Center News

Tyler, Graduate Assistant

This answer feels a bit like cheating, but I must say my favorite moment in the Speaking Center has been every time I have been lucky enough to work with an Interlink student. While the primary purpose of these sessions is to give them an opportunity to practice their English language skills, it also acts as a valuable cross-cultural interaction. These conversations always serve to remind me that regardless of where someone is from, they’re still a person, and I often find myself leaving the session learning as much about our shared interests and experiences as I do about our differences. One instance which was particularly funny to me involved food (as most stories of mine do). In my short time at the Speaking Center thus far, I have developed a reputation as something of an evangelist for Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. You can imagine my surprise, then, when the two Interlink students with whom a coworker and I were conversing had brought in practice materials to read which summarized the history of Ben and Jerry’s! Talking to them further about it revealed that it was available in their home country as well (if expensive), and we even got into a discussion about our favorite flavors! This was undoubtedly a funny and positive experience for me, and I hope it was for them as well.