About

Hello all! My name is Adriana Esparza and this school year I will be teaching Spanish 1 and 2. I was born and raised in Zacatecas, Mexico, one of Mexico's most beautiful cities. I had a normal childhood just like anybody else, but when I turned fifteen years old, my parents made a decision that changed my life. My mom told my sisters and me that we would move to the United States in less than a month. She explained that my dad could not find a job at the time, and they needed to do something drastic to support our small family. At that moment, I felt devastated because I would be leaving my family and friends. I also felt petrified, knowing that I would have to learn a new language and be part of a completely different culture. The day came, and we moved to McAllen, Tx, a small town very close to the border. As soon as we got there, my mom enrolled me in my future high school, which intimidated me by its immense size. Little did I know that the school's size would be the least of my worries when I began my classes. The first day of school was a little traumatic. I still vividly remember how frustrated I was when I went to my first class, and I did not understand anything that my teacher was saying. I remember going to the bathroom and crying, however instead of allowing myself to feel defeated, I promised myself that I would do anything and everything to learn English, so I would not feel that way again.

Since that moment, I found a passion for languages, and I knew that I wanted to be a language teacher. Once I finished high school, I began working on my bachelor's degree in Spanish at the University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley. Studying Spanish was such a fun experience. After I finished my career, I had a difficult time finding a job in McAllen, Tx, so I had to move to Houston, Tx, for my first job as a Spanish teacher. Since my first day as a teacher, my mission has been to teach Spanish as a second language to young people. By teaching them the culture and traditions that come from the Spanish language, I believe that it can help my students to be open-minded about other cultures and show them that we are all equal. Learning a new language can be a bit intimidating, but I will always be there to support my students in every step of the way.