From China to Pakistan

[Originally printed in our monthly newsletter in May 2007]

In all my years I have never come across another Analia and I love that! Names play a huge role and a great conversation starter, my Chinese name, Lin Yan, is also unique.

Anne looks back to her days as Analia, her Spanish name while she was a villager and staff member at El Lago Del Bosque. “Most importantly my experiences gave me confidence to use my foreign language skills. I definitely do not have the best Chinese (or Spanish or Arabic), but I am fearless in my willingness to use my foreign language skills.  An immersion environment helps you develop a level of confidence and comfort in using foreign language skills with native speakers that cannot be duplicated.”

She remembers the first day of camp clearly. “I was petrified!  It was the first time that I had spent significant time away from my parents and I knew no one.  By dinner time I had a made friends with most of the girls in my cabin, most of whom had also come to El Lago del Bosco knowing no one.” That was the summer of 1985.

Four years as a villager was not enough. In 1990, Analia became a counselor. She remembers she was just as nervous on her first day on staff as she was her first day as a villager.  “My first year as a counselor was a World Cup year and working at El Lago del Bosque, World Cup fever was high. We had a large number of Argentines on staff that summer and I became a passionate Argentina fan and still am today!”

Anne finished high school and college, and while she retained her Village outlook on life, her career interests migrated to Asia. In the future, she hopes to spend more time in China, but is also eager to explore new areas in Asia.

Anne’s two years in China reiterated her belief that it is the similarities that bring people together. “Although their culture and history make their frame of reference very different than ours, that there are many things that we have in common.  Finding the common ground makes understanding the differences that much easier.”

To participants preparing to participate in Language Villages programs in China -  Hometown, China, Global Language Villages, and China Credit Abroad – Anne says, “Talk to people!  Chinese are very friendly and they love to talk with foreigners.  If someone is staring at you (which they will; it is not considered impolite to stare), engage them! I especially enjoy chatting with older people on the streets and taxi drivers.”

Anne Analia Linnee was a villager at El Lago del Bosque for four summers between 1985-1989, and a staff member for four summers between 1990-1994.

clv@cord.edu
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