Our Blog Music, sports, food, films, travel, language... Peer tutors share their interests about language and culture in our Blog! Visit our Instagram, too: @lclc_peer_tutoring! Peer Tutor Blogs Copy link 6 May 2025: Italian Tutor/LLA Strahinja's Experiences with UIC Italian Tuesday, May 6, 2025 As another semester is ending, I would like to reflect on my progress in Italian since my first days at UIC in August 2022. I have been taking Italian courses since my very first semester, so I think I can say I am well prepared for this topic. 6 May 2025: Spanish Tutor/LLA Giselle writes about Iguala, Guerrero – Birthplace of the Mexican Flag Tuesday, May 6, 2025 The city of Iguala is known as the “la cuna de la bandera”, the cradle of the Mexican flag. Its history dates back all the way to the year 1821 when Mexico gained its independence from Spain... 6 May 2025: Italian Tutor/LLA Strahinja writes about the Abruzzo Trilogy – A Selection of Lesser-Known Novels Tuesday, May 6, 2025 During my fall semester in 2024, my Italian professor Giordano Mazza recommended to the class an author from his home region of Abruzzo known as Ignazio Silone. The book that was introduced to us is “Fontamara”, a novel detailing the fascist years. 2 May 2025: French Tutor/LLA Hazal writes about May 1968: A Defining Moment in French History Friday, May 2, 2025 "Many believe May 68 was a precursor to the broader societal changes of the 1960s and 1970s, not only in France but across the Western world. Today, it remains an important symbol of youth activism and collective power." 2 May 2025: Spanish Tutor/LLA Jason writes about the film Emilia Pérez Friday, May 2, 2025 "It’s had its fair share of controversies (which I won’t get too into) and discussion, so I wanted to see for myself how it was. It was definitely a movie, to say the least." 21 March 2025: Italian Tutor/LLA Strahinja writes about Italian cinema class Friday, March 21, 2025 This semester I’ve had the opportunity to take ITAL280, an Italian cultural class dedicated to cinema taught by Professor Chiara Fabbian. The movies we watched come from the rich 20th century, a period of experimentation and innovation during a time 17 February 2025: Spanish Tutor/LLA Jason writes about the film Money Heist Monday, February 17, 2025 "If anyone remembers, back in 2017 or so, La Casa de Papel (localized as Money Heist in English) absolutely dominated Netflix... I was seven years late to the craze, as I only watched it in the summer of 2024 so I could keep up with my Spanish." 4 December 2024 - Zaira: Linguistics, Spanish, and Learning about Language Wednesday, December 4, 2024 "On a recent trip to Mexico this past summer my siblings and I visited our family in Michoacan. In a way I was a little worried for my little sister and my brother given that it would be their first time visiting..." 4 December 2024 - Arabic LLA Salma reviews the film Excuse my French (2014) Wednesday, December 4, 2024 Amr Salama's powerful 2014 film Excuse my French discusses the difficulties of younger people, identity, and social acceptance against the background of Egypt's diverse socio-religious situation in the 21st century. 3 December 2024 - Strahinja, Learning Italian through Music Tuesday, December 3, 2024 "It makes me glad that I am able to find and utilize these creative methods for language learning that are relaxing and fun for me while allowing me to express my creativity and skills." 26 November 2024: Spanish Peer Tutor Celeste about “Ensayo de un crimen” Tuesday, November 26, 2024 Ensayo de un crimen is a psychological dark comedy directed by Luis Buñuel in 1955. 21 November 2024: Spanish Tutor/LLA Jason writes on the “Importance” of Fluency Thursday, November 21, 2024 Coming from an Asian household and obviously looking so, people are often surprised when I tell them I can speak Spanish. I only started taking it seriously these past three or so years,… 19 November 2024: Spanish Peer Tutor Valeria writes on Purépecha culture and traditional clothing Tuesday, November 19, 2024 In the state of Michoacán, where my family is from, the indigenous community of the Purépechas can be found. A big part of indigenous communities is their traditional clothing which is known as… 11 October 2024: Italian Tutor Strahinja on Loanwords and Language Learning Friday, October 11, 2024 Right now I am taking Italian classes and am a peer tutor as well. Learning the language, I have recognized many words that have a direct equivalent in my native language. 