“Live the life you have imagined.” —Henry David Thoreau.
That is exactly what one of our language/cultural assistants is doing. Her given name is Deidre Danae Brooks, but she is quick to tell most teachers and students to simply call her, “Di”. This is her second year as a language assistant here in Yecla and her first year as a Yeclana. She moved here over the summer from nearby Jumilla.
Di was originally born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio in the USA. It is a city famous for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, pierogis, Polish Boys, and paczki.* Cleveland has a population of 381K is ethnically diverse.
Having visited more than 10 countries and more than 20 of the 50 United States including Alaska and Hawaii, Deidre is well-traveled. A member of Toastmasters International, she is fast to make friends at work, while in airports or standing in lines with men, women, small children and domesticated animals. Flirting with Español all her life and traveling to Spanish speaking countries such as the Dominican Republic, it was spring 2019 that Deidre decided to leave The Bahamas where she lived and move to Spain to teach English.
Deidre is showing up for her students in every way she can while also working to publish a book about her experience living here in Spain.
*Oh, yes! I have to mention four time NBA superstar champion—and one of the greatest to ever play the game—LeBron James not only led the Cleveland Cavaliers to a championship win in 2016, he is also from the Cleveland Area. There is also that. LOL!
