Chloe: Sustainable Tourism Consultant Leading with Bahasa Indonesia and Spanish

Meet Chloe—a Bahasa Indonesia and Spanish-speaking Consultant and PhD Researcher in the Sustainable Tourism sector.

From being invited into peoples’ homes for conversations over tea or receiving cheers of applause for attempting to give a professional presentation in my non-native language, learning to speak another language opens new doors of opportunity that you never knew even existed before.

Languages: Bahasa Indonesia, Spanish, and English

Grew Up In: California and Nevada

College & Degrees Held: George Washington University – Bachelor's degree in International Affairs with minors in Geography and Sustainability; The University of Edinburgh – Master of Science in Marine Systems and Policy; University of Cambridge – Master of Philosophy in Conservation Leadership; University of Cambridge – Doctor of Philosophy in Geography

Study Abroad: Bali, Indonesia (Boren Scholarship); Salatiga, Indonesia (Fulbright-Hays Scholarship); Wakatobi National Park in Sulawesi, Indonesia (Fulbright Student Research Grant)

How have your language and cultural skills supported and/or enhanced your professional opportunities?

At 18 years old, after a lifetime of being in love with the ocean, I decided to spend a year working as a Divemaster to save some money and have some adventures before college. I ended up working for 6 months in Komodo National Park in Indonesia and fell in love with everything: the people, the culture, the coral reefs, the manta rays, the 12-hour workdays, the dive shop comradery. When I started my freshman year of college, however, I was told that the only way to get a job in the international affairs world was to learn Arabic. So, I started Arabic classes, felt miserable and confused, and then thought: What am I doing?

The pressure to listen to what the world around you says is the “right” language to study had led me away from a place and language I had already become enamored with: Bahasa Indonesia. I dropped Arabic and began to pursue every scholarship opportunity out there to take me back to Indonesia, and I ended up spending over three years in the country across various intensive language and research programs. This experience completely transformed my life, and with every new word I learned I felt like I unlocked a new secret of this enchanted archipelago. Learning Bahasa Indonesia ultimately enabled me to marry my true interests in marine conservation and international affairs by developing my expertise as a sustainable tourism consultant in the international development world, which all began when I was 18 and saw the power of ecotourism to transform lives and protect ecosystems.

What advice would you share with current language learners or those considering studying a language?

Based on my own experience, I would say don’t worry about what other people say is the “right” language (or most critical, best paid, most useful, most widely spoken, etc.) to study. The opportunities available for you to learn it of course matter, but your own interest and passion for the language and the doors it will open matter more: Where can you imagine yourself living, thriving, speaking, exploring, understanding? The career opportunities will follow, but most important is first listening to yourself and asking: When I can hold the key to unlocking this new world, where do I want to go?

It’s often said that English is the language of global business, and because of that, language skills aren’t necessary to succeed. Do you agree or disagree? Why?

Disagree, 100%. There have been countless occasions in my language learning journeys, in both Bahasa Indonesia and Spanish, where I encountered individuals who could not speak English and my ability to communicate in another language completely transformed my encounters. From being invited into peoples’ homes for conversations over tea or receiving cheers of applause for attempting to give a professional presentation in my non-native language, learning to speak another language opens new doors of opportunity that you never knew even existed before.

Do you have an interesting, moving, or humorous anecdote featuring your language skills to share?

So many! A funny experience happened frequently was when I was living in South Sulawesi in Indonesia; I would often travel on 12-hour local overnight ferries to reach my research site (Wakatobi National Park) where I was frequently the only foreigner. Young girls in particular would come up to me, and very nervously and politely ask to take photos with me using whatever English words they knew. I would often reply with a cheeky smile, and joke in Bahasa Indonesia: “Of course, but I charge 200k Rupiah per photo!”

Their looks of shock would quickly pass into rolling laughter, not expecting this random buleh (foreigner) to speak their language. In these moments, barriers were instantly broken and we could the spend many hours of the ferry journeys playing games or chatting, exchanging stories about our two different worlds to pass the time.

Check out our Connect with Spanish page—or explore another language of your choosing—for information about university programs, scholarship opportunities, testimonials, and more!

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