My name is Catherine Chon. I am a second-year student, currently majoring in Spanish/Portuguese and considering a pre-health track. I was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, and raised in Montgomery, Alabama – and no, I do not have a southern accent. Learning at least nine other languages is a priority item on my bucket list because I want to transcend language barriers and make communication easier. You’ll probably see me either taking naps in random spots around campus at any time of day (current favorite is in the reading pods at the ESC) or engaging in Asian-American activism!

Jada is a first-year at Emory. She is from the rural South but has big-city dreams of travel and work as a translator. She enjoys David Bowie, vinyl records, vintage postcards, film photography, and reading the travel blog Shut Up and Go, to which she attributes her love of languages and travel. She has a cat named Sophie who she loves and misses dearly. Jada is excited to contribute to this blog and publish her writing for the first time!

My name is Kaitlin Mottley, a first-year in the Global Languages and Cultures Cohort. I was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, but I have a passion for traveling and learning about global cultures. I want to continue my Japanese education here at Emory, and I am also considering a major in East Asian Studies. My passion for the Japanese language began when I was just a sixth grader and since then, I have been working hard to find ways to incorporate it into my career. Along with the wonderful professional development that the Cohort provides, I hope to build meaningful friendships and create lasting networks. I hope to see you around on campus!

Hello, world!

My name is Eliana Namen and I am serving as the Global Languages and Cultures Cohort Assistant under Dr. Ana Catarina Teixeira for the 2019-2020 school year. I am a second year student on the pre-med track, majoring in Spanish/Portuguese and Psychology at Emory University. I was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida to a Salvadoran mother and an Iraqi father. In summarizing my ethnic backgrounds, I identify as a redheaded, Spanish-speaking, Americanized Arab that has a passion for languages, loves to travel, and is a HUGE soccer fan.