I started studying Spanish in eighth grade and went on to earn a B.A. in Spanish, with honors, from the University of Oregon. I participated in a study-abroad program in Oviedo, Spain, and traveled extensively throughout Spain. Upon earning my undergraduate degree, I went to Ecuador by myself where I backpacked for three months and spoke little or no English for weeks at a time. I later returned to South America to teach English in Perú and Chile before backpacking, oftentimes on the unbeaten path, through Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Perú, and Ecuador for one year. I earned a Master’s degree in Educational Foundations, Policy, and Practice from the University of Colorado at Boulder in May, 2007, and decided to start Spanish by the Hour, LLC in Boulder, Colorado. I recently spent one month in Nicaragua to explore language and cultural exchange opportunities. I have been studying, practicing, and speaking Spanish for 15 years and enjoy sharing my enthusiasm for the language with others.