Argentina

Costa Rica

Raúl is a native of Buenos Aires (a porteño). His greatest passion is sharing his hometown with others. Raul is a natural guide and has worked in tourism for most of his adult life. In order to always give his best as a guide, he continuously takes courses offered at the different points of interest in Buenos Aires and the various tour guide organizations. He loves learning all he can about the history and culture of Buenos Aires in order to share it with the Sol Abroad students! Raúl has an interest in languages and has studied English for many years so he is more than prepared to help students and parents if English is needed. Raúl also has a great interest in art and photography and takes courses to improve his skills as an art critic and guide. Knowing the city like he does he has amazing location to practice photography. Before joining the Sol team Raúl worked for five star hotels as well as small luxury hotels in the city to provide guide services for guests. He also leads volunteer programs for international organizations working as a guide and interpreter. He assists the Lion’s Club for different events and trips they have to Argentina. He often accompanies a group of ophthalmologists from the US who visit Argentina for volunteer work. In January 2010 he was the coordinator for Lion’s Club International’s visit to Buenos Aires while on their trip through Argentina, this was part of the Lion’s Club Forum of Latin America and the Caribbean. He does similar work with students from Aruba who come to perform internships in elementary education. Raúl is married and has three children all in their late teens and early 20s. He is one of the most energetic and friendly people you will ever meet! You are going to love having Raúl as your director and could not be in more capable hands!

Alexia Zamparo was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Half of her family originally came from Italy and half from Poland, so she has a multicultural background like many Argentines. Since she was a teen she has studied drama, which is still her passion today. She has acted in fiction films, advertisements and in plays for adults and children. She got a postgraduate specialization in Clown Theater in Ibiza, Spain and presented original clown routines in many festivals across Europe. She lived abroad for three years in both Denmark and Spain and she has traveled throughout Western and Eastern Europe where she had the opportunity to see many places, people and cultures. This was a very enriching experience that gives her valuable perspective for her professional work. Upon returning to Argentina, she studied to be a tour guide and now works both in Buenos Aires and the countryside, especially with youth groups, children and teenagers. Nowadays she shares her time between her work with study abroad groups and the theater as an actress and acting teacher. She also teaches Spanish as a foreign language so she can help you with your homework! Alexia is very friendly and open-minded. She loves art, nature and spending time with people from all over the world. Alexia will help show you all that Buenos Aires and Argentina have to offer!

Christian was born and raised in Buenos Aires, the city that never sleeps! In college he studied Systems Engineering and worked for local network providers during his post-college years. However, one of his passions since a young age was Nordic culture (mythology, history, and culture) and after his university studies he decided to start learning Finnish. Over the years he became increasingly active in learning the language and working with international tourists in Argentina. In 2007, through his own persistence, he obtained a scholarship and traveled to Finland to study Finnish – a dream come true! He studied for 2 months at Joesuu University as an exchange student. This was a life-changing experience for him and helped in taking him on a new direction in his career path. Christian is very active with the Finnish Embassy in Buenos Aires and works often with the Argentine Finnish Association and now helps coordinate Argentine-Finnish exchange programs. Also, due to his time in Finland, he is the webmaster and content administrator for the Festival of Latin Cinema in Helsinki since 2007 (www.cinemaissi.org). It was through this connection that he participated in Fear Factor Finland (http://blip.tv/file/2986398) ilmfed in Argentina. Due to his travels in Finland, and working more frequently with international students, Christian was certified in 2008 to teach Spanish as a Second Language to Foreigners. In addition to his interests in Nordic culture Christian is also an accomplished muscian. He plays three different types of percussion instruments and is involved in several musical projects that involve bossa nova, contemprorary dances and an ensemble of Peruvian “cajón” . Also, characterized as a Tango Entrepreneur, Christian is a manager of tango dancers and groups, and organizes live shows and tours. As to outdoor activities, Christian likes to run, hike and play soccer. His favorite book is Lord of the Rings, which was one of his inspirations to study Finnish. He also likes to read works of science fiction. You are going to very much enjoy having Christian as a director!

