My name is Leesa and I want to introduce myself and my motivations. Also, I want to say that I would appreciate any comments you might have over the course of my blogging. My articles detail my time teaching in classrooms around the world and the journey that I am on so that it will help guide you as you forge your own path.
Teaching and Making an Impact in My Students’ Lives
I recently graduated from Florida State University with a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from the College of Education. I truly enjoy teaching. It gives me the opportunity to lead and make a positive impact on my students’ lives. I will consider myself fortunate if I can spend the next 20 or 30 years teaching English to those ready and willing to learn it. Although I’ve spent the last three years dedicated to learning my craft, I still have a long way to go to master it.
Hopefully, my time in Spain will allow me to grow, learn, and ultimately achieve my aspiration of being an influential teacher. I am an American of Puerto Rican descent. I’ve always wanted to share how teaching or learning a language can enrich life in so many ways. I’m proud of who I am and I want to share my journey with you.
Where I Came From
My background and upbringing led me to pursue a career as a language teacher. I am a native Floridian, part of the Gen-X era. My grandparents were born in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. My grandfather is someone who will always be a part of my life. Even though he passed away around 20 years ago, not a day goes by that I don’t think about him, mention him in a conversation, or recall a fond memory that we shared.
When I was a little girl, my grandfather wasn’t around all the time, so whenever he was it was special. I remember his presence as if he were still standing here in front of me. He had this grin of mischief and this glare of, “Come on girl, let’s go.” When he came home from his travels overseas, many times from a country in South America, he would bring me a thoughtful memento back. The gift would be something small, like a coin from the country he visited. Once, he gave me a match from a matchbook that was carved to resemble a ballerina. The gifts he chose for me were so special and unique that as a child, my mind would fill with wonder about the world. I knew I wanted to travel one day. I wanted to see all the places he had been.
Solo Travel Abroad
I didn’t start to travel abroad by myself until about three years ago. I am very fortunate to have traveled with my family. However, traveling alone has allowed me to reflect and experience my heritage in a very personal way. My first trip alone was to Puerto Rico. Traveling there at that specific moment in my life allowed me to focus on things that I and I alone cherished most.
I had time to truly fall in love with the culture. It was a culture that was so close to my heart that I could not believe that I had not been to see the island sooner. The food tasted exactly the way my grandma cooked it. All of the stories she told me when I was a little girl about the island came to life. It was one of those moments in my life when everything sort of clicked when I returned. I knew that my destiny at that moment was to learn more Spanish. Unfortunately, Spanish wasn’t fully taught to me growing up for reasons I will never fully understand. However, I don’t make it a habit of looking back.
Getting My Masters and Teaching Languages
During my visit to Puerto Rico, I wrestled with some profound career and lifestyle questions. A visit to the island is what I needed. It was as if my grandfather was sending me a sign. At that moment, I needed one. This visit led to my decision to obtain my master’s degree and my professional focus on teaching languages. Since then, I haven’t stopped traveling, learning, growing, and experiencing the world.
I look forward to blogging regularly to help others on their journey and to inspire them, as I was three years ago in Puerto Rico. It was amazing to see firsthand how and where my grandparents lived. My grandfather’s house was still there. It was as if I could see him as a small boy playing in the front yard with the whole world right before him. That moment inspired me to do more. Since that moment, I have.
My Solo Travel Abroad to Spain
My journey abroad is about to start. I hope you will join me on yet another exciting and career-defining moment as I travel abroad by myself to Spain. My passion for teaching others the English language is one that I never thought I would have in a million years. Since my Puerto Rico visit, I have taught English in eight public schools, I have taught all ages, and I have even taught in Medellin, Colombia. Right now, I can happily say, I am the teacher to ten wonderfully bright amazing students at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. They are from Mexico City, Mexico. The irony of it all is that the last place my grandfather traveled to and lived in was Mexico City before being diagnosed with cancer.
This article is dedicated to my incredible and generous grandfather, Fernando E. Colon. May he forever be remembered as a man who gave his family everything he had with love and dedication. I look forward to hearing from you and discovering your many journeys and adventures.
