Meet the Conversation Facilitators! 

FALL 2024 ...  

Returning for this semester are Elena for Italian and Catherine for Spanish. Joining them are Bokang and Yingnan from China; Caroline from France; Lisa from Germany; Rina and Keito from Japan; and Maria, Fran, and Pablo from Spain. Be sure to welcome them all!

Bokang - Chinese

你们好!( ´ ∀ `)ノ~ Hello everyone! My name is Bokang Ding (丁博康). I'm an international student from China and currently in my senior year studying Computer Engineering. I was born and raised in Jinan, a beautiful and historical city in eastern China!

I love photography, history, traveling (especially Roadtrip), and video games. Also I'm very interested in stargazing. I'm new to the U.S to study, and I enjoy sharing everything I've seen from my perspective about the culture, history, politics, delicious food (and the culture behind), travel experiences and more. So have a seat and exchange our ideas, I'm sure it's gonna be amazing!

Can't wait to see you guys! I'm super excited to make new friends!

Yingnan - Chinese

你好 everyone! I'm Yingnan, but you can call me Maureen if you'd like :) I'm an international student from China, currently in my second year as an English major at NAU. I'm really thrilled to meet you all!

I am passionate about different languages and cultures, and I'm also eager to share my own background with you. I've had the chance to explore many parts of China, so I'd love to chat about the diverse customs and delicious foods from different regions! Besides that, I'm a big fan of traveling, music, and movies as well.

As a fellow language learner, I'm looking forward to growing together through our conversations! Feel free to ask me anything—I'm open to all sorts of questions and excited to make new friends. Let's learn from each other and have fun in the process! 加油⁺₊ ❛‿˂̵✧

Caroline - French

Hello everyone! My name is Caroline, I'm French and I'm from Toulouse (la ville rose), in the southwest of France. Don't be afraid of clichés, I'm not mean or rude, but it's true that I love French food and especially baguettes!

I'm an exchange student here at NAU until December and I'm studying Political Science to become a diplomat or a teacher (I don't know yet).

I'm very open-minded and passionate about many things: traveling, movies, literature, sports, Formula 1, fashion, soccer, music, video games, politics, history. So have a seat, we can have a chat about anything and everything.

I'm really looking forward to sharing my language and culture (of which we French are so proud) with you, and I can't wait to meet you all!

Lisa - GERMAN

Hallo! I am Lisa and I am a German exchange student from Dortmund. I am doing my bachelor in journalism with a minor in political science.

I love to travel, hike, play tennis and hang out with friends. Since I have lived in different parts of Germany, I would love to share some cultural knowledge about my home country with you.

I am really looking forward to meeting you and helping you strengthen and improve your language skills. We all know that German is a difficult language, but it’s really fun once you get into it! Bis bald!

Elena - ITALIAN

Hi! My name is Elena and I originally come from Italy!

I am a Junior here at NAU and I am studying to get a degree in Biomedical Sciences, following the Pre-Med track. Although I have lived in the United States for quite some time now, speaking Italian is still a very important part of my life, and I would love to share it with you!

Some of the things I enjoy the most are setting up my hammock and reading novels, as well as spending time hanging out with my friends, and taking strolls downtown. I am really looking forward to starting my first semester as a CF and I can't wait to hold fun conversations in my native language with you!

Keito - Japanese

Bio coming soon!

Rina - Japanese

こんにちは!Hi everyone!

I'm a conversation facilitator for Japanese. I'm an exchange student studying Political Science here at NAU.

I was born in Odawara City, a countryside of Japan, where the history of the beautiful Japanese medieval era remains. 

I love music, comedy and action movies from around the world.

I would love to share Japanese culture with you all through the conversation!

おねがいします!

Catherine - Spanish

Hello! I’m Catherine. I’m a first year Public Health and Spanish double major, and I’m really excited to be your Spanish Facilitator this semester! I’m from Phoenix and my family is from Puebla and Morelos Mexico, so I’m a first generation Mexican-American and Spanish is my native language. 

I love all things cats, travel, being with friends and tasting new foods. I hope we can get to know each other well and learn more together! I can’t wait to meet you all, don’t forget how amazing you are! :)

Fran - Spanish

Hey there! I'm Fran, a 20-year-old from Seville. Located in southern Spain, Seville is a vibrant tapestry of history, flamenco, and tapas.

I'm a business student, but don't let that fool you – I'm all about having fun! When I'm not hitting the books, you can usually find me on the soccer field, at the gym, or hanging out with my mates. I'm also a bit of a travel bug and love exploring new places. I love music too! I'm a huge fan of Spanish rap and music from the 2000s. SFDK and Extremoduro are my favorite bands!

I'm really looking forward to sharing my language and culture with you, and I can't wait to meet you all!

Maria - Spanish

Hi everyone! I am Maria, a Spanish international student from a small city on the Mediterranean coast called Castelló. Back in Spain, I study a double major in Journalism and Media, Television and Film and here at NAU, I’m continuing my studies with a major in Creative Media and Film.

I’m passionate about reading, traveling, and photography, but what I enjoy most is spending time with friends and meeting new people, especially from different cultures. I’m excited to meet all of you and can’t wait to exchange ideas and experiences together!

Pablo - Spanish

Hola! My name is Pablo and I'm an exchange student from Zaragoza, Spain. I'm doing my masters in Mechanical Engineering.

I'm a really active person. I like doing sports, traveling, cars and spending quality time with my friends.

Looking forward to helping you improve your Spanish and to spending time with you! Nos vemos!

SPRING 2024 ...  

Returning for this semester are Xin for Chinese, Peter for German, Mauro for Japanese, Elena for Italian, and Paula, Octavio, and Catherine for Spanish. Joining them are Manqing from China; Marion and Bliss from France; Enrico from Germany; Rino and Sayako from Japan; and Sergio from Spain. We also have visiting scholar Youngah Kang volunteering for Korean! Be sure to welcome them all!

