art.

Studying a new language offers obvious and unpredictable opportunities in life that can help you in a personal, professional, or charitable capacity. I’m excited to help adults learn English, and I appreciate being able to teach ESL to support GLN’s mission of erasing cultural barriers to promote tolerance in life. I have a bachelor’s in communications and certification in TEFL. I’m currently learning Spanish and have received many amusing tips regarding the best way to learn the language. These suggestions include tricking my brain to think in Spanish instead of English and only dating Spanish speakers. For you, what has been the best way to improve your fluency in a new language?

Ayca is from Turkey and will be joining the GLN as a Turkish teacher. She looks forward to learning from her students as much as they will be learning from her. She is originally from Ankara, capital city, and it will be a pleasure to share parts of her culture, history and language.

Ayşenur grew up in Bursa, Turkey, where she also obtained a bachelor’s degree in International Relations, and a master’s degree in Sociology of Religion from Uludağ University. She moved to the United States in 2010. Most recently, she has completed a master’s degree in Middle East and Islamic Studies at George Mason University. During her graduate studies at George Mason she has become particularly interested in migration and refugees and conducted research about Syrian refugees in Turkey. Ayşenur enjoys listening to Turkish classical music and plays the traditional reed flute, ney. She is enthusiastic about learning other cultures and sharing her knowledge on Turkish culture. She also learns Arabic at GLN.

As a Texas native, I grew up familiar with the importance of the Latino culture in my life. Excited to perfect my Spanish and learn more about diverse Latino cultures, during college, I spent a year studying and working across Spanish speaking countries including Spain, Ecuador, and Peru. Upon graduating, I moved to Santiago, Chile, where I lived and worked for three years. My time in Chile solidified my passion for the use of language learning as a vehicle to share and foster cultures and ideas. I look forward to learning together.

I am originally from Argentina, the oldest of five very artistic siblings and the daughter of two passionate teachers! I have a degree in Industrial Design and I have been working as a teacher for several years. . In addition to teaching language, I am also a drama teacher so I enjoy drawing on that experience and passion when I teach Spanish (get ready to act and have fun!). I believe that when we are in a full immersion environment, we not only learn a language, but we learn about the soul of another culture and that changes the way we relate with everyone around us. I am an art-lover! Music, dance, theater and photography are always part of my life. I love traveling and being outdoors. Rock climbing is also one of my passions! Let’s build a bridge, let’s learn a language, let’s connect!

Happy to help you to learn Russian as a Russian – to divine into the culture, literature, music history and art. You will love it!

I am thrilled when I see others succeed in worthwhile endeavors, and I believe knowledge and understanding is worth the effort it takes to obtain it.  However, since the road to knowledge and understanding can be treacherous and difficult, I hope my teaching can make the road a little easier for those coming down a path I’ve been before, and in this case, learning Portuguese! It is a pleasure to be a facilitator of this learning process that connects people to each other – and it also motivates me to keep improving!  I speak and teach Brazilian Portuguese.

I am very excited to teach Arabic at GLN. I hope it will be a fun learning experience. Looking forward to meeting my students!

Two years teaching experience for different leave adult students. Learning language is just like driving. The more you use, the more you get. Hopefully we can together find the best way for your Chinese studying.

Blaine learned Mandarin in school, on a Critical Language Scholarship, and  through over 3 years of study and work in the People’s Republic of China. Since moving from Shanghai to DC, she has been delighted to find a community of language enthusiasts in GLN and inspired by her German, Mandarin, and Cantonese GLN teachers. Blaine’s experience teaching with the Rassias Method informs her application of the GLN approach in her classes.

Teaching French with GLN increases my teaching skills and I can see how my teaching style has improved. As well as teaching my language and culture, I also learn from my students who come from all over the world. We share our love of diverse languages and cultures. We create our world and our community. My favorite memory is my last class. We made crepes au chocolat and drank vins de bordeaux to celebrate the hard work and efforts we did during our semester. It’s also the saddest moment because we have to leave but we still connected for the incredible love of language and culture. We make friends for ever!

Bradley Berman is a 2016 Princeton University graduate with a B.A. in East Asian Studies who has resided and worked in D.C. since June 2016. He has attained a near-native grasp of Mandarin through 6 intensive years of formal and personal study, notably attending the 2013 Summer Princeton in Beijing Program held at Beijing Normal University. In addition to using Mandarin informally with friends and to consume news, books, and TV shows on a daily basis, he also enjoys applying and growing his communication abilities in a professional environment as a full-time Chinese Research Analyst in the field of reputational risk assessment.

He has a passion for language learning and cultural exchange and has studied Korean for 3 years, as well as Hebrew, and Bulgarian (including through a Bulgarian class with GLN during the summer of 2017).

Bradley hopes that as a Teaching Associate with GLN, he can promote Mandarin language learning and create the possibility for increased understanding of and appreciation for the diverse life philosophies, cultures, and histories, individual and collective, of the people that share it.

My name is Bradley Anderson. As the son of an Australian immigrant, I have learned the benefit of having a different cultural perspective to add with whichever community I engage. This philosophy has led me to experience many languages and parts of the world, one of my favorite places being Japan! In my class I will help students experience what unique and beautiful contributions the Japanese language and culture have to offer. I intend to equip students with Japanese knowledge to enhance their ability to contribute that perspective to whichever communities they engage. I’m excited for this opportunity to teach and look forward to begin!

I’m British and moved to the U.S. as a child. Traveling and learning about new cultures have always been second nature to me sue to my many back and forth voyages all my life. Although, my native language is English, I’m pleased to share my love of (and struggle with) the French language with GLN students through an exploration of French culture, art, and current events. I’ve studied at l’Univeristé de Paris 8 and la Sorbonne CCFS, and I’ve passed the advanced French language exam from the French Education Ministry (DALF-C1), certifying my competencies in the language. I’ve always loved learning about the world, its cultures and languages, and I’m so pleased to share a small piece of that love with the GLN community.

Engineer, designer and an amateur photography enthusiast who is into enjoying DC. Eager to learn, teach and experience. Let me know if you have questions about not only Turkish language, but culture, food and lifestyle!

I am looking forward to sharing the Brazilian culture and teaching Portuguese at the Global Language Network this summer. I am very pleased to be involved with an organization that takes pride into bringing cultures and languages together.

I love people, languages, and people who love languages! Having lived in the United States for more than a decade, I am excited to reconnect with the French language and culture through teaching. I look forward to meeting and learning from such a diverse group of GLN fellows and students.

Cendrine Bomboko is an international development professional who is passionate about language, culture, and education. She holds two Master degrees from George Washington University in International Education and Development and the Université Libre de Bruxelles in Labor Relations. Originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cendrine is a Belgian citizen who fluently speaks four languages (including French, English, Spanish and Lingala). This multicultural background is probably the best asset that she possesses. On the professional side, Ms. Bomboko has 9 years of progressive experience in language teaching, project coordination and management, proposal development, and human resources. Cendrine currently works for an international consulting firm and teaches French as a second language. Throughout her career, Ms. Bomboko has nurtured an ability to connect with people and work in all types of settings with a great deal of flexibility and service mindedness.

I am a native Mandarin speaker I am also passionate about learning new languages. Studying Intercultural and International Communication with a concentration in intercultural relations as a graduate student in DC, I value languages being the gateway to different cultures and the catalyst to cultural exchange. GLN is the perfect platform to introduce Mandarin and the culture behind this language, and for me, a great way to strengthen my skills as an intercultural exchange practitioner.

Charlotte spent her senior year in high school as an exchange student in Germany, and has been enthralled by the language and culture ever since. After her exchange year, she studied German at University here in the United States, only to return to southwest Germany as an English teacher on a Fulbright grant before coming back to the US once again to teach high school German here in the DC area. She has experienced first-hand the benefits of cultural exchange and language learning and feels truly at home in both German and English, allowing her to give her students a unique perspective not only into the language, but into the process of learning a second language and culture as well.

I am deeply intrigued by Chinese culture with the influence of my father, an artist on Chinese painting and calligraphy, a scholar on Chinese tea culture and a professor in an arts academy in China. With the belief that language communicates and broadens horizons of cultures, I would like to connect people to Chinese culture by teaching at GLN. I myself am a language learner and lover – I speak English, Chinese, French and a little Swahili. I hope to make friends with my students from around the world at GLN

Chong grew up in NYC. He has been studying Arabic for more than 15 years, and Pashto for more than 10 years.

Lover of the sun, surf and smiles! Chinese born and raised by the world. I enjoy quality conversations and meaningful travels. Bare me asking you questions, I want to hear your stories! Currently pursuing a graduate degree in Natural Resources&Sustainable development. Looking to dramatically improve my Spanish before returning to Costa Rica where I left my heart. Hello and welcome!

