About Me

My interest in foreign languages and other cultures began in elementary school when a few beginning French classes were offered after school. At lunch my friends and I would practice the few phrases we had mastered. After a nine-hour trek to the Quebec border from my childhood Connecticut home, I became enamored with the potential to converse in another language. Although I soon learned that I could only distinguish ‘bonjour’ and ‘oui,’ this realization motivated me to continue learning with the dream that one day I might be able to converse seamlessly with a native French speaker.

Over time, studying French became more than learning a language. It became my vehicle to the world. Through French, and eventually Spanish, I learned to seek awareness beyond familiarity and myself. As an instructor, I have maintained this philosophy; I strive not only to teach a language but also to inspire my students to seek awareness beyond themselves and to better understand others.