Languages have long been an interest of mine. As a nine year old I took my first trip outside this country's borders and I have since been fascinated by the diversity of cultures and communications in this amazing world. I attended Geneva College in Pennsylvania to study Spanish, TESOL, and Education. I studied abroad in San José, Costa Rica as a participant in the Latin American Studies Program. I have since continued my education with graduate work at Ohio Dominican University. My most fascinating learning experiences have come from cross-cultural adventures like hiking through a rain forest and visiting Mayan ruins in Central America, teaching children at a Mexican orphanage, bargaining in a Dominican market, and navigating the streets of Lima. Now I enjoy bringing those experiences into my teaching to help students make real-world connections and develop global awareness.