Sarah Ashby began her studies in Spanish language and literature at the University of Iowa. Her love of the language inspired her to study abroad in Córdoba, Argentina for one semester. The experience of immersion in a new culture left an indelible mark on her life, and helped to shape her future endeavors. After completing her BA in Spanish and International Business, she spent a summer in Salvador, Brazil learning more about South American culture and the Portuguese language. In the spirit of lifelong learning, Sarah decided to pursue a Master’s degree in Spanish linguistics at the University of Iowa and had the opportunity to teach undergraduate Spanish courses there for two years. This teaching experience sparked her curiosity for the field of education. After obtaining her master’s degree, she took a risk and moved to Spain on her own with a job and no place to live. Sarah quickly found a great apartment with 5 international roommates and spent the 2010-2011 school year as a language and culture assistant in a bilingual elementary school in Madrid, Spain. She returned to Minnesota, discovered ISLA and set off on a mission to become a licensed teacher. Sarah completed her teaching licensure at Augsburg University while working as an Educational Assistant at ISLA. She taught 6th grade for eight years and is thrilled to be an ISLA parent as well. She has loved developing and teaching 6th grade units of inquiry at ISLA and looks forward to applying this experience to her new role of IB Coordinator. In her free time, Sarah enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, relaxing and bouldering.