Manqing - chinese

Bio coming soon!

Xin - chinese

你们好!

Hello, everyone. My name is Xin Zeng(曾鑫) or you guys can call me Ester, both are fine. 

I'm an international student from China and a junior currently studying Finance. I grew up in Shenzhen in the southern part of China, which is a wonderful city that has lots of skyscrapers.

I love hiking, playing pool, and listening to R&B music in my spare time. I'm a very easy and outgoing person. Can't wait to see you guys~ 


Bliss - French

Bio coming soon!

Marion - French

Hello everyone ! My name is Marion and I’m a 19-year-old French exchange student. I am a Chemistry major and would like to become a forensic scientist in the near future. I grew up near Paris but moved to the Southwest for high school. I love books, music and TV shows, as well as travel and sports.

I am very excited to be one of GELL Center’s new Conversation Facilitator this semester and am really looking forward to speaking French with all of you!  

Enrico - GERMAN

Bio coming soon!

Peter - GERMAN

Hallo! My name is Peter and I’m from Dresden, Germany. I’m a first-year Environmental Sciences & Sustainability Studies and Comparative Cultural Studies double major. I love reading, writing, and making art. 

I’m looking forward to meeting and conversing in German with you all. I would love to share more with you about German culture and help you with your German skills. If you see me around, don’t hesitate to say hello. Bis bald!

Elena - ITALIAN

Hi! My name is Elena and I originally come from Italy!

I am a Junior here at NAU and I am studying to get a degree in Biomedical Sciences, following the Pre-Med track. Although I have lived in the United States for quite some time now, speaking Italian is still a very important part of my life, and I would love to share it with you!

Some of the things I enjoy the most are setting up my hammock and reading novels, as well as spending time hanging out with my friends, and taking strolls downtown. I am really looking forward to starting my first semester as a CF and I can't wait to hold fun conversations in my native language with you!

Youngah - Korean

Bio coming soon!


Mauro - Japanese
and Portuguese

Hello, こんにちは, olá. 

My name is Mauro and I am a conversation facilitator for Japanese and Portuguese. I am a Senior here at NAU majoring in Philosophy, Politics, and Law. I was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan and also lived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for a couple of years. 

If you are interested to learn/talk Japanese or Portuguese please feel free to join the conversation!

I am extremely excited to meet everyone and I hope you have fun learning the language, culture, and experience from our conversations. 

Rino - Japanese

Hello! My name is Rino Kono and I am an exchange student from Japan. I was born and raised in a town called Yokohama near Tokyo. My major is Media and I love watching anime, reading comics and listening to music!

 I hope that you’ll enjoy talking in Japanese and I'm looking forward to seeing you all!

Sayako - Japanese

Bio coming soon!

Catherine - Spanish

Hello! I’m Catherine. I’m a first year Public Health and Spanish double major, and I’m really excited to be your Spanish Facilitator this semester! I’m from Phoenix and my family is from Puebla and Morelos Mexico, so I’m a first generation Mexican-American and Spanish is my native language. 

I love all things cats, travel, being with friends and tasting new foods. I hope we can get to know each other well and learn more together! I can’t wait to meet you all, don’t forget how amazing you are! :)

Octavio - Spanish

Hi everyone!!

My name is Octavio. I’m from Guadalajara, Mexico and I’m a full time student at NAU majoring in environmental science and communications. 

I spend most of my outdoors climbing, mountain biking, slack-lining and skiing. I also like to read but am a huge movie buff.

I’m excited to be a conversation facilitator this semester and if you ever see me around campus, don’t hesitate to say hi. 


Paula - Spanish

Hi everyone! My name is Paula del Buey and I am from a town called Jerez de la Frontera that is located in the very south of Spain. I am currently studying Humanities and Translation and Interpreting (English-Arabic) at the University Pablo de Olavide, in Seville. As you can see I love learning new languages and living in different places all over the globe, last year I was studying in Cyprus. I also love animals, I have a little dog called Xula and many turtles. I have been practicing sports my entire life, if you talk to me about any sport I have probably tried it but the ones to which I devoted more years in my life were basketball and ballet. I am really looking forward to helping you as much as possible in this beautiful journey of learning Spanish!

Sergio - Spanish

Hi! My name is Sergio and I am an international student from Spain. I am from Lanzarote, a little island of the Canary archipelago, the southernmost region of Spain, near the coast of the Sahara Desert. I studied the first two years of my Engineering Physics major in Madrid and now I am doing my third one here, in the NAU. 

I like all science related things, specially technology and physics. Despite this, I also enjoy history, philosophy, economy and photography. I enjoy talking with people about any topic which is why I am very excited of being an spanish CF for this semester!

FALL 2023 ...  

Returning for this semester are Shuwei for Chinese, Abby for Japanese, and Octavio and Catherine for Spanish. Joining them are Minxuan and Xin from China; Celia and Camille from France; Celine, Peter, and Sophie from Germany; Daichi and Mauro from Japan; Elena from Italy; and Paula and Maite from Spain. Be sure to welcome them all!

Shuwei - chinese

Hello! 你好吗?My name is Shuwei Chen, and I am an international student from China. I am a junior student majoring in English linguistics. I am from Anhui, China, and I spent 18 years of my life in the capital city of Anhui province before I came here. In the past two semesters, I have been working as a volunteer Chinese teaching assistant to offer help to improve students’ Chinese proficiency. I like cooking, watching Youtube and anime, and enjoying music in my free time. I am also a huge fan of cats! Welcome to my Chinese conversation table! I am ready to share the interesting Chinese culture and help you with Chinese learning!

Xin - chinese

你们好!

Hello, everyone. My name is Xin Zeng(曾鑫) or you guys can call me Ester, both are fine. 

I'm an international student from China and a junior currently studying Finance. I grew up in Shenzhen in the southern part of China, which is a wonderful city that has lots of skyscrapers.

