2. My brother and I were born in Illinois but raised
in the Northeast Heights of Albuquerque, NM
BIRTH TO CHILDHOOD
3. My mother is a Spanish teacher and raised her
children bilingually. Although I do not currently
consider myself fluent in Spanish, both
languages were integral to my upbringing.
RAISED BILINGUALLY
4. Though my mother is an
anglo from Iowa and my
father an Italian
immigrant, I grew up
identifying with Latino-
influenced New Mexican
culture.
(pictured: my family and
myself at my aunt’s wedding)
NEW MEXICAN CHILDHOOD
5. When I was 12
we visited my
father’s relatives
in Italy, but in
truth the
strongest
connection I
have to Italian-
ness is my hard-
to-spell name..
(pictured: my
family and myself
at my cousin’s
house in Italy)
ITALIAN ANCESTRY
6. Consistent with my American middle-class upbringing, I went
to college and used my BA to join the lightly-educated
professional workforce.
(This period of my life was too boring to have any pictures to
illustrate it. This blank, black abyss is appropriate)
EARLY ADULTHOOD
7. While working at an adult day
health care center owned by a
Ukrainian-American couple, I
happened upon an outdated tour
guide for a tiny country in the
Caucasus mountains.
Every page in the book was
infinitely more exciting than any
given moment of my then-
existence.
Within a few weeks I had accepted
a position teaching English in the
Republic of Georgia.
2011: INTERNATIONAL
TRANSITION
8. Going to Georgia, learning
a new language, meeting
new people, and
enmeshing myself in a
way of life completely
unlike anything I had ever
known was the best thing I
could have done.
It taught me the truth of
one of my favorite
quotes…
(yes, those are real bears)
CULTURE SHOCK AND AWE
9. "The world can only
appear monochromatic to
those who persist in
interpreting what they
experience through the
lens of a single cultural
paradigm, their own. For
those with the eyes to see
and the heart to feel, it
remains a rich and
complex topography of the
spirit.“
Wade Davis
10. My next position teaching at a combined hostel &
language institute in Chile cemented my commitment to
building community amongst internationals.
(Family Dinner Night was always my favorite part of the week)
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
11. Along with my
liebensabschnittspartner (life
partner) I met in Chile, I’ve
continued travelling while
completing coursework to obtain my
Level 1 Teaching License.
12. The place where I
grew up will always
be an important part
of me…
13. …But I try not to take
my culture
too seriously.
