When I was ten, my mother and aunt made an extended trip through Europe and the Middle East. To my great disappointment, she left me and my little brother at home. I now understand that she had a much better adventure without two small children pulling at her skirts, but at the time, I was seriously bummed. Even at that young age, I had a profound yearning to travel. For years after Mom’s return, I would pull out the old slide projector and gaze at her pictures until I knew them better than she did. As a child, I traveled with my family in the Western US, mostly to visit relatives, but desire for far off places never left me.
Luckily, I married a man who shares my passion for travel. We have been to seven continents and will continue to travel as long as possible. Our two children traveled with us, diapers and all. We ruined strollers by rolling them on the bumpy cobblestone streets of European cities. We have had grand adventures, eaten unimaginable food, and made friends all over the world.
I was a professional educator for over three decades, teaching every grade level from kindergarten to twelfth grade, and presenting to adults at professional development conferences. I built and maintained music programs in band, choir, orchestra and general music. I served in leadership positions, organized and conducted many concerts, and frequently hosted fund-raising events. My performing groups traveled and performed both domestically and internationally. After twenty years of teaching in the USA, I accepted a position in Japan, where I taught for six years in an American high school. This was followed by six more in Germany. For the last five years of my career, I left the music classroom and taught US History and World History. I have earned local and national teaching awards and have participated in fellowships to Japan and Brazil.
After teaching, tour directing seemed like a good fit because I could continue to travel, meet people, teach, have adventures, and be involved in the global community. I attended the International Tour Management Institute (ITMI) in Boston in 2017, and, after working with some local DMCs, I began directing music performance and student history tours. These tours have taken me across the United States with people of all ages, and from many different regions, countries, and cultures. It is always exciting to meet new people and share their touring adventures. As a teacher, I learned to cope with unexpected glitches and snags. Thus, I feel very comfortable on tour and am unflustered by the problems that occasionally occur.
When not on tour, I spend time at home near Seattle, Washington. I love the beauty of the mountains and the nearby Puget Soung, and the recreational opportunities they provide. I enjoy kayaking, sailing, swimming, and scuba diving. My newest project is keeping alive “Raul,” my sourdough starter, which is a bit like having a pet. He requires constant tending, loving, and feeding. In return, he feeds us and is getting tastier every day. I could, I guess, take him out for a walk but have so far resisted the urge.