I love hiking, playing pool, and listening to R&B music in my spare time. I'm a very easy and outgoing person. Can't wait to see you guys~ 


Minxuan - Chinese

Hello! 你好! I am Minxuan, an international student from China. I am a junior majoring in English. I come from Nanjing, a beautiful city with a long history in the eastern part of China. I lived there for 19 years. I am now a volunteer Chinese teaching assistant as well.

I like watching movies and traveling. I also have some experience teaching Chinese students English. I'm very excited to help you improve your Chinese and introduce more Chinese culture to you. Can't wait to have a great semester with you guys!

Elena - ITALIAN

Hi! My name is Elena and I originally come from Italy!

I am a Junior here at NAU and I am studying to get a degree in Biomedical Sciences, following the Pre-Med track. Although I have lived in the United States for quite some time now, speaking Italian is still a very important part of my life, and I would love to share it with you!

Some of the things I enjoy the most are setting up my hammock and reading novels, as well as spending time hanging out with my friends, and taking strolls downtown. I am really looking forward to starting my first semester as a CF and I can't wait to hold fun conversations in my native language with you!

Camille - French

Bonjour à tous et toutes !
My name is Camille Sforzini, I am an exchange student from France and I am super excited to be a new member of the Conversation Facilitator experience. 

I'm 20 years old and I was born and have lived my entire life in France, in the southwest (the best part to be honest). I study political sciences in France and that's also my major here but don't worry I also like simple things of life like any 20 years old person ^^. I like cinema, music, poetry...(art in general) but also baseball, video games... I appreciate a lot the American culture so far and I would also like to share the French culture with you on occasion. 

I look forward to seeing you and learning more about you. Au revoir et a bientot !

Celia - French

My name is Célia, I'm an exchange student from France and I'm a new French language facilitator in French at the GELL center for this semester. I am currently in second year of Master's in Biology and more especially, I'm studying Genetics. I grew up in central France, not far from Paris, and I am now studying in Bordeaux. I would describe myself as a communicative person, curious and always ready to help. It would be a huge pleasure for me to help you feel more comfortable and confident while discussing in French. Don't hesitate to come and have low-stress conversations, regardless of your level of French. As a French student learning English here, I can only understand the difficulties that you can have while learning a foreign language. Hope to see you soon at the GELL center! 


Abby - Japanese

 Hello! My name is Abby and I am a conversation facilitator for Japanese. I am a business major and studying finance.  I was born in Japan and I moved to the U.S. when I was in high school. I am excited to meet you all and hope we could have a great time together!

Daichi - japanese

Hi everyone! My name is Daichi. I was born and raised in Fukuoka, which is west of Japan and just the right balance between the city and the country. I came here to NAU January this year as an exchange student. My major is Anthropology and I enjoy listening to music, watching sports, and traveling to find local cultures.

I’m excited to share different cultures with each other and enjoy talking in Japanese.

よろしくおねがいします!

Mauro - Japanese
and Portuguese

Hello, こんにちは, olá. 

My name is Mauro and I am a conversation facilitator for Japanese and Portuguese. I am a Senior here at NAU majoring in Philosophy, Politics, and Law. I was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan and also lived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for a couple of years. 

If you are interested to learn/talk Japanese or Portuguese please feel free to join the conversation!

I am extremely excited to meet everyone and I hope you have fun learning the language, culture, and experience from our conversations. 

Celine - GERMAN

Hey everyone! I’m Celine Helmers and I‘m an exchange student from Germany. I’m 22 years old and have lived my whole life in the north of Germany, close to the city Bremen.

Last year I moved to the Netherlands for my studies. I'm really enjoying Flagstaff and the USA so far and I’m excited to spend my semester here. Currently in my 2nd year of International Business (BBA) and my major here at NAU is Marketing.

I like to go to the gym, zumba, and hang out with friends. And I’m also trying to have as many trips and adventures as possible here. I hope to see you in my conversation group 😊

Peter - GERMAN

Hallo! My name is Peter and I’m from Dresden, Germany. I’m a first-year Environmental Sciences & Sustainability Studies and Comparative Cultural Studies double major. I love reading, writing, and making art. 

I’m looking forward to meeting and conversing in German with you all. I would love to share more with you about German culture and help you with your German skills. If you see me around, don’t hesitate to say hello. Bis bald!

Sophie - German

Hey, my name is Sophie, I'm 21 years old and from Germany. This semester, I'm an exchange student at NAU. My major is Comparative Cultural Studies. My home university is in Dortmund, a city in the west of the country. I love to travel, meet new people and listen to music! 

I hope that you'll enjoy talking in German with me, I'm looking forward to meeting you all!


Catherine - Spanish

Hello! I’m Catherine. I’m a first year Public Health and Spanish double major, and I’m really excited to be your Spanish Facilitator this semester! I’m from Phoenix and my family is from Puebla and Morelos Mexico, so I’m a first generation Mexican-American and Spanish is my native language. 

I love all things cats, travel, being with friends and tasting new foods. I hope we can get to know each other well and learn more together! I can’t wait to meet you all, don’t forget how amazing you are! :)

Maite - Spanish

My name is Maite and I´m a Spanish exchange student from Madrid and studying mechanical engineering.

About me, I like any kind of sports as volleyball or hiking. I love sharing cultures with others and I’m looking forward to learning about yours!! I would do my best in creating a good atmosphere so we will all be comfortable talking about great themes.

I really like traveling and meet new people, so I’m so excited to spend my next junior year here at NAU.

Octavio - Spanish

Hi everyone!!

My name is Octavio. I’m from Guadalajara, Mexico and I’m a full time student at NAU majoring in environmental science and communications. 

I spend most of my outdoors climbing, mountain biking, slack-lining and skiing. I also like to read but am a huge movie buff.

I’m excited to be a conversation facilitator this semester and if you ever see me around campus, don’t hesitate to say hi. 


