Foreign Language Teaching Assistants
Foreign Language Teaching Assistants (FLTAs) are non-degree seeking students who come to Wesleyan for one year to enhance our students' language learning experience through cultural exchange. They are appointed through Wesleyan's language departments and work under the supervision of the language teaching faculty in those departments. We are extremely grateful to these visitors for their contribution to advancing the mission of the Fries Center for Global Studies (FCGS) in terms of language and intercultural learning. By bringing them together in a highly visible common space in Fisk, we hope to enhance their profile as a group and foster greater interaction between them and the Wesleyan student body. Further information can be found using the links below:
2024-2025 FLTA Cohort
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Maryem Ajbouni
Arabic FLTA
Kairouan, Tunisia
Read more about Maryem AjbouniMaryem Ajbouni is thrilled to join Wesleyan University as the Arabic Fulbright FLTA for this academic year. She comes from Kairouan, Tunisia, a city renowned for its deep historical roots and vibrant cultural heritage. Maryem holds a Master’s degree in English Literature, with a dissertation focused on American literature and disability studies. She plans to pursue a PhD after her time at Wesleyan and is eager to enrich her understanding of American culture through the university’s various courses and activities.
Maryem brings a diverse range of teaching experience to her role, including two years with young learners and one year with adult students in Tunisia. She also spent a year in Turkey, where she was captivated by the country’s rich history and unique culture, and built enduring friendships. During her time there, she taught English and was voted Teacher of the Year by the student body! Her experience extends to online teaching, which allowed her to engage with students from a variety of cultural backgrounds.
Maryem is deeply passionate about the Arabic language and culture and is enthusiastic about sharing her knowledge and appreciation with her students. Her interests also include psychology, fashion, music, reading and writing. Maryem looks forward to intercultural communication and welcomes engaging, friendly conversations, especially those with a touch of humor!
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Hongli Liu
Chinese FLTA
Beijing, China
Read more about Hongli LiuHongli is our Chinese Language Teaching Assistant for the 2024-2025 academic year. Her English name is Amarra. She is a graduate student at Beijing Normal University, majoring in teaching Chinese to speakers of other languages. She is interested in linguistic and education. She is always willing to help others in need. In addition, she has many hobbies, such as guzheng (a traditional Chinese musical instrument), calligraphy, Peking Opera, dancing and so on. She is also very fond of sports and travelling, she likes badminton, scuba diving and skiing. She hopes to make friends with many people with different cultural backgrounds from all over the world during her year in the United States. -
Murielle Joan Costentin
French FLTA
Île-de-France, France
Read more about Joan CostentinJoan is one of the French FLTAs this 2024-2025 academic year. She grow up in the Paris region (Île-de-France) before moving to the US in 2016, when she was thirteen. After moving back to France at the end of high school, she studied in a highly selective Classe Préparatoire aux Grandes Écoles in Lyon, to finally get into the ENS Paris-Saclay grad school to study Anglophone literature, history and linguistics. She is currently writing a dissertation on the translation of the novel The Stone Door by surrealist author Leonora Carrington. Above all else, Joan has always wanted to study and teach languages, and she is thrilled to meet everyone at Wesleyan, teaching as well as learning in all the classes and events she can. Joan spends a lot of her free time learning new recipes in her kitchen (she makes a fantastic loaf, but has yet to master the legendary French baguette), but she will not miss an opportunity to play a Dungeons & Dragons or mosh around in the pit of any concert she can get into. -
Marie Réant
French FLTA
Paris, France
Read more about Marie RéantBonjour! Marie grew up in France, in the countryside-ish region of Paris. After highschool, she went to obtain a Bachelor's degree in Psychology at Paris 8 University. In 2019, she got a work holiday visa in Canada and discovered a real passion for traveling. Marie went back to France to finish her Master's degree in Psychology specialized in Ergonomics, and after a first full-time professional experience in Toronto (Canada), she realized that she needed a career that would allow me more flexibility to travel the world and share my love of learning languages. So since 2023, she has been studying online to obtain a Master's degree in Didactics of Languages at Sorbonne Nouvelle, while traveling North America in my self-converted campervan. Being an FLTA is truly a first step into my dream of helping others learn French language and cultures of the french-speaking world. For her Master's thesis, she would like to do some research on alternative efficient methods of teaching-learning languages based on neuroscience and cognitive psychology. In her free time, she likes to watch independent films, go to the (climbing) gym, learn languages (such as Italian and Chinese at the moment), or play boardgames. And whenever she get some time off, she loves to grab her backpack and hiking shoes and fly to discover a new country! -
Aditya Raj
Hindi-Urdu FLTA
Raxaul, Bihar, India
Read more about Aditya RajAditya Raj is a Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant at Wesleyan University. His name is associated with one of the many names of the ‘Sun God’ in Hindu tradition. He will be teaching Hindi and sharing insights about the “Land of Gods” and the “Land of Buddha,” including Nalanda University, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the oldest universities in the world. In addition to his current role, Aditya has served as Ad-hoc Faculty at Lalit Narayan Mithila University, Darbhanga, India and as a Hindi language teacher in a local community in Nepal.
