Katz To Explore Language in Russia

Junior Talia Katz practices her Spanish conversation skills with Spanish teacher, Barbara Heuter. Katz has become proficient in the language, as well as in French, and speaks fluent Hebrew. Photo by Taylor Fernandes ‘14

Junior Talia Katz practices her Spanish conversation skills with Spanish teacher, Barbara Heuter. Katz has become proficient in the language, as well as in French, and speaks fluent Hebrew. Photo by Taylor Fernandes ‘14

by Darby Whitehair ‘12

In just a few short weeks, junior Talia Katz will venture to Russia and return two months later as an American with knowledge of both a foreign culture and its language. Financed by the U.S. Department of State’s National Security Languages Initiative for Youth program, Katz and 12 other Americans will spend their summer in Russia, learning how to speak Russian while improving diplomatic relationships.

 After a review of expectations in New York, the group will fly to Moscow for some sight-seeing and then hop onto the railway to Kirov, where they will stay for the remainder of the trip.         

While there, Katz will receive Russian language instruction for five hours every day, followed by social interaction and exploration in the afternoon and evenings. As the group gets accustomed to Russian culture, they will stay together in an apartment. Then for their last three weeks, they will live with Russian families.

“While I’m mainly there to learn the language, I’m also there to really learn from the people and try to look at the world from a new perspective, helping to create a cultural bridge between our two countries,” said Katz.

Following her love of foreign language and diplomacy, Katz long has immersed herself in learning foreign cultures and languages. Her attendance at a Jewish school for grades kindergarten to seventh gave her fluency in Hebrew. Currently Katz is enrolled in honors Spanish 4 and honors French 3 and practices the languages daily.

However, her interest in foreign affairs goes far beyond educational requirements. “It … shapes who I am as a person; my parents never know which language I’ll use to answer their next question, half the songs on my iPod are in other languages, I adore foreign films, and my internet homepage is BBC World News,” said Katz.

Unlike many who dread and struggle with foreign languages and cannot wait to get through their requirements, Katz picks up languages with ease. She currently speaks Hebrew and English fluently and Spanish and French proficiently, and after this summer, Katz will add Russian to the list.

“I guess I’m lucky because to me languages have always just seemed like a puzzle; they’ve never been hard. I think the more you learn, the easier others are to pick up—even  if they’re not related because each language trains your brain to think in a new way,” said Katz.

The trip to Russia offers Katz a summer full of her interests. As the trip focuses on language and diplomacy, Katz will feel right at home with her passion to learn and develop an understanding of other countries.

“My love of foreign languages has led me to become involved in international relations and international economic development. Since freshman year I’ve been very involved with Model UN and I’m definitely considering pursuing a career in diplomacy or international business,” said Katz.

Russia has been and continues to be a country that is feared by other nations. Katz hopes that by going to Russia, she will be able to more clearly understand Russia and the tension between it and some other nations.

After this summer’s trip to Russia, Katz will travel to France as an exchange

student in the fall to further her education in foreign affairs and languages.

“As of now, I really just want to concentrate on gaining fluency in French, Spanish and Russian before I move on to new languages. I think learning Arabic or Swahili would be cool and I’d also love to learn a few of the South American indigenous languages like Quechua,” said Katz.