25 September 2024: Spanish Peer Tutor Lorena writes about "Mi Descendencia Mexicana" Wednesday, September 25, 2024 The lovely state of Guanajuato in the heart of Mexico is the one that I am descended from. 4.11.2024: Arabic LLA Mustafa's Linguistic Odyssey Thursday, April 11, 2024 Growing up in Saudi Arabia as a child of Pakistani descent, my linguistic journey was a tapestry woven with threads of Urdu, Arabic, and English. 10.23.2023: German Peer Tutor Dani Writes About The East German Punk Scene Monday, October 23, 2023 The East German punk scene is like no other, and their revolution keeps me awake at night... 10.23.2023: German Peer Tutor Kaleb Writes About Studying Abroad in Freiburg, Germany Monday, October 23, 2023 Last semester, I studied abroad in Freiburg, Germany. From late February to late July, I experienced living in a foreign country for the first time. 10.18.2023: German Peer Tutor Kai Reviews the Film "Coming Out" (1989) Wednesday, October 18, 2023 Coming Out is a 1989 German film which was directed by Heiner Carow and written by Wolfram Witt. 9.28.2023: French Peer Tutor Eliza Reviews Parisian Hot Chocolate Thursday, September 28, 2023 This summer, I had the chance to try out three of the most famous cafés (and hot chocolates) in Paris: Les Deux Magots, Carette, and Angelina. And, like everyone else, I certainly have my rankings on these three. Let’s dive in! 4.13.2023: French Peer Tutor Hazal Writes about Spring Break in Paris Thursday, April 13, 2023 During spring break, I had the amazing opportunity to go to Paris, France as a student in PSCH 394, “Seminar in Paris: Gender-Based Violence, Racism, and Inclusion in the U.S. and France.” 3.28.2023: Spanish Peer Tutor Lisset writes about award-winning Queso Cotija cheese and Cotija de la Paz, Michoacan Tuesday, March 28, 2023 I am proud to say that my hometown Cotija de la Paz, Michoacan, Mexico is known for its delicious cheese and has even made headlines. 3.15.2023: French Peer Tutor Ketura writes about Konpa Wednesday, March 15, 2023 We often say that a party without Konpa is not a Haitian party. 3.13.2023: French Peer Tutor Eliza reviews 3 films by French filmmaker Jean Renoir Monday, March 13, 2023 If you’re looking for escapist films, look no further than three films by renowned French filmmaker Jean Renoir: The Golden Coach (1953), French Cancan (1955), and Elena and Her Men (1956). 2.2.2023: French Peer Tutor Hazal writes about multilingual life Thursday, February 2, 2023 I don't remember learning English at all. I don't remember learning Turkish either. To me it feels automatic, as if I have always known how to perfectly read and write in these two languages. But my experience with learning French was very different. 12.07.2022: French Peer Tutor Izzy Reviews Les 7 Vies De Léa. Wednesday, December 7, 2022 The Seven Lives of Léa is a French supernatural-drama TV show made in 2022 about a young girl named Léa who finds a body while she is at a party with her friends. 11.30.2022: German Peer Tutor Alex Writes about the Love Parade in Berlin Wednesday, November 30, 2022 I had never witnessed such an event in my life before. It was so cool. 11.3.2022: French Peer Tutor Ari reviews the film Breathless by Jean-Luc Godard Thursday, November 3, 2022 Humorous, captivating, provocative, and breathtaking, these are a few words that can describe the film that is Jean-Luc Godard’s finest work À bout de souffle / Breathless (1960). 10.19.2022: French Peer Tutor Izzy reviews the film La Haine (1995) Wednesday, October 19, 2022 The film is beautiful and elegant, while still capturing themes like racism, police brutality, drug use and anger. 10.3.2022: Alex's Summer Trip to Germany (Part 4) Monday, October 3, 2022 I traveled all over Germany this summer and this is the tail-end of my travels. 9.30.2022: Alex's Summer Trip to Germany (Part 3) Friday, September 30, 2022 After three and half fun weeks in Berlin, I started my mini-tour around Germany. 