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Our Onsite Directors - Meet the Team! Our onsite directors our bilingual and bicultural and also have assistant directors for help during excursions and cultural activities. Our directors are usually host-country nationals with cross-cultural experience. All directors have experience working with groups and have international experience (travel and work) and have studied abroad themselves as students. |
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 US Staff |
Amanda Mirabella Amanda was born in Pennsylvania but raised in The Woodlands, TX by her fun-loving, loud, Italian-American family, whom she loves to spend time with. She has always loved traveling, and became intrigued by the Spanish language. She started taking Spanish classes in junior high and continued her pursuit of the language through high school and college. At Texas A&M, she majored in Psychology to further her interest in understanding people & thought processes and minored in Spanish with intentions of studying abroad. During her time at A&M, Amanda became a part of Youth Impact, an outreach ministry, which gave her experience learning about urban youth in the area. In the summer of 2013, she studied abroad in Granada, Spain with the Sol Education Abroad study abroad program! She immediately fell in love with the dynamic, vibrant culture in Granada and had the most memorable experience of her college career. Her experience abroad with SOL was enlightening and taught her so much about the culture and gave her confidence to continue pursuing her Spanish skills. While she wanted to stay in Granada forever, she returned to graduated from A&M in May of 2014. Shortly after graduating, she started working for the incredible SOL team and is elated to help other students have same remarkable experience abroad as she did! She’s passionate about many things including: music, good food, new adventures, animals, hockey, and her family and friends.
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Brent Hunter Brent Hunter was raised in Brenham, a small town in central Texas. As a high school student he developed a passionate interest in the Spanish language. Beyond his love of language, he also took great interest in the outdoors and environmental conservation. As a result of these interests, Brent studied at the University of Texas at Austin, where he double-majored in Field Biology and Spanish Linguistics. He later completed an MBA in International Business at St. Edward's University, also located in Austin. It was not until college that Brent discovered the inspiring possibilities offered by study abroad programs. For his first experience, he traveled to Mérida, Venezuela on a summer study abroad program. Later, he completed his MBA coursework while studying abroad in Costa Rica. He has been hooked on the importance of study abroad ever since! Brent has always enjoyed working with students and is a natural guide. As an Eagle Scout he worked during the summers as a counselor at Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico. Brent has worked for many years now as an overseas program director for student groups in Mexico, Costa Rica, and Spain. He loves sharing unique cultures and places with others. Brent's other interests include hiking, rock climbing, yoga, biking, art, and reading contemporary Spanish literature. |
Grace Wolfe Originally from Lubbock, Texas, Grace always had a desire to get out of her small hometown but never knew how far she would go. Upon entering the University of Texas at Austin, Grace planned to further her studies in dental school but found the major of International Relations and Global Studies her sophomore year and immediately switched. As a requirement, students with that major are required to study abroad and Grace immersed herself in the Spanish language with SOL the summer of 2013 in Argentina and Costa Rica! After a summer full of changed perspectives, a small town girl fell in love with the big international world and was bit by the travel bug. Her time abroad and time spent studying foreign relations at her home university inspired her to continue traveling as often as possible, one day reaching her goal of traveling to every continent. She pursued her studies in International Relations and Global Studies, Latin American Studies, Spanish, and Business whilst interning with SOL during the academic year. As a recent graduate, Grace now works full time with SOL. Because her life was drastically changed for the better through studying abroad, Grace now enjoys the opportunity to share her story and help guide students through a process that will change their lives for years to come. |
Elisha Smith Elisha was born and raised in Austin, Texas. Initially enrolling at Texas A&M University to pursue Physical Therapy, she became involved with a group on campus that facilitated events and conversation between US and International Students. This was such a great experience that Elisha decided to follow a degree path that highlighted her love for other cultures; she graduated in 2011 with a degree in International Studies with an emphasis in Communication and Media Studies. Elisha is also a Sol Alumni! She spent the Spring Semester of 2010 studying abroad in Oaxaca, Mexico. This was one of the highlights of her college experience and she still keeps in-touch with her host family and Oaxacan friends. Her experience ignited a passion to encourage others to get out of their comfort zone and explore another culture. After graduation, Elisha moved back to Austin and worked for a tech startup for a year and a half. She managed recruiting and worked on marketing outreach projects. Elisha joined the Sol Team in May 2013 and is thrilled to have the opportunity to fulfill her passion for helping students go abroad! Elisha spends her free time doing anything active, including half-marathons, pick-up soccer, and dancing to 80’s music in her apartment! |
