Amy Inestroza is a graduate from the College of the Holy Cross, where she earned her BA in International Studies and Sociology with a focus on Latin America. While studying abroad in Buenos Aires, she began learning Portuguese, deepening her commitment to engaging with Lusophone communities. As a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant at Universidade da Madeira, Amy amplifies underrepresented voices and promotes cross-cultural connections.
Amy shares how her experience has been so far:
« My Fulbright experience has been amazing so far! In addition to my teaching role at UMa, I’ve been collaborating with the Unidade da Diáspora e das Migrações da Câmara Municipal do Funchal and the Associação Cultural e Recreativa Africana na Madeira (ACRAM) to understand, uplift, and support marginalized and vulnerable communities on the island and serve as a bridge across communities with the purpose to promote unity among Madeira’s diverse populations.
Some events I’ve participated/volunteered include: Angola’s 50th Independence Day celebration, “Um dia trabalhando como Calceteiro”, Dia da Interculturalidade, etc.
Additionally, I’ve been getting involved with programming at the University of Madeira. In the first week of December, I helped coordinate a research conference, planning logistics and coordinating volunteers and activities on the island for English-speaking guests from Poland, Germany, The US, etc. The conference was about Women and medicine in the 1900s (a topic I was not familiar with, but it was great to learn about).
I also participated in a workshop about Hawaii and its connections to Madeira.
I joined a dance studio and a church where I’ve been meeting so many locals who have welcomed me and shared their culture with me. This has been one of my favorite parts of my Fulbright experience so far.
In the next few months, I’ll continue to teach classes but also I’ll be taking a French course! I’ll also be assisting in planning events for Erasmus students in Abril and in May, and continue to work with Funchal’s city hall and ACRAM.»
Thank you, Amy, for sharing your experience!