9.23.2022: Alex's Summer Trip to Germany (Part 2) Friday, September 23, 2022 I attended the Humboldt Institute in Berlin and loved every second of it. 9.23.2022: Alex's Summer Trip to Germany (Part 1) Friday, September 23, 2022 After being in Berlin for almost a month, I feel like I have a nice basic grasp of the city. 5.4.2022: French Peer Tutor Susy discusses “À bout de souffle” Wednesday, May 4, 2022 “How could a movie be filmed in an ambulance?” These were the words spoken by my cousin; she was confused as her sister told her about the plot of a new movie that just came out. 5.4.2022: Alex on Language and Family History Wednesday, May 4, 2022 As a kid, I freaked out a couple of babysitters because I used to sleep talk in English, Spanish, and German. 4.8.2022: Ari reviews the French film La Planète Sauvage (Fantastic Planet) Friday, April 8, 2022 La Planéte Sauvage or Fantastic Planet in English, by René Laloux is a surreal animation created in 1973, based on the novel ‘Oms en série’by Stefan Wul. 2.10.2022: Lev writes about being an in-class Language Learning Assistant Thursday, February 10, 2022 The LCLC is pioneering a brand new Language Learning Assistant program this semester, and I absolutely love being a part of it. The LLA program places experienced peer tutors into beginner language classes once a week as resources for students. 11.23.2021- Susy on the Art of Christo and Jeanne Claude Tuesday, November 23, 2021 Bulgarian artist Christo Vladimirov Javacheff and his French - Moroccan wife, Jeanne Claude, impacted the world with their out-of-the-ordinary, yet aesthetically pleasing art installations... 11.15.2021 - Alex on learning about East Germany Monday, November 15, 2021 Day to day life in East Germany in the 1980s was a mystery to me before I saw the documentaries Flüstern und Schreien (Dieter Schumann, 1988) and Unsere Kinder (Roland Steiner, 1989). 11.3.2021: Alison reviews the film Adú (2020) Wednesday, November 3, 2021 I recently watched Adú (2020), directed by Salvador Calvo, on Netflix. I decided to watch this film as I did not know much about the struggles African migrants encounter on their venture to Europe. 10.18.2021: Lars writes on gender-neutral language in French and beyond Monday, October 18, 2021 While gender neutral language in French is discouraged formally, it is not a deterrent for transgender people in need of an alternative to typically male and female pronouns and agreements. 9.24.2021: Alex Reviews the Film "The Awakening of Motti Wolkenbruch" (2018) Friday, September 24, 2021 I recently watched The Awakening of Motti Wolkenbruch (Michael Steiner, 2018) on Netflix. The movie is a comedy that follows the main character Motti and his struggle to meet his family’s expectations. 9.16.2021: Laurie on the Band Kassav and Zouk Music Thursday, September 16, 2021 This blog about Kassav and Zouk is in honor of the great Jacob Desvarieux and the band Kassav for their amazing work and for bringing happiness to the lives of so many people around the world. The French Caribbean band was formed in 1979. 7.30.2021: Valeria Explains Why Reading El Quijote Wasn’t So Bad After All Friday, July 30, 2021 I try to remember when was the first time I had ever heard about Don Quijote de La Mancha, and, truth is, I don’t remember at all. It is one of those things that just sort of existed around me. 7.19.2021 - Samie puts her Spanish skills to work Monday, July 19, 2021 As part of my journey to become a doctor, I’m interning at Lurie Children’s Hospital and it has taught me the importance of Spanish in a clinical setting. 7.16.2021 Celeste Bakes Homemade Conchas Friday, July 16, 2021 The history of Conchas can be traced back to the Spanish conquest of the aztecs. The Spanish wanted to establish Mexico City into a European population and introduced the special ingredient to make conchas: wheat, the main ingredient of the concha. 7.9.2021 Susy's review of "Ya No Estoy Aquí" (2019) Friday, July 9, 2021 “No entiendo” (I don’t understand) – these are the words repeated by Ulises (Juan Daniel Garcia), a seventeen year old from Monterrey, Mexico, throughout the coming-of-age drama, “Ya No Estoy Aquí” (I’m No Longer Here). 