Yaqeen, from Jordan, came to the US last year after finishing high school to visit her sibling in Ann Arbor during vacation. “While I was here, I decided I would continue my study in the US,” she said. Yaqeen started the student visa application process, and enrolled in MLC after she got the visa.
There’s no doubt people at MLC would say that Yaqeen is a student who is very outgoing, friendly, and hard working. However, Yaqeen says she was very nervous when she started her studies at MLC. “Originally I am a shy person, and I was very nervous the first couple of days,” she said. “But teachers told me not to be shy and it is OK to make mistakes. That friendly atmosphere made me feel more comfortable.”
Yaqeen started her studies in the fall of 2022 as a Beginning student, and now she is in the Advanced Intermediate level. It is inspiring to see how her improved language skills transformed her from being shy and reserved to becoming an outgoing, active member of the MLC community. “But I still find it challenging to speak in English outside the school. As I said, I am very shy by nature,” she said. In that sense, the Volunteer Club at MLC has greatly helped her to communicate with many people.
Yaqeen has dedicated herself to the volunteer projects at MLC by creating posters and digital flyers for project advertisements, attending the volunteer club meeting every week, and participating in as many on-site volunteer activities as possible. Through these activities, Yaqeen says she enjoyed interacting with local people outside the school. “It is a great experience to have opportunities to help people in the community. Also, it is good for me to improve my English, especially my speaking skill,” she said.
Now Yaqeen is planning to take TOEFL classes at MLC in order to go to a college in the US. “I am interested in studying law,” she said. Although Yaqeen says she is not sure yet which college she wants to aim for, we are sure that she will succeed anywhere with her hard work and commitment to learning and growth!
