I have debated about creating a blog for years. I always felt that, in order to be successful, a blog must have millions of followers. But, recently, I had an epiphany. As as watched my daughters laugh hysterically at someone smashing her face into a piece of bread and I noticed the millions of views, I thought, “Wow! Good for her”. Then, a second later, I realized that more is not necessarily better. In other words, the amount of followers I attract doesn’t reflect the quality or the value of what I share. And, if by sharing my experiences I can help, inspire, or empower even a small group of people, I consider that a success. So, here we are!
What you will find
- My experiences and opinions about life as it relates to diversity and cultural awareness
- Resources for teachers [see the Resources page]
- Motivational content for EVERYONE who feels that they can make the world a better place
- Traveling – Cultural exchanges
- Parenting – Raising open minded children
- Lots of unedited pictures – That’s right! If we ever meet in person, I don’t want you to be disappointed
This blog is for you if…
… you believe that EVERY person is your equal despite their gender, religion, race, ethnicity, physical appearance, citizenship status, social-economic status, or sexual orientation. Unless you are a teacher looking for resources. In that case, feel free to just access the Resources page but I hope you stick around. After all, share the world with all kinds of people.
BIO
If you’re still here and want to know more about me, here’s the scoop:
Personal
I was born and raised in Brazil and immigrated to the US in 2000. I’ve been blessed with a wonderful husband for 17 years and have two girls – Chloe, 13, and Olivia, 6. We also have two pets – a dog and a cat [I’m definitely a dog person, but, please, I don’t tell my cat]. I love spending time with my family and always have something fun planned. I am passionate about teaching and love interacting with people: students, colleagues, random people at the airport, etc.
Education
I hold two undergraduates degrees – the first in International Studies with a minor in Business and the second in Spanish. I also have a Master’s degree in Hispanic Studies which, despite the name, is a literature based course. Even though my first language is Portuguese, I always had a passion for languages and felt a special connection with Spanish and French literature. I took French in college and, even though I am far from being fluent, I love reading books in its original language.
Work
My first job out of college was teaching at an alternative school in Alabama. Afterwards, while I was working on my Master’s degree, I taught college level Spanish as TA. After graduate school, I found a full-time teaching position at Austin Peay State University, in Tennessee. After two years, when my second child was born, I decided to leave that position and be a stay-at-home mom. I enjoyed every moment of it. I focused on my family, was an active PTO member, and, occasionally, worked as a sub at my older child’s school. But, after four years, I knew it was time to go back to work. Currently, I teach Spanish at Central Magnet School and am the coordinator of the Seal of Biliteracy program. Teaching can be very demanding and stressful, but it is also a very fulfilling job. Teaching a language goes beyond finding the meaning of words and sentences. Language is a fundamental piece of communication and cultural understanding.
Building Bridges 