Alison Owens Athlete, friend, sister, aunt, language enthusiast, funny, ball of energy, dancer, pianist…these are but a few adjectives that people who know Alison have used to describe her throughout her young life. Born and raised in a tiny farm town in rural Kansas whose population consists of fifty percent Spanish speaking people, Alison participated in every sport available; danced jazz, tap, and ballet; played piano and clarinet, and inevitably gained an extensive knowledge of Mexican street Spanish as well as a love for the Mexican culture that was growing in her home town. After achieving a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish Language and Global Studies at the University of Kansas, USA, studying abroad in Mexico and Spain, traveling to 12 countries (living in 4), and working a plethora of jobs teaching English and Spanish, and coaching various high school and college sports, Alison decided to chase her dreams of working in the field of International Education. She pursued a Master’s degree in International Education at SIT Graduate Institute in Vermont, USA, and upon finishing her degree, was blessed to find her place with an amazing team at Sol Abroad!!! |
Esteban Lardone Esteban Lardone was born in Patagonia, southern Argentina. 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. 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. 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 has worked as onsite directors in all 4 our locations and knows our programs like the back of his hand. Esteban became a study abroad director for Sol Abroad in 2005. 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.
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Raul Garza Raul is SOL's creative mind! Our catalogue, our website and our content originates here.
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Hong Tran Hong Tran has been running Sol Abroad's accounting department since 2005 and is a key member of our team!
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Ginger Joyner Ginger Joyner was born in Illinois and has lived in many states as well as one station in Jakarta, Indonesia before settling down on Texas for a permanent residence. She obtained her MBA in Accounting through the University of Phoenix in 2007 while working in the Accounting field for both big and small entities in a variety of industries. In 2010 she started her own bookkeeping business as part of one of her life-long dreams. She now lives with her husband and teenage son along with four wonderful Great Danes in the beautiful hill country outside Austin, TX. For relaxation she likes to ride her motorcycle with her husband, carpentry and read a good book. |
Ricardo Cruz Riky Cruz studied film at the University of Texas at Austin. Over the past several years he has worked for Sol Abroad as a program videographer and video editor. In 2009 he shot and edited the program videos for both the high school and college Sol programs in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In 2013 he shot and edited the program videos for the Granada, Spain program. Riky is an avid traveler of his own. He lives to capture the beauty of the world and to inspire others through his work.
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Beatriz Guardiola Beatriz Guardiola was born and raised in Granada, Spain in a neighborhood that rests at the very foot of the world-renowned Alhambra Palace. She has lived all of her life in Granada and knows the city very well. She’s a natural explorer and this helped her explore all the hidden parts of the city growing up. Beatriz holds a degree in Psychology from the University of Granada (2014). After studying abroad in college for a year in Oslo, Norway via the coveted Erasmus Scholarship she discovered her interest in the English language. She loves surrounding herself with multicultural environments and meeting people from other countries. She went to Norway to work on her English but also because she loves the snow. She is an avid snowboarder during the winter months in Granada. The rest of the year she keeps active playing basketball in a local team and practicing aikido. She’s been the trainer for various basketball teams in Granada and has been a referee for 7 years now. She has also worked as a camp counselor at a swimming camp for children. Currently, she is in charge of Public Relations at a restaurant in Granada. In this position she is able to continue practicing her English. Beatriz also spent 3 months as an au pair (2014) in London working for a family. She said it was an incredible cultural experience living with a family while in England. Beatriz is a very positive person full of energy. She has an outgoing personality and looks forward to welcoming you to Spain and sharing with you all that Granada has to offer! |
