Hi!

Hi and welcome to my blog for Ed 240 with Dr. Jorge. Summer school for the Master of Arts in Teaching started today at UCI as well as Laguna Beach High, where I'm teaching a World/US history class for students to make up credit. I wasn't planning on being here this summer as I was supposed to teach a wine course in Rome in July, but I didn't want to pass up summer school at Laguna.So, I decided to do the classes for the MAT program as well. This is actually my second blog, I had one in my former life as a wine educator. I hosted bimonthly thematic tastings at my home in Rome (Rome sweet Home) and I used the blog to keep a log of our tasting notes. I lived in Italy for eleven years, after a three-month program through the University of California brought me there in the first place. I studied in Siena and Padova, before settling in Rome to teach English as a second language, and then wine at Lorenzo De Medici University, and finally English and Drama at the American Overseas School of Rome. My parents are both teachers and I had always resisted it, but working full time at AOSR showed me how much I love it, so I moved home last August to get my teaching credential. I student taught at Laguna Beach High and I am overjoyed (and humbled) to be teaching AP Euro and US History next fall.It was hard to leave Rome after making a second life there, but I feel now that I made the right decision (though I really miss three hour dinners and cozy wine bars).