Paula - Spanish

Hi everyone! My name is Paula del Buey and I am from a town called Jerez de la Frontera that is located in the very south of Spain. I am currently studying Humanities and Translation and Interpreting (English-Arabic) at the University Pablo de Olavide, in Seville. As you can see I love learning new languages and living in different places all over the globe, last year I was studying in Cyprus. I also love animals, I have a little dog called Xula and many turtles. I have been practicing sports my entire life, if you talk to me about any sport I have probably tried it but the ones to which I devoted more years in my life were basketball and ballet. I am really looking forward to helping you as much as possible in this beautiful journey of learning Spanish!

SPRING 2023 ...  

Returning for this semester are Shuwei and Zexing for Chinese, Arpine and Paulin for French, Claas for German, Leo for Italian, Haruki and Abby for Japanese, and Octavio for Spanish. Joining them are Qingyu from China, Sandra from Peru, Catherine from Mexico, and Carlos and Lucia from Spain. Be sure to welcome them all!

Shuwei - chinese

Hello! 你好吗?My name is Shuwei Chen, and I am an international student from China. I am a junior student majoring in English linguistics. I am from Anhui, China, and I spent 18 years of my life in the capital city of Anhui province before I came here. In the past two semesters, I have been working as a volunteer Chinese teaching assistant to offer help to improve students’ Chinese proficiency. I like cooking, watching Youtube and anime, and enjoying music in my free time. I am also a huge fan of cats! Welcome to my Chinese conversation table! I am ready to share the interesting Chinese culture and help you with Chinese learning!

ZEXING - chinese

Hello! I am Zexing Fan. Because the name of Fan is confusing, I gave myself an English name Frank. I was born in Xinjiang, spent my childhood in Chengdu, my youth in Shanghai, then two years of college in Wuhan, and now finishing the rest of my studies in NAU.  I have experience living and studying in the northwest, southwest, central and eastern parts of China, more than 500 miles apart. These experiences made me experience different places, cultures, and customs around China. I am delighted to tell you more about China and Chinese culture. I look forward to a fantastic semester with you。◕‿◕。


Qingyu - Chinese

你好!我的朋友!

I am Qingyu Pei (裴卿妤), you can call me April as well. I am an international student from China, my major is English. I grew up in Xuzhou of Jiangsu province, which is a beautiful city containing lots of works of art from the Han dynasty, is a cradle of culture. 

I have a lot of hobbies, I love watching drama, dancing, singing, playing chess, playing Chinese cards, painting, traveling, shopping, and making new friends. I am a cat person as well. 

I am very much looking forward to chatting with you guys. I can not wait to bring my culture, language, and experience to you.

Paulin - French

Salut !
I'm a French exchange student doing a double degree in Electronic Engineering. I'm from the south part of France, and I love talk about the French culture. I also love listening to other people when they talk about their passion, so come share your experience with me !
A bientôt!


Arpine - French

Bonjour!  My name is Arpine, but you can call me Rossy. I am an exchange student from France, and I can't wait to share with you my culture and mother tongue. I am studying English literature and civilizations of the English world, but NAU was the opportunity for me to take classes in the field of education and special education. I am very happy to be your conversation facilitator in French this semester, and can't wait to meet you. Let's have some fun practicing French!


Jan - GERMAN

Hallo! My name is Jan. I am an exchange student, and have spent most of my life in Germany. I‘m a junior at the University of Amsterdam of Applied Sciences, and study international Business and major in Marketing & Sales. I like playing Soccer and Basketball and enjoy Snowboarding. 

I‘m excited to meet you and have fun conversations with you in German. If you’re ready to practice your German, I‘d love to exchange passions, goals, experiences, and much more!

CLAAS - GERMAN

Hello, my name is Claas and I am an exchange student from Germany. There I live in a small but beautiful city in the south called Tübingen. I am studying International Economics and am now in my third year. I love to travel, do sports and play some music.

 I am looking forward to having great and funny conversations with you about different topics and to give you an insight into German culture. But I am also curious about your views and impressions. I would be happy if I can support you in your language learning. Bis bald!

Leo - ITALIAN

Hi everyone!
I am Leonardo, an international student from Italy where I was born and raised. I'm here at NAU to learn and gain important experience. My major is Mechanical Engineering, and I like movies, sports and outside activities. I'm eager to meet you guys to talk about our different cultures and learn new things together.

Abby - Japanese

 Hello! My name is Abby and I am a conversation facilitator for Japanese. I am a business major and studying finance.  I was born in Japan and I moved to the U.S. when I was in high school. I am excited to meet you all and hope we could have a great time together!


HAruki - japanese

Hello. My name is Haruki Kuno, sophomore at NAU studying business management. I was born and raised in a small beach town called Yokohama, Japan. I moved to the U.S. to attend middle school and high school in AZ. I grew up playing baseball, but now I really enjoy boarding sports. If you ski or snowboard, we can have Japanese study session on the mountain:) I’m looking forward to meeting  you all! 

Carlos - Spanish

Hi everyone !!! My name is Carlos and I'm from Zaragoza, Spain. I am an international student who studies physics, I love traveling and meeting new people and cultures. 

I am a Spanish Facilitator so if you want to have a friendly and incredible conversation in Spanish come to GELL, I will be really happy to meet you !!!


Catherine - Spanish

Hello! I’m Catherine. I’m a first year Public Health and Spanish double major, and I’m really excited to be your Spanish Facilitator this semester! I’m from Phoenix and my family is from Puebla and Morelos Mexico, so I’m a first generation Mexican-American and Spanish is my native language. 

I love all things cats, travel, being with friends and tasting new foods. I hope we can get to know each other well and learn more together! I can’t wait to meet you all, don’t forget how amazing you are! :)

Lucia - Spanish

Hola! My name is Lucia. I am from south Spain, I live in a town called Almeria which is right next to the beach. I love animals and I have a dog called Tica, I’ll be waiting for you to show me your pets!

I am very excited to meet you all, share all type of conversation and to have an exchange of culture with you. Who knows I’ll maybe be sharing the secrets to make the best tortilla de patatas!

