The Foreign Service Journal, October 2005

O C T O B E R 2 0 0 5 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 7 Immersion Study Works Thanks so much for Steve Honley’s excellent overview of the Foreign Service Institute (“FSI Settles into Arlington Hall,” July- August FSJ ). Having recently transi- tioned from the Foreign Service into university administration, I read with interest his analysis of FSI’s lan- guage instruction quandaries. We at Texas Tech University recently instituted an approach to learning Spanish which combines academic training with full-immer- sion study in Seville. This enables students to progress in one semes- ter from zero knowledge to fully functional (probably a 3+/3+ rat- ing). Student costs (aside from trav- eling there and back) are compara- ble to studying on campus. We’re starting a similar program with German this year in Quedlinburg, and hope to eventually expand it to French and Arabic. Having myself struggled with FSI French when preparing for my first West African posting, and being disappointed at the deficiency of my level when compared with missionaries we met there who learned their language in a Francophone environment, I became a true believer in immersion study. Honley’s comments on the “area studies” program were also illumi- nating. Based on my 20-plus years experience in Africa, I am a strong supporter of the two-week concen- trated regional overview (and have even replicated its core components for an Africa course here), because such a study provides essential back- ground for officers undertaking their first assignments to a region. It could, however, be further enhanced by incorporating single-country computer learning modules for indi- viduals or small groups to supple- ment the more generalized regional information provided to the entire class. Tibor P. Nagy Jr. FSO, retired Associate Vice-Provost for International Affairs, Texas Tech University Lubbock, Texas The More Things Change I was very pleased to read the extensive coverage of FSI in the July- August edition. I had occasion to visit Arlington Hall a few years ago and was impressed greatly by the progress made since my days with the 54th A- 100 class in early 1963. Regarding the question of lan- guage training, the same problems raised in the Journal were present when I went through over 42 years ago. I was fortunate to take the Foreign Service Examination in early December 1961 when it included an optional language sec- tion. One could choose among Spanish, Russian, Chinese, French and German. My score on the first- named was sufficiently high to earn me an extra five points, perhaps enough to ensure my passage to the oral examination, which I took suc- cessfully in late June 1962. The optional language examina- tion was dropped during the late 1960s; I’m not sure why. Over the years I noticed what I saw as an inor- dinate number of officers overseas in language classes. Had the lan- guage section of the test been con- tinued, we might have been able to select more candidates who required little or no additional language train- ing, freeing them, as it were, to devote more time to post duties. I believe the optional language examination should be reintroduced; many more tongues could be added. In my day, the Area Studies pro- gram didn’t have enough time to cover in depth all the various coun- tries. I remember the complaints of a number of officers about this. Instead of expecting the limited pro- gram to do everything, I felt they could benefit by consulting its well- chosen bibliography and spending some time at the Library of Congress. Of course, there was no Metro then, no Xerox and, needless to say, no Internet. Even so, there was plenty of information available to the motivated and curious. Louis V. Riggio FSO, retired Hollywood, Fla. Treating All House Guests the Same I am concerned about a section of the Foreign Affairs Manual — L ETTERS