My Name is Karen

My name is Karen and I am an artist. I am a dancer, a photographer, a painter, a singer (soprano, thank you!), a writer, a poet, a motivator, and my current art form... teaching! For the first three months of 2007 I am teaching 4th grade in El Paso, TX. This is through my university where I am a senior majoring in elementary education. I study at the University of Minnesota - Morris which is a part of the U of MN system, surrounded by the prairie of west-central MN (about 3 hours from the Twin Cities). Being at this university has provided me with amazing experiences and opportunities. I have been tested more than I could have imagined throughout my four years there. But, because of this I have become stronger, smarter, and I have discovered who I am and what is important to me.

I love to travel and see new places. This is something that I grew up with as a born and bred road-tripper. We have taken some amazing family vacations together all over the U.S. and Canada. I hope to cross the border into Mexico while I'm here in El Paso. There is something about going to a new place for the first time. It freshens your perspective on the world and how it operates. I was able to study abroad in Toledo, Spain for the spring of my semester year. It was a full immersion program which meant that I spoke only Spanish for 3.5 months. I learned more about myself than I could have imagined and God showed me that He is ever-faithful. I was able to travel around Spain and also into Portugal, Italy, and have a lay-over in England... haha. I graduate this May and will then go on my next international adventure: touring Scandinavia with my choir for two and a half weeks (Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Iceland). What an amazing way to end a college career... among the fjords!

I am a part of the People of Praise, an ecumenical, charismatic Christian community that is my life. With them I am a sister, a city-builder, and a missionary. They are my life support. When asked to imagine and describe my dream job, the answer was clear. I want to live in one of our People of Praise cities, and teach in one of our elementary schools. I can't imagine anything more amazing or rewarding. I would love to be a part of our first elementary school: teach our children, the children of those in our cities. How amazing to be able to have parent-teacher conferences with those who I live my life with and who I am inviting to that life as well. We shall see where He calls me for this upcoming year.