By Craig McIntosh
Staff writer
When McLaren Lindsey started high school, he had only one ambition: To master all six official languages of the United Nations. It wasn’t until later that he understood why.
‘When I first began learning languages, I hadn’t yet decided I wanted to become a U.N. diplomat. I really just studied for fun. Communicating with people in foreign languages gives me a thrill I can’t find in any other activity,’ said Lindsey, a U.S. student who has already achieved proficiency in English (his mother tongue), French, Russian and Arabic.
‘In retrospect, I realize I was searching for something,’ he added. ‘I was searching for a connection between all these cultures and for my place within them.’
The two other official U.N. languages are Spanish and Mandarin Chinese, the latter of which will become Lindsey’s next linguistic test when he enrolls at Duke Kunshan in the fall as a member of the undergraduate Class of 2024. He is one of over 20 early decision admits.
Studying in China will be the latest in a series of immersive language experiences for Lindsey, a native of Atlanta, Georgia. He spent six weeks in Moscow in 2018 with the National Security Language Initiative for Youth, sponsored by the U.S. State Department, and received a scholarship from the Qatar Foundation International to study Arabic in an intensive language program.
‘Arabic is the oldest and most beautiful language I’ve studied. The words flow beautifully and feel almost musical in quality,’ he said. ‘However, my favorite language always changes to the most recent one I’ve studied, so I’m sure Mandarin will be my new favorite.’
Lindsey said language learning is both challenging and immensely rewarding. One story he likes to tell is about his first successful conversation with his host mother in Russia. ‘We talked for an hour in broken sentences and pictures from our camera rolls about cats. It was simultaneously the most thrilling, stressful and intriguing conversation I’ve ever had,’ he said.
His interest in languages has brought him the opportunity to gain a greater understanding of global citizenship as well as unique insights into diverging cultural perspectives, such as through bonding with his Arabic tutor, a Syrian refugee, over the dishes their mothers make or discussing attitudes toward the LGBTQ+ community with young people in Russia.
Lindsey said he was drawn to Duke Kunshan for its unique interdisciplinary approach, as he has a broad range of interests, including cultural anthropology and world politics, and the intersections between them. He is also looking forward to making connections with people from around the world and immersing himself in the Chinese culture and language.
‘I want to act as a liaison between different cultures to help foster a climate of tolerance and understanding within the global community,’ he said. ‘By accepting different cultures as they are without judgement, we can find common ground in the most unlikely of situations.
‘I don’t see language as a barrier between two cultures; I see it as a bridge to understanding our inherent humanity.’
