When did you attend DLI? Which language? How was it?

CW5 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 10 Feb 2015 09:36:35 -0500

As I'm in Monterey this week, I was, of course, reminded of my time at DLI. From 1979 to 1980, I studied Polish, which was a 47-week course. The course was academically demanding: It required a lot of after-hours work, but in the end it all paid off. I scored 3:3 on the DLPT for Polish at the end of the course, as did most of my classmates. We had a class of eight, and our lead instructor was excellent. So, while it was a lot of work, DLI was a very good experience for me.

How about you? Have you attended DLI? Which language did you study? When did you attend? And was it a good experience? Or something less than good?

Response by SGT Steven Montgomery made Feb 13 at 2015 11:01 PM

SGT Steven Montgomery — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 23:01:08 -0500

I had a little bit of French, some German and bits and pieces of Spanish, not at DLI but in life - didn't get the one year vacation you did. Happy for you though!! :)

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 9 at 2015 9:22 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 21:22:52 -0400

I attended DLI from 2011-2013 and studied Afghan Pashto-a 63 week course, also earning a 3/3. We started with a class of 30 students, we lost 3 and gained 1. Of the 28 that graduated and took the DLPT, everyone passed. 8 achieved a 3/3, and 5 of us also got a 2 in speaking. I have a great passion for language studies myself and had a wonderful experience in Monterey. I would love to go back!

Response by SrA Andrea West made Mar 9 at 2015 10:44 PM

SrA Andrea West — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 22:44:31 -0400

I went to Basic Russian in '87-'88 and liked it so much I came back for Intermediate Russian in '90-'91. Loved Monterey, especially in the morning walking down the hill to the old school.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 3 at 2015 3:18 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 03 Jun 2015 15:18:12 -0400

I didn't go to the DLI, but was stationed in Korea 1997-2001. After around 6 months there I started taking the DLPT for Korean. I think I did like a 1+/1 after a year and later a 2/2. The test got harder a few years ago, but last year I was a 2/2.

I lived in Japan from 2001-2004. There I continued to study Korean while I was learning their Kanji. I eventually got to a conversation level with around 4,000 words in my Japanese vocabulary. I still remember some, but have lost much of it without using it.

In 2005-2009 I live in Germany. I took two classes and studies on my own and spoke with Germans regularly. I learned probably 4-5 thousand words, but didn't do well with verb conjugation and grammar. I could understand a good bit and carry on conversations, but no where as well as Korean, which I kept up with. I remember a good bit,but have been losing it without using it.

I lived in the UK 2009-2012. I studied Korean more from time to time, but focused on college. Over the previous years I also studied Mandarin, Spanish, Thai, and Tagalog. Languages facing me and I enjoy how they seem to dree my mind and broaden my thoughts.

The days, work, higher education, and family keep me from my language studies, but I plan on mastering a couple if the languages I started when I get more time.

Do any of you all have a good experience with learning languages across the language families such as sone of the Asian ones? I know in the begenning I would confuse new words with other foriegn words, but eventually as I became more fluent the languages would differentiate where it didn't seem to affect me.

Response by CW3 Amel Smith made Jun 3 at 2015 5:57 PM

CW3 Amel Smith — Wed, 03 Jun 2015 17:57:42 -0400

In 1985, I also attend DLI Monterey, what a horrible place and had to spend a gruesome 6 months in Italian. Then I had to serve 3 long years in Italy. Life was tough, especially coming out of Fort Bragg.

Response by MSgt E. W. Forbess made Jun 10 at 2015 7:54 PM

MSgt E. W. Forbess — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 19:54:13 -0400

I was on the hill at DLIWC Jan-Jun 1972 as a Haitian Creole linguist. Both of our instructors were native speakers as well as husband and wife -- Roger and Rolande Turnier. We had a blast in class, but the best parts were the weekends that we got to spend with the Turniers and their friends and family in Monterey.

I also learned what ice plant is, and I learned that it is not good to have your golf ball in it...

Response by TSgt Melissa Post made Feb 29 at 2016 6:50 AM

TSgt Melissa Post — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 06:50:04 -0500

I was there from June 2011-March 2012. Learning Arabic Levantine. I failed out but I still loved it. I learned a lot, not just about the language. I would definitely go back because I love the area so much.

Response by PFC Cary Brammer made Oct 12 at 2018 11:38 PM

PFC Cary Brammer — Fri, 12 Oct 2018 23:38:43 -0400

Polish 1989-1990

Response by 1SG Tom Conner made Dec 2 at 2018 10:45 PM

1SG Tom Conner — Sun, 02 Dec 2018 22:45:46 -0500

02CM47W-0179
Having graduated that Spring from college with honors with a BA in French, that year at Monterey proved to be the first of several rough years in my life. I learned perseverance and it has helped me through out my life. Recently I started Greek this Spring and will start Hebrew next Spring.

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 13 at 2019 1:31 PM

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 13 Apr 2019 13:31:10 -0400

I just graduated the Korean course in 2018. We had a really high attrition rate. We started with 18 people, gained two recycles, and by the end had 9 out of the 10 remaining people pass the DLPT. Since they started the DLPT 5 the test is a lot harder to pass. I absolutely loved my time there, though!

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 27 at 2019 3:55 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 27 Sep 2019 15:55:19 -0400

I studied Russian in 1980.

Response by SSgt Henry Casch made Feb 11 at 2020 12:02 AM

SSgt Henry Casch — Tue, 11 Feb 2020 00:02:13 -0500

1985 Czech - Loved DLI, I went to High School at Seaside High so the Monterey Bay was literally my old stomping grounds! We had a small group start going to the Sunday Champagne Brunch at Casa Maria's, think 5-6 of us. By the end of my time there, our group had a full banquet room and dedicated staff!!! Good time!

Response by SFC Nancy Hawk made Feb 19 at 2020 5:27 PM

SFC Nancy Hawk — Wed, 19 Feb 2020 17:27:45 -0500

Russian, Czech basic and advanced course. Both times was alot of learning. Great seafood restaurants., to include abalone. Worked field liason office. Lots of good folks there. Worked at the Black horse golf tournament. I tried to tell the platoon leader I sure did not know anything about golf. He did not care. Usually when the tournament golfer would ask about the how to play that part of the course he would tell me all the things he considered. I usual would say darn you got this. Or perfect.

Response by SSG Matt-Wilma Walkawicz made Jul 15 at 2020 8:51 PM

SSG Matt-Wilma Walkawicz — Wed, 15 Jul 2020 20:51:45 -0400

Attended DLI 1964-1965 Czech 37 week course. Best experience of my life. Fond memories of time spent in Monterey.

Response by SPC Paul Tucker made Mar 9 at 2021 12:42 PM

SPC Paul Tucker — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 12:42:16 -0500

I was in Middle East School 1 in 1993 and about halfway through the Arabic basic course they created Middle East 2 and moved our class to ME2. I graduated in August 1994. DLI remains one of the best memories of my youth (early 20’s). I graduated 3:3:2+ and loved every second of it. I can still speak, read, and write although not as well as when I was enlisted. DLI had a huge impact on my study habits and when I exited the military and went back to college for my engineering degrees, it was a breeze. I had developed such good learning habits at DLI everything came easier. A couple years ago I started studying Spanish and can read and write, but don’t speak it well.