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6died computer;ffuning instead but1drtly sitting at a desk justdfut fit her personality.So then she studied busi-Dess management. By age20, Maribel was managing aoompany. Still, her teachingnature hadn't gone away.

"I think my mom saw theteacher in me," she remem-bers. 'The business worldwas great. I feel that I likechallenges a lot, but theadult world wasn't exactlywhat I was looking for atthat time, so I kept workingand my mom kept insistingthat I keep tryrng teach-ing."

Eventually, she accepteda part-time job as an E.tg-lish tutor for business peo-ple. Having attended a pri-vate, bilingual grade school,Maribel had mastered Eng-lish at an early age. Beforeshe knew it, referrals keptcoming for more and morestudents, this on top of herfull-time business career.To her surprise, she enjoyedteaching.

"And I finally came to therealization that I wanted tobe a teacher," she says.

Maribel went back to col-lege again, this time to earna teaching degree. All of hereducation and professionalexperience took place inPerri, Maribel's native coun-try.

Her linguistic advantageled her to work at vari-ous bilingual and languageschools, which are common,private institutions in Peni.Dealing with the challengesof managing a classroomtaught Maribel quite a bitabout children's needs fornurturing, &s well as educa-tion.

By 2001, Maribel wasseeking opportunities to ad-vance her career when shewas offered the chance toteach in the United States.This introduced her toAmerican English, in con-trast to the British variation

she had learned in Peni.She ended up in Olym-

pia, where she spent a yearteaching at Lincoln OptionsElementary School. She re-ally liked the program andthe school offered her a po-sition at the year's end. Af-ter thinking it over with herhusband, Manuel Iglesias,she accepted.

"We both thought thatit'd be great to try it," sherecalls.

He decided to leave hisengineering career behindin Lima, Perti, in order tomove up to Washingtonwith Maribel. "He has joinedme in every adventure andchallenge in my life eversince I met him," she saysappreciatively.

They have been very hap-pily married for 13 years.Before then, Manuel washer first and only boyfriend."He's really smart and lov-ing. I really look up to him!"she adds fondly.

Meanwhile, Maribel alsojumped at the chance to earnher master's degree in bilin-gual and multicultural edu-cation at the Seattle branchof Pacific Oaks University.Maribel came across Ever-

green Elementary Schoolin Shelton as part of herinternship for her master'sdegree. During her intern-ship, she accepted a positionteaching kindergarten.

"Challenges are placed infront of me; I just try to grabthem," she says.

She has remained onEvergteen's staff ever sinceand is now teaching secondgrade.

"I am passionate aboutmy job, because Evergreendoes what I believe in: bi-lingual education. Dr. War-ner, the school principal,has given me many greatopportunities and I am verygrateful for that. I feel that Ihave been in bilingual edu-cation forever. I do believein the great social and aca-demic advantages of bilin-gualism," Maribel says.

Not long ago, she also tookup the chance to become acertified national trainerin a nationwide program.called Guided Language Ac-quisition Design, or GLAD.She attributes much of herprofessional success to herparents.

"I come from a very hard-working family," she ex-

plains.Her father died in a tragic

car accident when Maribelwas still a child. This lefther mother to raise Maribeland her three siblings on berown. "My life turned upsi&down," Maribel rememben

Previously, she h.dgrown accustomed to soneeconomic privileges. Butafber losing her father, sbehad to learn how to fund herown education.

"My father had taughtme to be disciplined and heshowed me that the sky isthe limit while my mom'sgreat example showed me towork hard and to be sensi-tive to others," Maribel re-flects.

To her delight, her fam-ily grew to include her long-a w a i t e dd a u g h t e r ,Camila, in2007.

"My momsays thatmy little onedidn't wantto be born inPeni," shejokes.

B e f o r eh a v i n gCamila, thetwo had been

Cauor Tunr

Ingredien2.2lb. yel1/4 C. oil2 lemonsSdt to ta1Tbsp. fr,

peppers, liqr2 6-oz eanI/2 red onPreparati,Cook pota

Very proud of her family and heritage, Maribel Vilchez eqioys teaching intwo languages at Evergreen Elementary in Shelton.

nktul t

Journal photo by Rebecca Carpemcr

thankful for her family

bmily and heritage, Maribel Vilchez enjoys teaching inlvergreen Elementary in Shelton.