Hasta pronto!


Octavio - Spanish

Hi everyone!!

My name is Octavio. I’m from Guadalajara, Mexico and I’m a full time student at NAU majoring in environmental science and communications. 

I spend most of my outdoors climbing, mountain biking, slack-lining and skiing. I also like to read but am a huge movie buff.

I’m excited to be a conversation facilitator this semester and if you ever see me around campus, don’t hesitate to say hi. 


Sandra - Spanish

Hello everyone! 

My name is Sandra and I’m a second year international student from Peru double-majoring in Strategic Communication and Photography. I was born and raised in Lima, a city in the Peruvian pacific coast, and moved to Flagstaff over a year ago. I enjoy watching soccer, listening to music, and taking photos. I am really looking forward to meeting new people and learning about different cultures! :)


FALL 2022 ...  

Returning for this semester are Arjuna, Leo, Natalie, Haruki, and Zexing. Joining them are Shuwei from China, Arpine and Paulin from France; Claas, Johanna, and Laramaria from Germany; Abby and Yui from Japan, Daniel from Costa Rica, Javier from Spain, and Octavio from Mexico.

Shuwei - chinese

Hello! 你好吗?My name is Shuwei Chen, and I am an international student from China. I am a junior student majoring in English linguistics. I am from Anhui, China, and I spent 18 years of my life in the capital city of Anhui province before I came here. In the past two semesters, I have been working as a volunteer Chinese teaching assistant to offer help to improve students’ Chinese proficiency. I like cooking, watching Youtube and anime, and enjoying music in my free time. I am also a huge fan of cats! Welcome to my Chinese conversation table! I am ready to share the interesting Chinese culture and help you with Chinese learning!

ZEXING - chinese

Hello! I am Zexing Fan. Because the name of Fan is confusing, I gave myself an English name Frank. I was born in Xinjiang, spent my childhood in Chengdu, my youth in Shanghai, then two years of college in Wuhan, and now finishing the rest of my studies in NAU.  I have experience living and studying in the northwest, southwest, central and eastern parts of China, more than 500 miles apart. These experiences made me experience different places, cultures, and customs around China. I am delighted to tell you more about China and Chinese culture. I look forward to a fantastic semester with you。◕‿◕。


Paulin - French

Salut !
I'm a French exchange student doing a double degree in Electronic Engineering. I'm from the south part of France, and I love talk about the French culture. I also love listening to other people when they talk about their passion, so come share your experience with me !
A bientôt!


Arpine - French

Bonjour!  My name is Arpine, but you can call me Rossy. I am an exchange student from France, and I can't wait to share with you my culture and mother tongue. I am studying English literature and civilizations of the English world, but NAU was the opportunity for me to take classes in the field of education and special education. I am very happy to be your conversation facilitator in French this semester, and can't wait to meet you. Let's have some fun practicing French!


CLAAS - GERMAN

Hello, my name is Claas and I am an exchange student from Germany. There I live in a small but beautiful city in the south called Tübingen. I am studying International Economics and am now in my third year. I love to travel, do sports and play some music.

 I am looking forward to having great and funny conversations with you about different topics and to give you an insight into German culture. But I am also curious about your views and impressions. I would be happy if I can support you in your language learning. Bis bald!

Johanna - german

Hallo!

I’m Johanna from Germany, doing my Bachelor’s in International Affairs here at NAU! I grew up near Munich where we have the Alps, lots of cute lakes and, obviously, Oktoberfest!

I’m excited to meet you guys and share each other’s backgrounds!

Bis bald!

Laramaria - GERMAN

Hallo zusammen!
My name is Lara-Maria and I am from Germany. I am currently an exchange student at NAU for one semester and studying Political Science and Public Administration. I am looking forward to meeting you and talking about Germany (not only about Oktoberfest 😉).
I am open to any new ideas and topics. I hope we get to know each other and have fun talking German and about German culture. Bis bald!

Leo - ITALIAN

Hi everyone!
I am Leonardo, an international student from Italy where I was born and raised. I'm here at NAU to learn and gain important experience. My major is Civil Engineering,  and I like movies, sports and outside activities. I'm eager to meet you guys to talk about our different cultures and learn new things together.

HAruki - japanese

Hello. My name is Haruki Kuno, sophomore at NAU studying business management. I was born and raised in a small beach town called Yokohama, Japan. I moved to the U.S. to attend middle school and high school in AZ. I grew up playing baseball, but now I really enjoy boarding sports. If you ski or snowboard, we can have Japanese study session on the mountain:) I’m looking forward to meeting  you all! 

Yui - Japanese

こんにちは!
My name is Yui. I am excited to be a Japanese  Conversation Facilitator. I’m an exchange student from Japan and studying Women’s and Gender Studies. I like traveling, cooking Japanese food, and watching movies! My favorite firms are all from Studio Ghibli:) If you want to speak Japanese, you are always welcome! 

GELL Center
で会いましょう!


Abby - Japanese

 Hello! My name is Abby and I am a conversation facilitator for Japanese. I am a business major and studying finance.  I was born in Japan and I moved to the U.S. when I was in high school. I am excited to meet you all and hope we could have a great time together!


ARJUNA - PORTUGUESE

Oi! I speak Brazilian Portuguese, it is my first language. I am pursuing a Masters in Political Science at NAU and I hope to one day be able to impact and help Brazil develop its economy. In the meanwhile ill try and give the Portuguese students at NAU a taste of what our language is like so that they can visit Brazil and enjoy it when they do! 

Natalie - Spanish

Hello !! 

My name it is Natalie. I am from Chile and I am an exchange student from the University of Concepcion. 

I am so excited to be one of your Spanish conversation facilitators for this semester, we will have a lot fun when we practice the language. 

I love to travel & meet new people.  I enjoy helping out and I hope you learn a lot from our conversations. 

Daniel - Spanish

Pura Vida!

