I grew up in England in a small town about an hour away from London. When I finished school I took a ‘gap’ year to travel and work my way around the work. One year turned into two, and turned into five! I spent the time working as an outdoor instructor and became certified as a canoe and kayak coach, as well as a mountain guide. I eventually became an expedition leader, and took high school and college students on expeditions to North Africa, Mexico, North America, Europe and New Zealand. In the winter months I worked in European ski resorts; mainly in Austria, Switzerland and France. It was a pretty great life, but living out of a backpack for years on end, and never having a home base took its toll on me.

So in my mid 20’s I went back to school and gained my Bachelors degree in Outdoor Education, followed by my Masters in Elementary Education. I started teaching at the elementary level in the UK before moving permanently to the USA where I got married and started raising a family. I now have four young boys at home who keep me busy and I still enjoy lots of outdoor sports and activities. I have been a classroom teacher for over 10 years now and enjoy it more than ever!