Alumni Spotlight – Emmanuel

We recently asked alumnus Emmanuel, originally from Colombia, to tell us what he has been doing since leaving the program, and what some of his fondest memories were from his time teaching in the United States. Read below for Emmanuel’s responses!

Reflecting on his experience teaching in the U.S.

Q: What schools did you teach at and when?
A: I taught at Anne Chesnutt Middle School in Cumberland County, North Carolina from 2018 to 2021.

Q: What inspired you to apply to teach in the U.S.?
A: I was craving new experiences as a teacher, wanted to improve my English speaking skills, and was interested in learning more about culture in the U.S.

Q: What did you enjoy most about your time teaching in the U.S.?
A: The most enjoyable part about teaching in the U.S. was my incredible students. It’s amazing to see the students grow and feel that you are an important part of their learning process.

What life looks like now

Q: Where are you now? Are you living in your home country, another country, or did you go somewhere else?
A: Currently, I am working as a middle school math and science teacher for the bilingual program at a school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Q: Do you have any other life updates that you would like to share with us and the Participate Learning network?
A: This is my first year teaching science and I am loving it! I am delighted to extend my experience as an international teacher as part of a different community, in a whole different region with snowy winters and bigger cities to explore! Driving a moving trailer through the West Virginia mountains on the way to Wisconsin will definitely be a memory I won’t forget.

Share 3-5 facts about your time teaching in the U.S. Think about favorite memories, travel experiences, special moments, accomplishments, or other things that happened during your time with the program.

• During my last year as an Ambassador Teacher, I was appointed as the head of the Math department at my school.
• After our first three months living in Fayetteville, we packed the car and drove north, trying to flee Hurricane Florence. Thankfully, nothing happened.
• I served as a Local Adviser twice during my time in the program. The advisees I helped are still good friends of mine. Shout-out to Moisés and Fátima!
• We saw some snow falling in Fayetteville in 2019. Unbelievable!
• After three years in the program, we’ve been through more places in the US than in Colombia. When in Rome…

Interested in learning more about Emmanuel and other members of the Participate Learning alumni family? Check out all of our Ambassador Alumni Updates here!