Marie is a passionate traveler and has lived in Latin America, Europe, and Central Asia. As a Peace Corps Volunteer in Turkmenistan, she taught English, Health, developed summer camps, created songs for language acquisition, and herded her host family’s goats and sheep (talk about being well-rounded!). She received her B.A. from the University of Southern California in International Communication and is a high school Spanish teacher in her native Houston, Texas. Marie speaks English, Spanish, and Turkmen, and has dedicated her life to foreign exchange and study abroad programs, as well as community service. She participated in study abroad programs as a high school student and first experienced Spanish immersion studying abroad with one of her Spanish teachers in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Years later she got to serve as the assistant coordinator for the same program. Marie also spent a year as a high school student in Argentina as part of the renowned AFS exchange program. In her free time, Marie enjoys scuba diving, foreign language study, hiking, and art. Marie loves leading student groups and is very excited to return to Argentina this summer and share everything the  country has to offer! You will love having her as one of your directors!

Benjamin Griffith first started studying the Spanish language at the age of ten when his family moved from his native Louisiana to Texas. Since that first seed was planted in junior high school, it has sprouted, grown and flourished into a life long career and deep rooted love of the language and the many countries where Spanish is spoken. Benjamin’s international experience started in high school when he joined the Amigos de las Americas program and worked in community service projects in Honduras ‘76, Nicaragua ‘77 and Paraguay ‘78. In 1979 he did his first study abroad program in Mexico City. In 1981 he studied in Costa Rica with the University of Houston’s summer program abroad and the following year, 1982, he received a scholarship from the Institute of Hispanic Culture of Houston to continue his studies in Madrid, Spain. That same year, he received a B.A. degree in Spanish from the University of Houston (UH). In 1984, Benjamin decided to continue his international studies and moved to Paris, France where he received the Diplome de Langue Francaise from the Alliance Francaise de Paris in 1985. Upon returning to Houston, he continued his studies at UH and in 1987 received a B.A. in French and his Secondary Ed. Teacher’s Certification in Secondary Language Acquisition. In 1996, he was awarded the Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera, Nivel Superior by the Universidad de Salamanca through the Embassy of Spain-Education Office. In 1988 Benjamin began teaching at Lamar High School in Houston, Texas where he has taught IB Spanish for the last 21 years. Throughout his career he has been a member of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese and served as the Treasurer of the local Brazos chapter for 17 years. He is also a member of the Texas Foreign Language Association. He has presented educational workshops at the local, state and international level. During his teaching career, Benjamin has received numerous prestigious awards as a testimony to his dedication to the profession: Red Award for Outstanding Teacher-Lamar High School 1996; Outstanding Educator Award-University of Richmond 1997; Teacher of the Year-Lamar High School 2001; Outstanding Community Leader/Educator Award-Rotary International 2003; named Huesped Distinguido de la Ciudad de Cuernavaca, Mexico-Ayuntamiento de Cuernavaca 2004 and the Lee Keding Award for Teaching Excellence-Lamar High School 2009. To support his philosophy of “the world as the classroom”, Benjamin has traveled with student groups throughout Latin America, Europe and Asia. For the last 17 years, he has been the coordinator of a study program at the Cemanahuac Educational Community in Cuernavaca, Mexico. We are happy to have Benjamin as part of the Sol Abroad team this summer!

Jimena was born in Córdoba, Argentina, the heartland of the Argentina Pampas and was raised in Villa Allende, a small town located in the Sierras Chicas. Her university studies were completed at the prestigious Universidad Católica de Córdoba, obtaining a degree in Social Studies and Political Science. She has always been fascinated with foreign cultures, and has traveled throughout Latin America and Europe. Before coming on board with Sol Abroad, Jimena taught English and History to students in Córdoba. She has always enjoyed teaching and working with students. Jimena is completely in love with her country, its culture and history, and is always excited to show its hidden mysteries, fervent history, and secluded tango shows to its visitors!!

