Patricia Torrico Luizaga
Patricia Torrico Luizaga was born in Cochabamba in 1979. She comes from a large family and has lived in Cochabamba most of her life. She studied Applied Linguistics and Language teaching at San Simon University where she learned English, French and Quechua. She has practical experience as a linguistics and English teacher, as well as teaching Spanish to school students in the city of Dijon in France. This experience served to improve her professionally, and to value her own country more. In her spare time she likes to travel and play football.
Patricia Lizbeth Caba Peñaranda
Patricia was born in Potosí in 1981. She began her education at Particular Panamericano school in Potosí and in 1994 she moved to Buenos Aires, where she continued her education. In 2000 she returned to Bolivia to reside in the city of Cochabamba. From 2000 to 2004 she studied Applied Linguistics and Language teaching in San Simon University, while also working as secretary and librarian. From 2005 to 2007 she taught Spanish to foreigners at Projects Abroad; whilst also teaching in schools and institutes as an English teacher. Patricia loves teaching Spanish because she is passionate about sharing her language and culture with foreigners.
Hernán José Aguilar Rojas
Hernan was born in Cochabamba in 1945. He studied at Parroquial Santa Ana de Cala Cala Mary Knoll and Junin National School. He attended the Del Valle University where he graduated in 1998. He studied painting and theatre in the Centro Boliviano Americano as well as courses of theatre direction in the Alianza Francesa. For 30 years he dedicated himself exclusively to painting and for a further 16 years to the theatre. He has appeared in many popular Bolivian plays and had a main part in the movie “La Cruel Martina”. In 1998 he worked in the Association of River Transport and in 1999 as a consultant to the Federación Unica de Trabajadores Campesinos. In 2002 he worked in the headquarters of the Bolivian Congress and in 2005 he became the President of the Bolivian Institute of Art. Due to Hernan´s personal and professional experience his classes often incorporate lectures on Bolivian history, art and literature. Throughout his life one of one of his main hobbies has been teaching his native language, Quechua.
Andrea Castro Canelas
Andrea Castro Canelas was born in 1981 in Santa Cruz. She completed her studies in Applied Linguistics at the University of Mayor San Simon in Cochabamba. She has worked as a Spanish professor for Projects Abroad Bolivia and has had various other jobs teaching English and French in public high schools and other private institutions. In addition, Andrea worked as a librarian in a Christian-based library and as a consultant with an international goods shop. Currently she serves as a Sustainable Bolivia Spanish language professor, where she shares Bolivian culture and life with her students. In her free time she likes to play sports and dance.
María Cardozo Aguilar
Maria was born in Cochabamba in 1958. She studied economics at the Universidad Mayor de San Simón and English at the Centro Boliviano Americano. She worked as a Spanish and Quechua professor from 1986 to 1991 in the Maryknoll Language Institute and from 1995 to 2008 for the Peace Corps, where she was also trained and certified as a Language Interviewer (for Spanish and Quechua). She has completed several workshops and courses on language teaching techniques. María loves the cultural exchange that comes with language teaching. In her free time she likes to walk, travel and read.
Carla Virginia López de Jorge
Carla was born in Totora, province of Cochabamba, in 1973. She studied at the Cosmos School in Cochabamba. She completed her university degree in Linguistics and Languages at the Universidad Mayor de San Simón, where she graduated in 1997. She immediately began teaching English at the Jesus Lara School and from 1998 to 2008 worked for Peace Corps Bolivia as a Culture and Languages Trainer. During her time with the Peace Corps Carla taught Spanish, Quechua and Bolivian culture to Peace Corps Volunteers. After Peace Corps, Carla provided private Spanish classes to foreigners and taught English to students and staff of a Business School in Cochabamba. Carla is the mother of Camila and Samuel whom she considers to be her reason for living!
