We love to keep in touch with our Amity participants long after they complete their intern or teacher program. Often times, their stay in the United States leads to a great deal of professional and personal growth, impacting their lives for years to come. We asked some former participants to answer a few questions regarding their education and careers and how their Amity experience helped lead them to new opportunities; read their inspiring answers below!
Amity Alumni: Want to share your story? Or are you interested in becoming an Amity Alumni Ambassador? Email jtburke@amity.org for more information.
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“I did my internship between my first and second year of my master’s degree. After my Amity internship, I decided to take another internship in Russia, where I have lived for three months. I would have never been able to do that, to leave for a country all by myself, before Amity. My time in the United States helped me to be open-minded and so, opened doors for my future. Right now, I’m living in Austria for eight months, working as a French Assistant. I have my master’s now and can work wherever I want. My initial experience with Amity allowed me to reconsider living outside of France and, most importantly, helped me to see that I didn’t have to be that scared to go! Because of this experience on my resume, finding a job will be a little bit easier for me.” – Tiphaine Verhooghe (2016-2017), France
“Although I am still studying to complete my degree in Education, I have now partnered now with Education USA in El Salvador to help interns give advice to incoming interns, share my personal story, and encourage them to enjoy their experience! My time as an Intern and the knowledge I gained helped me grow professionally. The feedback I received from educators at my host school was crucial to my development, and since then, I feel more confident as a teacher.” – Monica Martinez (2017-2018), El Salavdor
“I am currently finishing my master’s in language acquisition, and plan to become a primary school teacher in immersion schools. My Amity experience clearly led me to choosing this future career rather than just become a teacher back home in France. I saw first hand the benefits of early immersion for children, and I was able to develop abilities in classroom management, lesson planning, and various approaches to teaching and learning.” – Emilie Colonier (2016, 2017), France
“After my internship, I began working in a bilingual school in my home country. It’s incredible to share with my students about my time in the United States. I have grown so much. Professionally, I have the opportunity to combine what I learned in the USA with what I had learned in my prior education. My internship gave me to tools I needed to become a good educator, and really opened my mind to make a difference and adapt with the many changes that are happening in the teaching profession.” – Yubeth Medina Olaya (2016-2017), Colombia
“When I finished my internship, I went back to France and completed my first year of my master’s degree in education. Now, I am a student at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan in Canada for the second year of my master’s. This will provide me with a Canadian diploma in Education, which will allow me to teach in French in Canada. My year with Amity helped determine my career path; I am willing to take opportunities. Studying in Canada is proof that the program had a huge impact on my personal growth.” – Justine Biotteau (2016-2017), France
“Right now, I am working as a University Professor at the university I graduated from in 2016. Since 2017, I was given the chance to teach college students different subjects such as Basic and Intermediate English, Reading and Conversations, Instructional Technology, and Information and Communications Technology. I also work in an English extension program of the university as an ESL teacher.” – Denis T Gonzalez (2016-2017), El Salvador
“I experienced professional growth thanks to my involvement in the school and school projects. It’s something we don’t see much in France, and I was not used to it, but it really creates a sense of school community. You grow as a professional and a person by communicating and being an active part of your class and school community. I’m doing my second year of Masters degree FLE (French as foreign language), major in English didactic, and I’m currently an intern in the Alliance Française of Oxford, UK for validation of my master’s degree. My year with Amity, confirmed my interest in teaching. It also helped me see that I’m more interested in teaching French as a foreign language than French or English in France. It mostly helped me understand that being involved in what you do is what makes you grow on all levels of your life.” – Manuela Duplin (2016-2017), France
“A long time has passed and I still think it has been one of the most valuable professional teaching experiences, as well as life-changing activities, I’ve applied myself to as a young man! I am still a language teacher now at schools in Argentina and I make permanent connection with those days in and around New Jersey.” Pablo Ramon (1994-1995), Argentina
