About Me
PhD in Hispanic Literature, part-time Spanish teacher, tutor, and freelance academic copyeditor. Medical spouse, mother. INFJ, 3W4, Libra, empath, free spirit, dog person, mental health advocate, nature-lover. I love to write.
I’m married to my media naranja Jeff, and we have three awesome children. We live near the beach on the Texas coast while my husband finishes his medical training as a resident physician. Being married to Jeff and being the mother of my children is an honor I give gratitude for every day. In my few short years as a mother, I’ve grown right alongside my children in ways I never expected.
When I left my career in academia, and then my prep school teaching job, I was lost. My identity was so wrapped up in what I did professionally that I had forgotten who I was intrinsically. I also struggled to find stories that looked like mine, which added to my loneliness. In the last few years, I’ve been re-discovering who I am apart from what I do, and writing – journaling, making lists, tweaking recipes, writing essays, jotting down poetry – has been my constant companion. Much of what I’m sharing on this blog is the fruit of my self-discovery labor.
Expat to Ph.D.
After college I lived in Madrid, Spain for two years, which had an enormous impact on my formation as a young adult. The first year in Spain I completed a Master’s degree in Hispanic Linguistics, and the second year I taught English in a primary school to children ages two to six. After Spain, I taught as a Spanish instructor at my undergraduate alma mater for two years, and then went to UNC-Chapel Hill to complete a PhD in Hispanic Literature. For years, I spent every other summer in Spain or Latin America. Hispanic language, literature, and culture are my greatest intellectual loves and have undeniably shaped my worldview. It’s also why you may find some of my writing in Spanish.
Childhood Dreams
In 2018 my parents sold my childhood home of almost 30 years. In the process of packing up the house, my mom unearthed boxes of old toys and mementos she had kept for my siblings and I over the years. Among all the old artwork and school work, I found three pieces from elementary school that punched me in the gut. Each one of these three treasures reminded that when I grew up, I wanted to be a teacher and a writer. Finding this evidence of my childhood dreams was the final push I needed to accept that writing was one of the truest desires of my heart, and to get serious about sharing my writing with others and not just hoarding it for myself. So, little Sarah, here you are: this blog is dedicated to you.
Go to this post for more on why I started writing and created this blog.
A Final note
I am a white, neurotypical, straight, cis woman, which I recognize comes with an immense amount of privilege.
As a human, I will make mistakes and fall short; but I am a lifelong learner, and so I value being called out or called in when necessary.
I believe Black Lives Matter.
I am an ally of the LGBTQIA+ community.
All opinions, perspectives, and ideas shared in this space are my own. I do not intend to speak for anyone except myself.