Hello! My name is Claire, and I’m very excited to be teaching English! I’m originally from Ohio, where I grew up with my parents, little sister, and an assortment of pets. For the past 6 years, I’ve lived in the DC area, where I’ve been studying philosophy and education. I just finished my TEFL certification, so I’m very excited to be working with the GLN as an instructor this semester before moving to Europe to teach abroad in January! In my spare time, I also like to hike, read, and do yoga. I’m a big traveler, so I’m always looking for recommendations on where to take my next adventure– over the past year, I spent time in Amsterdam, Iceland, and New Zealand!

Clara Yetter is a rising senior at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio where she studies English and Music. She is adept at learning languages and knows Spanish as well as some German. After studying abroad in Austria for a semester, she became inspired to learn more about German culture and language and plans to apply for a Fulbright. At GLN she hopes to meet others from diverse backgrounds, take a German class, and further the goal of bringing people together to learn about various languages and cultures.

For me, teaching means giving and learning. It is the joy of sharing my native culture and language, helping students achieve their learning goals while promoting an enjoyable experience in class, that makes it so special to me. I am teaching at GLN because of its unique mission, where learning is also an important component of what I am experiencing in each semester. And I hope the new experiences will help me further contribute to the success of this great community. Come join us! 

Being able to talk with people from different countries and to learn about their culture is one of the things that I like the most. I love learning new languages and I hope never to stop. I believe that everybody has a story and something good to share. Now it’s my time to share my knowledge in Portuguese. Brazil is rich in culture, good food, and nice songs, and I hope I can share a little bit of it and maybe help someone to have a good experience there. In exchange, I’ll have a new challenge in my life teaching. 

I love my country and my language and I also like meeting people interested to know about my culture and to learn my language and also to make it easy for them if the had the chance to travel to my country Ghana, I love to learn new things and al so happy to work with GLN and to give my best to People who want to learn my language.

My future goal is to be a global human resource who works at a multinational company. I’m interested in interacting with people who have a different culture and background, the multicultural environment, where people can forge favorable relationships regardless of nationalities, and develop their multicultural awareness.  During the class, I want to be proactive about not only sharing my culture, but also my background.

Danny grew up in the US near Hershey, Pennsylvania (yes, where they make all the chocolate). He studied Economics and Latin American Studies at the University of Pittsburgh and graduated in 2017. Before moving to DC, he taught English and researched economic development in Teresina, Brazil and discovered his passion for teaching English. He currently works as a data scientist during the week and as a program coordinator at the Washington English Center on Saturdays. He is excited to teach and have fun along the way!

I am glad to be able to help those who are interested in learning Spanish. Through the knowledge of this language the students will obtain a more realistic concept of what the Hispanic world is, meet its people, enjoy its culture and beauty, and dispel misconceptions still prevailing in our time.

What I love the most is teaching my culture and some expressions that are part of Italian slang. I also love to ask my students what they think about Italians and Italian culture and discuss their answers with them. One of my favorite moments was when I decided to teach how to dance Tarantella (a typical dance from Southern Italy). My students were very interested, asked a lot of questions about the steps and after half an hour they were dancing perfectly at the rhythm of the drums! We had a lot of fun!

I was born in Russia and speak 3 languages: Russian, English and Hebrew. I came to the US 4 years ago to get my Master’s degree in Education from UMD, and after I graduated have been working as a Hebrew teacher at a Jewish afterschool in Chevy Chase, MD. I often go to different language meetups in DC area and this Spring ’17 semester joining the GLN community. I enjoy teaching languages because I can share my culture and part of my heritage with others. Teaching at GLN attracted me with its spirit of sharing, exchanging and communicating knowledge on a voluntary basis – and this is the way it should be!

I love interacting with people and sharing with them, not just things about my country/ culture but anything that I have learnt through my life experiences.  And, in return, I learn something new from other people’s experiences. I strongly believe that one can learn from every single person, the only thing needed is the zeal to learn something new and the right attitude. I decided to teach because it is rightly said: when you teach, you learn twice and I am here to learn and teach together at the same time, along with spreading some joy and love among the students.

I taught history in Turkey for 20 years, and was always happy to be in a class with students. Now that I am in America, I like to share my culture and language; and I am so happy that so many young, professional people are interested in learning Turkish. I am teaching at GLN to gain experience at teaching language, and I like their program.

What I love in teaching my language with the GLN is helping my students fulfill their different language learning goals. I love to see my students acquire enough language skills to communicate with their loved ones, get that promotion at work, improve their grades or simply gain confidence to travel abroad. I look forward to supporting your language learning journey!

Duc Le (b. 1981, Montgomery County, Maryland) is a licensed architect and holds a Master of Science in Architecture degree from the Woodbury University School of Architecture and a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the Oklahoma State University School of Architecture.  He has since completed his training at multiple, award-winning, design firms in Washington DC, Kansas City, and New York City.  He is passionate about communication + languages in all sorts of practice.

Thanks to GLN, I have the opportunity to share my language and culture. I enjoy teaching students of all levels and ages so that they can communicate in Chinese successfully. I get the most satisfaction when I see my students improving and having fun at the same time. Hope to see you in class!

Pashto is the language of the Afghans and is spoken primarily in Afghanistan and Pakistan. While Afghanistan is constantly at war, I hope to bring peace to the Pashtoon people by giving the gift of communication to Americans who want to make the world a better place and improve relations with this region of the world. While Pashto is a challenging language to learn, I will provide resources and structure to learning a language for which there are few resources available.

Ekaterina was born in the coldest inhabitant place in the world – Yakutia (Siberia). For 15 years she lived in St. Petersburg – the cultural capital of Russia. Now she participates in the Atlas Corps Professional Fellowship in DC, where she’s serving as Communications Manager. She adores the Russian language and Russian literature. Also, she writes articles for Russian magazines, work as a content editor, and maintains her own travel blog.

I’m very fortunate to be in America and living a beautiful life. Washington DC is culturally diverse and I love that. The GLN’s mission to celebrate diversity is truly something special and I’m happy to support such an innovative organization. I was born in Ukraine and raised in America. I’m proud of my heritage and feel honored to be an American as well. It is a blessing to give back and help individuals from other countries feel comfortable in communicating in English. A little about me: My current career is in export business and my main hobby and passion is figure skating.

Greetings all! By participating in the GLN’s Russian Language Program I want to help students improve their skills in the Russian language and to expand their knowledge of Russia’s culture and nature. I love nature in all its manifestations! I enjoy traveling, photography, and watching movies. I am sure my students and I will find many interesting topics for discussions. See you in class!

Elena was born in Tampico, a city by the Gulf of Mexico. She loves seafood, traveling, connecting with people, and thinking about where life will take her next. She has resided in Mexico City, Cancun, and Chicago. Elena finally moved to DC in August 2019 because she loves the international environment that only DC offers. She has taught different subjects, including English as a second language in Tampico and San Salvador because helping others learn is one of the most fulfilling and rewarding experiences she has ever had. Teaching Spanish at GLN is a priceless opportunity to share her culture through her language while also connecting with her new community! Elena hopes to contribute to GLN’s mission and help her students learn her language and her culture but also how it interacts with other languages and cultures so we all can better understand where we come from, who we are, and where we could go.

Eliana is from Ecuador, from the middle of the world, a country full of myths and traditions. She is an accountant and she loves to teach, sharing her language and culture. Through GLN she can teach and help others understand her native language, Spanish. Doing so inspires her as a human being to try to make the world better.

GLN is a great place to fix the world by building communication bridges! I am all about that. An engineer by profession but languages lover forever. I write poetry in Arabic since I was 8, my dad was Arabic literature teacher for 40 years. All my uncles are poets/songwriters. This language is in my blood. I have many years of experience of teaching Arabic as a second language for adults! I love teaching and enjoy it!

I really like sharing my culture and I like seeing the students’ faces when they realize something, when they learn something meaningful. Building a space where students can express their identities and desires and learn as a group it’s a professional goal for me. GLN has a great mission of building networks, unite groups of people interested to know more about a language and a culture together, and this is amazing, it certainly expands to different areas of people’s lives, and go beyond just coming to class to learn a foreign language.

A German-American dual citizen, Elisabeth is an advocate for transatlantic cooperation and understanding.  She studied at Georgetown University, and also attended programs at the Humboldt University of Berlin, the University of Trier, the Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich, and University of Klagenfurt.  She enjoys sharing her affinity for the German language, culture, and history through teaching at GLN.  Elisabeth works as a Research Analyst for a law firm dealing with pharmaceutical, healthcare, and government contracting related cases.

