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Alumni Interview: Five Things That Matter with Taylor Muench '15
By Samantha Watson '96
Traveling internationally can instill a sense of perspective and inspire a love of adventure. Connecting with people who speak a different language and come from a different background offers a unique and personal glimpse into other cultures. For Taylor Muench, ’15, these lessons began in his own home, when he was barely old enough to remember.
Traveling internationally can instill a sense of perspective and inspire a love of adventure. Connecting with people who speak a different language and come from a different background offers a unique and personal glimpse into other cultures. For Taylor Muench, ’15, these lessons began in his own home, when he was barely old enough to remember.
Throughout his life, there has always been someone from another country living with his family – from the woman from Scotland who helped raise him, to international students from around the globe, whom he now considers “brothers and sisters.” In fact, as he puts it, there is a “network of Muenches all over the world.”
With each encounter, Taylor learned about the value of being curious, the importance of being open-minded, and the bonds that form when you allow yourself to be vulnerable. Those early experiences opened his mind and inspired him and his brother, Weston ’13, “to be curious people.” It is no coincidence – in fact, it is a direct result of these experiences – that he jumped at opportunities to travel the world during his years at Burr and Burton and then at Ithaca College, and is now living in Barcelona, Spain.
1. Where are you now and what are you up to?
I live in Barcelona, where I have been working for the past four years. I’m currently teaching public speaking, reading, and writing with a Boston-based company called Aralia. I work primarily with Chinese students who want to attend elite boarding schools in the United States. It is a remote role, and accounts for about 70% of what I do.
I also teach English at a linguistics academy in Barcelona. One of the things I do – and I can’t believe this is part of my job – is host cocktail parties every Thursday at the school. They are open to the community, and each week I choose a theme and we start conversations, play games, and get to know each other better. Barcelona is a very international city, and we always have a mix of people from around the world. It is pretty unique, and very exciting, to have all of them in the same room at the same time. All of them are trying to improve their English and want to make friends. Having moved to a foreign country myself, I know how tough it is. I can relate to them, which makes me feel perfectly suited to be doing this work.
2. How did BBA's international programs and students touch you/your family's life while you were a student here?
There’s no way that I would be living in Barcelona doing the work that I’m doing now and being as open to various possibilities around the world, being able to be as vulnerable as I am with people from other cultures, without the international program and the impact it had on my life growing up. Those roots run deep, and I am still connecting and reconnecting with people everywhere I go.
Starting around the time I was born, a woman named Kimbee from Scotland lived with our family and was a nanny for me and my brother Weston. Kimbee eventually moved back to Scotland and now has children of her own. During my time at Ithaca, I studied abroad in London and hosted a podcast, and ended up interviewing some interesting comedians, writers, etc. I traveled to Scotland to visit Kimbee and her family, and did a mini-interview with her 6-year-old daughter, Blake. She was adorable and had the thickest Scottish accent. She had no idea what I was saying, and I had no idea what she was saying, but it was an amazing full-circle and pretty hilarious conversation.
Connections like this happen all the time. On my second day in Barcelona, I was biking to a tryout for a basketball team. Later that day, I opened Instagram and saw a message from Carlota, who had been an exchange student at BBA when I was about 15 years old. Her message said, “Did I just see you biking?” It was amazing to reconnect with her, even more so because we happened to be in the same place, in a giant city, at the same time, and she recognized me from afar!
3. Why is it important to maintain and grow BBA's international programs?
The impact of Burr and Burton’s international programs can be felt not only by students, but by the greater community. Manchester, Vermont is a small place – it doesn’t seem like a place where people from Chile, Spain, etc are all around the same dinner table. Families that welcome these students create strong community bonds.
Now, more than ever, tolerance is critical. Growing the program at Burr and Burton shows that, with all that is going on in the United States and around the world, we are willing to understand someone else’s story and background. In my time at Burr and Burton, it felt totally normal to be in classes with students from Asian, European, and South American countries. There is no doubt in my mind that Manchester continues to be a special place because of these students. Being around them allows us to educate ourselves about other cultures, learn new languages, and make new connections.
My brother and I learned a tremendous amount from watching our mom, Barb, participate in the Rotary exchange. It taught us about making cross-cultural connections and doing good around the world. We also saw how much time and energy our parents invested in the students who lived with us, and what an effect it had on them and on all of us. My brother lived in Chile and Argentina because of Rotary.
4. Who (besides your parents) impacted you the most at BBA?
When I was at Burr and Burton, Barb Miceli convinced me to go to Germany, where I lived with a family outside of Stuttgart. I was only comfortable doing it because I had always been exposed to international families. Once I was there, I immediately knew I needed to travel more. I would not be traveling as much as I am now without that first exposure in Stuttgart. I’m still in touch with my German brother; he messaged me immediately after he got engaged.
I’d also like to give a shout out to Pia Nolan. She is often behind the scenes, but she works so hard at Burr and Burton and the things she does for the exchange programs are a big part of their success. To this day, her sons are my best friends.
I am also thankful to the many families who have hosted international students over the years. It is a big commitment that allows the program to grow and thrive.
5. What are some pieces of advice you'd give current BBA students?
First, appreciate that we have this amazing community of international students at BBA and don’t take them for granted. Speaking from my own experience as an American abroad, it’s difficult for them. Connecting with them can make such an impact on your life, whether it’s learning how to say hi in Mandarin or asking someone about their culture. In return, you are going to learn so much from anyone who walks through the doors of Burr and Burton and have the opportunity to make an impact on their lives as well. Get your curiosity going.
Second, remember that it’s okay to ask questions, and it’s also okay to fall flat on your face when you’re trying to connect with someone. I just traveled to Asia, where I learned that greetings in Thailand and Vietnam are not easy for a native English speaker. I fell flat on my face a lot, but trust me you can always get back up and thrive in these environments. My partner is Argentinian, and sharing life together has been an incredible adventure. We have humorous misunderstandings and discoveries that allow us to appreciate each other's traditions and cultural practices more; these moments of vulnerability are a gift. Putting yourself in positions to learn, whether at home or abroad, can create some of the best memories.
Putting yourself out there is a courageous act. The historic and squeaky halls of Burr and Burton are a perfect place to start. Finding common ground with those from different backgrounds, expressing empathy, and making the effort to learn about others can be incredibly rewarding. I feel fortunate and grateful for every student who has lived with my family, taken classes at Burr and Burton, and expressed their passions and creativity. Their presence has given me a sense of belonging to something truly special. In my experience, it's a beautiful thing to remain curious and to offer a piece of yourself to the world. We all deserve to feel understood and appreciated.
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