Hi all! My name is Maria Ramirez, and I live in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I grew up in a small city called Waukesha, Wisconsin, but was lucky that my family hosted foreign exchanges students from across the world. This gave me the chance to learn about world cultures and languages. It also encouraged me to study Arabic in Cairo, Egypt in 2006 with the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y). I then attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison where I majored in International Studies and Spanish and minored in African Studies and Middle East Studies. I also earned my Master's Degree from American University in Washington, D.C. Since graduation, I have been working in education.
Hello everyone! My name is Meenu Bhooshanan, and I am currently a sixteen year old junior in Bob Jones High School. I am from Madison, AL. Both of my parents are from India, my dad from Mumbai and my mom from the south of India. Visiting India to see family every few years has given me some international experience, but my knowledge really expanded this past summer. During June and July of 2016, I studied abroad with NSLI-Y to learn the Arabic language in Amman, Jordan. I am excited to continue my Arabic studies and become more knowledgeable about the world we live in.