Ron was raised in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan. His love of language and culture stemmed from his parents and began at an early age. For as long as he can remember, his parents would speak German when they did not want him to understand what they were saying. Ron was fascinated by this use of language. After gaining further inspiration from his high school Latin professor, Ron set out on his own path of learning and mastering foreign languages. At Indiana University-Bloomington, Ron majored in German and Spanish, and minored in Business and Latin. Still thirsty for more language study he took several classes in Portuguese. Needless to say, his passion for languages and his love for traveling are apparent. As an undergraduate, Ron studied abroad for a year in Germany using the country as his base to explore the rest of Europe. After living in Germany for a year, he switched his focus to South America; specifically honing in on Buenos Aires because of its rich culture and history. Ron moved to Buenos Aires in December 2006 to teach English. Ron loves sharing his passion for language and culture with others. His position as the director for Sol Education Abroad in Buenos Aires allows him to show students all that his home Buenos Aires has to offer. Besides his love of working with foreign students, Ron’s hobbies include playing fútbol, studying foreign languages, photography, outdoor activities, and partaking in the famous Argentine asado, or barbeque. READ MORE!

Sebastián was born and raised in the center of the Argentine Pampas, the heartland of his country. At the age of 16, he enrolled in the Rotary Youth Exchange Program, taking him to New Zealand to attend high school for a year. It was here that Sebastián found his passion not only for diverse cultures and languages, but also for nature and outdoor activities. He gave back to the Rotary Program by providing housing for foreign students in Argentina for several years. His university studies were completed in Argentina, obtaining a degree in Business Administration. Through his university’s Double Diploma Exchange Program, he was able to also major in International Business Administration and study abroad in Germany for a year. Upon returning from Germany, he organized diverse venues and programs for students arriving to Argentina through university exchange programs. He has traveled extensively in all of Europe, South America, and the USA, and now lives year-round in Buenos Aires, a city that he knows like the back of his hand. He is Sol Education Abroad’s onsite director in the “Paris of South America”!

Layla is originally from London, England and has lived in Oaxaca since 2005. She has always had strong links to the Spanish-speaking world and a passion for travel. Her grandfather is from Spain and after completing her degree in Social Anthropology at the University of Manchester in England where she took classes in Latin American Studies. She moved to Valencia, Spain to teach English for 7 months and to improve her Spanish skills, she also studied abroad as an undergraduate student in Cuba. Her time spent in Spain, and her experience in Cuba, spurred her interest in exploring Latin America further. This interest led to a job in Mexico and she arrived to Oaxaca in 2005 to work in a remote indigenous village. In the village she taught English at the elementary school and worked on various community development projects, mainly with local youth. After working in the indigenous village she then took a job with a local non-profit organization in Oaxaca City called Puente, dedicated to battling malnutrition in the indigenous villages around Oaxaca State. She taught nutritional workshops to the local community and elementary schools. She also monitored a local market project designed to boost the village economy. Besides her travel experience in Spain, Cuba, and Mexico, Layla has also traveled all over the world. She has been to South East Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia), Australia, the U.S., Africa (Morocco, Egypt, and Kenya), Guatemala, and Belize.

Esteban was born in Patagonia, southern Argentina. He was fortunate enough to attend high school in Norway when he moved there with his family. This experience sparked his passion for the outdoors, and he spent most of his weekends exploring the fjords near his home. With his mother being a history teacher, Esteban began reading Latin American literature at a very early age, falling in love with his native Spanish language. His last year of high school was completed in Mexico City, and after graduation he spent the summer backpacking and kayaking his way through Baja California. Esteban attended the University of Texas at Austin, obtaining a degree in Management Information Systems. Upon graduating, Esteban worked for several years in the corporate tech environment, but increasing travel to various parts of the globe saw him eventually transition from the cubicle life to pursue a career in study abroad programs. He became a study abroad director and is currently our director in Buenos Aires. Esteban has a passion for the Spanish language, loves to rock climb, teaches yoga in his spare time, and helps run a non-profit organization in the coffee growing region of México.