Elie Leon Elie Lion was born in Toronto, Canada and grew up speaking both English and French fluently. He moved with his family to Granada, Spain when he was 15 years old and fell in love with the Andalusian city. Elie got a degree in Education (working with youth) and his greatest passions are teaching and travel. Elie speaks French, English, Spanish and German. Due to his language skills he has lived and worked in France and Germany and has guided travel trips all over Europe. During the 1990s, he was the Director of a center for problem teens in the outskirts of Versaille, France; a position he held for 5 years. While as director of this center, his duties included creating projects with the teens to get funding for winter, summer and spring sports vacations which included activities like skiing, rafting, rock climbing, and canoeing. Since 2007, Elie has taught English at a local language academy in Granada. He teaches to all ages ranging from 4 years old to 65 years of age. As a Tour Director and guide, Elie worked for Travelplan and EF Tours. He has guided in Scotland, France, Germany, Belgium, Holland and Spain. He has been fortunate to lead programs to some of the most beautiful cities in Europe such as Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness, Paris, Avignon, Koln, Bruges, Amsterdam, Barcelona and Granada. In his spare time Ellie enjoys scuba diving and catching live music. You are really going to enjoy having Elie as your assistant director. He looks forward to welcoming you to Spain and all that Granada has to offer! |
Amaya González Amaya was born and raised in Valencia, Spain. When she finished high school she decided to spend a gap year working abroad in order to improve her English. This gap year turned into a three year experience! While abroad she lived in London and Den Bosch (Holland) and it was during this time that she really developed her passion for travel and languages. She also started studying Arabic which took her to many Arab countries such as Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and Qatar. In 2005 Amaya moved to Granada to begin her studies at the prestigious University of Granada where she earned a degree in Translation and Interpreting (Spanish-Arabic-English Translation). She is now finishing a Master’s degree in Teaching from the University of Granada. Life has taken her to many faraway and exotic places but she always returns to Granada - a city she is fascinated by! Amaya’s hobbies include traveling, reading, photography, listening to music (especially jazz, flamenco, and rock bands of the 70s), hiking and, of course, going out with friends and enjoying the amazing tapas of Granada! Amaya looks forward to welcoming you to Granada! |
Germán Casado Germán Casado was born and raised in Durcal, a small Andalusian town outside of Granada, Spain. He holds a Master’s Degree in Translation & Interpretation (English, French, & Italian) from the prestigious University of Granada. He also has a degree in Business French from the Business Chamber of Paris. Germán has studied and lived in France, Belgium and Italy, where he perfected his language skills. He is a true outdoor enthusiast! Germán has worked for sporting events such as the World Championship for Alpine Skiing in the Sierra Nevada (Granada), and the World Cup for mountain biking. Germán is skilled at rock climbing, mountaineering, mountain biking, skiing and roller blading. There isn’t much Germán doesn’t do! Besides travel and outdoor extreme sports, Germán has worked as a producer for documentary films for the BBC and other European programs that focus on Andalusia. Since 1997, Germán has operated a travel and study abroad business in Granada for North American and European students. He also combines his work as a study abroad director with leading hiking trips to the Alps and the Atlas mountains. You will really enjoy having Germán as your director! Granada is his speciality! |
Edu Lizana Eduvirgen Lizana, or Edu as she likes to be called, was born and raised in Algarinejo, a small Andalusian town outside of Granada, Spain. As a teenager she always dreamed of being able to communicate with people from other countries. This desire led her to pursue and complete a Master’s degree in Translation & Interpreting (English and French) from the prestigious University of Granada. Edu was selected as an Erasmus student for 10 months to study at the University of Silesia in Poland (the Erasmus is a very prestigious European Union scholarship). When she finished her Master’s degree in 2007, Edu immediately set off to travel. Her first stop was Italy where she worked for a tour operator. After that, Edu moved to England for 2 years. In England, she taught Spanish at a private school for girls. She found teaching a foreign language to students from 5 to 18 years of age to be an incredibly enriching experience. Edu has also worked and participated in different Volunteer Camps in Andalusia for teenagers. She loves traveling and meeting people from different cultures. Because of this Edu has visited many countries in Europe, such as Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Czech Republic. Since 2002, Edu has volunteered with a non-profit organization in her hometown which is dedicated to the young people of the community. She actually co-founded this organization with her friends in order to dynamize the local community through activities that focus on the environment, theater, culture and education (its called Asociación Juvenil Don Pedro Ruiz de Algarinejo). Besides traveling, Edu has a passion for animals, handicrafts, reading, cooking and learning all sorts of new things! You are really going to enjoy having Edu as one of your directors. She looks forward to welcoming you to Spain and sharing with you all that Granada has to offer! |
