Cantonese
Peiyu Li
My name is Peiyu, and I am the Cantonese tutor at the Self-Study Language Program. I am currently a fourth-year undergraduate student double-majoring in Journalism and Advertising. Cantonese is my first language, and I was born and raised in Guangzhou, China, which is also known as Canton. I am excited to share my mother tongue with people who are interested in it, and I would love to connect more deeply with the community.
Portuguese
Amanda Menezes
I hold a degree in English Language Arts and a postgraduate degree in Inclusive Education. Throughout my career as an English teacher, I have worked with diverse audiences, age groups, segments, and social classes.
In the midst of the pandemic, I took a second degree—Portuguese Language Arts—and immersed myself in a new challenge: teaching Portuguese to foreigners.
Born in Manaus, surrounded by the forest, and raised among the mountains, I am a lover of nature, hiking, rock climbing, and also of dance and other things related to music.
I am very proud of my Indigenous heritage and my Brazilian northern culture. The truth is, I am passionate about BRAZIL and can't wait to share this passion with my students at the University of Oregon.
Swahili
Catarina Majere
My name is Catarina, and I’m from Tanzania, the land of Mount Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar, and, of course, great vibes!
I graduated in 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts in Education, and I’m thrilled to be here as your Swahili FLTA (Foreign Language Teaching Assistant) for the 2025/26 academic year at the University of Oregon.
I’m passionate about languages, cultural exchange, and good food... especially when I get to cook it myself!
In my free time, you’ll probably find me reading Swahili literature or dancing to some Bongo Flava music.
I warmly welcome you all to my Swahili class, let’s dive into this rich, fun, and beautiful culture together.
Karibuni sana, and don’t worry, we’ll take it one “pole pole” step at a time!
Tagalog
Elizabeth P. Gaña
Mabuhay! I am Elizabeth P. Gaña, Tagalog beginner tutor for Fall term. I came from the province of Pampanga, the culinary and Christmas lantern capital of the Philippines. Graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Master of Arts in Education major in English. Currently, I am a tertiary teacher in Pampanga State University and an emerging researcher. I am also one of the Filipino Fulbright scholars assigned to be Foreign Language Teaching Assistant for 2025 to 2026 at the University of Oregon. I am interested with plants, poems, movies, and travelling. I am looking forward on meeting you in my Tagalog class. Tara na at alamin natin ang kultura at wika ng Pilipinas!
Turkish
Alper Cengiz
Greetings! My name is Alper, and I am the Turkish instructor at Yamada Language Center’s Self-Study Language Program. I was born and raised in Kocaeli, but all my academic accomplishments took place in and revolved around Ankara, the capital city of Türkiye. I am fluent in both Turkish and English, as an English philologist (both Bachelor’s and Master’s from Hacettepe University), and a holder of TÖMER Teaching Turkish as Foreign Language Certificate. I have been working as an English instructor for nearly a decade, and as a Turkish instructor for approximately 2 years in Türkiye. Aside from my academic accomplishments, I always associate my work with folklore, music, history, mythology, and culture as a whole.
