I wanted to gain some cross-cultural experience and have the opportunity to improve my teaching skills. This program fit perfectly with my interests, as it offered great mentoring opportunities throughout the whole application process.
Alumni Spotlight: Ingrid Mayerly Bocanegra
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Ingrid Bocanegra is a certified English Teacher from La Salle University. She majored in Business Administration in New York and participated in several academic seminars in education. She has a passion for traveling and is currently working on sustainable projects to foster environmental awareness.
Why did you choose this program?
What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?
They offered interesting teaching guidelines and useful tips to avoid culture shock. I had to prepare my own classes according to the family's needs.
What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?
I felt very prepared for my trip. There were absolutely no negatives in this experience. I strongly suggest to immerse yourself in the culture and learn from the families, they really have a lot to teach.
What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?
I would wake up early, have breakfast and start teaching formal classes. This is a schedule I set for myself and the families were very happy about that. We would do one grammar lesson and one conversational.
I would then help to prepare lunch. It was the greatest way to learn Italian cooking recipes. In the afternoons I assisted kids with homework and then we would go out to explore the town. They had a hectic schedule but they would always get me involved in their outdoor activities at camp or family and friends gatherings.
On the weekends we used to go on short trips in the surrounding areas and some days I would agree with the families to have some time off to visit other countries. I explored many cities!
Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?
I was afraid about not being liked by the family or not fulfilling their language learning needs. Fortunately, the three families were very nice and made me feel like I was a part of them. I also worked hard to leave a positive impact.
My view changed when I understood that most families signed up to the program because they wanted a real cultural exchange and for that reason, they are very open, welcoming and overall very flexible to negotiate the English lesson schedules and dynamic.
What did you enjoy most about your time abroad?
I really enjoyed my time with the families. Most students in this program are very interested in learning English as they want to explore the world of opportunities that are only possible if they learn other languages.
One of the things that really had an impact on me happened two days prior to my return home. All the families along with their friends organized a party for me. They cooked food from all the places I visited during my time there and made a 40-minute video about all of the experiences shared together. That was amazing!
They also made a cookbook. The last day, they had me stop at four friends' houses to get a small gift from them; I got poems, letters, and a handcrafted flower. I felt humbled for all those presents! I could not express with words how grateful I felt. I would really love to repeat this great experience.