Senior Hannah Cin came from outside of the US. Living in Burma until age 7, then in Malaysia until age 10. Cin learned multiple languages such as Falam, Mizo and Hakha. 

“It’s very typical for Burmese people, because everyone speaks two or three languages, but [knowing multiple languages] is really helpful,” Cin said.

Cin finds it useful to be able to communicate with many different people and used it a lot when she was a cashier at an Asian grocery store.

She adjusts the language she is speaking according to her situation. At home, Cin uses Falam. At school, she uses English unless she’s helping students who have just arrived here, and at church she uses both languages.

Cin is a Sunday school teacher at her church and many of the children there mainly speak English.

“I teach 5 year olds, they don’t really speak native Falam anymore so we have to use English,” Cin said.

This can truly be a struggle as Cin herself doesn’t fully understand English and mixes the languages together which confuses some of the kids. 

Cin has helped translate for many people. She is a student volunteer at Homecroft Elementary and has helped translate for families there.

She remembers one family came into the office not speaking English, and after learning they spoke Hakha, she helped translate for them and the office staff.

“I helped them, even though they didn’t ask me, and I was so proud of it,” Cin said.

Knowinging so many languages can get confusing for Cin as she often mixes them up. Sometimes she uses multiple languages by accident during conversations.

This doesn’t just happen when speaking Falam, Mizo or Hakha, it also happens when speaking English.

“Even when I speak English with my American friends, some words can’t come out because the languages in my mind mix up,” Cin said.

Cin loves learning languages as it helps her make friends and learn about cultures different from her own.

“It’s good [learning multiple languages], I mean you get to learn about other cultures,” Cin said.

Senior Sarai Rivas learned Spanish from her parents and only began learning English when she started Kindergarten at 5-years-old.

“Knowing both English and Spanish is very exciting,” Rivas said.

Both her and her brother struggled to learn English and often practiced with each other to build their speaking skills.

“Once seventh grade year hit, I believe [speaking English] was a little bit easier for me.” Rivas said. “Now I’m fully fluent in both Spanish and English.”

Even now, speaking both languages can have some challenges for Rivas. She often struggles to switch between both languages quickly.

“Once I get the hang of English, then it’ll be fine, but then I switch to Spanish and it’s harder to transition back to English,” Rivas said.

Rivas often uses her multilingual abilities to help those around her. Whether it’s translating for other students, translating for customers at work, or translating for her mom at doctor appointments, she’s always willing to help.

Rivas uses Spanish at home around her family, but mostly uses English at work and school.

“I do have to manage how to speak both languages,” Rivas said.

Rivas has had some hateful things said to her when speaking Spanish. She’s been told that she’s supposed to speak English in America, has been called an alien and more.

She often reminds herself she has a greater advantage and rants to her mom to combate some of the hate.

“The more you ignore them, the more they get tired of trying to get your attention,” Rivas said.