My first taste of "internationalism" came when I was 16. I attended Columbus Alternative High School (CAHS) which was a breeding ground for diverse thoughts and fresh perspectives. I was given the chance to travel to Italy and Greece for ten days where I was bitten by "the bug." That trip, which wiped out my meager teen savings account, and probably the most amazing and influential Spanish teacher (Mrs. Condron) of all time, were the perfect combination to create an international groupie out of this West Sider.

I graduated from Ohio University in 2005 with a Bachelor's in International Studies- Latin American Studies, a minor in Spanish, a certificate to Teach English as a Foreign Language (TEFL), and a Global Leadership Center certificate (GLC).  Sometime during my four years at OU I found time to squeeze in a three month backpacking tour of Europe with my friend Ben (including a month working on a farm in Italy) and a study abroad quarter in Cuenca, Ecuador. Needless to say, travel became a passion.

The GLC is the reason today that I find value in my experience at OU. It is a two-year project-based learning community working on business and social development projects and it required that I travel abroad twice. I was able to work on projects with a Mexican restaurant and a grocery store in Thailand. Additionally, I worked on a project involving Procter & Gamble sponsoring a dental clinic in Dubai, UAE and a sister city project with the Embassy of Romania. Through the GLC, I visited a Hare Krishna Community in New Vrindaban, West Viriginia twice, something everyone should encounter for themselves. Needless to say, the GLC was an experience rich in new skills and creative opportunities that I am grateful to have had.

After college, I had a seven month stint teaching English and traveling in Malaysia/South East Aisa as a Fulbright student. I came home, got a job for a year at The Columbus Dispatch as an Advertising Sales Assistant before becoming a Research Analyst. I decided to join the Peace Corps for a million reasons, both selfish and altruistic. Basically, I want to experience life in a culture via 100% full immersion and provide whatever skills and assistance I can to help El Salvadorans in whatever way they need.

This site will provide an inside look of my experience so that the people I care most about can digitally travel along with me and be a part of my life. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy the site!