Rocio Monteoliva Rocío is a true granadina! She was born and raised right in Granada. She loves her hometown because one can find and do every kind of outdoor and cultural activity. Her father is a well-known alpinist from Granada who made the first winter ascents of routes in the Sierra Nevada mountains (apart from other alpinist activities in Spain, Peru, Bolivia and the Alps). She inherited her love for mountains and climbing from her father. When she was just a baby her parents would take her hiking every weekend. They would also take her traveling around Europe and South America (her mother is from Colombia). When she was just 4 years old she started skiing. Growing up, she spent several months in Chile for ski training. Rocío took part in ski competitions from the time she was 8 until she was 19. She participated in the Spanish Championships, International Championships in France and Chile and the Spanish University Championships. She always ranked among the first three positions in Andalusia and ranked fourth in the Spanish Championship. After competing in ski competitions for 11 years she started working as a ski teacher until she moved to Germany in 2008. During her years working as a ski instructor she studied Translation and Interpreting at the University of Granada (English, German, French and Japanese). Apart from Translation and Interpreting she also took postgraduate courses on how to make art accessible to the visually and hearing impaired. Rocío has lived and studied abroad in several different countries (Scotland as an Erasmus student, Ireland for an English course, and Germany for 5 years). Rocío finds her greatest joy in nature and traveling. She is also an active climber and alpinist and has been to the top many famous mountains such as Mont Blanc and Mulhacén. She has gone rock climbing, ice climbing and skiing everywhere in Spain, the UK, Germany and France. Rocío enjoys trying any kind of nature-oriented or extreme sport (from paragliding to kitesurfing to bungee jumping). She has also taken road trips around Europe and Africa in her van (Germany to Turkey, Greece to the UK, Slovakia to Morocco, Hungary to Portugal). As you can see, Rocío is quite the adventurer! She truly loves languages and getting to know different cultures (and foods!). She feels that learning about other cultures allows her to see things from a different point of view. Rocío works mainly as a translator but always tries to combine this with other jobs where she has contact with people. This is why she so excited to work as a Director with Sol Abroad this summer! She cannot wait to meet you and share with you her passion for languages, culture and most of all - Spain! |
Alexia Zamparo 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! |
Raúl de la Mano 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 Education 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!
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Melisa Rao Melisa Rao is a native Argentine. She was born and raised in a town just on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, but close enough to come every weekend to enjoy the great cultural life that Buenos Aires has to offer. At the age of 12 she took her first plane trip and traveled to the Caribbean with her family. The tour guide they had was amazing and inspired her to want to pursue Tourism as a profession. She discovered that the person who shows you a city, or a piece of art, or tells you a story about a place, can make a big difference in your opinion of how a city is or how its inhabitants are. Melisa understands first hand how impactful study abroad is. When she was 18 years old she did an internship in England as part of her degree to improve her English. This was one of the best experiences in her life. She had a great host family and made many friends she still keeps in touch with. Melisa graduated with her degree in Tourism and also took language classes in English, Portuguese and Italian. Since 2003 Melisa has worked as a professional tour guide in Buenos Aires with people from all over the world. She loves sharing her city with others but what has been most inspiring has been the chance to meet and work with people from around the world. It has allowed her to learn about about other countries and cultures. Melisa loves photography and capturing all the new things she sees when she travels. Her boyfriend is also a tour guide and the two love to travel during their time off. They have backpacked through Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil and Europe. They are planning their next trip to Asia. You are going to enjoy having Melissa as one of your directors. She is excited to share with you all that Argentina and Buenos Aires have to offer! |