As a non-native English speaker, Emily knows how hard and intimidating it is to start learning a new language, especially when one has already passed the “critical period”. However, Emily also knows how much joy it brings when you can converse with foreigners in their language. Language alone tells so much about the culture, the people, and the history of its speakers that can easily get lost in translation. So drop all your translator apps and Emily will see you in her class!

Emmi was an early adopter of GLN. Back in 2006 when GLN was still a student organization at The George Washington University and Emmi was a college freshman homesick for her hometown of Naples, she taught her very first Italian course. Seven years later, she became a Teaching Fellow.  Beyond growing up in Italy, Emmi has spent time studying and volunteering in  Russia, Romania, and Croatia.

Teaching is my passion. I like to pass on my knowledge. Especial when it is the language that can help other people to communicate easily. So, when the GLN was looking for a teacher, I decided to be a part of this team.

With any language that you decide to learn you need someone there to be your guide and your cheerleader. That’s exactly what I plan to be – someone that will build your confidence and remind you that you can learn Spanish (or anything) that you set your mind to.

Teaching is one of my passions, and I can’t wait to help you explore a whole new world and culture. Whether this is your first attempt at learning Spanish or your twentieth, I’m here to help you on your journey.

I was born and grew up in Israel and came to Washington DC in 2012 to study education policy at Georgetown University. In Washington, I met many people with Hebrew speaking relatives and friends, people that would want to improve their Hebrew skills. After my wife Hila told me about her great Spanish class at GLN, I decided to teach myself. I enjoy the opportunity to teach people who are interested in Hebrew through this interactive model, where conversations are used to develop language skills.

EunChae is from Korea and moved to Washington D.C last August. She loves the city and cultures within it. EunChae is very excited to teach Korean to GLN students and share fun and valuable experiences with each other. The saying from Noam Chomsky “A language is not just words. It’s a culture, a tradition, a unification of a community, a whole history that creates what a community is. It’s all embodied in a language.” is what she believes.

Teaching Korean has been a great joy for me. I hope I can become a bridge to giving students the resources they need to explore Korean culture on a deeper level. I look forward to meeting you all soon!

I love teaching and I love my language, so teaching my language is incredibly fun. My favorite part about it is knowing that I am contributing to the creation of a better, more positive image of my culture in the minds of other people. No matter how tired or stressed out I am, I always walk into the GLN classroom happy and leave even happier.

My name is Farzana Majeed and I am graduate in my own native language Balochi. I am from Baluchistan Pakistan and will teach Balochi Foreigner.

I know that I am doing my very best to bridge the gap between different cultures. I’m very happy to be with my students who appreciate my efforts. I have a lot of good memories with my students, it’s hard to pick just one! I love sharing my culture, few cultures can match the beauty of its art, the accomplishment of it’s architecture or the richness of its religious traditions.

One of Fernanda’s passions is learning new languages and sharing her culture with people. She loves having a good conversation and people with a great sense of humor. She is sure that we will learn and have a lot of fun together. Teaching Portuguese will be an incredible experience you guys will love learning about Brazil and all the good that this tropical country has to teach. See you in class!

I love the beauty within all cultures! And language is one of the most critical elements of culture. I can’t wait to explore my culture heritage with you all! See you in my class!

I’m from just outside San Francisco, CA. I’m teaching English with a Frequent Flyer class after an awesome experience learning Italian through GLN last semester. I have only ever taught music before and I look forward to teaching another language this year! GLN represents everything I like about language learning — full immersion, fun-based lesson plans, and a wonderful support system. I look forward to my lessons and I can’t wait to take more classes through GLN!

George is a communications professional with a passion for helping others communicate. He is a volunteer and Teaching Fellow with Global Language Network (GLN), teaching English as a Second Language (ESL).

Currently, George works full-time as a federal contractor in strategic communications. Previously, he worked with a small strategic communications firm. He has worked as a Research Assistant grading student essays and has privately taught friends and
family to improve their business communications.

George holds a B.A. in Communication and Rhetoric from the University of Pittsburgh. He
was born and raised in the Washington, D.C. area and enjoys spending time with friends
and family.

Teaching allows me to explore fascinating ideas and meaningful concepts with my students and discover new perspectives with simple resources. I have taught law at one of the leading institutions in the Caribbean and feel a calling to continue sharing my passion for education wherever life may take me. I love languages and being able to share my experiences and culture with new students. I knew little English when I first moved to the United States from the Dominican Republic, and am gratefully indebted to those who took the time to teach me, I am at GLN so that I can give back to the community. Teaching has also helped me to travel the world through the diversity of the Global Language Network’s students.

Having a professional and academic background in journalism and communication, I have always been interested in learning about other cultures, other ways of seeing the world. What better city than DC for that, and what better organization than GLN? Let’s learn from each other!

Language and culture have always been my two favorite hashtags. I am glad to have the opportunity to share mine with you and develop our global competence together.

I am a university student in Washington DC. On campus I’ve helped other students with their Japanese studies, and I wish to expand this experience. I look forward to contributing my native Japanese skills and knowledge to students in GLN’s Japanese Language Program. I look forward to helping others who wish to learn Japanese, at the same time learning about other cultures.

Originally from South Korea, I have lived in DC area for six years. My interest has always lied in language and learning in general. Currently, I am finishing my PhD in Linguistics at Georgetown, and I am extremely excited to finally teach a language in a communicative classroom setting. DC is a perfect place to share different languages and cultures, but especially with GLN’s unique approach and encouraging teachers like us, language learning will be an extremely rewarding experience!

I am a native Farsi speak from California. As a legal development specialist I have lived in seven countries in the past fifteen years, and have learned so much from immersing myself in the culture and language of each country. I am so happy to be teaching with GLN, an organization that brings cultural/linguistic immersion to a classroom and makes it accessible to everyone. I am so excited to sharing about the Farsi speaking world through language!

I love teaching my language with GLN, because it makes me happy to see that, despite how difficult Polish is, there are quite a few brave and motivated people who choose to take the time to learn it. Also, since my students are very passionate about languages and grammar in general and ask many great questions, I am often challenged to think about my language in a way I haven’t before. Therefore, teaching my language forces me to learn more about it and look at it from a different, non-native speaker, perspective. Since I am also an ESL teacher, teaching with GLN is great for me not only for personal, but also for professional reasons, as it provides me with more experience and new ideas.

As an adopted Louisianaise, I love surprising people when I share with them about how often one hears French in Louisiana. As a college instructor of French, I enjoy teaching the language that has been my passport to places as interesting as France, Belgium, West Africa, the Caribbean, and Canada. I offer my students a variety of perspectives on the Francophone world, starting here in North America. In the GLN classroom, we cover what the student needs to know before going abroad – or down to the bayou! And as a lagniappe – a ‘just because’ gift – we enjoy homemade French pastries party at the end of the semester!

GLN brings me out of my shell and provides me with unmatched opportunities to engage with my language learning and teaching peers. It is very gratifying to be able to introduce my language to foreigners just becoming engaged with Kazakhstan.

I am from a small city in western Turkey. I have lived in Izmir, Ankara, Istanbul, Qatar and I moved to Washington, DC in 2017. I studied Translation and Interpretation in college and I am currently working as a freelance translator and interpreter in the DMV region. I love learning new languages and cultures and meeting people from all over the world. Washington, DC is a great place for both! I am excited to start teaching Turkish to people who are interested in my country and culture.

Always a passionate language learner, love learning and sharing knowledge. Tried to learn 5 foreign languages, still keeping doing three of them, which are English, French, and Korean. 2 years of experiences in teaching cross-cultural leadership course to American diplomats. Consular affair experts with 5 years’ experiences working on U.S-China relationship, if you have questions about visa, travelling, studying and residing in China, I’m the right person to ask. Very looking forward to teach and have fun with all Chinese language lovers (or haters) in my classes, my mother language is beautiful !!

I began my language exploration journey when I moved to the United States when I was ten years ago. Through my immigration experience, I developed a profound appreciation for the beauty and intricacy of languages. As my journey broadened and with every new language, my appreciation evolved to draw deeper perspectives and learn how people deal with reality and the extraordinary across cultures and the world. I hope you can join me on this journey to explore and learn more about the world!

Years after completing a GLN Swahili course, I received a Boren Fellowship to study Swahili in Tanzania for the 2016 – 2017 academic year. Through intensive language study in Tanzania, I developed an appreciation for language, and the way that language enables deeper connection and more quickly fosters trust across various communities. Upon returning from Tanzania, I am eager to share my love for Swahili with others interested in learning the language. I am excited to build the confidence of my students in the language and watch them develop a love for Swahili as well.