My name is Daniel, but I would rather be called Dani. I’m an exchange student for this Fall semester, I'm from Costa Rica, my home university name is Universidad Fidelitas, and I’m a tourist guide/interpreter for students of NAU who study abroad in Costa Rica, so if you go to Costa Rica you may have the opportunity of seeing me taking you to the beaches, mountains or tourist places. I’m studying Computer Science this semester. About me, I love cultures, making friends and laughing about most things with them, doing crazy stuff but not that crazy, old soul. When I’m not busy I like spending time with friends and speaking Spanish if they feel comfortable with it.


Javier - Spanish

¡Hola a todos!

I'm Javi, an exchange student from Alicante, a city on the Mediterranean coast in Spain. I like traveling, doing outside activities, meeting new friends and learning about different cultures.

I'm super excited to meet you guys! This is a good opportunity to speak in Spanish in a friendly environment about interesting topics and learn new things. It is going to be a great experience for all of us and we will have a lot of fun!

¡Nos veremos pronto!


Octavio - Spanish

Hi everyone!!

My name is Octavio. I’m from Guadalajara, Mexico and I’m a full time student at NAU majoring in environmental science and communications. 

I spend most of my outdoors climbing, mountain biking, slack-lining and skiing. I also like to read but am a huge movie buff.

I’m excited to be a conversation facilitator this semester and if you ever see me around campus, don’t hesitate to say hi. 


SPRING 2022 ...  

Returning for this semester are: Leo, Matthieu, Felix, Natalie, Yesenia, Mirja, Haruki, and Chin Chia. Joining them are Annika from Germany, Eduardo from Spain, Arjuna from Brazil & Arizona, Minami from Japan, and Zexing from China.

EDUArDO - Spanish

J¡Hola a todos! 

My name is Eduardo, I am an exchange student from Spain for the fall and spring semester. I am a graduate student majoring in Industrial Engineering. I would like to talk about my culture and also learn about yours! My hobbies are skiing, traveling and hanging out with my friends. I am very excited to share experiences and I am sure we will have a fun time while we practice speaking Spanish.

Natalie - Spanish

Hello !! 

My name it is Natalie. I am from Chile and I am an exchange student from the University of Concepcion. 

I am so excited to be one of your Spanish conversation facilitators for this semester, we will have a lot fun when we practice the language. 

I love to travel & meet new people.  I enjoy helping out and I hope you learn a lot from our conversations. 

Yesenia - Spanish

Hola! 

My name is Yesenia. I am a sophomore majoring in Psychology with a minor in Spanish. My family is from Nayarit, Mexico and therefore Spanish is my first language. 

I am very excited to meet you all!  When I am not busy working or doing schoolwork, I enjoy going on hikes, riding horses, and going off-roading with friends.


Leo - ITALIAN

Hi everyone my! I am Leonardo, an international student from Italy where I was born and raised. I'm here at NAU to learn and gain important experience. My major is Civil Engineering,  and I like movies, sports and outside activities. I'm eager to meet you guys to talk about our different cultures and learn new things together.

ARJUNA - PORTUGUESE

Oi! I speak Brazilian Portuguese, it is my first language. I am pursuing a Masters in Political Science at NAU and I hope to one day be able to impact and help Brazil develop its economy. In the meanwhile ill try and give the Portuguese students at NAU a taste of what our language is like so that they can visit Brazil and enjoy it when they do! 

Matthieu - French

Bonjour ! I am Matthieu from France. Your first challenge will be the pronunciation of my name ! I'm an engineering student, doing one year here, at NAU. I love the opportunity to show, explain, and help you understand French culture. There is so much to discover. I count on you for the American lifestyle as well. I'm open to every subject and topic, so let's learn from each other.

Felix - French

Bonjour ! I'm Félix, a grad student studying electronics, coming from Esisar to NAU this year for a double-diploma. I would love to help you learn French and exchange ideas about our respective cultures ! I'm a really open-minded person, who enjoys sports, music and social activities.  

Mirja - german

"Guten Tag! I am Mirja and I am an exchange student from Germany. This semester I am studying English and Psychology here in Flagstaff. I am ready to talk about Schnitzel, Bratwurst or Oktoberfest with you! I am open for whatever you want to talk about and cannot wait to get to know you better. Let’s learn from each other's cultures and have fun during our sessions ;) Bis dann !"

Annika - german

Hallo! My name is Annika and I'm from Germany. I'm here as an exchange student studying economics and business administration. I'm looking forward to speaking German with you and share my knowledge of German culture with you. Let's make it a fun conversation group! 

HAruki - japanese

Hello. My name is Haruki Kuno, sophomore at NAU studying business management. I was born and raised in a small beach town called Yokohama, Japan. I moved to the U.S. to attend middle school and high school in AZ. I grew up playing baseball, but now I really enjoy boarding sports. If you ski or snowboard, we can have Japanese study session on the mountain:) I’m looking forward to meeting  you all! 

Minami - japanese

Hello. Hello!こんにちは! My name is Minami Kubo. I am from Nagoya, Japan, and have lived in Tokyo for 2 years until I came here. I am a junior majoring in marketing. EVERYONE IS MORE THAN WELCOME! Just relax and let's enjoy talking. I am looking forward to seeing you soon :) I like to try something new. Traveling/Cooking/Doing my nails/Watching movies and anime/Meeting friends/ Reading/Shopping/ Sports/Sea/Flowers

ZEXING - chinese

Hello! I am Zexing Fan. Because the name of Fan is confusing, I gave myself an English name Frank. I was born in Xinjiang, spent my childhood in Chengdu, my youth in Shanghai, then two years of college in Wuhan, and now finishing the rest of my studies in NAU.  I have experience living and studying in the northwest, southwest, central and eastern parts of China, more than 500 miles apart. These experiences made me experience different places, cultures, and customs around China. I am delighted to tell you more about China and Chinese culture. I look forward to a fantastic semester with you。◕‿◕。


chin chia - chinese

Hello! I'm Chin-Chia, a Fulbright graduate student from Taiwan. My major is teaching Chinese as a foreign language. I will be sharing sharing culture from my country and my hometown with you. Welcome to my Chinese group conversation sessions and to learning more Chinese from me :)


FALL 2021 ... from Italy, France, Spain, Chile, Humboldt AZ., Germany, Japan, and China    

Leo - ITALIAN

Hi everyone my! I am Leonardo, an international student from Italy where I was born and raised. I'm here at NAU to learn and gain important experience. My major is Civil Engineering,  and I like movies, sports and outside activities. I'm eager to meet you guys to talk about our different cultures and learn new things together.