6.25.2021 Susy's Second Home: How Living in Mexico Brought Her Closer to Her Hispanic Heritage Friday, June 25, 2021 Recently, I had the opportunity to immerse myself deeper into my culture by spending four months in my dad’s hometown in Calvillo, Aguascalientes, Mexico. 6.9.2021 - Susy's Music Mix: Sharing our love for languages through music Wednesday, June 9, 2021 Today, as I was doing my daily “quehacer” (chores), I was in the mood to throw it back to jams from my parents’ era. I chose a playlist by “Jeanette,” a Spanish pop singer from the 70’s/80’s. 5.27.2021 - Celeste on Different Styles of "Mole" Thursday, May 27, 2021 Depending on where the mole is from, the taste differs: sweet, sour, spicy. Mole translates to “sauce” which can contain many different ingredients like fruit, chili peppers, nuts, cinnamon, or cumin. 5.7.2021 - Mayra reviews the Spanish film "In Family I Trust" Friday, May 7, 2021 Bea is a young Spanish architect from Barcelona who, in addition to attempting to get her projects promoted, aspires to build things that hold sentimental value to her, including a childhood treehouse. 5.7.2021 - Mayra writes about ají peppers Friday, May 7, 2021 Aji is a red/yellow chili pepper commonly used in Latin America. It is a very popular condiment in Ecuador where it is used in the form of a salsa. 5.4.2021 - Alex's language tips for the summer! Tuesday, May 4, 2021 While your German lectures may be over for this semester, you can still continue practicing and studying German! 5.4.2021 - Lainey on the dialects of the world! Tuesday, May 4, 2021 Oftentimes, when our teacher would introduce us to a new noun, students who were native speakers would disagree with her on the translation of the word. When she told us that the word for ‘lunch’ is ‘almuerzo,’ they replied that it was ‘lonche.’ 4.30.2021 - Lars on Learning French Friday, April 30, 2021 It was really frustrating because I worked really hard and still always felt like I wasn’t where I was supposed to be. I am so glad now, five years later, that I stuck with it. 4.30.2021 - Daisy on her language learning experience Friday, April 30, 2021 I didn’t start to learn English until the second grade, when I was placed in a bilingual classroom because at the school I attended before I was in a Spanish-only classroom. 4.30.2021 - Mautise reviews the horror film The Binding Friday, April 30, 2021 I must begin by saying I am a horror movie fanatic. At one point, I thought I had watched all the horror movies that were on Netflix. 4.28.2021 - Susy reviews Sentinelle (2021) Wednesday, April 28, 2021 Have you heard of the Netflix original film, Sentinelle? This action drama was directed by Julien Leclercq and released in early March 2021. 4.26.2021 - Nate reviews the movie La Habanera (1937) Monday, April 26, 2021 Detlef Sierck’s (aka Douglas Sirk) film La Habanera (1937) was a film produced by the Nazis and is considered a propaganda film, thus it must be approached with a critical eye. 4.22.2021 - Alex's review of "Sarajevo" Thursday, April 22, 2021 Do you like period pieces? Do you enjoy learning about history? Have you ever wondered about how the death of one man caused the start of World War One? Then Sarajevo (2014) is a movie for you. 4.21.2021 - Valeria writes about Zacatecas Wednesday, April 21, 2021 As a native to the state of Zacatecas, nothing makes me more proud than to see my beloved state and its cultural heritage and history be recognized at an international level. 4.19.2021 - Laurie on Louis de Funès and Le Gendarme de Saint-Tropez Monday, April 19, 2021 When I was growing up my family and I would sometimes watch films from a French actor named Louis de Funès. Although I didn’t like these old, black and white (most of the time) movies back then, I recently rediscovered them and found myself laughing. 4.19.21 - Emma on Spezi Monday, April 19, 2021 Spezi is a cola-based drink that has a hint of orange, it sounds simple, I know, but something about it is just so good! 4.15.2021 - Sofiya's First Trip to Italy Thursday, April 15, 2021 In Rome, we visited the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, and, of course, the Vatican. 4.13.2021 Leah's Review of Les Adieux à la Reine Tuesday, April 13, 2021 Based on the novel of the same name by Chantal Thomas, Les Adieux à la Reine is a story told from the perspective of Sidonie Labourde (played by Léa Seydoux), reader for Marie Antoinette (played by Diane Kruger). 