I wanted to experience all the languages I could while I was at Glastonbury (and afterward), as a result I can now count to ten in six languages, follow a conversation in three, and merely beg for mercy in four. In Glastonbury I studied Spanish, French, Russian, and Japanese; when I went to college, I wanted to branch out a little, so I started studying Chinese. I ended up majoring in East Asian Studies and International Politics, and have been able to use both degrees in some of the jobs I've had since I graduated. I hope to continue developing my fluency in Chinese in graduate school.

I find that, having started my Spanish in second grade, my comprehension has stayed with me despite years of disuse. The same may be said of the other languages I studied in Glastonbury - while I chose to concentrate on Chinese in college, my years learning Russian, Japanese, Spanish and French have provided me with a solid foundation on which to build in the future.

My best advice to any foreign language student is to stick with your chosen language until you feel comfortable holding conversations and have traveled abroad.