I was born into a bilingual and bi-cultural environment in Bogota, Colombia. My Colombian father exposed me to Colombian culture immediately; my American mother made sure that I learned English and appreciated the American culture. Dinner-table conversations were always bilingual, where from a young age, I either switched back and forth between the two languages, or I acted as an interpreter for my father. I have always been fond of languages and have picked up bits and pieces of several along the way.
I completed a degree in Global Studies from the University of Illinois, which enriched my multicultural awareness and affinity. My love affair with words and languages landed me several interpreting jobs in high school, including supporting international speakers on TV and radio, as well as in front of large and small audiences alike.
I have worked as a language teacher and tutor in Bogota. While in Illinois, I worked with Multilingual Advantage, a company that offers language-learning software programs for Spanish learners. In addition to this, I continually translates for various and diverse clients, including museums, law firms, pastors, non-profit organizations, world-renown speakers, companies and schools. I specialize in work with non-profits and charities, though many of my clients have come from quite diverse backgrounds.
I now live in Ontario with my Canadian husband. I have survived one Canadian winter and have purchased my first pair of ice skates– well on my way to becoming a Canadian! |