Yuliia, a UX designer from Ukraine, already has an established career with diverse clients. As she sets her sights on further success in the US, however, Yuliia realizes the importance of honing her English communication skills.
“I utilized English in Ukraine for my work, mostly in writing,” Yuliia recalls. “However, upon my arrival in the US, I encountered challenges in expressing myself effectively. Especially I felt the pronunciation was something I needed to improve, and I knew I’d need to start from scratch.”
Despite only nine months in the US and four months of online studies at MLC, Yuliia has made remarkable progress in her language proficiency. “I didn’t have a good foundation of English. If you think my English is good, that is thanks to the Professional English Class,” she said humbly. “Alexandra, my instructor at Professional English Class, is very good at teaching effective communication techniques. Now I am more confident about my English than before.”
Yuliia also noted, “Alexandra shares a lot of useful information that we can use for our work. She is a wonderful instructor, and I appreciate that she is also a great mentor and friend of ours, who made the class a great team,” she said.
As a professional who has extensive global work experience, Yuliia makes most of the diversity that the class offers. “Since the US is the country of immigrants, it is important to be able to collaborate with people of various English accents, backgrounds, and cultures. I appreciate the opportunities to get used to the accent differences and cultural diversity.”
Reflecting on her past interactions with people from the US, Yuliia acknowledges the communication gaps she faced initially. “Looking back, I remember times when I communicated with people but didn’t understand what they really meant. That was because of the difference of the communication style between Ukraine and the US,” she shares. “However, after learning at Professional English Class, I understand much better what people want to say. This is not just a language class, but it is also about cultural learning, which is crucial for professional communications in the US.”
With all that she has already achieved, Yuliia did express one milestone she has yet to accomplish: “It takes one hour to commute for me to visit the school, but I would love to visit teachers and students in-person sometime!”
