By Michela Dai Zovi

TIMELINE OF LANGUAGE AND

CULTURE

My brother and I were born in Illinois but raised in the Northeast

Heights of Albuquerque, NM

BIRTH TO CHILDHOOD

My mother is a Spanish teacher and raised her children bilingually. Although I do not

currently consider myself fluent in Spanish, both languages were integral to my

upbringing.

RAISED BILINGUALLY

Though my mother is an anglo from

Iowa and my father an Italian

immigrant, I grew up identifying with Latino-influenced

New Mexican culture.

(pictured: my family and myself at my aunt’s wedding)

NEW MEXICAN CHILDHOOD

When I was 12 we visited my father’s relatives in Italy, but in

truth the strongest

connection I have to

Italian-ness is my hard-to-

spell name..

(pictured: my family and

myself at my cousin’s house

in Italy)

ITALIAN ANCESTRY

Consistent with my American middle-class upbringing, I went to college and used my BA

to join the lightly-educated professional workforce.

(This period of my life was too boring to have any pictures to illustrate it. This blank, black

abyss is appropriate)

EARLY ADULTHOOD

While working at an adult day health care center owned by a Ukrainian-

American couple, I happened upon an outdated tour guide

for a tiny country in the Caucasus mountains.

Every page in the book was infinitely more exciting than

any given moment of my then-existence.

Within a few weeks I had accepted a position teaching

English in the Republic of Georgia.

2011: INTERNATIONAL TRANSITION

Going to Georgia, learning a new

language, meeting new people, and enmeshing myself in a way of life

completely unlike anything I had ever known was the best thing I could have

done.

It taught me the truth of one of my favorite

quotes…

(yes, those are real bears)

CULTURE SHOCK AND AWE

"The world can only appear

monochromatic to those who persist in

interpreting what they experience

through the lens of a single cultural paradigm, their

own. For those with the eyes to see and the heart to feel, it remains a rich and

complex topography of the spirit.“

Wade Davis

My next position teaching at a combined hostel & language institute in Chile cemented my commitment

to building community amongst internationals.

(Family Dinner Night was always my favorite part of the week)

INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

Along with my liebensabschnittspartner (life

partner) I met in Chile, I’ve continued travelling while completing coursework to

obtain my Level 1 Teaching License.

The place where I grew up will always be an

important part of me…

…But I try not to take my culture

too seriously.

The end.

(and beginning)

PRESENT: MY FAMILY, SUMMER OF 2014