Dr. Raj recently completed his Ph.D. in English Literature from Patna University, India. His research explored human-AI interactions and the impact of terraforming on the environment, individuality, and culture in the science fiction of Kim Stanley Robinson. He has published several research papers and contributed chapters to edited books.
As a Cultural Ambassador of India, he promotes meaningful cultural exchange by showcasing Indian art, such as Madhubani paintings, folk songs, and dance, as well as Indian literature. He views this exchange as a chance to create a dynamic learning environment and build connections with scholars and intellectuals from diverse backgrounds, enriching intercultural connections.
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Stefania Civello
Italian FLTA
Pietra Ligure, Italy
Read more about Stefania CivelloStefania Civello (she/her) is the Italian FTLA. She grew up in a small village called Pietra Ligure, in northern Italy. She moved to Bologna and graduated in Foreign Languages and Literatures at the University of Bologna. She is now continuing her studies in Italian Language and Culture for Foreigners.
She has a genuine interest in American Studies and Afro-American Studies, and she is working on finding inspiration for her thesis. Outside of her studies, she loves traveling to new places and learning about different ways of life. Gym, hiking, music, art and photography are other important hobbies for her. Balancing her academic and personal interests, she is always looking for new experiences that can help her grow and meet new people from all over the world.
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Nao Tsujii
Japanese FLTA
Nara, Japan
Read more about Nao TsujiiNao Tsujii is the Japanese FLTA for 2023-2024. She was born and raised in Nara, Japan. She graduated with Bachelor of Arts in foreign languages, Kansai Gaidai University, Osaka, Japan (April 2019-March 2023) She studied English, teaching Japanese for people who speak other languages, and teaching English for Japanese. Her hobby is listening music and playing the guitar. She especially likes J-pop. Her name’s Chinese character is 菜緒. -
Ye Rim Kim
Korean FLTA
Seoul, South Korea
Read more about Ye Rim Kim안녕하세요! Ye Rim is from Seoul, South Korea. She has a Bachelor's degree in English & Counseling psychology, and she is in her final stage of her Master’s degree in English education. She has a working experience at the alternative school in Korea, teaching English to middle and high school students for 3 years, and moved to the office of international affairs as a program manager of Korea University International Summer/Winter Campus. She is looking forward to finishing her thesis, so hopes to have various experiences and insights from courses and activities in Wesleyan. Since she lived in Russia for 5 years, had an exchange program in Hungary, and spent a year in Austin, TX, she always welcomes to meet people from other countries. She spends her free time watching dramas, having some tea- or coffee-time, cooking some Korean foods, and exercising. She loves to travel, picnic, and visit new, cute places as well. 잘 부탁드려요 :-D -
Carlos Fernández Mondedeu
Spanish FLTA
Madrid, Spain
Read more about Carlos Fernández MondedeuCarlos is one of the Spanish Foreign Language Teaching Assistants for the 2024-2025 academic year. Born and raised in Madrid, a city whose vibrant energy and rich history continue to inspire him, he pursued a degree in Art History with a focus on contemporary art at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, followed by a master’s in museology and art management. Carlos is particularly intrigued by the Movida Madrileña, the revolutionary 1980s countercultural movement that transformed Madrid’s artistic and social landscape, though he is also interested in digital art and new creative platforms.
Throughout his career, Carlos has participated in various EU cultural projects, traveling to diverse locations such as Aruba, Rome, Berlin, Greece, and Croatia. These experiences have enriched his understanding of the transformative power of art across cultures. He has also worked at Freijo Gallery in Madrid and at the National Museum of History in Romania. This year, Carlos aims to immerse himself in American culture while introducing his students to the richness of Spanish art.
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Alba Montes Gómez
Spanish FLTA
Madrid, Spain
Read more about Alba Montes GómezAlba is from Madrid, Spain. She recently graduated in International Relations from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Her passion for learning new languages and exploring different cultures has always driven her, which is why she chose this field of study. This curiosity led Alba to spend a year abroad in Warsaw, Poland, as part of the Erasmus program—a truly unforgettable experience where she immersed myself in a new environment. She has a deep love for discovering new foods and am passionate about traveling. Her curiosity drives her to explore new cultures and learn about different ways of life. She finds joy in connecting with diverse experiences and places. Spending quality time with her family and friends is also very important to her, as they provide invaluable support and joy in her life. -
Manuela Zárate
Spanish FLTA
Bogotá, Colombia
Read more about Manuela ZárateManuela recently completed her studies in Anthropology at the University of Los Andes in Colombia, where cultural studies were a key focus of her research. She is passionate about sharing knowledge on the lived experience of anthropology in Spanish-speaking regions, as understanding a region’s culture provides deeper insights into its language and how people interpret life.
Her studies have focused on Latin America, known as "Abya Yala," a term meaning "living land" or "land in bloom." She is also interested in medical anthropology, which explores how culture shapes local understandings of health and illness. She has participated in conservation and reforestation initiatives in the Putumayo jungle, deepening her understanding of environmental perspectives and the need for real change to mitigate climate change.