Rodrigo de la Mano Rodrigo was born 23 years ago in Buenos Aires, in the “Barrio de Flores” (neighborhood of Flowers). He studied Electricity & Electronics at the University of Luis Huergo and also studied to become a primary school teacher, but always has stayed updated on the themes of electronics related to ecology & sustainability. Rodrigo studied a 2nd major, Organic Production Technician at the prestigious University of Buenos Aires (UBA), choosing this major due to his love of ecology. He also studied English at the Instituto Cultural Argentino Norteamericano (ICANA). For several years, he has been a member of a cafundo percussion band; a special band invited to play during the Carnival of Salvador Bahia (Brazil) in February 2012! All his life he’s practiced physical activity and disciplines such as Capoeira, Hip-Hop & Rhythmic Gymnastics. His oldest hobby is traveling throughout Argentina to different provinces: Córdoba, Santa Fe, Entre Rios, Corrientes, Misiones and the Patagonian region. Rodrigo has been an Assistant Director with Sol Education Abroad since 2009 and is very excited to show you the most exciting city in the world, his native Buenos Aires. |
Benjamin Griffith 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! |
María Molina María Molina was born in Alajuela, Costa Rica but grew up in the town of Atenas on the Pacific slope. She graduated from the Liceo de Atenas in 2003, where she was involved in many cultural activities such as salsa dance classes and theater performances. In 2006, she received her degree in Costa Rican Tourism at the Instituto Nacional de Aprendizaje, and is currently working on a second degree in Business Administration. María has worked as an onsite director with Sol Abroad since 2007. From spring 2009 to spring 2010 María participated in an Au Pair program to improve her English skills. She lived near Baltimore, MD and was able to travel all over the US during her stay. This was an incredible opportunity to experience the country where the majority of the Sol students come from. Maria also lived for a few months in the Netherlands and has travelled to France, Belgium, Holland, Nicaragua and Panama. In her free time María loves studying languages, dancing, reading, drawing and going to the theater in San José whenever possible. She loves Latin American literature! Her favorite authors are Gabriel García Márquez and Isabel Allende. She also is passionate about ecological conservation and is a member of Apreflofas, a non-profit dedicated to the conservation of land and wildlife in Costa Rica. María is very proud of her country and culture and looks forward to sharing it with you! She lives in Heredia, just a few blocks from the Universidad Latina. |
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Orlando Murillo Orlando Murillo Castro was born in Costa Rica’s capital of San José, but was raised in the picturesque town of Atenas where the Sol Abroad program is based. For as long as he can remember Orlando has been in direct contact with study abroad students because his family has been housing students in their beautiful home for over a decade. This exposed him to different cultures from a young age and allowed him to learn English from very early on. He is currently studying Law at the Universidad Escuela Libre de Derecho. Orlando knows exactly what you’ll be going through living in a new country. He participated in a study abroad program to the US where he lived with an American host family in Tallahassee, FL and attended Florida State University for a semester. So he definitely understands everything involved in the study abroad experience! Orlando’s hobbies include everything related to nature; from hiking to the top of Costa Rica’s tallest mountain, Chirripó, to guiding students through Costa Rica’s famous rain forests. Another one of his passions is art. Both Orlando’s father and brother are medical doctors and his sister is a nutritionist. He feels very lucky to have grown up in such a healthy environment! Orlando loves being active and enjoys soccer, volleyball & swimming. |
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Janiva Cifuentes-Hiss A graduate of Pomona College in Latin American Studies, Janiva Cifuentes-Hiss has dedicated her career to leading life-changing journeys throughout the planet. Over the past eight years Janiva has led study abroad and volunteer programs in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, Guatemala, Honduras, Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, India, Kenya, Tanzania, and Spain. Her adventures have taken her to volunteer in an Indigenous community in the Amazon, practice yoga on the banks of the Ganges, vision quest in Patagonia, safari in East Africa, scuba dive off of the Bay Islands, and trek to the Mayan ruins of Tikal and Inca ruins of Machu Picchu. She has led multiple volunteer programs focusing on sea turtle conservation, environmental education, sustainable development and organic farming in Costa Rica. Born and raised in Olympia, Washington, Janiva´s passion for travel began at an early age when she lived with her extended family in Bogotá, Colombia. In high school, she traveled to Japan with her host sister and Japanese teacher. She went on to study abroad in college in Salamanca, Spain where she enrolled in Spanish and Latin American Literature and History and traveled to France, Italy, and Portugal. A freelance writer, Janiva has been published in The Tico Times, The Encyclopedia Latina, and the Exploring Costa Rica Travel Guide. She also served as a video editor with Super Natural Adventures, a children's show about nature and the environment in Costa Rica. Her interests include meditation, yoga, permaculture, biointensive agriculture, cooking, piano and guitar. She is first aid and CPR ceritifed and has served as Costa Rica Director with Sol Education Abroad since 2007. |