Hany Eldeib is an Egyptian American who teaches Arabic – Tourist level with GLN. Hany has been an educator, a consultant, and an engineer all his life. He enjoys sharing his knowledge with others. He teaches courses in engineering and business at multiple universities, provides consulting services on strategic issues for the Middle East and tutors students in mathematics. Hany’s dream has always been to teach Arabic language and culture to others in order to help increase understanding between people. He found his dream in GLN and its focus on building confidence in learning the language.

Hassan lived most of his life in Cairo, Egypt. He loves Writing in Arabic, he wrote poems, articles, short stories. He graduated from Ain Shams medical school, 2013, and specialized in Obstetrics and Gynecology. He earned his masters in health care management. He is a traveler, Blogger, Swimmer and amateur soccer player.

Hein is ecstatic about sharing his Burmese language with others. Yoda also speaks Burmese–at least, his grammar and syntax are similar to Burmese. It isn’t, therefore, a big stretch to say that Burmese people are the one with the force and the force is with us! So, come join my Burmese conversational class!

I have always been interested in teaching my language and sharing my culture with others, no surprise that I signed up to volunteer at GLN, Thank you GN Team! we all know that there is a large Amharic Speaking community in DMV area, I myself have been involved in serving this community either in refugee resettlement or providing language services to LEP population. Volunteering has always bee my passion even though I haven’t been giving it enough time as I would love to. This is an opportunity for me to give my time and teach my language to those interested and willing to invest their time. I hope my contribution will help others to communicate and give service in the Amharic speaking community.

Hongming comes from Shanghai, China, and now is a sophomore at Pepperdine University, majoring in Business Administration. He has been in the United States for education about five years, and he is now here for his semester-long DC internship International Program. He would love to teach Mandarin to those individuals who loves Chinese culture and language, and he is eagerly looking forward to meet you guys soon.

The reason I became a tutor with GLN is because we need to know more about each other to avoid misunderstanding, political or cultural, in the world. So I want to teach some part of Russian culture, may be it will motivate students to keep studying Russian in order to discover the  great Russian poets and writers. Because there is a big difference between reading something in the original versus translation.

I am Hungarian and American. I have spoken Hungarian in the home ever since forming my first words, although I was born and raised in Washington State. I have conducted research and performed translation, and I’m looking forward to sharing Hungarian language and culture with others as a GLN fellow.

The Hungarian language is filled with evocative sounding words and visually engaging images. Hungarian music is lively, the stews are hearty, and the pastries are rich. What’s not to like?

I wanted to teach Hindi, as I strongly believe the best way to preserve your culture is to celebrate and share it with as many people as possible. Also, I would like to de-exoticize India a bit too, not totally… It’s good to have a bit of romance. I don’t believe in the concept of countries, but do very much believe in cultures and cultural diversity. At GLN one can teach and learn in a fun and informal way (aaraam-se/आरामसे). I love languages!

As a teacher, I’m very glad to see when students figure out how to think in Korean, and don’t just appeal to memorization. I believe I’m able to take the opportunity to teach in an area different from my college degree with the GLN, and help more people to have a chance to learn Korean.

Isidora is a Chilean Architect, frequent traveler, and she is working from DC with projects in Latin America and the Caribbean. Teaching and cultures are two of her passions. Here at GNL, she has the chance of discussing Latin America’s diversity while learning Spanish.

“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.”
I am really excited to teach my language, culture and to meet great new people.

Hi, My name is Islom. I am from sunshine Uzbekistan. I speak Uzbek, Russian and English. I like literature, poems and sports. I am very exited to share my language and culture with GLN! I hope to gain a lot of friends from different parts of the world and have fun at GLN!

Hello everyone! I’m from St. Petersburg, Russia, and will be teaching the Russian language. I’ve been in the US for many years, mostly working in the travel business. While teaching language is a new experience for me, I’m delighted to meet my students and have an opportunity to learn from each other.

With Croatia becoming a popular tourist destination, Jadranka would like to bring the culture and the kindness of Croatian people closer to those living in Washington, DC. She is happy to share with those who have been or who plan to visit Croatia in the near future. Croatian is spoken by four million Croatians and learning even a few words will surely make visiting Croatia even more memorable. 

I relocated to the DC area from Istanbul in 2013. My educational background is in languages and literature. In addition to GLN, I also volunteer at the Washington English Center where I have been teaching English to immigrants since Fall 2016. I have two college-age children. 

My journey through language began with learning Latin and classical Greek in middle/high school. Since then, I’ve picked up a little bit of Italian, Spanish, Quichua, and American Sign Language (ASL) through my travels and educational experiences. As a DC area native, I love incorporating this city’s rich history, culture, and food into my classroom experience. My class is a judgment-free zone, where you can feel free to test your skills and try new things. I look forward to getting to know my students, as we work together towards expanding our horizons of language and culture.

Jephte was nominated student of the month by the foreign language department of Bethesda Chevy Chase High School in November 2007. He holds a Bachelor of Arts with a minor in latin american and italian studies, a certificate of art and sciences from the University of Montreal, as well as an administrative intern certificate for honorable and dedicated work awarded by the Inter-American Defense College. He speaks creole, french, spanish, english and italian. He has lived and travelled in Dominican Republic, Canada, Belgium and France. He is a former member of the French-American Chamber of Commerce of Washington DC, and a small entrepreneur who owns marketing, transcription, translation and tutoring services in Silver Spring MD.

 I am originally from California, but I’ve been in DC for the past few years. I love learning new languages and experiencing other cultures. I look forward to  teaching language skills my students find useful and topics you find engaging. I believe that language learning is all about having the confidence and the commitment to practice—out loud or in your head! Never be afraid to make mistakes, to ask questions, or to have fun in class. I’m really excited to share my native language and culture with GLN students, and I hope to learn about your cultures, experiences, and perspectives as well!

I enjoy teaching, which helps me learn throughout the process, reflect upon and develop further. I instructed Azerbaijani whilst working with Peace Corps in Baku, and I thought it would be interesting to continue on this experience and assist those who are eager to learn this language for business, professional or personal reasons. It is always give-take, so I am sure many things i will attain from the “students” during the sessions.

Hello! My name is Jhalymarie. I was born and raised in Puerto Rico. I recently moved to D.C. to pursue my Master’s at Georgetown University. As a native Spanish speaker, I would like to share my knowledge with anybody that is willing to learn this language. I am thrilled to meet my students and be able to share not only my language, but my culture and bright spirit!

Five years ago, I came to a different country to pursue my advanced studies. Starting a new life is hard. I was so lucky that I joined an international student association in college where I met people from all over the world with all different backgrounds and cultures. All the friends I have met made me realized how passionate I am to learn other cultures and to share my own. And GLN gives this opportunity to me. I am excited to teach with GLN and hope to see you in my class.

I didn’t have teaching experience before, so I’m enjoying lead classes for the first time. I teach at GLN to help people who love studying Chinese.

I am a Carioca – born and raised in Rio de Janeiro – passionate about democracy, social development, multiculturalism, and dance. I am excited to share my culture and language with those interested in learning Portuguese.

Newly transplanted to DC this past Fall, John Ferreira immediately contacted GLN about teaching his native language, Afrikaans. Coming from a country that has 11 official languages, Johan thinks you can best understand someone’s perspective by speaking their language. For Johan, teaching his mother tongue also means investigating its key role in the formation of South Africa.

I am a recent graduate from Georgetown University and currently work as a research assistant at the Center for Applied Linguistics. I am a native speaker of both English and Cantonese Chinese, and I learned Mandarin Chinese when I was an undergrad at San Diego State University as well as through visiting China. I have a professional background in TESOL and applied linguistics, and I am very excited to have the opportunity to teach Mandarin Chinese to beginners through the GLN!

I love teaching because I see it as a bridge between people. As someone who thrives in social environments, I’m invigorated by human connection. My teaching experiences have provided me with a greater exchange of information than anything else I’ve done. I truly found a passion for teaching when I worked as an English instructor in the Jeollanam-do province of South Korea. The cultural immersion I experienced and the chance to inspire my students was one that changed my outlook on life and showed me a path I hope to continue to follow. I believe teaching others the love of learning is one of the best ways to make an impact on the world.

I wanted to find a way to increase my volunteering efforts in the Washington, D.C. community. I’m also a Volunteer Crew Leader with Habitat for Humanity and I wanted to find other ways that I could volunteer in the classroom setting. I read many positive reviews of GLN online and the flexibility they offer those wishing to volunteer was something that I didn’t want to pass up. I see teaching at a place like GLN not only as a way for me to share my knowledge and help others with their English language proficiency, but a way for me to learn and become more culturally aware, which is something I have always strived to do. I am fascinated by the chance to get perspectives from others on issues that we see in American society and use those perspectives to build a more worldly view.

