Park Spanish Immersion Parent Teacher Organization

My name is Juan Andrés Ruiz Garzón and I am a 23-year old Colombian guy who loves to learn, meet people, and teach. I come from Bogotá D.C., abig, crowded, chaotic, but charming, and terrific city. There, I was studying the last semester of a Bachelor degree in Bilingual Education – English & Spanish at Institución Universitaria Colombo Americana – ÚNICA. Meanwhile, I was working at the Centro Colombo Americano as a Junior Teacher. I used to spend most of my time studying, working, and sharing time with my family and my friends.

I come from a loving family who, during all my lifetime, have taught me lots of values that have helped me thrive and succeed in different aspects of life. My mother is a housewife with the biggest, and sweetest heart in the world; my father is a taxi driver who, with his love and dedication to our family, has teamed-up with my mom to provide, care, and build an exemplary home. I am the second of four brothers. My oldest brother is currently living and studying in Australia, my younger brother is in tenth grade at school, and my youngest brother passed away five years ago.

I am fascinated to be in the United States. This is my first time in this country, and I couldn’t be happier that I was chosen to be in Minnesota! It has lots of forested lands and nature, over 10.000 lakes(!), and guess what…one of the best education systems in the United States. I am coming to learn, share, and grow as a teacher and as a person. I want to become more culturally aware, and to give the PSI community a bit of the Bogotan, and Colombian culture.

I would like to add that I am into sports, I like to try any new sport, and I love going to the gym. I also like social & emotional skills, critical thinking and philosophy. What a combination, eh? Then, I love any kind of plan that collects at least one of the aforementioned topics, for instance, cinema, theater plays, jogging, attending sport events, food crawling among many others.