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Fabio Viquez Fabio is a native of Atenas, Costa Rica. After attending high school there he studied English at the North American Cultural Center (Centro Cultural Costarricense Norteamericano - CCCN) on a scholarship. Since he was very young, Fabio has been interested in technology, sports, wildlife and dance. He has studied technology at both the University of Costa Rica and the National University of Costa Rica, the two top universities in the country. Due to his interest and passion in dance, Fabio has actually worked with Sol Abroad as our Latin dance instructor for many years! One of the most interesting experiences for Fabio was traveling to nearby Nicaragua and meeting extended family there. Fabio is very personable and loves meeting people from other cultures. He is very passionate about his country; especially known for its peace and nature. Fabio looks forward to assisting and accompanying you while on this amazing experience studying abroad! |
Derrick Ryan Derrick was born in Minnesota but has lived in Spain, Chile and Mexico as a child, teenager and adult. His interest in language and culture started at a young age when he learned of Concordia Language Villages (CLV), a Spanish immersion program located in several locations throughout the USA. Since then, he has been a counselor as well as a high school credit Spanish teacher at CLV. He received his B.A. at the American University in Washington, D.C. in Spanish Linguistics, Secondary Education and Translation and then went on to earn his M.A. in Spanish Linguistics at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. He also studied at la Universidad Diego Portales in Santiago, Chile. He has worked for the United States Senate as a translator (Spanish) and an interpreter (Spanish and American Sign Language), LADO International College as the Spanish Program Director as well as with many community service organizations in the Washington, D.C. area such as CentroNía, la Clínica del Pueblo and the Latin American Youth Center. Derrick is also a certified and practicing high school Spanish teacher in Maryland and just completed a year-long teacher exchange through the Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program teaching English, Educational Psychology and Pedagogy at la Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas in Tapachula, Mexico. Derrick´s interests include hiking, camping, traveling, volunteering, translating, reading, playing the piano and second language acquisition. |
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Mercedes Arias Mercedes is a native of Atenas, Costa Rica and is the director and founder of ATESA, the Atenas Spanish School. The school and her home are both on a traditional farm that has been in her family for generations. Mercedes received her degree in Spanish Literature and Grammar from the prestigious National University in Heredia, Costa Rica. Upon graduating, she was immediately hired by the Peace Corps to teach Spanish to volunteers. She also coordinated the placement of these volunteers throughout the country. Later, she taught high school in Atenas for many years and continued to teach Spanish to foreigners. In 2004 she began receiving volunteer programs and since that point has dedicated herself full time to teaching Spanish to foreigners and coordinating volunteer placements throughout Costa Rica. Mercedes is married to Miguel Arias and has two lovely daughters, Noelia and Melissa. |
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Diego Baquero Diego is the assistant director and co-founder of ATESA. He has a love of languages and teaches Spanish, French, and ESL! Diego graduated with a degree in Spanish from the University of Costa Rica located in San José. He also received a degree in French from the Alliance Francaise. Currently, Diego is studying at the National University in Heredia to obtain his Master’s degree in Translation. His international teaching destinations have been in Canada, the USA, and in Europe. Diego was a teaching fellow at Hamilton College in upstate New York and he worked as a volunteer in France for a year. Currently, Atenas is Diego happy home! |
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María Guerrero María is a bilingual education teacher and graduate from the University of Science and Technology of Costa Rica (ULACIT) in San José. She has worked in elementary and high school settings teaching both English and Spanish as a foreign language. María has been an active member of both ATESA and Sol Abroad proving herself a skillful teacher of Spanish for Foreigners. |
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Priscilla Arias Priscilla Arias is an assistant staff member for ATESA. She has a degree in Bilingual Education and works as a teacher at the Green Valley School, which is a private bilingual school in the Atenas area. Priscilla also teaches Spanish classes for ATESA and holds certifications in teaching Spanish as a second language. Her most recent certification is from the British Institute (Instituto Britanico) of Costa Rica. Priscilla has a wonderful energy and has a passion for working with people from other countries and sharing everything she knows about her native Costa Rica! |
Layla Meerloo 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. |
Soledad Zamora 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! |