Jonathan has a background in social work and immigration law. He joined GLN with hopes of teaching Mandarin and meeting cool people. In his free time, he runs, takes singing lessons, rides my motorbike, watches basketball, and hosts board game and hot pot parties.

I grew up speaking Spanish and English, so I see them both as part of my identity. I am glad that GLN allows volunteer teachers the opportunity to share a part of ourselves with students that are eager to learn. In my class, students will be exposed to my particular dialect of Spanish; Colombian-Bogotano Spanish. I also like to share my other interests with the class, which includes advanced topics in grammar, vocabulary, music, and articles on current events. Students will have the opportunity to actively speak with each other through role play activities, discussions of assigned readings, and presentations.

I was born in Cochabamba, Bolivia, and grew up in a cultural world where the education of a child is the responsibility of everyone; which is to say, the transmission of values, customs, rights and rituals was the homework of the entire community. I learned from my ancestors how to live in harmony and equilibrium with nature and “La Pachamama” – Mother Earth – where every species or living thing is important to the interrelationship and continuation of life. Teaching Quechua I am facilitating cross-cultural interaction and exchange with other cultures and customs with my students, and they inspired me to continue promoting this rich language.

While Hispanic culture is not my own, I think it is extremely important to learn about it and appreciate it, particularly the cultures of Latin America. In studying Latin America for all of my academic career I realized the lack of knowledge and understanding about the various cultures of Latin America that is prevalent here in the US. We need to get to know our closest neighbor better, because they know much more about us than we do about them, because there are many Spanish speaking immigrants in the US (and DC) today, and because the cultures, histories, and social practices of the region are interesting and important to world and US affairs. Because I love studying Latin America I want to share the joy and love of Spanish language and culture with my peers.

I’m an active person who keeps trying new things and new experiences, teaching Chinese is a big challenge for me but I’m really excited for helping people who are interested in learning Chinese. Feel free to talk with me about any kinds of topic. Looking forward to seeing my students.

As an expatriate living in the US for over five years and working for a multicultural organization, I came to value both my culture of origin and my ability to speak in a foreign language fluently so much more. I am lucky to speak several of the official languages at my work place and am constantly surrounded by bilingual individuals, which is fascinating! My understanding of foreign languages has facilitated my integration in my country of adoption and my workplace and has helped me better communicate with individuals of different backgrounds. I am excited, today, to be able to share my knowledge and my passion for foreign languages and for France with others and give the opportunity I was given in the past to others.

GLN has helped me to be a better communicator and motivator. The interaction with students is the best part of teaching with GLN. The students are always motivated to learn and I was able to hone my communication and leadership skills through our weekly lessons. I’m always amazed at their creativity, enthusiasm, and the width and depth of knowledge about Japan.

I am originally from the Dominican Republic and moved to the US when I was in elementary school. I remember how hard it was initially not being able to communicate with my classmates. That has inspired me to want to share my language and culture with others! I take pride in where I come from and love the fact that the Spanish language can vary greatly depending on what country and even which region within a country you are in. I love to travel and experience other cultures! I myself am looking into ways of sharpening my beginner Italian and learning either French or Portuguese. I am looking forward to not only sharing my language and culture with my students but also learning from all of them!

Originally from Berlin, Germany I moved to Washington, DC with my husband in 2009. While I’m a huge fan of my home town, I also very much enjoy the things DC has to offer like meeting people from all around the world and a diverse culture that often can be enjoyed for free. Being surrounded by foreign languages and cultures sparked my interest in my own language and culture. While many people perceive German as a very hard language to learn, I often times see similarities especially to English. The GLN Teaching Fellowship for me is an opportunity to share my language and culture with others while becoming even more engaged with the DC community in all its diversity. As a teacher I will do my best to lower the barrier and make my language more accessible for those interested in learning it.

I am from Veracruz, Mexico. After doing a semester interning for Congressman Raul Grijalva in DC, I decided to apply for a Masters in Security Policy Studies at George Washington University. I interned at different organizations in DC like the Embassy of Mexico, CSIS, CHCI, and USCRI. After graduation, I went back to my hometown to work at the Veracruz Judiciary Council as an administrative officer. 

I started learning English at the age of 4 years old and discovered my love for learning languages. I can speak French, Italian, Portuguese and German. One day, I wish to learn Chinese and Arabic.

I recently moved back to the DC area and started volunteering at The GLN in Fall 2018.

Teaching is a new hobby for me and I enjoy sharing a knowledge that can be helpful to others. I like the GLN philosophy of creating a community around language.

What I love the most about GLN is experiencing the transformational power teaching/learning a language can have over people. I love to see my students reach that moment when they are able to understand and pronounce enough words to form their own sentences in the target language. Their eyes light up, they smile, and they go for it. It’s like watching someone open up a window, take a deep breath of fresh air, and smile at the world. One of my favorite moments was when my French students and I had brunch at Bistro du Coin to celebrate the end of the semester, and I heard them order their meal in excellent beginner level French. I was so proud of them.

My name is Kayiraba Toure, and I am originally from the Ivory Coast. I moved to the United States of America in 2014. I have a bachelor’s degree in Economics and History. Now I am working toward my master’s degree in Political management with a concentration in global politics. My goal in life is to get my doctorate in Conflict resolution and analysis and use that degree to work in the diplomatic field. I would love to work for the United Nations because it is my dream job. I want one day to go back to my country and work for the wellbeing of my country.  I enjoy to play soccer, read and dance, listening to music. Also, I speak French, English, and 3 Africans languages. I currently work with Congressman John Sarbanes’s Wahington District of Columbia office. I look forward to learning from you.

I fell in love with French when I was 4 years old. Ever since elementary school, I’ve continued to learn more about French language and culture. I’m looking forward to sharing my passion for French with my students and giving them tools to succeed in communicating in French.

Kaylyn is experienced in teaching English to students of various ages and backgrounds, ranging from beginners to college test prep. As a teacher, she places great value on being respectful and patient, and works hard to foster a warm learning environment in which students can have fun learning! Outside of teaching, She work at Pew Research Center, and she enjoys reading, exploring new places, and creating art.

I have been teaching Arabic for 10 years. I believe that language is a wonderful way to discover new cultures and build bridges between people. I look forward to meeting my students.

Teaching Bulgarian through GLN is a way for me to give back to the amazing program that has already allowed me to learn Bosno-Serbo-Croatian (for work) and Japanese (for fun). I could never have survived the adventure of my four-month research trip to Sarajevo without the language skills I learned in my GLN courses. Now, I am excited to introduce my students to the Bulgarian language and culture so that they can go out and have their own adventures.

I am excited to be able to share the languages and cultures I come from and I hope you will fall in love with them too! We have beautiful landscapes with collections on facebook and welovelithuania.com/en/. I look forward to introducing my students to the beauty of my language and culture!

According to my own experience, obtaining proficiency in foreign language takes patience and commitment. Teaching language with GLN has motivated me to share my culture and language with my students because their interest in my culture makes me smile. My favorite part of teaching with an immersion method is when my students’ puzzled expressions turned into “aha moments”. Although staying in the target is challenging for a beginner level, it pays off in the end, I think… I like to say “Cheer up” in Korean to make my students smile.

Ciao! I’m Italian from Firenze and I travel since I was 6. I have traveled the five continents and I often try to imagine how my life would have been different if I had been able to speak the language of all the countries I have visited! For me, getting to know different backgrounds and mindsets is the most powerful mean of social integration. I look forward to sharing the language, culture, art, nature, music… of my country with you. Because Italia is much more than pizza!

Lee has been teaching Yiddish at community centers in the DC area for twenty years.  A lifelong language learner and enthusiast of the languages and cultures of the world, he also dabbles in computer programming languages and music.  His day job involves educational statistics and IT.  A native of New York City and graduate of the School of Performing Arts (in Drama), he lives with his wife, college-aged daughter and cat, Einstein, in Bowie, Maryland.

From Galicia in Spain, I believe that teaching a skill is one of the best ways to help people to discover their talents and grow together. My mission is to help people gain clarity and feel confident in how they apply Spanish skills in real-life interactions with others. I do this by designing meaningful learning experiences and by promoting mindful conversations.

I have taught all levels and I always enjoyed when beginners can finally read and write, their satisfaction is the best gift. But also on the advanced level, it is a pleasure to figure out what interests the students and let the discussion flow. It is always a super experience when the discussion is at its peak and the shyness of the students is gone. It’s a good feelings if you see students who follow the program level to level.

