Last Saturday, I visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art with my teacher and classmates. We saw a lot of great paintings there. The painting that I liked most was Washington Crossing the Delaware River (1851) by Emanuel Leutze. It’s a history painting. I think that it is an amazing work of art. 

The painting is huge, and it shows a famous episode in U.S. history. You can see how General Washington and his army sailed through the ice on the Delaware River to attack the British Army by surprise. The scene shows General Washington standing at the front of a ship. In the background, there is a boat with soldiers and horses in it. The general and his soldiers look fearless and brave. I’m extremely impressed by this painting. It’s an energetic scene that shows an important moment from the American Revolution. The colors of the painting are cold and dark, as expected from a winter night. 

For me, this painting is a symbol of victory after a long fight. When I look at it, I think of my own history, when my daughter and I went through many obstacles in my country to get to the United States. I think of the winter when we arrived without warm clothes, and my daughter was sick because of the cold. When I look at the painting, I think of the bravery of the general and his army crossing the frozen Delaware River in the cold weather.

This new experience in this country is not easy. We learn a new language, get used to new weather, find new jobs, and experience many other difficulties. But this painting inspires me to think that difficulties can always be overcome if you work hard and have clear goals. In the future, I will be able to think about studying, getting a better job, and becoming a U.S. citizen. Like General Washington when he crossed the frozen river, I will have a victory.

Judith Muñoz, forty-five years old, was born in Bogotá, Colombia. She studied business administration at the Cooperative University of Colombia, and went on to work as a manager that provided technical support to companies. She moved to New York City in 2021, and since then, has strived to improve her English in order to one day get a master’s degree in business administration and management in the U.S. At SPELL at Hunter College, her teacher is Satie Movsesian, and the site coordinator is Eugenia D. Coutavas.