This year I had the opportunity to take part in an add-on TESOL Program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. My journey began on April 6, the day after the 2008 TESOL Convention in New York City.

In this project, there were ten participants from all over the world, all of us involved in the teaching of English to non-native speakers. During those six days we spent in two US states, my colleagues and I were accompanied by two English Language Officers, Karen Statin and Bruce Huston. Having given brief information about the program and about my colleagues who were also taking part in this project, I’m now ready to describe my journey.

We left New York City on April 6th, and that was when we met at Penn Train Station. We arrived in Pennsylvania at 1:30 p.m., where Bruce welcomed us. Shortly after that, we were accommodated in a hotel and taken off to lunch in a nearby market. I remember that until that moment we were all strangers, so that was the first opportunity to talk about where we were from and show our food preferences. I felt that when we start off with people’s food preferences, we are certainly heading for a good start. At 5:00 o’clock, we met with Karen and Bruce and they gave us a complete program for the six days ahead of us. I guess that Philadelphia was the first place chosen for this program due to its historic relevance, for it was the birthplace of the United States with the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and also where the U.S. Constitution and the Bill Of Rights were written.

So on the following morning, our journey through American history began through the 18th, 19th, and 20th century. We first learned that Philadelphia’s history began a century earlier, when it was founded by William Penn, a leader of the Quaker sect from England. The name of the state where Philadelphia is located, Pennsylvania, means “Penn’s Woods.” We began with a walking and riding tour to see the Liberty Bell and the Independence Hall. We also strolled along the cobblestone streets, where Benjamin Franklin, George Washington and other founding fathers of this nation had walked this path. Ms. Susan Kellogg, a professional local guide, took us back in time with all those important facts about Pennsylvania’s historical and cultural landmarks. After lunch, we headed to Drextel University, where we were welcomed by Mara Blake-Ward, the Assistant Director of the English Language Center. Barbara J. Hoekje, Ph.D., the Director of the program, also joined us and they both gave us an overview of their program and the practice of teaching English as a second language. That was when we learned about Drexel University American Studies/U.S. culture and the use of cross-cultural training, as well as new technologies for teaching English as a foreign or second language.

It was also in Pennsylvania where we experienced “Dinner Hospitality”, which was when we had the opportunity to meet informally with an American family for dinner. My colleagues and I were divided into groups, and , Gladys (from Chile), Rina (from Guatemala) and Daniela (from Romania) and I were hosted by Ms. Virginia Gibson, Chief of the Civil Division at the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Gina, as she is called by her family, picked us up at our hotel and we all took a train to her house in Rose Valley. We had a wonderful evening with her family, sharing information about our countries and learning about the American culture and customs.

On the following day all of us visited the National Convention Center, which is an independent, non-profit organization museum dedicated to increasing public understanding of, and appreciation for, the Constitution, its history, and its contemporary relevance. What amazed me in that museum was the Signers’ Hall exhibit, where we can walk among life-sized bronze statues of the 39 delegates who signed the Constitution and the three who composed it.

After our two-day visit to Pennsylvania, it was time for us to move on to Charleston, in South Carolina. Once again, packing and traveling had become an exciting experience, for there was still a lot to see and experience. Carol Rice from the South Carolina Trade Center was our guide in Charleston. At this point, it is important to point out that my colleagues and I were no longer strangers on this trip, we were also sharing our feelings towards it, learning a little bit about each other’s countries and customs. We had fun while going shopping and comparing the prices of things we wanted to buy for our families. When there was some free time, we arranged to meet in the lobby to go out to have a bite to eat.

Our visit to Charleston began with a visit to Middleton Place, an 18th-century plantation, well-preserved after the revolution, Civil War and earthquake. There we could tour along the Gardens, the garden of which was laid out in 1741 by Henry Middleton, President of the first Continental Congress. The House and Plantation Stableyards were also part of our visit. The Middleton Place is a National Historic Landmark and it was the home of four important generations of Middleton’s family.
A visit to the College of Charleston was the next thing on the agenda, and being there gave us a chance to meet Professor Angela Cozart, who is an associate professor at the college. Professor Cozart is in charge of preparing future secondary students and ESOL teachers. While at the College of Charleston, we attended a short presentation on teaching overseas, and I had a chance to answer a few students’ questions about teaching in a Binnational Center like the Casa Thomas Jefferson. It was an enriching experience getting to know about their on-line course for teachers from all over the state who taught ESOL. According to Professor Cozart, this on-line program was an opportunity for the students as well as teachers to get their degree in Education.

During the days that followed, we visited Fort Sumter National Monument and learned about the major events which led to the outbreak of America’s Civil War. We ended our visit to Charleston with a walking tour provided by the Language School of Charleston, English & More. During this walk, we were introduced to beautiful, historic streets of downtown Charleston, and learned interesting stories and facts about these historic landmarks.
The week seemed to have passed by so fast, and then it was time to return to where we had departed from, New York City, so that we could all head back to our countries.

Touring through these cities and meeting with so many interesting people provided us with a brand new and refreshing view of U.S., which will definitely affect our teaching practice in the years to come. There is no greater experience than to be able to live a country’s culture from the inside.