In the summer of 2024, Principal Jennifer Thompson sent an email to staff and into the community asking for someone to host two teacher interns in their homes. As part of the Amity Institute Intern program, Susana Zelaya from El Salvador and Manuel Bermudez Juaranz from Spain would be arriving just before school started and stay until June.
Before their time at GFW is up, we asked them a few questions!
What are some of the differences between your home country and Gibbon?
Susana: The weather is definitely one of the most noticeable differences! In El Salvador, temperatures usually stay between 60°F and 100°F, which means we see green trees and flowers all year round. Getting through the winter was definitely a challenge here, but it was amazing to experience all the beauty that each season brings. Another difference is the local support. In El Salvador, we sometimes overlook small businesses because the bigger companies get most of the attention, but in Gibbon, I loved seeing how everyone supports all the local shops and businesses.
Manuel: The first big difference between Gibbon and Madrid, where I live, is the number of people I see daily. Coming from a city with over three million residents, I’m used to always being surrounded by people whenever I leave the house. It was a huge surprise when I arrived here and started seeing pretty much the same people every day. I like the calm atmosphere here because in Madrid, everyone is always in a rush!
Another big difference between Gibbon and home is that in Spain, most people live in apartments, while here, each family has their own house. I think that’s a really cool thing, since having your own home gives you the opportunity to have more space and freedom to decorate and organize it however you like. Also the land here is flat and mostly used for growing corn, soybeans, etc., whereas in Spain the terrain is more rugged, and cereal crops are more common.
These are definitely different environments, which leads me to another big difference I want to talk about… the weather. I’ve never been colder in my life than I have been here! In winter in Madrid, it’s rare for the temperature to drop below 30°F, while in summer it can go over 100°F. This cold and the snow here are completely foreign to someone from Madrid.
Manuel's sledding adventures:
What is a highlight of your year at GFW Elementary?
Susana: What stands out the most from this experience is how much I learned from every teacher and paraprofessional—everything from teaching strategies to ways of handling student behavior. Whenever I needed help, I knew I could turn to anyone. The entire staff made me feel welcome from the very beginning, and that’s something I truly appreciated.
Manuel: A highlight of this year has definitely been witnessing the shift in my relationship with the students from the beginning of the year to now. When I first started at the school, I assumed the cultural and language barrier between me and the students would make it difficult to connect with them the way I have with students back home. In the beginning, that barrier was quite noticeable because I wasn’t used to functioning in an English-speaking environment, and I felt very unsure about whether I was understanding them correctly—or if they understood me.
But as time went on, the trust grew—both from them toward me and from me toward them—and if I had known back then how things would turn out, I wouldn’t have believed it. I’m incredibly grateful for the group of students I work with because they’ve shown me that some barriers can be overcome. Their growth has been remarkable—both personally and academically—and I will always treasure the great moments we shared in the classroom this year.
Why is two-way dual language immersion a good option for young learners?
Susana: English and Spanish have several phonetic differences, which can be a challenge if you want to have perfect pronunciation while learning either of the two languages. However, when a young learner is immersed in the language by listening to a native Spanish speaker, that challenge disappears. I've seen how kids in kindergarten pronounce Spanish words just as well as Mrs. Maldonado and I do. Definitely, being able to learn in both languages gives our students the opportunity to develop skills without any language barriers.
Manuel: Learning a second language is a highly beneficial and stimulating activity for a child’s brain development. Language is not just a tool for communication—it actually shapes the way we think and perceive the world. Both English and Spanish are rich with expressions, sayings, proverbs, literary works, and much more, all of which are tied to the cultures that have used these languages throughout history. The dual language immersion program gives students the chance to explore all of these dimensions in both languages and develop proper skills to make use of them, while also preparing them for a future in which Spanish will likely play an important role in their lives. It equips them with the tools to face the challenges that come in their lives.