4.09.2021 - Lars on laïcité Friday, April 9, 2021 Most French citizens will tell you that laïcité is a backbone to not only French politics, but society as well– but what is laïcité? 3.17.2021 - Lainey on Latin-American Punk Rock Wednesday, March 17, 2021 In the late 1980s and early 1990s, punk exploded across Latin America, most notably in Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela, and especially Peru. 3.15.2021 - Lainey on the "Corridos" music genre! Monday, March 15, 2021 Trap corridos, or "corridos tumbados", combine the classical corrido elements with new-wave trap and hip-hop music, or reggaetón. 3.12.2021 - Mautise on Beginning French Peer Tutoring Friday, March 12, 2021 Once I have my first student I hope to immerse them in French so they in a sense fall in love with learning the language as much as I do. 3.11.2021: Make Vegan Milchreis with Alex! Thursday, March 11, 2021 My favorite German dessert is Milchreis, which directly translates to “milk rice.” 3.9.2021 - Laurie on Monuments and fortresses in Haiti Tuesday, March 9, 2021 During this trip, I was able to learn more about my country’s history and my heritage and I would love to share some of the places I visited in The Land of High mountains, Haiti. 3.1.2021 - Megan recommends the film Adú Monday, March 1, 2021 French and Spanish students, check out Adú on Netflix: the dialogue is in both Spanish and French! 2.23.2021 - Valeria on a fun, cultural performance Tuesday, February 23, 2021 Growing up in a Mexican household in Zacatecas, Mexico, I was always surrounded by all sorts of music, particularly the very varied styles of folk music from all around Mexico. 2.22.2021 - Nate reviews a German film, Der Ölprinz (1965) Monday, February 22, 2021 Advanced German speakers looking for a real classic film, “Ein Film mit Herz und Humor” and quite a bit of action–here’s one for you! 2.19.2021 - Nikki on Naperville's Paris Bistro Friday, February 19, 2021 The restaurant itself is small and intimate with low lighting in the evening that’s perfect for a date night or a girls’ night out. 02.17.2021 - Samie recommends Como Caído del Cielo Wednesday, February 17, 2021 I watched this film with my father, who is a huge fan of Pedro Infante, and since the film featured some of Infante’s songs, my dad was hit with lots of nostalgia! 02.09.2021 - Laurie recommends Case Départ movie Tuesday, February 9, 2021 Case Départ is a comedy/fantasy about sibling rivalry and slavery. That doesn’t sound very funny, but it really is! 2.8.2021 - Samie talks about the history and significance of piñatas Monday, February 8, 2021 Piñatas come in a variety of colorful shapes and you have most likely seen at least one Peppa Pig piñata in your life, but did you know that the original piñatas were probably from China? 2.4.2021 - Samie recommends “Street Food: Latin America - Oaxaca” and also memelas… Thursday, February 4, 2021 If you’re like me and consider yourself a foodie, then you should definitely check out “Street Food”! 1.27.2021 - Susy discusses trilingualism Wednesday, January 27, 2021 Story Time: Un acte de foi: How I ended up working at a French Immersion Preschool 12.4.2020- Juan Reflects on His Experience as a Spanish Peer Tutor Friday, December 4, 2020 My time here working as a Spanish tutor for the Language and Cultural Learning Center (LCLC) has been an unforgettable experience. 12.1.2020 - Sofiya on Parma Tuesday, December 1, 2020 The cuisine of the Emilia-Romagna region, where Parma is located, is full of delicacies. The most famous are the prosciutto di Parma, a kind of cured ham, and Parmesan cheese. 11.18.2020- Laurie Introduces the French Speaking Countries of the World Wednesday, November 18, 2020 French is the second most spoken language in the world after English. If you count the flags on the picture above, you will see that French is spoken in 29 countries. 11.12.2020 - Valeria's Pan de Muerto Recipe for Día de Muertos Thursday, November 12, 2020 In Mexican tradition, every year on November 2nd, Día de Muertos is celebrated. It is tradition to celebrate this day with a traditional sweet bread called Pan de Muerto. 