Eva Verardo Eva is originally from Venice, Italy. Since she was very young her dream has been to explore new and far away places. Whenever she could she would grab her backpack and leave for new adventures. She spent her senior year (1992) at Millville High School in Pennsylvania as an AFS exchange student and lived with an American host family. In college, she studied Communication Science at the University of Trieste, in Italy, and spent a year abroad (1999) as an Erasmus student at the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Spain, where she improved her Spanish language skills. During her university years, Eva spent all her holidays traveling and volunteering in different countries such as Australia, India, and East Africa (Mali, Burkina Faso). Soon after graduating from university (2001) she spent 6 months in Costa Rica working as the Volunteer Coordinator for a local Environmental NGO and was in charge of student volunteers for three projects: a sustainable farm project, a turtle conservation program and bird migration research. As a Volunteer Coordinator she helped organize the projects and arranged the homestays with local Costa Rican families. All of these amazing travel experiences put Eva in contact with important issues such as forest conservation, indigenous rights, poverty, environmental degradation, etc. and led her to study a Master’s degree at the University of Sussex in the UK on Environment Development and Policy (2003) to learn more about sustainability and natural resource management. After completing her Master’s degree, she left Europe to get more field experience in developing countries and landed in Oaxaca City (2003) where she worked as Communication Specialist for a local NGO dealing with water quality issues. More recently, as part of fulfilling her dream of exploration, she spent almost a year (2011) leading an expedition with four adventurers and discovered a new overland route from coast to coast crossing the states of Veracruz and Oaxaca (all by foot!). While living in Oaxaca she has improved her film skills through learning participatory video techniques as new way to film documentaries. This is a method that directly involves the local community in the whole filming process. She has organized participatory video workshops with young people in many indigenous villages. Through participatory video she has come in close contact with an extraordinary variety of cultures, environments, traditions, foods, and handicrafts that characterize the state of Oaxaca. She also worked as participatory video facilitator with groups of young community members in rural villages in Asia (2009, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Southern India). Another passion of Eva’s is yoga and meditation and she recently became a certified Hatha Yoga teacher (2013)! Eva loves enjoys working with young people and sharing with them all that Oaxaca has to offer. She looks forward to welcoming you to the adventure and fascination of Oaxaca! |
Erika Sosa García Erika Sosa García comes from a millenary indigenous town in Oaxaca: Mitla. Erika learned Spanish at the same time she learned Zapoteco, her native Mexican language. All of her schooling was in Spanish but at home she spoke Zapoteco and learned indigenous traditions and indigenous concepts about the world. Erika loves to cook traditional food. It is important to her to propagate the cultural richness of Mexico because it is a blend of ancient civilizations which have produced great artists and thinkers. She wants to offer study abroad students a gateway to meet and appreciate a very vibrant society - and the key to that gate is the Spanish language! She hopes that you develop an appreciation and respect for Mexico and its culture during your stay in Mexico with SOL. Erika has been a Spanish language teacher since 2010. She taught English at the college level for two and a half years, and at the elementary level for two years. She has also taught Zapoteco lessons for 10 months, and she has taught Spanish to non-Mexicans for one year. She realized early on that teaching Spanish includes much more than teaching grammar rules, verbs, or sounds; it also includes history, literature, myths, music, etc. And this is true for other languages as well. This is why she takes great care in making culture an integral component of her language lessons. All of these teaching experiences have helped her develop new skills and abilities, which have made her a better person and a better teacher. Because of her “double background” she can understand and help students who come to Oaxaca to study abroad. In 2009 she had the opportunity to further develop these skills. She taught in an elementary school in Canada. This was a challenging and a very rewarding experience! It made her a more flexible teacher because it provided her with the opportunity to interact with students with completely different backgrounds than hers, which surely reinforced her teaching abilities. In the long run, Erika sees herself as a well respected language-teaching professional with experience teaching Spanish and Mexican culture abroad, and English and American culture in Mexican universities. Erika received a prestigious Fulbright scholarship for the next academic 2014-2015 year at an American college (we are very excited for her!). She looks forward to welcoming you with open arms to her native Oaxaca! Safe travels! |