Ivana - Italian

Ciao! I am Ivana and I’m an international student from Rome, Italy. I have lived there my whole life, but I moved here for college. I am a freshman majoring in Creative Media and Film. I’m excited to meet, practice Italian and share my culture with you. A presto! 


Matthieu - French

Bonjour ! I am Matthieu from France. Your first challenge will be the pronunciation of my name ! I'm an engineering student, doing one year here, at NAU. I love the opportunity to show, explain, and help you understand French culture. There is so much to discover. I count on you for the American lifestyle as well. I'm open to every subject and topic, so let's learn from each other.


Felix - French

Bonjour ! I'm Félix, a grad student studying electronics, coming from Esisar to NAU this year for a double-diploma. I would love to help you learn French and exchange ideas about our respective cultures ! I'm a really open-minded person, who enjoys sports, music and social activities.  

MArta - Spanish

J¡Hola a todos! 

My name is Marta, I am a senior majoring in Management and Business Administration. I am an exchange student from Spain at NAU for the fall semester and I can't wait to share my culture while learning about yours! I love traveling, hanging out with friends, spending time with my family, going to the movies and listening to music! What about your hobbies? I am looking forward to hearing from you, sharing experiences and having a fun talk :)

¡Nos vemos pronto!

Natalie - Spanish

Hello !! 

My name it is Natalie. I am from Chile and I am an exchange student from the University of Concepcion. 

I am so excited to be one of your Spanish conversation facilitators for this semester, we will have a lot fun when we practice the language. 

I love to travel & meet new people.  I enjoy helping out and I hope you learn a lot from our conversations.


Yesenia - Spanish

Hola! 

My name is Yesenia. I am a sophomore majoring in Psychology with a minor in Spanish. My family is from Nayarit, Mexico and therefore Spanish is my first language. 

I am very excited to meet you all!  When I am not busy working or doing schoolwork, I enjoy going on hikes, riding horses, and going off-roading with friends.


Mirja - german

"Guten Tag! I am Mirja and I am an exchange student from Germany. This semester I am studying English and Psychology here in Flagstaff. I am ready to talk about Schnitzel, Bratwurst or Oktoberfest with you! I am open for whatever you want to talk about and cannot wait to get to know you better. Let’s learn from each other's cultures and have fun during our sessions ;) Bis dann !"

Tilman - german

Hello, my name is Tilman and I am a 3rd year medical student from Germany taking Engineering classes at NAU until the end of this year. Originally I am from the area of Koblenz at the river Rhine but have lived in Tübingen for the last years for university. Having a broad range of interests I am very much looking forward to discussing everything and anything in our conversation sessions. See you then! Or as they say in the south of Germany: Grüß Gott!

HAruki - japanese

Hello. My name is Haruki Kuno, sophomore at NAU studying business management. I was born and raised in a small beach town called Yokohama, Japan. I moved to the U.S. to attend middle school and high school in AZ. I grew up playing baseball, but now I really enjoy boarding sports. If you ski or snowboard, we can have Japanese study session on the mountain:) I’m looking forward to meeting  you all! 

xukang - chinese

My 你好 (Ni Hao)! My name is Xukang Zhang. I was born in Guangdong, China, and grew up in Shanghai. I have been in the United States for three years. My major at NAU is secondary education. It will be my pleasure to help you with Mandarin Chinese conversations and learn more about Chinese culture. During my spare time, I enjoy doing sports like Pingpong, badminton, and soccer. Also, I would love to share my knowledge in Chinese literature, history, music, and food. I look forward to an amazing semester with you.


chin chia - chinese

Hello! I'm Chin-Chia, a Fulbright graduate student from Taiwan. My major is teaching Chinese as a foreign language. I will be sharing sharing culture from my country and my hometown with you. Welcome to my Chinese group conversation sessions and to learning more Chinese from me :)


SPRING 2021 FACILITATORS    Leslie, Erica, Meghan, and David are continuing from FALL '20.

Yiling - Chinese

Hello everyone:

  I am Yiling Li and I feel honored to be your Chinese CF. I am a 1+2+1 program student from Yangzhou University. It is my pleasure to share any knowledge about the amazing Chinese culture with you, including.

  If you are interested literature, foods, dancing or music. I look forward to spend this wonderful semester with you!

Óscar - Spanish

I’m Óscar Aguado and I’m an exchange student from Spain. I am studying mechanical engineering during this semester here in Flagstaff .

I will take the opportunity to help you practice speaking Spanish.

Let’s learn from each other's cultures and have fun during our sessions. I’m open to talk about whatever you want to learn about Spain. Hope to see you soon.


Yesenia - Spanish

Hola! My name is Yesenia. I am a freshman majoring in Psychology with a minor in Spanish. My family is from Nayarit, Mexico and therefore Spanish is my first language. 

I am very excited to meet you all!  When I am not busy working or doing schoolwork, I enjoy going on hikes, riding horses, and going off-roading with friends.

Elisabeth - German

Hello everyone! My name is Elisabeth and I am from Vienna, Austria. I was born and raised there but moved to Germany 4 years ago to study International Hospitality Management. I am an exchange student at NAU and I will stay for a year. I enjoy reading, watching movies and tv shows (especially anything related to the MCU) and I am very communicative. 


I cannot wait to talk to you all and share a bit about both my home Austria but also my experiences living in Germany. Bis bald!