[. green Elementary School)l-rm- in Shelton as part of heryear internship for her master's

tions degree. During her intern-E ne- ship, she accepted a positionr and teaching kindergarten.. po-. "Challenges are placed inI Af- front of me; I just try to grabb her them," she says.!na-r. She has remained on

Evergreen's staII ever sincethat and is now teaching second

t she grade."I am passionate about

my job, because Evergreendoes what I believe in: bi-lingual education. Dr. War-ner, the school principal,has given me many greatopportunities and I am verygrateful for that. I feel that Ihave been in bilingual edu-cation forever. I do believein the great social and aca-demic advantages of bilin-gualism." Maribel says.

Not long ago, she also tookup the chance to become acertified national trainerin a nationwide programcalled Guided Language Ac-gur-.iuon Design. or GLAD.Se attributes much of herprofessional success to herparents.

-I come from a very hard-rrorking family," she ex-

plains.Her father died in a tragic

car accident when Maribelwas still a child. This lefther mother to raise Maribeland her three siblings on herown. "My life turned upsidedown," Maribel remembers.

Previously, she hadgrown accustomed to someeconomic privileges. Butafter losing her father, shehad to learn how to fund herown education.

"My father had taughtme to be disciplined and heshowed me that the sky isthe limit while my mom'sgreat example showed me towork hard and to be sensi-tive to others." Maribel re-flects.

To her delight, her fam-ily grew to include her long-a w a i t e dd a u g h t e r ,Camila. in2007.

"My momsays thatmy little onedidn't wantto be born inPeni," shejokes.

B e f o r eh a v i n gCamila, thetwo had been

their daughter.Their daughter has given

the family a greater appre-ciation for American cul-ture. Though Maribel is andalways has been very proudof her Peruvian heritage,she and Manuel are nowseriously exploring Ameri-can customs, such as carv-ing pumpkins and celebrat-ing Thanksgiving. They aremaking an effort to embracetheir daughter's naturalborn nationality.

"Through her, we arelearning to be part of theculture of the United States.Even though I am in a for-eign country, I have learnedto love it as my home," Ma-ribel says.

Emphasizing the girl'sdual, American-Peruvianheritage was even takeninto consideration whenselecting her name. Theychose Camila because itis pronounced the same inboth English and Spanish.

In fact, she now feels sofamiliar with Washington,she has flashbacks of itwhen she visits Perf, andvice versa. "So I think I be-long to both of these places,"she says.

Encountering many good,hospitable friends in theUnited States has also madeher feel more at home here.The Edlund family, consist-ing of Marj, Ian, Kristin,Ken, Hugh, Karen, Karim,Gordon and Zacky, whohave virtually adopted herfamily as part of their own.

"When I think of my rela-tives back in Lima and knowthat they are not close to mylittle one,I feel somehow sad,but not completely, becauseI know that Camila also hasher U.S. family that lovesher a lot, and that makes meimmensely happy," Maribel

says,a g a i n ,very gratefully.

Motherhood has also pro-vided Maribel with moreperspective on teaching heryoung students. While shehas always set high academ-ic expectations for them, shedoesn't want to see anyoneneglected.

"I want them to have theopportunity that I did have,"she says. "And it's sad to seethat many children are justleft aside and not cared for.I get a little frustrated andimpatient about that, be-cause we adults are the oneswho make the choice to havechildren," she says.

Tears well up in her eyesat the thought of studentslacking necessary love andattention at home. She alsorecognizes the attbntiveparents.

"There are lots of hard-working parents here. Lots.And they are just looking foran opportunity. It's hard. SoI am going to try to do mybest with my child," she re-solves.

Thankful for her educa-tion in Perri and her op-portunities in America forlaunching her professionalcareer, she hopes to instillher appreciation of the bestof both cultures into herstudents, as well as her ownfamily.

"I can only say that Ifeel God and life have beenamazingly generous withme. I feel really blessed andfortunate, and I do knor+'that dreams are free, cometrue and that the sky is theIimit!" Maribel concludes.

Maribel shared a tradi-tional Peruvian recipe.

ras Causa,or Tuna Cake

Ingredients:2.2Lb. yellow potatoestl4 C. oil2 lemonsSalt to taste1 Tbsp. fresh, yellow "Peruvian'

peppers, liquefied or ground2 6-oz cans tuna in oil7/2 rcd onion. dicedPreparation:Coot< potatoes in salted water. Peel and press so as to form a puree.

Diced tomatoes2 C. mayonnaiseParsley for garnish

2 hard-boiled emn, frlquarters

Optional: strips of bellalso for garnish

Journal photo by Rebecca Carpenter

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