valerie arena

Location: coconut creek, florida, United States

Member Since: 27 April 2005

Professional Associations

 Travelwriters.com

Introduction

For 40 weeks a year,I am a high school Advanced Placement Literature, Advanced Placement Art History, & Humanities teacher in Coral Springs, Florida, a city somewhere between Fort Lauderdale & Boca Raton. When I am not teaching,I am traveling to Europe,hence I go by the name Europhile. I am totally in love with most of Europe. Since 1982,I have been there over 52 times. The first time I ever went, I discovered a new section of my soul I reckon this wasn't a very unusual find since my ancestors are from Italy & Ireland. Although I have a northern Italian appearance, my heart is in Ireland, London, Zermatt, the Ardennes, & parts of Holland. Since I love teaching and traveling, I refer to myself as the T&T lady! I started writing about my travels for EDUCATIONAL TRAVEL REVIEW a publication from ACIS in BostonMA, in 1996. In my opinion,my best article was about the "Running of the Bulls" because I think I had a very unique "take" on it since I delighted in the partying part of the festival but the culminating bull fight transported me back to ancient Rome's Colosseum where the citizens held their thumbs down so the victims could be brutalized by gladiators , lions, or bears,oh my! Someday, I hope to devote more time to writing & less to teaching. Right now teaching is my primary joy. Moreover, this is my 37th year of teaching & now because of a graduate degree in Religious Studies, I will teach dual enrollment Intro. to Religion/World Religion in my high school. This is a college course in high school. This is not a spiritual study but the understanding and role of religion as an institution since primitive times. Personally, I THANK God,whether that be Allah, Zeus, Jesus' father, David's God, Thor, or Tinkerbell, everyday for my high energy level & my passions for Art History, travel,writing,Literature, especially British, and fresh air!!!

Experience & Expertise

I started travel writing in 96 ,however, it is not my first vocation,as I am a distance -learning teacher,which means I teach Advanced Placement Literature,Advanced Placement Art History and Humanities via videoconferencing . My initial energy is devoted to teaching at this stage of my life. Traveling & subsequent writing hovers dubiously between hobby and a hopeful harbinger of the future when writing will dominate my time and teaching will be in 2nd place. I will not stop teaching or writing until I depart from this planet. <p>I have been to Europe over 52 times as it is my passion. It seems like there are travel magazines that cater to the wealthy & travel mags that cater to the budget-minded. Alas! What about those in the middle? Initially, it will be my aim to expose those places where one can experience middle class luxury,as oxymoronic as that may sound.

Publishing Credentials

Sun,Sentinel Educational Travel Review

Awards Received

English Department Chairmen 2004 Globe Scholarship,July,London,Eng. sponsored by the English Speaking Union 2003-Teacher of the Year 2000 Winner of Florida Humanities Center scholarship 2000 Won a trip around the world from ACIS in Boston,Mass. 2001 Chosen to facilitate T.R.E.K. workshop for teachers in Naples,FL 1997 Finalist in USATODAY as Outstanding Teacher in USA 1999 Assistant facilitator at BECON for International SCHOOLS FLOR SUCCESS 1999-2005 Clinical Education Trainer 1998 Target Scholarship 1997-2001 Vertical Team trainer 1997-2002 Wrote European travel articles for Educational Travel Review 1986-89 UCLA Media Workshop Awards 1982-83 advisor to student-directed & produced TV talk shows sponsored by Selkirk Cable,Fort,Lauderdale,FL 1970 Student Body President Mount Saint Mary College 1966 Annual West Point Award-New York Dept. of education

Clips & Samples (View All 4)

Delphi:An Unexpected Spiritual Awakening

An Immeasurable Remambrance:THE RITZ

Pamplona,Spain: Ballad of the Bulls

Zermatt::Heaven on Earth, travelroads.com