by Courtney Durst ’19
Study abroad runs deep in the Central College family. Not all our explorers travel away from the U.S., though. For a small group of language assistants, study abroad means leaving behind their home countries for Pella, Iowa.
Language assistants are native speakers of French, German and Spanish, and they’ve connected with Central students to enrich language learning for several decades. It’s an opportunity for both groups to learn from each other, says Kathy Korcheck, associate professor of Spanish.
This year, the program boasts seven language assistants from Mexico, Austria, Spain and France. Language assistants host weekly meetings with over 125 students to supplement classroom lectures and to review unit concepts like grammar, vocabulary and culture.
Every day, the modern languages department bustles with four to five language labs at a time. Students breeze in and out of the office suite, meeting in small groups to discuss concepts and participate in conversations with language assistants.
It’s an exciting mix of languages, cultures and curriculum, and Central’s language assistants wouldn’t have it any other way. Despite the chaos of the job, the assistants describe their experiences as “perfect,” “amazing” and “unforgettable.”
Language assistant Marinne Rouge (right) coaches first-year students Aly Mathews and Sam Magee in a French lab session.
This team of assistants has lived and worked together with students since arriving on campus last fall. Since then, they have prepared weekly lab material and built strong relationships with Central students.
“I wanted to experience life on campus because it’s what we’ve seen in movies,” says Spanish language assistant Ana Pardo. At Central, her schedule is filled with challenging classes, Spanish language labs, study breaks with friends and weekend adventures around Pella.
French language assistant Marinne Rougé says she has also adapted to the unique assistantship position. “People are really nice and my students are really nice — they want us to feel like we belong,” Rougé says.
Language students have an advantage at Central, Korcheck says, because language assistants work, live and play with students. “The assistants automatically bring linguistic and cultural diversity,” she says. “They get really involved in our activities on campus and with our students.”
Assistant Vitoria Delgado of Mexico says campus life has been an essential part of her experience. “I really like it because in Mexico, we don’t do campus living,” Delgado says. “The whole experience is new to me, and I love it because I have a lot of independence, and I’m always with my friends.”
Kristina Hofbauer, Austrian language assistant and a member of the campus cheerleading team, says building a Central College family has been an unforgettable experience. “It has been great because we could dive into that experience of having a small college and nice people everywhere who greet you,” she says.
Central’s language assistants gather for a photo on Hoo-Rah Day.
The assistants agree: their year at Central College has been extraordinary. After experiencing road trips across the United States, life in the language houses, events in downtown Pella and campus activities, many assistants say returning home in May will be bittersweet.
“I’ve been really connected with the other language assistants and my students,” says Delgado.
Her sentiment is shared by the other assistants, who say they have grown to love the sense of family and community at Central College. “The more you participate in activities, the more you get an advantage of the experience and everything Central has to offer,” Delgado adds.
Ultimately, the assistants say their year abroad has both fulfilled lifelong dreams of international travel and kindled deeper interest in future careers. “This experience really reassured me that I want to teach and that it’s the right thing for me and that I’m on the right track,” Hofbauer says.
One thing is for sure: Central College won’t be the same after the assistants’ departure in May. Luckily for next year’s language students, a new group joins them on campus in the fall.
