I graduated in May 2013 from Smith College with a BA in English and Spanish. In June 2013, I acquired my Teaching English as a Foreign Language certification and taught ESL to elementary, middle and high school students of varying levels in Shanghai, China from August 2013 to June 2014.
The subjects of my lessons ranged from basic grammar, vocabulary and conversational skills to debate, the art of oral presentation, American
culture and theatrical expression in English. While in Shanghai I also worked as an independent ESL tutor. From March 2012 to May 2012 I volunteered to teach English as a Second Language to Spanish-speaking immigrants with a local NGO in Cordoba, Spain. I am fluent in Spanish,
have an intermediate knowledge of Mandarin Chinese and have studied Portuguese, Romanian, French, Arabic and Korean. Teaching in foreign countries has helped me to understand the value of developing a rapport with students (even across cultural and linguistic barriers) and has honed my ability to involve my students in the learning process in ways that engage their own creativity, powers of imagination and personal interests. In my spare time, I love to read, write poetry, roller skate, ride horses, sing karaoke and travel. I also used to play on a roller derby team in Shanghai, China and hope to join a recreational team in Austin!