Intercultural Interactions- Theresa Lingardo

Intercultural Interactions are a very important part of growing up and living in the United States. There are so many people who come from so many different backgrounds and cultures, it is important for people to be open and aware of these cultures and the differences that may come about. I think that schools like AMIS are a great tool in helping people become more aware of just how many people there are in our own cities who come from different cultures, and it is also a place where people can come to learn more about those specific cultures. The kids who attend AMIS have such a great opportunity to expand themselves as well. Many of the kids at AMIS have similar cultures but some do not. This gives the kids a comfortable place to learn about each others backgrounds and grow in their own intercultural knowledge.
AMIS is also a great place for the kids to be able to learn about how to handle different situations concerning culture that they may happen upon. A lot of times immigrant children can feel overwhelmed by the differences they experience between themselves and other kids their age. In her book, Cristina Igoa gives helpful guidelines on good topics to talk about with immigrant children. For example, Igoa suggests that adults talk to immigrant children about what discrimination is, and how they can work to prevent it from happening. She also says that it is a good idea to teach the children to be inclusive. I think that a lot of the ideas presented in this chapter are topis that AMIS does a good job of addressing. The school continually works to make life easier for the immigrant children so they can focus on their education, which is so great.




Liberty, Kentucky



For me, a time where I had a very big intercultural interaction was on my service trips to Liberty, Kentucky. I have been on about 9 trips to Liberty, and each time I meet new people who live a completely different way of life than I do. First, there is a large Mennonite community in Liberty, and they lead a very strict lifestyle. They have to electricity in their homes and travel on horse and buggy's or by bike. They believe in a strong sense of community, and look to each other for support. The first time I met a group of Mennonites, I was extremely nervous. I wasn't sure if they would like me, or if they would judge me because I was from the city and lived with things on a daily basis that they did not. In a sense, I was judging them as well. But i was very wrong. The people that i met were so great! We all got along so well. We joked and talked about our lifestyles and what is was like to grow up where we did. It was a very eye opening experience for me. I leaned a lot that day about becoming more understanding of other cultures and realizing that underneath it all we are not so different.



In a horse and Buggy carriage