As students walk through the halls of WHS, they can hear peers speaking in languages from around the world, demonstrating the rich diversity within the student body. Students like Lalo Barbieri, Aya Badlissi, and Mahika Gandla are prime examples of how speaking a language in addition to English both reflects and shapes personal and cultural identity.
Lalo Barbieri, a current junior, is fluent in Portuguese as well as English and has had a fascinating language journey.
“I was born in Hollywood, Florida, then moved to Brazil and lived there for six years,” Barbieri said.
Growing up in Brazil in a bilingual household with his family is how he learned to speak Portuguese. Despite being more often surrounded by English, he finds opportunities to speak Portuguese with others.
“Outside of school it is about 50/50 [English and Portuguese] at home, and at soccer practice I have other Brazilians on the team, so I am able to speak Portuguese with them,” Barbieri said.
For Aya Badlissi, a sophomore, despite being born and raised in Boston, Arabic was one of the first languages she learned, even before English.
“I definitely speak English [rather than Arabic] the most, both at home and obviously at school,” Badlissi said. “I learned Arabic from my parents and took some classes for reading and writing when I was younger.”
Badlissi’s proficiency in Arabic helps her maintain a strong connection to her culture and her identity.
“Speaking Arabic definitely connects me to my culture because it is a way for me to communicate with family members who don’t speak English or don’t speak it well,” Badlissi said. “Knowing how to speak Arabic is also important to my identity because it is a way that I am connected to my culture as a first generation Syrian-American.”
For freshman Mahika Gandla, speaking Telugu, a language from the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, helps her preserve her cultural roots.
“I am very close with my family, and speaking Telugu connects me to my family and culture in India,” Gandla said. “Being able to speak Telugu is something that’s very important to me and I want to maintain the culture of speaking Telugu as well.”
Born in New Jersey, Gandla learned Telugu at a young age speaking it with her parents. She now primarily speaks English, especially at school.
“Being surrounded by English sometimes makes speaking Telugu difficult with my parents and extended family,” Gandla said. “Having to switch between languages when speaking with family and friends can get confusing sometimes, but it doesn’t bother me.”
Gandla makes a conscious effort to speak Telugu at home, however. Speaking a second language is not just about communication for her as it’s also an integral part of her identity and a way to stay connected to her extended family overseas, as is true for other bilingual WHS students. Culture is not the only thing that language provides; connection is an important aspect to speaking multiple languages.
“In general, being able to speak another language in daily life can be super helpful when meeting other people who know the language,” Badlissi said.
Although all three students had different experiences with language, one thing they have in common is that they see their second language as an asset in their lives even as it is a major aspect of their identities.
“I think it is a great gift. Spanish class is easy because I speak Portuguese, and I can speak with people from other parts of the world which many people can’t do. It gives a new side of life, but sometimes it gets hard because there are two sides so it’s hard to fit in with other people,” Barbieri said. “Sometimes it makes English class hard, but I am grateful for speaking multiple languages because it broadens the world for me.”
While juggling two languages can be challenging at times, the greatest benefit for these bilingual students is the connection it provides to their culture.
“I love being able to speak Telugu as it’s something personal to me,” Gandla said. “It reminds me of who I am, symbolizes tradition and culture, and brings up memories and a source of comfort.”