Hello, my name is April and I am a friendly, inquisitive, adventurous person. I live in the U.S. but recently I was in Mexico for 3 months visiting family and working on my Spanish speaking skills. I love learning a new language. It makes me feel like I'm learning the secrets of a new world!
I enjoy meeting new people of all ages and discovering what they think about the world: culture, travel, food, politics, music, art, science and just about anything. I love traveling, and have been to Hawaii, much of Canada and Mexico, as well as all over the U.S. including most national parks.
I have a Master of Arts degree in Education and a TESOL certificate. This past year I taught English to small groups of adults in the U.S. and while visiting in Mexico for 3 months recently I taught English to children at a school.
Here I am teaching English to children in Mexico through science. They are wearing costumes they made to act out the parts of hummingbirds, bees, butterflies and other pollinators. They learned to collect and move "pollen" from 1 paper flower to another, and say the names of each kind of pollinator as well as, "I see a bee," and "I am a butterfly."
I also have taught science and nature in museums, state and national parks and classrooms in the U.S. for many years. My students were from all over the world as well as native English speakers. This diversity made our lessons even more fun!
Here I am preparing for Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in Oaxaca, Mexico, in November. In Mexico this celebration honors the past: family and friends who have passed on, acknowledged by setting up altars in the home with their photos and with foods that they liked. This way their spirits are invited back to visit. People paint their faces and dress like skeletons, taking this celebration into another level of creativity and further connection with the spiritual world.
I have developed "just chat" lessons for you, general or professional discussions of the news or general topics, and can even proofread your paper. I have ideas for new classes for children and adults, in art as well as language, so please, check with me later.
As a teacher, I am a very caring, helpful person, so I will enjoy our conversations just like you will! We can talk about anything, since I read many topics and keep up on the news.
I look forward to meeting you on Skype!
My two "kids" and I on a hike with a bit of Mesa Verde National Park near where I used to live in Colorado in the background.
Here I am with my son in Oaxaca City in Mexico, about to climb all the steps to the Guelaguetza, a famous outdoor performance venue.
***nlea