I am a native Mandarin speaker and I am passionate about sharing the beauty of Mandarin with more people. I am excited to meet people who love learning different languages and cultures because I believe diversity matters.

I’m from America, but I lived in Sweden for a year. I think the thing I took away about Swedes is that they love nature, and embody a sense of community. Very friendly, open to learning about others, and of course meatballs! I’ve truly met some of the most interesting and nice people in DC via my experience with GLN, which makes me very grateful to have found such a great organization.

Linor Stein is a born and raised Israeli, who has spent the last 3 years in the United States working for The Jewish Agency For Israel on college campuses. Linor is originally from Ramat Gan, has served 6 years in the IDF as an officer, and completed her BA in Communications and Sociology at The Hebrew University Of Jerusalem. Linor has always had a passion for the Hebrew language, and she’s excited to share it with the students of GLN!

Teaching at GLN not only enables me to learn how to explain my mother tongue and culture in a structured way but also allows me to learn how people perceive and interpret information.

People at GLN are passionate about learning and teaching languages and I’d love to be a part of the community.

 I haven’t taught before joining GLN, so this fellowship became a challenging and exiting adventure for me. The best part is meeting people who are so interested in my native language and culture! This motivates me to be creative and make every lesson special. I’ve always enjoyed telling people about my home country and GLN is a perfect platform to teach and learn in a fun environment. I enjoy telling my students things about Ukraine that they can’t look up on Google and help them explore the beauty of Ukrainian language.

As someone who has passion for learning and gaining knowledge, the motivation for giving back and sharing a knowledge that I have is a crucial element which makes both missions go in parallel.
I find the GLN is the right place where I can invest my different languages skills in order to first represent the positive aspect about my culture and language associated with it. In addition, through the GLN, I feel self accomplished by helping the learners of the language in achieving their different missions within their work on a global perspective.

Hello! My name is Mae and I come to DC from El Paso, Texas. For that reason, I have had a lot of Mexican cultural influence my upbringing, worldview and food palate. I enjoy teaching and look forward to interacting with all of my students!

Maia Salholz-Hillel is a French Teaching Associate, Spanish Teaching Assistant and student of Polish with GLN. She is inspired by how GLN students are dedicated to learning and supporting one another. She has several years of experience as a French and Spanish TA using the Rassias Method, which shares the GLN Communicative Approach’s emphasis on developing confidence in the target language. Originally from Paris and currently in D.C., she has also lived in New York, New Hampshire, and, most recently, Berlin. Outside of languages, she loves neuroscience, and science policy and diplomacy, which, like languages, are “tools to fix our world.” She looks forward to meeting and supporting diverse GLNers, and playing a role in GLN’s mission to “connect and empower people through language and culture.”

I was born in Siberia.  I have a master’s degree in philosophy and a bachelor degree in finance.  My hobbies are Aikido, snowboarding and I like to teach languages.  I am happy to have the opportunity to share not only the beautiful Russian language, but also culture of Russia.

I do enjoy teaching because knowledge is strength,  it is a great opportunity to share my language, my culture and to encourage people to make meaningful connections by coming out of your comfort zone.

It is a great place to meet so many great people!

Since I came to Washington D.C. I had this feeling inside me pushing to promote my culture overseas. Here I am, teaching Italian with GLN! I enjoy building a space where people can express themselves in a different way that goes beyond the standard teaching. My class will be a lot of fun, mixing progressive learning to mimics and games. Speaking a different language means opening yourself to a different culture and environment and I am glad I was given this opportunity. BENVENUTI!

Lawyer that likes to work with nonprofit organizations  in social and health projects, teach Spanish, and to learn languages and traditional cultures and customs.

Maria was born and raised in Kaluga, Russia, where she graduated from the Russian Law Academy of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation. She practiced civil law for three years and worked for Federal State Unitary Enterprise “Russian State Centre of Real Estate.” In 2017 she completed her M.A. in Slavic Languages and Literatures at the University of Virginia. Maria loves visiting new countries and for her trying out new foods is one of the best parts of traveling. She is very excited about meeting new people and teaching her favorite subject, Russian, at GLN.

Even though now the world seems so small – you can go everywhere in the matter of hours, you still need a key to the country you are going to. That’s what I love about teaching – giving my students the key to the people and the culture through language. With all tough diplomatic relationship with Iran these days, I’m glad I can open up the door to it even if it’s just a little. Teaching with GLN inspires me and pushes me to a better teacher and student.

 I am from Bogota, Columbia. I am an educator and I have had the opportunity of working in different school settings, and diverse learning environments, especially with young students. My career has developed in international independent Schools in the United States, South America, and Asia where I have enjoyed many happy years as an educator. 

Aside from my professional responsibilities, I have raised two daughters in a bilingual household. This has been a fulfilling experience and one that has reinforced my view, that learning other languages should no longer be an option for some, but a opportunity for all. I am looking forward to being part of GLN’s Spanish Language Program. 

Mariko really enjoys meeting people from different cultures. She also loves sharing the culture of her home country Japan with others. She is very proud and happy when she can do it!  She hopes to continue doing this by helping people learn to speak the language.

I enjoy teaching others about my culture, language and customs. My work as an attorney has taught me that communicating in someone’s native language is a powerful tool. By being able to understand someone else’s culture and language, you can also understand their point of view. I hope to make a positive impact by teaching Spanish at GLN.

I am currently pursuing a M.A. in Sociology at the George Washington University. I am originally from Argentina, but I lived in 5 countries before arriving in DC. Like you, I believe learning new languages and cultures is not only constructive for my professional goals, but also for personal growth. I took a semester of German language in Berlin, and now I am taking French for foreigners at GLN. GLN is an amazing opportunity for everyone, and I am looking forward to working with people who are as passionate about cultural education as I am.

Originally from Morocco, Massin speaks Moroccan Arabic dialect, Berber and French He loves all languages and believes that learning a language opens many opportunities to communicate with people from different backgrounds and walks of life. He also likes to study language, he finds linguistics very interesting. Massin loves Soccer and Football, classical rock and international music. In addition, Massin loves animals. He has a small dog named Sammie.

Learning a language gives me the chance to put myself in the shoes of a whole different culture. That makes me grow. Teaching is also very interesting since it’s another way to learn about my culture and connect with others. Being part of GLN is a win-win activity.

Max is a language nerd to the fullest, and he is excited to share the Russian language and culture that he grew up with by teaching at the GLN! He is a heritage speaker of Russian and grew up just outside of Philadelphia, PA. In his other life outside of the GLN, Max  works on European and Eurasian issues and co-hosts a podcast about Eurovision.

I essentially look at teaching as a process of mutual learning where I am given a space to contribute my knowledge while simultaneously learning from my students. GLN looks at language learning in a broader sense which facilitates community building and mutual learning. I am particularly enthused by its philosophy of language learning to solve social issues.

There are many stories about how saying something in a foreign language have led to quarrels at times and to laughter at other times. We can’t prevent either, but we can create more laughter by learning and fostering understating of different languages and cultures. I am fascinated by others as much as I am with Arabic and would love to share what I know with you. I am fond of walking, creativity, and the arts.

I’m an Engineer in Computer Science and I work as Business/IT Analyst for an IT Startup here in DC. I’m from Algeria. I’ll be teaching French and Fusha Arabic, also referred to as Modern Standard Arabic or Classical Arabic. I believe that learning a new language will help you establish deep connections and cross-cultural friendships. Let’s give our brain a boost and become better learners together!

I am Iranian but have had a truly international upbringing, having lived in six countries and visited 33! I am passionate about sports, especially tennis. I follow the wise words of Irish poet William Yeats who said that “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire”. I am looking forward to working with eager students to support their passion for learning Farsi. I hope your fire will burn bright and long. 

I’m so thrilled to be teaching Serbian at GLN. Language is not only communication; it is a window into a deeper understanding of the culture, history and modern way of life of a country. By teaching my native language, I can stay connected to my roots and leverage my international background and skills to share what I love about Serbia with my students.

Mingming is originally from China, went to Singapore for high school and came to the US for college. Now she is a full-time professional working 8-5 and she enjoys teaching in my spare time. Language is an agreement between two parties of what something means. Any cultural difference can be overcome by communications. Mingming believes learning a new language offers you new perspectives and a better understanding of others. She looks forward to helping you learn another language in this shrinking world. Expect an interactive and fun class!

I grew up in Prague and I have lived in the US for 20+ years. I was a TA for Czech language and Czech literature classes at UNC Chapel Hill. I also run the Czech Meetup group in DC. We attend Czech cultural events, movies, concerts and embassy talks. I am always interested in meeting anyone who wants to learn or practice speaking our language!

