“Most people are surprised when they learn that I speak a good amount of Mandarin. As a lover of language and culture, I’m always excited about travel. Planning my next trip always gives me something to look forward to. I’ve been to more than twenty countries and there are so many more on my wish list. After I graduated from college, I taught English at a university in Wuhan, China. I lived there a little over two years and was lucky enough to learn conversational Mandarin, while I got to live like a local! Being immersed in a new language and culture was wonderful, exciting, and terrifying all at once, but taking a chance on that adventure has played such a big part in who I am and what I do.
This started me on my path as an ENL teacher, and influenced me to be an advocate for multilingual learners. While my experiences might not be exactly like my students, I always try to remember how I felt living in a new place while trying to learn a new language. This perspective is something I continue to think about daily. Chinese language and culture will always hold a special place in my heart.
I’m a big fan of American chef and author, Anthony Bourdain, and always appreciated his attitudes toward travel, food and culture. He once said, ‘Find where local people are eating, not the best restaurant in town.’ I’m most excited by getting as close to the ‘local’ experience as possible.”
