I am from Salt Lake City, Utah, where I''''ve lived on and off for most of my life and where I''''ve been teaching English as a Second Language for 7 years. My students are among many of the working-age adults who resettle in Salt Lake City from all over the world as refugees or immigrants. It''''s a small city, but a peaceful and inexpensive place to start a new life. I''''ve loved getting to know my students because I hear about their interesting histories and their ambitions in the USA. Their determination is inspiring. They all have various goals, including being able to help their children with their homework, becoming American citizens, finishing college, or starting their own businesses.

In a very small way, I experienced what it is like to be a foreigner while I went to school in France without being able to speak the language. I was totally immersed in French life and was excited to one day help others learn French in the same way, through immersion. After returning to the USA, I finished high school and completed my BA in French Language and Literature, which included an Intensive Language Program at University of Laval in Quebec. With plans to one day pursue my PhD, I began teaching at a very unique school that helps adults learn English at a subsidized cost. For very little tuition, students were immersed in English classes all day, every day. I believe in making education accessible to those who have the drive, so this school was a great fit for me. I trained new teachers, presented at teaching workshops and was the advisor to preliterate students.

Throughout the years, I become increasingly curious about the immigrant experience and how cities like mine respond to the the rapid influx of immigrants. This curiosity led me to complete my MA, during which I investigated social cohesion within multicultural communities and social business. I am interested in people like Mohamed Yunus, most well-known as the founder of Grameen Bank, who create businesses that serve the public but are financially independent from public money or charitable donations. If you are interested, I recommend checking out Grameen Danone Foods, another business that Yunus created in collaboration with Danone yogurt in Bangladesh.

With the desire to be a foreigner once again, I set my sights on China. I have a lot to learn about Chinese culture and, besides a few places, I haven''''t traveled much. I hope to learn the language, explore the country and see other places in Asia.

When I''''m not teaching, trying to find espresso, or learning Chinese, I''''m looking for places to Salsa dance besides my living room. Salsa has been my hobby for about 6 years and I usually travel 2 or 3 times a year to get more training from professionals. It is a great way to meet people from all over the world because Salsa nerds like me can be found in almost every large city. I also love to be outside, especially near the ocean or in the mountains. I love to swim and hope to find a nice beach where I can practice while I''''m in Zhuhai. Since my hometown is a hot spot for outdoor tourism, I spent many of my weekends in the trails. If you''''ve ever seen pictures of the Golden Arches at Zions National Park, you can understand why. The colors and rock formations make you feel as if you are on another planet.