Valerie - German

Hallo!  My name is Valerie and I am a sophomore double majoring in German and Strategic Communication. I was born in the US but grew up speaking German since my parents are both from there. I visit Germany for a few weeks every summer to visit friends and family, and to catch up on a whole year’s worth of Döner and Currywurst! 


Some other things about me: I am an avid binge-watcher, I love reading, and I play clarinet here in the Wind Symphony. I can’t wait to get to know you all and practice some German!


Erica - Japanese

Hello! I'm Erica and I am so excited to be able to get to know y'all.

I lived in Chiba, Japan (literally right outside of Tokyo) for 11 years and my family and I are fully Japanese! I go back every summer to see my family and close friends since I don't get to see them that often!

Few things about me: I love sports, singing, traveling, being active outdoors, and shopping! I also do enjoy spending time with family and friends! I am a dog lover for sure, and recently I've also gained passion for my Faith, health, and fitness! Can't wait to get to know you!

Leslie - Spanish

Hola! 

I am from a small border town that speaks mostly Spanish and is a Latino community. My family and I are all Mexican or Mexican-American. 


A little about me: I am a Spanish major, I played in Mariachi for almost 10 years and I mostly listen to rock or folk music.


Meghan - French

"Hi! I'm Meghan and I am an exchange student from France.


I am a Junior majoring in Physics but I'm interested in a lot of topics. When I don't work I usually draw or go to see horses.

I would be very happy to speak with you in French, about whatever you like, and to share with you my home culture!"

David - Italian

Ciao, ragazzi!  I took my first Italian class as an undergraduate simply to fulfill a foreign language credit requirement and because I was curious about the language that my mom's family spoke, but I've been hooked ever since! I love to speak Italian every chance I get and want to share this wonderful world of Italian with you too! 

Fall 2020 Facilitators

Yuhang - Chinese

Join me to know more about Chinese language and culture!

One little tip on practicing speaking your second language: 'let your speech go, for nothing to be cautious and stressful'.

Melissa - German

My name is Melissa and I am an exchange student from Germany. I am a senior majoring in Education, with English, Math and German as my subjects. 

My hobbies include running and watching Netflix with my cat. I teach students English at my home university, so it will be really fun to do the opposite here at NAU. I'm looking forward to meeting everyone and getting to share my language and culture.  These will be really laid-back sessions to help you guys practice your German :)

Adlemy - Spanish

My name is Adlemy. I am a senior studying Criminology/Criminal Justice and Spanish, with a minor in Latin American studies. My career goal is to become a Licensed Court Interpreter.

When I am not busy doing schoolwork, I like to watch movies, listen to music, have coffee dates with my friends, and read. I also enjoy watching sunsets and sitting outside.

Mary - Spanish

Hello Everyone! My name is Mary and I am a senior double majoring in Criminal Justice and Spanish. I am truly passionate about both my majors and plan on incorporating them in whatever career path I take. I love learning different languages and their dialects, especially Spanish. I can't wait to share the language and culture with you all! 

Spring 2020 Facilitators

Omar - Arabic

"Murhaban, I am Omar From Egypt, Middle East. I facilitate Arabic conversation groups.  I am a Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) MA student. I have been teaching for 7 years in adult setting.

I am an adventurous person so I like to go hiking and see landscapes. I write short stories in Arabic. I also read a lot, not a hobby but a graduate school necessity ;)

Come join us in a non-threatening environment to practice Arabic no matter what your level is."

Guangtian - Chinese

Jeanne - French

"Hi everyone! My name is Jeanne, I facilitate French. I come from Bordeaux, France. I'm studying Biology; I love animals and I'm really interested in Ecology and Marine Biology in particular. I also really like learning languages, meet new people, travel and discover new places. I'm fond of horses and horse-riding, but I like sports in general (I love taking Zumba class at the HLC!); Hiking is one of my favorite things to do around here! What about you? I can't wait to get to know you!"

Zoé - French

"My name is Zoe and I facilitate French conversation groups. I come from France where I was born in Paris. However, my family currently lives in Thailand so that is where I go for the holidays. I am doing an elementary education major with a minor in psychology. I like to do a lot of different things like sports, art, listening to music, hanging out with friends, being out in nature, and petting dogs!"

Holly - Portuguese

Mishaella - Portuguese

Michael - Italian

"Ciao a tutti, My name is Micahel Travaglias and I am the language facilitator for Italian. I am from Sedona, Arizona born and raised and am currently completing my senior year at NAU with a degree in Finance. I've been studying and speaking italian for numerous years now and have had the wonderful opportunity to study abroad in Italy to continue learning the language and their amazing culture. In my spare time, my interests include speaking italian (duh), cooking, and enjoying friends and family. Come on in, say ciao, and practice some italian. A presto!"

Kento - Japanese

Kento is from Japan and faciliates Japanese. He is a Masters student in the Athletic Training program. His interests include sports, fitness, eating, and drinking coffee. He is also learning Spanish! 

Garret - German

"Hi everyone, my name is Garret I was born and raised in Germany and I facilitate German. I am studying Special Education, with English and Math as my subjects. In my free time I like to read, cook and, above all, kayak! In Germany, I am a kayaking youth coach and have taught German as a second language to high school students last year, so I have some experience when it comes to helping and supporting you in learning a new language. I know that can be hard and tricky at times (especially with German), but don't get discouraged or be afraid to make mistakes, just join me in having a fun conversation and bring all the questions you might have about my country, its culture or German as a language!"

Alicia - Spanish

"My name is Alicia and I am an exchange student from Spain. I am studying a Major in Communication Studies and my specialty is audio-visual communication (photography, cinema, media ...). My interests are varied. I love reading, drawing, and above all, I love dancing. I've been practicing Latin dances for three years. Also, I love sports! All of them! I am black Taekwondo belt. I am a very open and sociable person and I love meeting new things and traveling."

Arturo - Spanish