Hi! I recently moved to the US from Morocco where I first fell in love with teaching and working with people. I studied English literature at the university in Fez and began working at Cafe Clock where I met people from all over the world. At the cafe, I taught Darija (Moroccan Arabic) to visitors and tourists from all age ranges and backgrounds. I have brought my teaching to the United States, tutoring children and adults in Arabic. I absolutely love the mission of GLN and am happy to be a part of such an important effort to connect more people with more languages.

Enthusiastic and committed teacher with natural ability to appreciate and inspire children, and adult learners. Comfortable in interacting with students from different religious and cultural backgrounds. She is skilled in teaching foreign languages and culture. She also have experience and the ability to adjust and adapt to many environments and to various learning styles. Warm, accessible, and caring, She is a team player and people-person, with an engaging personality and teaching Style.

I started as a student with GLN learning Korean and then became a teaching fellow for Chinese Mandarin! I love sharing, teaching and making friends from all over the world. I appreciate this great opportunity to meet with students and learn Chinese at GLN!

Passionate and dynamic, native speaker and francophile, I’m your future French instructor. I’ve been a French tutor for 2 years, in Brussels, Belgium and in Washington DC. My motto is, do things seriously without taking oneself too seriously. I will accompany you towards more fluency in your oral expression, more vocabulary, better pronunciation, and I will answer to your spelling, grammar or understanding questions. I intend to incorporate fun in the classroom because I‘m convinced that pleasure is an essential factor in learning. I’m creative and motivated, and I’m committed to helping you progress !

I am completing a master’s degree in Arabic, so I bring in an academic understanding of the language. I was born and raised in Iraq and lived in Syria for many years. I have a superior rating in oral and written Arabic from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, and I enjoy sharing my native language and culture with others. Finally, I learned English as an adult, so I know the challenges involved in learning a foreign language as an adult.

Nataliya Cowen was born and grew up in Moscow, Russia. She received her Master’s degree in structural and applied linguistics from Moscow State University. After emigrating from the Soviet Union to the United States in 1991, Nataliya taught Russian language and literature at several U.S. universities, including George Washington and Johns Hopkins. In 2002 she received her law degree from the University of Virginia and is working now as an international securities attorney for the U.S. government. Nataliya loves teaching languages and interacting with students and for this reason she has decided to teach a class at GLN.

I have a strong love for the performing arts, particularly acting, and I find that teaching is another form of performance for me: when I teach, I enjoy injecting my dramatic personality in order to emphasize concepts as well as to entertain my students and to keep them engaged. I suppose my liveliness comes by virtue of being Latin American, and so that reflects in my teaching style. I am teaching at GLN because I love languages! This love, I think, is naturally derived from my passion for literature, which I study as an undergraduate. Language is a beautiful and incredible form of communication that can take on a life of its own when it becomes adopted by someone else with a different lived experience. I derive joy from teaching languages, be it English or Spanish, because it helps people expand their ability to communicate and interact in new cultures.

She was born in a small seaside town in Izmir, Turkey. As a child, she used to climb on fig trees to get a better view of the vast Aegean Sea in front of her, then gaze at the horizon. She would imagine herself walking on the streets of foreign lands beyond the sea. So, needless to say, her desire to venture out of the country meant that she would learn languages (English and a little German so far) to be able to communicate and to be able to immerse herself in different cultures. Now that she is here, she would like to offer the same chance to anyone, who likes to travel to Turkey and/or wants to understand the Turkish culture a little better. She is looking forward to the new semester and to meeting her students!

Nicole works to create positive social change as a communications professional in Washington, DC. She loves learning about different cultures and spent time studying in Paris during college. She’s excited to help students develop their English skills while also promoting the GLN’s mission of using language as a tool to fix the world.

Originally from Romania, I moved to USA more than 10 years ago. I have a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration with Minor in International Business from University of West, Romania. My career and passion for Hospitality Industry has helped me travel and live in different cities in USA and I moved to DC a year ago. I am passionate about Asian culture, food and traditions and hoping to make Asia my home for a few years in the near future. (I hope this helps)

I am so excited, words cannot express how thrilled I am to be part of the GLN Teaching Fellowship. I love people and enjoy the interaction with the community; that’s my greatest motivation. I am originally from El Salvador, a country full of culture, music, food and many traditions. It’s amazing to know that I can share with others my language, culture and more. Thank you, GLN for the wonderful opportunity and experience.

I am Olga Cheltsova, originally coming from Russia but also, Uzbekistan! I enjoy learning from new people and sharing discussions over a cup of chai. My passion is hiking, cycling, traveling and making art.

I have enjoyed learning languages since I was young and can relate to the excitement of diving into the new language or rediscovering one that you are already familiar with. One of the benefits of learning new languages is that it makes you more thoughtful about using your native one. I feel inspired by the idea that the language can be learned by speaking and communicating from the very first steps. Now in the role of the teacher, I am thrilled about the opportunity to share my language and culture with my students.

Busayomi [Meaning Add to my joy] is a Nigerian communications expert, Pan-African, and native Yoruba speaker who is passionate about history, cultural learning, and adaptation. She enjoys teaching and learning about history, cultures, and traditions of other countries. She believes language is the window to learning other people’s culture and tradition and is excited about promoting GLN’s mission to help use language as a tool to fix the world.

I truly enjoy teaching because it allows me to not only share knowledge but also to learn from the incredible diversity of our students. Language and culture instruction is particularly rewarding for me personally and has been a key component of my professional life.

I am a strong supported of GLN’s mission and I share its vision of employing language as a fundamental tool to unlock human potential.  As a French student at GLN, I realized that the innovative approach to build communication skills in an interactive and stress-free environment was terrific and I’ve wanted to be a part of the GLN family ever since.

Born in Germany, I grew up in the United States, though I spent almost every summer visiting family in Germany. I have always had a love of language and culture and am always looking for ways to share this with others.

I am passionate about education and human development.  Throughout my career I have seen the power of foreign languages skills as undeniable tool to transform positively lives. I am now here with the Global Language Network to keep the magic happening through a broader plat-form for languages and cultures learning!

Paul Massaro is a German teaching fellow, currently completing his first semester with GLN. He is a “nearly native” German speaker, who has spent extensive time in Germany and holds a BA in German. Paul is excited to be giving back to GLN as a teacher, after having taken both Dutch and Russian courses with the organization. He believes strongly that language education is a cornerstone to international security and cooperation and should be affordable and available to all. Paul looks forward to continuing his work with GLN to make this belief a reality.

I have many years’ experience learning the German language and culture, from studying it in high school and college, to living in the country as an exchange student, studying abroad, and through research fellowships. 

I enjoy helping others discover a new language and culture, drawing from my own experience learning foreign languages.  Whether it’s learning the basics to more deeply enjoy a trip abroad, or discovering the different regional dialects and quirks that separate Berliners from Bavarians, I hope to help you make it a fun experience.

This science nerd, aviation enthusiast, vexillology geek, dog lover, travel aficionado, and language fanatic moved to the DC area 7 years ago from the Island of Enchantment. I am very passionate about my language. As a native speaker of Spanish, my goal is to expose you to a language and a culture that has a lot to offer. Hispanics are already the largest minority in the United States, making the U.S. one of the top 5 nations in the world in the number of native Spanish speakers. One of the joys of living in this city is meeting motivated individuals who want to learn and experience other cultures. GLN gives you the opportunity to do just that in the most welcoming setting.

The GLN teaching format is based on an highly interactive full immersion of students in the target language. It is a great satisfaction to me to see students being able to connect words learned in different contexts and express themselves. And step by step, the class becomes a community. The best moments are when former students return from their first trip to Italy, and describe how their learning helped them in their trip.

I am a multilingual interpreter who likes to give back to my community with my passion for teaching. I moved to the United States in 2006, and since then I have always been a proactive aspiring language teacher. I first started volunteering for GLN in 2015 as an Assistant Teacher and Photographer, but now I have decided to become more involved in such altruistic organization. Becoming a Teaching Fellow and Lead Teacher has allowed me get more hands-on experience not only in the academic realm but also in public speaking  where constant communication is encouraged and required. I am looking forward to keep on serving GLN with my abilities to educate the next generation of Spanish speakers in the nation’s capital.

Namaste everyone! I will be teaching French and Hindi this summer! I am originally from India, the country where people speak a lot of languages. For me, teaching has always been my passion. Being a French teacher back in India gave me immense pleasure and satisfaction seeing the enthusiasm to learn new language among kids. I always wanted to be a teacher and I am grateful to GLN to have given me this opportunity. I look forward to meeting you all and to help you learn new languages

Ever since childhood, I’ve been showing my interest towards language learning. As a result, I chose to major in English when I was an undergraduate in China and then further explored the area of Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition while pursuing my master’s degree in UK and now PhD degree in US. Throughout the way, I realize that in addition to those language learning mechanisms, the most exciting part of language is the culture behind it, which motivates me to be a language teacher. I enjoyed learning with my students and watching their interest in the target language and culture grow. I’m really glad to continue my journey as a Teaching Fellow with GLN and share my language and culture with the students.

