Throughout university I made lots of good memories: going to the beach with my friends, studying in coffee shops and running along the intercoastal, a strip of ocean water between the mainland of Florida and a barrier island.
During college, I studied elementary education which put me on the path to becoming a teacher. I discovered that I love working with kids and had so much fun when I student taught in fourth grade for my senior year. I mostly worked with English Language Learners, which means that many of the students I was teaching grew up speaking a different language but are learning how to speak English too. This is where I first found out how much I love teaching English.
Part of my year teaching fourth grade was done in Prague, Czechia, as a study abroad semester. I really enjoyed my time in Europe and wanted to keep teaching in the area. When I found out about the opportunity to teach English in Bulgaria with the Fulbright program, I knew it would be a great fit for me.
Bulgaria is known for its beautiful landscape, delicious food and welcoming people, and since I love to hike, I adore trying new foods, and enjoy making friends in new countries, I went for the opportunity. It felt like a dream when I found out that I actually got into the Fulbright program, as it is a very difficult application process and only a few people get accepted.
Now I am living in Shumen, Bulgaria, where I teach at a local high school. I teach many different grade levels and classes throughout the week, totaling 385 high schoolers that I get to teach English too! I also run several after school clubs, which have been a fun way to connect with my students outside of the classroom.