Justine is originally from Belgium. As a teenager she always dreamed of studying abroad and in 2000 her dream came true. She was accepted into an AFS program and lived for a year as an exchange student in Ciudad Ixtepec, a small town on the isthmus of Oaxaca State, Mexico. This was a life changing experience and the start of an exciting path. While in Mexico, she learned Spanish, how to make hammocks, was taught songs in the Zapotec language, and learned to cook traditional Zapotec and Mexican dishes. She experienced all that Southern Mexico had to offer. In short, she fell in love with Mexico. For her university degree Justine returned to Belgium and studied jewelry design in Antwerp. Every year she would travel back to Mexico. In Belgium, Justine taught Spanish classes and began selling her hand-made jewelry. Apart from traveling in Mexico, Justine has also spent time in Ghana, England, Spain, and the US. In 2003 she was selected as an Erasmus student; a prestigious exchange program directed by the European Union. As an Erasmus student, she studied for 6 months at the University of Barcelona in Spain. In 2005 Justine finished her Master’s degree and immediately set off to travel. Naturally, her first stop was Oaxaca! There she taught English to both children and adults and sold her jewelry. After 5 months living and working in Oaxaca she traveled to Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Venezuela and finally found her way to Brazil where she lived for 2 months learning Portuguese. She also found employment with a local non-profit and worked with abused children. After her Latin American travels Justine returned to Belgium. She found the move back to Europe to be too much of a culture shock and immediately returned to Oaxaca where she secured a position teaching English and French to children. Justine also picked up her jewelry business (JustineJustine). Today she sells her jewelry in 4 shops in Oaxaca, 1 in Belgium and online. Justine’s hobbies include painting, jewelry making, design, travel, languages (she speaks Dutch, French, Spanish, English, and Portuguese!), cooking, baking, dancing, and reading.

Soledad Zamora, or Sol as she goes by, was born in Mexico city and has lived in Oaxaca since 1991. She is a native Spanish speaker and has a B.A. degree as Foreign Language (English) Teacher from the University of Oaxaca. In 2004 she was awarded with a one-year, all expense paid scholarship to Kalamazoo College. Within her duties at Kalamazoo, she worked as a Spanish Teaching Assistant for the Romance Language Department while she was completing her studies in Sociolinguistics, Language, and Culture. Her experience working with foreign languages led her to write her thesis about the different ways students can learn a language in a native-speaking country while being immersed in real situations. After completing her studies in Kalamazoo, she moved to Augusta, Michigan to be part of the YMCA Sherman Lake Summer Camp. She worked as a counselor and international staff member giving presentations about Mexico and especially Oaxaca. In 2006 she was awarded to a month-long stay in Bremen, Germany. She and two other students from Oaxaca performed different cultural activities at Bremen University as well as promoting an exchange program between the Language Center of the University of Oaxaca and Bremen University. Through this experience, it was possible to share many things about the culture, language, and traditions of Oaxaca within an international perspective. Another amazing part of this trip was to practice the German language and develop her linguistic skills while being in contact with native speakers in daily life. As a final part of this experience, but no less important, was the combination of learning about German and English culture and language through visiting other cities of Middle and South Germany such as Göttingen, Hannover, and Leipzig, as well as London, England. She is currently working for a prestigious Contemporary Art Gallery in Oaxaca as an interpreter and director’s assistant. She also teaches English at different levels for the private High School “Carlos Gracida” and University of Oaxaca, her alma mater. Sol loves languages and learning new things and most importantly meeting new people, it's an amazing part of life! You will really enjoy meeting Sol and her name fits the program perfectly!