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Spotlight On: Amity Intern Francisco González

February 21, 2020 by guest Leave a Comment

Amity recently interviewed Salvadoran Intern Francisco González. Here’s what he shared about his time in the USA and a U.S. classroom. Thank you, Francisco, for your time and your great advice for incoming participants!

Tell us a little about yourself: Where is your hometown? 

Hello, my name is Francisco González. I am from El Salvador. I currently live with the Anderson family in Shakopee (a suburb in Minnesota). I am doing my internship at La ola del Lago Spanish immersion school. 

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How did you find out about Amity Institute? Why did you did decide to participate in the Intern Program? 

The way how I found out about Amity Institute was through my professors at my university in El Salvador. I decided to participate in the Amity Intern Program because I wanted to experience a new environment and practice my English skills and also, I wanted to get to know the American culture, since I have just been reading about American culture before coming to the States but never had a chance to live in the actual environment with native speakers as well. By sharing and engaging with a different culture, it really changes the way I can see life in different perspectives. 

What is your favorite part of your internship so far? What was the biggest challenge? 

My favorite part of my internship so far is the treatment my host family has given to me since the first time I came to Minnesota. Besides that, all the places I have visited are really amazing. My biggest challenge was deciding what the food or groceries I needed for the week, and putting them on the shopping list that my host family has in the fridge. I was not used to this! 

What have you shared about your culture? What do you think surprises people about your home country? 

What I have shared about my culture is the traditional pupusas, enchiladas and other things like folk songs and handicrafts I brought from home for my students and school community. What surprises people about my home country is the places we have such as, beaches, mountains and volcanoes. The most surprising thing is the lake that turns into a different color every year.  

What has surprised you about the United States? 

What has surprised me the most is the museums and the fossils of dinosaurs I’ve seen there! Moreover, all the history in the Science Museum is really awesome. 

What does a typical day look for you in the United States/at school? 

A typical day at school looks interesting for me, since classes start at 9:20 a.m., and it ends at 3:45 p.m. In my home country, most of the schools start at 7:00 a.m., and it ends at 12:00 p.m. Experiencing a typical day at school in the States is interesting because students have different activities during a school day for example, students from La ola del Lago, they have arts, gym and other activities while being at school, so they learn and develop different skills. 

How do you think interning with Amity will benefit you, personally and professionally? 

I think interning with Amity will benefit me by developing more teaching skills and also, getting to know people that will become a part of my family. My internship has helped me to build strong relationships and has allowed me to experience different cultures than I could ever imagine. Moreover, my resume has benefited greatly from this professional time in the USA, and will help when applying for a job. 

Any advice for interns who would like to come to the United States?

I would like to advice interns who would like to visit to the United States so that they can also have a good experience.

First, be open to a new environment. Second, do not try to spend much time in winter outside. It is better to take precautions against the cold! Also don’t spend too much time alone… people would like to spend time with you and get to know you better. Third, be assertive, it will help you personally and professionally. Fourth, always be on time and try to make your own schedule because American people are very organized people. Finally, enjoy every moment with your host families and be a good ambassador for your home country.  Just be yourself and enjoy life!

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This experience changed my life! Now, I have more dreams and some other goals. I'm so thankful for everything that I've learned. I want to continue growing as a human and as a teacher. The Amity program is one the best things that ever happened to me." - Michelle, 2018-2019 Intern

We have been working with Amity for several years. Learning about different cultures, communities, traditions, music, arts, dances and more, helps our students to see the world as a global place fostering diversity and respect. Having a second adult in the classroom helps our teachers to be able to have more individualized attention to students and work on small groups. Amity has been a wonderful organization to work with, reliable and accessible, bringing highly qualified young people to work in our school."- Maria Buceta Miller, Amity School Coordinator, John Stanford International School

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“In this photo, Yaneth Menjívar (from El Salvador) and I are volunteering at Feed My Starving Children in Minnesota, a moment I’ll never forget. Being there together made the experience even more special—we laughed, worked side by side, and stayed motivated to pack as many meals as possible for children in need.

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For one of my host sister’s birthdays, we traveled to Los Angeles, California, and had the most unforgettable adventures together — from attending a Dua Lipa concert 🎤 to walking the Hollywood Walk of Fame ⭐ and watching the sunset at Venice Beach 🌅. One highlight was visiting the Warner Bros. Studio and getting a behind-the-scenes look at the world of film and television.

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