My langoš 360: a little bit about Karolina

When I was 8 years old one of my favorite things to do was to visit the market with my grandmother and eat a warm garlicky langoš. Little did I know at that time that it would be another 32 years until I would be at the same place, reminiscing about the beautiful memories of my grandmother while eating this delicacy. I call it the langoš 360. A 360 turn of living, studying and teaching around the world.

Even though I was born in Slovakia, I grew up in southern Africa, and it was in a small school in Zimbabwe where I began my life journey in the company of the English language. I also began exploring what would become my driving passions in life: learning, teaching and sports. I am most comfortable learning from and teaching children and if you add a good sports workout into my day… well, that is just perfection. 

As a high school student in Botswana and then an IB student in Hong Kong, I was lucky to have teachers that were mentors in areas other than academics; teachers who motivated me to keep on searching for things that I enjoy, things that I was good at. Teachers that believed in me. Even when I was, as all adolescents tend to be, a tough teenager. This allowed me to love the unknown, to dive deep into the unexpected and to come out with a huge smile. Most importantly, this has kept me motivated to keep on learning. A teacher, but forever a student.

Later on in life, Mexico and its warmth (climate and people) drew me like a magnet.

My teaching career blossomed as did my Mexican family. Life in Mexico is a wonder, it is unpredictable magic in action. I am forever grateful to the people of Mexico for sharing this with me, and for allowing me to call Mexico home. But a 360 brings you back to the original point. Now it is the Mexicans in my life that must put on their winter jackets and try some of that Langoš with me!