11.11.2020 - Ella reviews "Durante la tormenta" (2018 film) Wednesday, November 11, 2020 Durante la tormenta (The Mirage) is a Spanish movie that was made in 2018. It’s the perfect movie that explores what would happen if you were to make a decision that could change the entire course of your life. 10.29.2020 - Maria on el día de los muertos Thursday, October 29, 2020 From Oct. 31st to Nov. 2nd every year, el día de los muertos is celebrated. This is a celebration that is traced back to the Aztecs and Mayas. Over 3,000 years, ago this celebration was in honor of Mictecacihuatl “lady of the dead.” 10.21.2020 - Nikki's tips on baking vanilla macarons Wednesday, October 21, 2020 Even though this year has not been ideal, the persistence of remote learning this semester enables us to continue onward in the kitchen. 10.20.2020 - Juan on Bilingual Life in the U.S. Tuesday, October 20, 2020 My parents immigrated to the United States for a better life for my siblings and me. When they arrived in Chicago from Guadalajara, Mexico, they spoke little to no English. 10.14.2020 - Jordan on Her German Experience Wednesday, October 14, 2020 Hi! My name is Jordan, I am a German peer Tutor and I am here to share my foreign language experience in my life and why I stuck with German all this time! I started speaking German technically when I was in K4. 10.9.2020- Laurie with a Fried Plantain Recipe! Friday, October 9, 2020 In this blog I will explain how I make a very simple but amazing side dish known as Fried plantain (Haitian style). It is a very popular side dish in the Caribbean. 9.16.2020- Laurie on her first semester French tutoring online Wednesday, September 16, 2020 I am excited today to talk about my experience tutoring French online for the first time in Fall 2020. As all of you know, most UIC classes are being taught remotely this semester and so is peer tutoring. 5.4.2020 - Nikki on Cooking Casserole-Roasted Chicken Monday, May 4, 2020 In honor of the final week of the semester, I decided to celebrate my love for French culture by preparing a traditional roast chicken recipe from Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. 5.4.2020 - Laurie on French and Haitian Creole Monday, May 4, 2020 In Haiti there are two official languages French and Haitian Creole, these languages are my first two languages and the languages I feel the most comfortable speaking especially when I’m upset. I think I get this from my parents. 5.1.2020 - Andrea on Tips and Farewell Friday, May 1, 2020 Today is my last day as a UIC undergraduate student. It’s a little sad but also exciting. However, I am not leaving without sharing a little bit of my wisdom. 4.29.2020 - Laurie on majoring in French Wednesday, April 29, 2020 Multiple times I get asked questions like: “What made you want to become a French peer Tutor?”, “Why are you majoring in French and Francophone studies when it’s already one of your native languages?”, “Why French, why now, why here”? 4.23.2020 - Maria on Spanish across Fields Thursday, April 23, 2020 Learning more than one language helps a person stand out when applying for a job, especially today where English is no longer the predominant language in the Chicago area. 4.22.2020 - David on the French Festival of Music Wednesday, April 22, 2020 The French Festival of Music takes place in June all over France, and even in neighboring countries since 1982. The streets come alive with music, including bands, singers, musicians, drummers, DJs and more. 4.16.2020 - Nikki on Cooking Crepes Thursday, April 16, 2020 This week I couldn’t help but make a classic French dish from Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking (Child, Bertholle, Beck 191): pâte à crêpes (crepes). 4.16.2020 - David on Volunteering Thursday, April 16, 2020 There are French businesses, French immigrants, and other Francophone speakers who work and live in Chicago. Becoming involved in local activities is a great way to meet people in that community and to practice your language. 4.9.2020 - Nikki on trying out new French recipes Thursday, April 9, 2020 In the midst of all the chaos happening in the world right now and #stayathome, I have decided to venture out into the dark, mysterious depths of my house that is… my kitchen.
