Free Press and U.S. History through Art, Institute for Training and Development in Amherst, Massachusetts

Among all the educational opportunities I have ever had, the SUSI experience at the ITD stands out as the most enriching one. The SUSI program shed light and offered insights into American history, institutions, society, arts, and everyday life through remarkably interesting classes, visits, events, activities, panel discussions, and networking opportunities.

The classes tackled a variety of topics that included – but were not limited to – education, the American Constitution, indigenous populations, African Americans, women’s movements, LGBTQ rights, religious pluralism, migration and immigration policies. They were complemented by participation in events and visits to monuments and distinct places of interest: from the Capitol and the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington DC to Emily Dickinson’s House in Amherst, MA; from Harvard University and the JFK Presidential Library and Museum in Boston to the United Nations headquarters and the Natural History Museum in New York; from the Mount Sugarloaf overlooking the Pioneer Valley and the Connecticut River in Massachusetts to the spectacular Capitol Reef National Park in Utah; from watching a baseball game in Worcester, MA, to watching a rodeo in Oakley, UT; from participating in the Juneteenth celebrations in Amherst, to the 4th of July celebrations in the capital.

Interacting with American people from different walks of life was one of the strengths of this program, as it added so much to our understanding of the American people. My friend Angelia from Romania and I had such a wonderful time when being welcomed in Wendy and John Sinton’s house and spending a day with them, seeing Northampton through their eyes, picking strawberries, discussing American politics, society, and family life, and having dinner in their balcony deck overlooking the forest ^_(photo). So was baking Greek orange semolina cakes, cleaning the kitchen, serving food at the Not Bread Alone Community Meal Program, helping sort food packages, and serving lunch at Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen and Pantry, as part of our community service. Having the opportunity to talk to Joshua Garcia, Mayor of Holyoke, MA, about the challenges the local - mostly Spanish speaking - community faces, was equally interesting as talking to Forest Cuch at the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation, UT, about what it means to be a Native American today; and as important as talking to the editors of the local newspaper Daily Hampshire Gazette, or Ms. Cindy Buhl, Legislative Director of the US Representative Jim McGovern.

This course finally offered us ample opportunities to develop as teachers, broadened our perspective of education, inspired us, and provided new teaching tools. Apart from the exciting teaching methodologies classes, we visited the Easthampton High School, where we were warmly welcomed by both students and teachers, and the International Language Institute in Northampton. We had a panel discussion with local teachers in Amherst, we shared ideas about how to teach history through art at the Smith College Museum of Art, and how to add poetry in our EFL classes at the Deerfield Teacher’s Center.

Last but not least, our interaction with our new friends, coming from 20 different countries across the globe - the World, as Bruce Watson affectionately called us - helped us develop and enrich ourselves. I could never write enough about how much we learned from and about each other, how surprised we were every time something we took for granted was challenged, and how much we laughed seeing our own culture through other people’s eyes. This was the result of operating in a safe environment that nurtured and encouraged learning, sharing, and exchanging ideas.

^{_{Photo Credit: Katerina Gotsi}}