Mitch Teplitsky interviewed in OurWorld, the online portal for World Learning

Nice interview with me by Tristan Roberts just posted on OurWorld, the online portal for alumni and friends of The Experiment in International Living, The School for International Training (SIT) and World Learning.

Good recap of why I'm doing this project. I don't have to write a "Director Statement" from scratch, they already exist in stories like this. Plus I love how good editors help make me sound articulate. I also like the photo. Makes me hungry.

Thanks to Alumni Director Holly Peterson for making this happen. (There's a notice in the same issue that Holly's stepping down. Hopefully no correlation. Was I THAT pushy pitching the article?)

One could say that The Experiment is responsible for this film. I started volunteering with them in the late 80s, recruiting New York hosts for foreign visitor homestays. That led me to apply to be a Group Leader for the Experiment's Summer Abroad program in Mexico. After getting rejected two years — my Spanish was lousy and I'd never lived abroad — they chose me for the Summer 1991 program to Tlaxaca, Mexico.

Well I had to improve my Spanish, pronto. At the time I was a volunteer English teacher at The International Center. I asked around if someone could practice Spanish with me. The program coordinator introduced me to Nelida Silva. You know the rest....