Elizabeth Callapa Flores
Elizabeth was born in La Paz in 1978. When she was seven she moved to Villa Montes in Tarija and after completing high school she returned to La Paz, where she began her modern languages and linguistics degree at the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés. After two years she transferred to Cochabamba where she completed her studies at the Universidad Mayor de San Simón. While studying she completed a course in English at the Centro Boliviano Americano and worked as an English professor in the Californian American School and the English Town Coorporation Institute. She then worked for two years as a Spanish professor for Projects Abroad. She is currently employed as a translator and interpreter for a Christian Foundation and as a Spanish professor for Sustainable Bolivia. Elizabeth loves to use language as a means to share and teach her culture.
Marisol Cabrera Mendoza
Marisol was born in La Paz in 1970. After completing her high school diploma she studied Linguistics and Languages at San Andrés University in La Paz, where she graduated in 1995. She immediately started working in the university as a language teaching assistant. She then worked in an indigenous community teaching Spanish as a second language. She worked for Peace Corps Bolivia from January 1997 to June 2008 as a Language and Culture Teacher. During her time in the Peace Corps Marisol taught Spanish, Aymara and cultural aspects of Latin America for volunteers. She then worked as an English teacher for CBA in Cochabamba, developed a foreign languages curriculum for UNIBOL University and worked there as a languages teacher. Marisol is married and has a son, Camilo.
Blanca Bascope Mendez
Blanca was born in Cochabamba, Bolivia. She earned her Bachelor degree in English Language with a minor in Spanish and Quechua Languages from the Universidad Mayor de San Andres in Cochabamba. She has worked for over fifteen years teaching language classes to children, youth and adults. She has acted as the director of the language department for various international aid programs. She has ample experience as a facilitator and coordinator of Spanish and indigenous language education, human resources supervision and language programs management. She has held professorships in Spanish, English and Quechua at both the Universidad Mayor de San Simon and at the UPAL. She currently teaches Spanish and Quechua at Sustainable Bolivia and SETEP.
Jorge Siles
Jorge was born in La Paz, but has lived most of his life in Cochabamba. His interest in languages started when he was in school. He studied Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching at the Universidad Mayor de San Simon and has developed material for teaching Spanish applied to medicine and health care. Jorge also has experiencing teaching Spanish to foreigners, working as a teacher with Projects Abroad Bolivia. In his spare time he enjoys spending time with friends, playing sports, traveling, and meeting new people from different regions and cultures. He is currently a member of the teaching staff of Sustainable Bolivia.
Liesbeth Albornoz Uriona
Liesbeth was born in the city of Cochabamba. She studied at the Las Esclavas de Sagrada Corazón de Jesús High School, also known as the Irlandes High School. After working in the Maryknoll Language Institute in La Paz, Liesbeth taught families of embassy staff from China, Korea, England, The Czech Republic and Slovakia. Upon her return to Cochabamba she began work in the Carachipampa Christian School. For the next 10 years—between 1994 and 2008—she served as the Spanish and Quechua Languages Facilitator for the Peace Corps. Liesbeth completed translation work for PCI and acted as a Spanish and Quechua translator for the Andean Baptist Mission of Canada. She has written books in Quechua, an illustrated dictionary and work books in Spanish and Quechua. She continues her 25 year career teaching English, Spanish and Quechua.
Daniel Diaz
Daniel was born in Santiago, Chile in 1983. He has a degree in Letters (with focuses in linguistics and literature), as well as a degree in education. Daniel has also spent time as a Spanish language professor at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and as a professor of Literature at the Cristo Nación School in Tiquipaya Bolivia. Daniel has designed courses for Spanish language learners for the ICBA in Cochabamba, Bolivia and has served as a proofreader of standardized tests for APTUS CHILE and MIDE UC in Santiado, Chile. He is a self-taught musician, and contributes diverse texts, chronicles and articles to various press outlets in Santiago and Cochabamba under various pseudonyms. He is also the administrator of the website laotravereda.com, a platform of free cultural music.
