Recipient Profile
E-mail: pbrady@nd.edu
Language: Russian
Location of Study: Kiev, Ukraine
Program of Study: SRAS
Sponsors: Center for the Study of Languages and Cultures and the College of Arts and Letters
Blog URL: http://sites.nd.edu/sla2019/author/pbrady/
Pre-departure
A brief personal bio:
My name is Patrick Brady and I am a rising junior majoring in Political Science, Russian, and Economics. I am thrilled to participate in SRAS’ Kiev Program, which will be my first experience studying a foreign language abroad. Deephaven, Minnesota is my home and I am involved in Notre Dame’s Running Club as well as Naval ROTC here on campus. I look forward to studying Russian in Ukraine and in my following years at Notre Dame.
Why this summer language abroad opportunity is important to me:
While my Russian has improved greatly at Notre Dame, the opportunity to spend many weeks immersed in the language amongst native speakers will be a tremendous experience for developing my fluency. The benefits of my travel will carry onwards as I take Advanced Russian and pursue further courses in the Russian major. In addition to witnessing Kiev’s vibrant history, art, and culture firsthand, I too will have the unique opportunity to stay with a host family and form lasting relations with them and my peer students from the U.S. I anticipate my proficiency in the Russian language and my appreciation for Russian and Ukrainian culture will be a valuable asset as a junior officer, as well as for any further educational or career paths I may choose after my time in the Navy. Whatever opportunities this SLA experience will offer in the distant future, I am grateful and excited for this chance to travel to Ukraine as I prepare for my trip in the present.
What I hope to achieve as a result of this summer study abroad experience:
Through the assistance of the SLA grant, I hope to greatly improve my fluency in the Russian language and gain a rich understanding of Ukrainian history and culture. I particularly hope to improve my speaking skills and pronunciation, which I would currently consider my weakest areas in the language. Additionally, I would like to expand my vocabulary while utilizing the grammar and vocabulary I have learned thus far at Notre Dame. Listening and writing skills are also integral to my language proficiency and I hope to improve those as well. I expect the immersive nature of my trip will be instrumental in facilitating this learning and I look forward to my progress at the end of my stay.
My specific learning goals for language and intercultural learning this summer:
1. At the end of the summer, I will be able to carry a full conversation or interview in Russian.
2. At the end of the summer, I will be able to accurately transcribe spoken Russian to text, and likewise, be able to accurately pronounce text when spoken aloud.
3. At the end of the summer, I will be able to utilize a rich vocabulary of Russian for written compositions.