Last October, we had the privilege of speaking with International Relations major Isabelle Borr about her experience studying Arabic and traveling to Amman, Jordan for a summer studying abroad. When we left off, Isabelle was prepping for another semester abroad in Oman as a political intern for the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs at the United States Embassy. This year, we’re catching up with her to hear all about her time in Oman’s capital city, Muscat, during Fall Semester ‘22.
The internship was a ten-week program that she researched on her own and applied to through the State Department, and she was able to use the experience for credits at MSU. The program provided housing for her, and she lucked out in ending up with a massive apartment in the city all to herself. She rented a car to get around the city and to work every day. There, she had the responsibilities of assisting the officers, attending meetings, writing background papers, and aiding the other offices, such as the consular and public affairs sectors.
While the work week was tiring, her weekends were full of adventure. She went beachside camping in southern Oman, hiked through the wadis, and swam with turtles off the islands in the north. She also had the unique opportunity to attend the Marine Ball, where she danced the night away with the friends she made. She tried slow-cooked beef called shuwa and frankinscence-rose water ice cream. She even got to take a trip to Dubai with her family to see the Burj Khalifa, the infamous shopping malls, and the city’s markets.
Isabelle was shocked to discover that despite the official language being Arabic, most of the people in Oman and the UAE spoke English, and she did not use much Arabic at her job. She had plenty of opportunities to use her language skills around town and while traveling, and she made an effort to read the Arabic newspaper every day, but she was able to rely on English a lot of the time. She noted how interesting it was to see an increase of English speakers in the gulf countries, as many of them are run and inhabited by expats.
Despite the rise of anglophone countries, Isabelle affirms the importance of learning other languages as an English speaker. When we learn a language, we learn the cultural nuances of communication, and respect for these nuances can dramatically transform your experience abroad. Because Isabelle had devoted so much time to learning Arabic, she had a heightened ability to show respect for Arab culture. And because language and culture are intrinsically tied, her language study provided her with enough cultural knowledge to secure the internship with the Embassy.
And what’s more, Isabelle has no plans to stop her adventures abroad. Over the summer, she interned at the Bureau of Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Washington DC, and as a part of that same program, she will have the opportunity to spend another ten weeks abroad next summer. She is hoping to travel to Central Asia in order to expand her horizons. Her dream post is Almaty, Kazakhstan, and she plans to begin learning Russian to facilitate her stay there.
The decision to learn languages has indubitably changed Isabelle’s life for the better. She will continue to unlock opportunities, learn about cultures, and explore the world for as long as she chooses to do so. We can’t wait to see how her skills will change the world.
Story by El Taverna
