Na slovíčko s Benjaminom

Benjamin Chandler je americký lektor, ktorý učí na našej škole angličtinu a niektoré predmety v anglickom jazyku. V EMŠ sa s ním a s pani farárkou Natálkou stretávame každý útorok doobeda. Sú obohatením nie iba pre deti, ale aj pre dospelákov. Pred 13 rokmi prišiel na Slovensko, spoznal sa so svojou manželkou Iťou, s ktorou má dvoch krásnych synov a žijú spolu v Martine. Viac sa o Benjaminovi dozviete od neho samotného…

Where are you from?
I am from the United States. I grew up outside of the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in a village called Brown Deer. My parents‘ house was (and still is) in a quiet neighbourhood with big, grassy yards and no fences. There was a lot of nature there. To this day, nothing makes me more homesick than hearing American songbirds. I stayed in Wisconsin until I moved to Chicago, Illinois, to go to graduate school and get my MFA. I lived in Chicago for 10 years before I moved to Slovakia.

How many siblings do you have?
I have two younger sisters. They are both married with families and live in Wisconsin. One is a massage therapist and the other is an interior designer. We three were always very close so I miss them a lot.

Where did you study?
I did my undergraduate studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I studied visual arts, folktales & mythology, and education. My bachelor’s degree is in Art Education. After teaching for a few years I realised I wanted to be a better artist, so I went to get my MFA in book and paper arts at Columbia College in Chicago. There I learned how to make my own paper, print on old printing presses, write stories and poetry, and bind books. I used to work in a library fixing the old, falling-apart books when I was studying at Columbia. Pretty different work from teaching.

How did you find out about our school?
I was teaching at a Lutheran school in the Chicago area. I was the 4-year-old kindergarten teacher in the morning and the art teacher for the rest of the school in the afternoon. Anyway, That school, Grace Lutheran, had a connection with the Lutheran Academy in Martin. Sometimes teachers from my school would come and teach summer English camps. I came once and was invited to teach for a year here. I said no at first, but then decided I could use an adventure. That adventure has been going on for 13 years now.

Do you think it was a good decision to stay here?
I guess so. I get homesick sometimes and I do not feel Slovak. I think I will always feel like an outsider here. But, like I said, I feel appreciated and I know I do good things at our school, so, it all balances out in the end.

How did you meet your wife?
I saw her my first Sunday after I moved to Slovakia. I was sitting in the back of the church on a Sunday and this young lady with a cool haircut walked in. I thought she was cute. I was surprised to learn she worked at the school in the afternoon program. She and I taught an afternoon class on bookmaking together and I guess I charmed her.

Why did you stay in Slovakia?
I guess for a few different reasons. It is quiet and beautiful and also pretty safe. I feel appreciated here by the students, too. That might be the biggest reason.

What is your travel dream…what do you want!
I love museums, both the art and natural history kinds, and there are many wonderful collections I have never visited (and a few I’d like to visit again!). I won’t bore you with a list of them. My next big travel plans, though, are to go see my family back in the States.

Thanks for the interview
Zuzana Valková