UNA offers students the chance to learn foreign languages they do not normally offer.

Native speakers, who are students, teach these classes.

Senior Adelina Gu arrived at UNA last year, and she began to teach Elementary Chinese last semester.

Gu said Associate Professor of Spanish Scott Infanger told her of the teaching job.

“At first, my purpose was to get a part-time job and to get some working experience in America,” she said. “I had some tutoring experience before in China, and I thought it would be fun.”

Foreign Languages Department Chair Claudia Vance said students enjoy having Gu as a teacher.

“I think she’s very approachable, and she’s very easy going,” she said. “That has made a difference, and the students like being in her class.”

Senior Hyebin Joo said Gu is an encouraging teacher.

“Even if students get wrong answers from the quiz, she claps and then says ‘That’s okay. We can make it again,’” she said.

Gu said teaching also helps her with her own language.

“It’s really interesting that I get to know more about my language,” she said. “Before, when I was in China, we just speak like people do here. We don’t realize how hard our native language is to learn.”

Gu said she loves to learn different languages and is currently working on three.

Vance said Gu is working toward a dual degree, which allows a student to earn two different degrees.

“She will be getting a degree at Tianjin and UNA in Commercial Spanish,” she said. “This means she will be getting a major in Spanish and a minor in Business.”

Vance said Gu is a dependable and intelligent student.

Freshman James Traywick said Gu is nice and she impresses him.

“I applaud her for taking on the hard task of teaching her native language in English,” he said.

Gu said she considers herself to be patient due to issues with her native language at UNA.

“Every time I meet someone, there is this language barrier,” she said. “So, you need to be patient to control your speaking speed and with choosing your words.”

Gu said another one of her loves is dancing.

“I’m a traditional Chinese dancer,” she said. “The style is called Han, and I like to learn it by myself with videos. That is the traditional dance which shows the custom and habit of the nation.”

A majority of traditional dances were created during the Han Dynasty and were a ritual, which helped with agriculture, according to the travel guide China Highlights.

Gu said she enjoys it at UNA and is glad she chose to attend school here.

“The campus is beautiful, and everyone I have met has been wonderful,” she said. “I just want to go out to see nature, make new friends and learn about other things.”