Languages

Over the years, I've fostered a deep appreciation and fascination with languages that has only grown stronger with time. I truly believe that a world of possibilities opens up when you are able to communicate with someone in the way the feel most comfortable. Whether it be with the patients I've interacted with through volunteering at dental clinics, or strangers I've crossed paths with throughout my life, learning languages has helped me to cross borders and bridge understandings that otherwise would have been out of reach.

Thai

As the child of Thai immigrants, I grew up speaking Thai within our household. My mother is from Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand and my father from Ayutthaya in Central Thailand, but I've adopted the accent of a typical teenager in Bangkok, the nation's urban capital. Though I never learned how to write or read Thai, I still speak with fluently, most often when communicating with family, and recently, with my friends in UF's Thai-Lao Student Association!

English

With the start of my schooling, English became my dominant language. Though I still speak Thai at home with my family, our household as a whole inevitably use a mix of Thai-English, the more we assimilated into American culture. I think and dream in English, with bits of Thai and Spanish spilling out sometimes when I lack the words I want to say!

Spanish

I began taking Spanish classes in the 7th grade, at first merely to fulfill a middle school curriculum requirement and to be able to navigate Miami easier during my weekend trips to the city to see friends and family. However, I quickly fell in love with the language and learning process, and committed to becoming fluent. Currently, I am a Spanish minor and have had the opportunity to speak it nearly everyday in my day-to-day life, extracurriculars, and classes. With my foundation in this Romance language, I hope to open the path to learn French, Portuguese, Italian, and many more languages!