I have been tutoring for GLN for two semesters now and I enjoy it very much. The best part of teaching is that I met so many fun, interesting people passionate about different cultures which also motivates me to learn more, share more. I think I have the relevant knowledge base to help adults absorb as much information as possible and in as many interesting ways as I can. I get immense satisfaction when I see my students improving and communication in my native language. See you there!!

Raghad Makhlouf graduated from the acting department of the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts in Damascus in 2004, then continued on as an assistant teacher for the art of acting between 2005 and 2011. In the role of Assistant Director of theatrical productions, she worked alongside directors such as Abdel Moneim Amairi and Fayez Qazaq.

She worked as an actor in several theater plays with directors such as Abdel Moneim Amairi, Fayez Qazaq, and Naela Alatrash. Al Makhlouf has also worked as an actor in Syrian TV series with directors including Hatem Ali, Haytham Hakki, Shouki El Magri and others. She has been featured on radio programs such as BBC Arabic and written for several publications. Since relocating to Beirut, Raghad organizes and leads theater workshops in Lebanon to provide psychological support for young Syrian refugees

I enjoy teaching to propagate “the increase and diffusion of knowledge,” to quote James Smithson.  I’ve been a teacher for about 12 years with all age ranges – from kids to adults – before my current job as an academic advisor, and I want to keep my toolbox well-stocked. I particularly enjoy teaching adults. I teach at GLN because learning a language is the best window to the culture(s) where it is spoken – it allows you to climb in!

My biggest passions are language learning, teaching, traveling the world and getting to know new people, their language, their culture and fully immerse in their daily lives. For me learning a language is a key to opening whole and magical new worlds, a key that fosters understanding, tolerance, respect and love for people and cultural diversity. I am a travel and hospitality senior professional with over twenty years of experience in the marketing, sales and operation areas and a fervent ambassador and promoter of Costa Rica’s natural wonders and its peaceful and friendly people. My native language is Spanish, but I am also fluent in English, Portuguese, German, French and have an intermediate level of Hebrew and Norwegian. I was impressed by the GLN’s work, its positive impact in the community and how it fosters communication, connection and understanding through language amidst such diverse cultures and backgrounds. That’s what I call teaching with purpose and I definitely want to be part of this project.

When I started high school my French teacher started our first class by writing a quote about multilingualism on the blackboard and made everyone write it down. The quote was in Italian but it loosely translates to “since words are the instrument of thought, those who grow up in a multilingual society have a more flexible and tolerant mentality, and they are capable of seeing diversity as an advantage, not a threat.” These words have informed my career path ever since and are perfectly aligned with GLN’s mission. This is why I am proud to share my language and culture as a Teaching Fellow.

Mr. Vann began his career as a French and Spanish teacher on the secondary and college level.  Upon receipt of a Masters Degree in Teaching English as a Second Language, he taught at George Washington University for five years.  Leaving academia, he went to work for a Defense Contractor in the Washington area as a training specialist, servicing contracts with US Government agencies and foreign clients. During this time, he spent five years in the Middle East.

Mr. Vann’s true interest is cross cultural development and helping people deal with cultural differences and adaptation to non-native environments.  He designed a cross cultural course for the US Air Force to assist airmen in dealing with in adaptation and has assisted government clients in dealing with organizational change.

Mr. Vann’s first and favorite language is French.  He also has varying degrees of competence in Spanish, Arabic, and his wife’s native languages, Armenian and Russian.  He signed up to teach at GLN out of a desire to get back into the classroom, which he loves, and also to work with his favorite language: French.  (He has studied Spanish, Russian, and Western Armenian.)

I am grateful for the GLN who has given me the teaching opportunity of my native language for such a rewarding purpose, “using language as a tool to help fix our world”.   My passion in teaching language has been growing again since I started appreciating the Japanese culture a couple of years ago. I once taught English to Japanese people when I was in Japan and had a great time with my students.  Now I teach Japanese here at GLN and very excited about for this opportunity. 

I feel privileged that I am a native speaker of Japanese language, which is often ranked one of the most challenging languages to learn and at that same time one of the most popular languages that people want to learn.  It is my pleasure to teach Japanese and share my knowledge and experience of Japanese culture with people who are interested in my home country.

I have a true passion for the Spanish language and culture.  It is an honor and joy to be able to share my experiences and the joy that learning another language has brought me over the years.  I have been teaching Spanish for eight years, and I look forward to working with adult learners.

Learning a language and communicating with people from diverse backgrounds has always been Rosa’s passion. So far, she has learned English, Mandarin Chinese, and Spanish. She is constantly working on these languages because she would love to communicate and teach in these languages in the future. She came to the United States in 2008, and has been in the Washington DC area since 2010. During that time, she made so many international friends and this is something that she wants to cherish throughout her time. It never occurred to her that teaching her own language could be a way of meeting other passionate learners. The mission of the GLN especially resonates with her, and it intersects with her mission statement. She hopes that she can be a helpful enhancer for your language learning journey! Fun fact about her– she has a black belt in Korean traditional martial art (not Taekwondo, but Subakdo)!

Teaching my mother tongue with GLN has been a wonderful experience, allowing me to share my culture and language and at the same time learning from my students! The interest and commitment my students always demonstrated made me always happily wait for the following class.

Rudi is happy to join GLN as an Albanian tutor. He lives in DC now but originally comes from Albania. He is always up for a good laugh and learning new things. Join the Albanian language class to experience the hospitality and warmth of a culture that comes from a country in a surprising wedge of southeastern Europe!

Teaching with GLN makes me feel happy, motivated, energetic, excited and thankful. What I really like is that people from all fields and areas come together to study a language they are very interested in. The students have different reasons why they want to learn this specific language and are willing to invest a lot of their free time in to it. I am very enthusiastic about preparing my lessons and teaching, meanwhile the students are enthusiastic about learning. That gives us a very pleasant study environment. It is great to see how the students from lesson to lesson progress in the target language and how they feel more confident about their new acquired language skills

Samantha believes that learning a language is an empowering choice and experience, and she would like to share this discovery with her students. She graduated from American University with a degree in Psychology and French and since then she has been looking for ways to combine the two. Becoming an English teacher seemed like the perfect way to work in a culturally diverse environment and help others help themselves. As a teacher she wants her students to feel more confident in themselves and in their English language skills. Outside of the classroom she enjoys reading, writing, and drinking tea with her dog Miles. Travelling is one of her passions and in between her adventures she can be found planning her next trip, testing out a new recipe, and cultivating peace, love, joy and gratitude on her yoga mat. She speaks French and Spanish, and she’s very excited to meet her students.

Born in Bucharest, Romania, Ruxandra (Sandra) immigrated to the United States with her family and grew up in Texas.  She received her B.A. in International Relations and Spanish Literature from Boston University and J.D from Cornell Law School.  She also lived in Madrid, Spain for a year during college and in Paris where she attended the Sorbonne University for a summer, studying European Union law.   In her spare time, she loves to travel abroad and the outdoors.  She studied Portuguese and Russian with GLN and wants to share her love for Romania and the Romanian language with GLN students.

I am a Midwestern Swede by birth and an alumna of the University of Kansas, where I majored in International Studies and German. During the spring of 2014, I studied at the Universität Regensburg in Regensburg, Germany after participating in the U.S. Department of State’s Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange program during the 2010-2011 academic year. My current job in DC allows me to facilitate international exchange programs for people from all over the world, which suits my interests quite well.

Whether you want to travel to a German-speaking country, connect with your heritage, or simply find a new hobby, I hope I can help you on your German language journey. Achtung: I do love to bake, so we may have some spontaneous Kaffee und Kuchen in class!

Hi, there! My name is Sarah, and I’m a former middle school English teacher, turned technical writer. I’m passionate about the arts and social impact and I enjoy reading, being crafty and exploring the great outdoors. I’m excited to be joining GLN as a teaching fellow for the spring 2017 semester; I’ll be teaching an English “Nearly Native” class and I look forward to meeting students from around the world!

Teaching at GLN is a great opportunity to meet people from different cultures. The GLN student body is dominated by successful, driven, and motivated people, who create an excellent atmosphere for interaction. I feel like am able to help students to advance their career and language skills as well as challenge my training and public speaking skills.