People Profiles: Hannah

I have a tonne of interesting friends. Rather than use this blog a way of journalising my own quite stultifying neuroses, I've decided interview them about their lives and careers.

Hannah Slate, Language Development Specialist, Pittsburgh, USA

Take time to really absorb what you experience... pictures are great-- but memories are even better.

Hannah is one of those frighteningly together people; self-contained and wise beyond her years in ways that intelligent, pretty girls do usually bother with. We met at grad school in Dublin, where I was quite intimidated, and not a little jealous, that she had travelled the world before we even began studying, and was already well on the way to success by the time we left. She is my calmest girlfriend; whom I see the least but always have something to say to.

Here she talks about teaching at college level, living in Pittsburgh, and almost getting stuck in an African desert.

Tell us about where you grew up.

I grew up in Neversink-- a small town in the Catskills. It's a peaceful place to grow up but it was also frustrating at times (everything was a drive away-- so I was very dependent on my parents until learning to drive!)

You’ve travelled all over the world, and lived in a number of places quite different from Neversink. How influential has travel been on you?

Travel has had a huge influence on me-- not only by opening my eyes to new places/cultures but by helping me realize who I fundamentally am as a person. Travel has helped me keep things in perspective and it has helped me become more confident and accepting of change. Travel has also made me realize how small the world actually is... it's not just a cliche.

Can you describe some of your foreign adventures?

My "adventures" have ranged from camping in the outback of Australia to working in Prague to getting on a bus with 15 other ESL [English as a Second Language] teachers and traveling through western Africa. The last one was probably the biggest adventure. Some highlights include shady border crossings, getting stuck (multiple times) in desert sand (and then pulled out one time by a military vehicle), bartering with Moroccans, trading my shoes for wooden crafts in the Gambia and eating nearly raw goat meat from our gracious hosts in Senegal.

Any horror stories?

There was only one time while traveling that I truly feared for my life. We were somewhere in Mauritania near the end of our desert crossing, and the sand dunes had shifted too much for us to take the usual route through the desert. Our only option was to wait for the tide to go out and then ride the hardened beach sand to the next town. Along the way-- we saw the remains of vans and trucks, which had attempted the trip before us, in the ocean. To make matters worse-- we didn't have any spare tires, and... you guessed it... we got a flat along the way. Amazingly, the driver managed to pull into the soft sand where we wouldn't wash away with the tide (at least not within the next half hour...) With a little ingenuity-- we managed to move one of the rear tires (they were doubled up) to the front... and after much pushing- got on our way again. The entire ride was terrifying-- even our mauritanian guide seemed horrified as he kept screaming to the driver in french-- "To the left!!" (meaning stay away from the ocean you crazy white man...) I was sure we'd either end up in the ocean or stranded on the beach... but I'm still here to tell the story.

What advice would you give to people who are about to embark on their gap years, or round the world trips?

Take time to really absorb what you experience... pictures are great-- but memories are even better.

At different times you’ve lived in New York, Dublin, Prague, and Melbourne, among other exciting places. Tell us some things that people should do when they’re in each place, and make some recommendations (sight seeing, bar hopping, shopping, anything else you could recommend).

It really depends on what you're after and what interests you have. Buy a good traveling guide and highlight some things that peak your interest. My favorite thing to do in a new city is to grab a seat at an outdoor cafe or restaurant, have some local beer or wine and people watch.

Tell us about your job. What do you do?

What does it involve in practical terms? I'm a Language Development Specialist at Carnegie Mellon. I work with international graduate students (and some undergraduates). I teach classes and seminars that help students develop academic fluency, presentation skills and academic writing skills. I also do some individual tutoring with students and I'm involved with a lot of assessment and student advising. Recently, I've also been responsible for monitoring our writing support program and mentoring other instructors.

Did you always want to teach?

No-- in fact, both of my parents and my sister are teachers-- so I always thought I'd do something completely different. But it turns out that I love teaching and I see myself always teaching in some way.

You’re very highly qualified. Can you tell us about your education and career path? I know you taught English in a number of countries before returning to the US.

My undergraduate degree is in Psychology (with a minor in Theater). I then got a TEFL [to teach English as a Foreign Language] certificate so that I could teach English abroad. I thought that teaching ESL would be a intermediate job before I decided what area of Psychology to study in grad school.... but after teaching English in Prague for a year, I decided to continue with ESL and got my M.Phil in Applied Linguistics. While working on my masters in Dublin- I taught English at a language school there. I then moved to NYC- taught a freshman writing class for one of the city universities and then got a full time gig teaching ESL at an intensive English program at another university. Finally- I moved to Pittsburgh-- and eventually landed the job that I have now.

Is there a noticeable difference between teaching College level students and students at a language school, such as the one you taught at in Dublin?

Yes. The main difference is motivation. In Dublin, many of my students were struggling with basic survival skills in English (communicating at work, in stores, government offices, etc.) At CMU-- my students have more fluency-- but they still need to develop their language so that they can make it through their academic programs successfully.

Is there a marked difference between teaching the subject in the US and other countries?

The main difference deals with teaching English as a second language vs a foreign language. In Prague-- my students didn't necessarily need English for their daily interactions- whereas in Ireland and the US-- they do.

I literally knew nothing about Pittsburgh before moving here-- and I love it. As one teacher told me in NYC before I moved here-- "It's the new Brooklyn".

Do you have ambitions to live and work outside of the US again? Where would you go, and why?

Sure-- I'm open to the possibility-- but I'm not actively seeking work outside the US right now... it depends on where my life takes me.

You live in Pittsburgh at the moment. Tell us about the city.

I literally knew nothing about Pittsburgh before moving here-- and I love it. The people are friendly, the terrain in beautiful, there's a thriving art scene and the different sections have a real neighborhood feel. It's easy to feel comfortable in Pittsburgh. As one teacher told me in NYC before I moved here-- "It's the new Brooklyn".

What should people who visit Pittsburgh try to see and do while they’re there?

See Question 6. But in addition to that-- no trip to Pittsburgh would be complete without a trip up Mount Washington and a meal at Primanti's. Also, to get the true Pittsburgh spirit-- go to a Steelers or Penguins game.

Where do you see yourself in ten years time? Can you imagine staying in the same field in the long-term? If not, what are your other career goals?

Ten years is a long time. I definitely wouldn't have guessed I'd be where I am ten years ago-- so I can't really predict what I'll be doing in another 10. I'd be happy staying in the same field-- but I'm keeping my options open.

Outside of work, how do you spend your time?

Going for hikes with my dog, relaxing with friends, playing my flute, doing yoga, watching movies... (to name a few activities)