I'll start with me. As you all know I'm 22-years-old. I graduated from George Mason with a BS in Geography. I obtained my CELTA from Saint Giles in July 2008 (I just received my diploma). I want to work, live, and teach in Latin America for the foreseeable future. My goal is to teach business English at a professional school, either somewhere in Central America or Brazil. I want to make teaching English a profession. Some day, I will start my own magazine, but I need to become a freelance writer first. This is the first time I've been to Latin America, or any country whose primary language isn't English. I've been to Canada three times, and the UK once. I plan to spend most of the rest of my life in Western Hemisphere.
Dan Brown is 41. He was born in the United States, grew up in Mexico until he was nine-years-old, and then moved back to California. He is bilingual. He's been at CulturLingua since the middle of August but has been in Mexico since last year. Dan has taught for eight years becaues he finds it rewarding and he likes it. Dan teaches Beeline 2, which is composed of 12 young boys and girls. Dan has also travelled to Canada, the Bahamas, Belize, Guatemala, Spain, and Japan. Dan likes the relaxed atmosphere of Sahuayo. He says the neighbors are friendly and he enjoys the interaction. His purple hair is a testamount to his eccentric tastes. He plays music at bars in and around Sahuayo. He says he's the black sheep of his family.
Ricardo is the coordinator of CulturLingua. He recruits new students, deals with parents and misbehaving students, but most of all, helps the teachers. He makes copies, procures materials, and contacts Cecilia, the coordinator, on a daily basis. He opens and closes the school. Without him, we wouldn't be able to do our jobs.He's 37-years-old and was born in Sahuayo. He hasn't always lived here, however. He moved to the United States when he was18. He worked in various kitchens in Neveda, Arizona, and California. In 2004 he came back. He's single and has no family. He's been at CulturLingua for a year. "I like Sahuayo," he says.
Salvador is our oldest teacher. He's from Los Remedios ("The Remedies"), a town not too far from here. He has lived in Sahuayo since his mother died a couple years ago. He has one daughter (age 13), and one son (17), who suffers from Lou Gehrig's disease. He learned English 30 years ago and speaks it almost as well as any native. He has taught at CulturLingua previously. He also works at another school called CETIS. He relaxes in Los Remedios on the weekends. He teaches us Spanish on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday mornings.
Kris is a 24-year-old graduate of the University of Ohio. He's here to learn Spanish, and gain valuable teaching experience, so he can teach Spanish in the United States. He's been in Mexico for two months, and has already been to Guadalajara and Puerto Vallerta. He's been to Canada (Quebec and Niagara Falls), Ecuador, Spain, France, Italy, and Austria.Kris says Sahuayo is a small town, but a medium-sized city, where everyone knows everything. Gossip travels fast, and people have a penchant for "making stuff up." Kris has found a girlfriend here and plans to stay through next summer. He has a passion for playing guitar, which he plays every night in the living room.
Erika is frombeautiful Cape Town, South Africa. She has no prior teaching experience, and no unveristy degree. She says she's here to "try [teaching] out." She's been here for three months. In fact, she was the one who assured me Sahuayo is safe (she's right). Unfortunately, she cannot extend her visa and will have to go back to South Africa in November. Getting to Sahuayo took her more than a day. Erika has been a vagabound: she worked as a security guard in London. She has also been to Scotland, Paris, Greece, Venice, Berlin, Barcelona, and the following cities in India: New Dehli, Goa, Varanasi, Agra, Jaipur, and the Kerala state. She has no idea what she wants to do with her future.
Angela is the youngest teacher we have. She moved in with Kris, Erika and me two weeks ago. She has no university degree but does have a CELTA. She's 19-years-old and a native of Bellingham, Washington. She's a devout Christian and is leaving at Christmas break to be with her family, as Christmas is very important to her. She's enjoying life in Sahuayo, but it's hard because she doesn't know Spanish. She says teaching is a "good way to travel. It's a relaxed atmosphere." Angela has been to Canada, Hawaii, Mexico (Acapulco and Mazatlan), as well as Laos and Myanmar.Kevin
PS- I will have photos of me and Erika in a few days.
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