Erin Bouma

I'm an adventurous and mature American, a life-long learner and reader, a world-citizen and an optimistic realist.

I love teaching English to children, teens and adults. My speciality in Russia has become working with Young Learners and, in addition to teacher training, I've created (with a co-author) two Young Learner Courses: UP & UP (AST Press) and PATHS TO THE WORLD (Ventana Graf).

I began life in Portland, Oregon during the Second World War in a simple and loving family and now find myself half-way round the world in Moscow, Russia with 23-years of teaching here under my belt.

Along this life journey I've had many rich experiences, including 11 formative years in San Francisco during the 1960-70s. There, my intense political social activism reversed course when I encountered and joined fulltime a controversial spiritual community which enabled substantial personal spiritual growth.

Involvement in the Unification Movement took me to various parts of the U.S. over the years and then, in 1991 to move to Russia as a freelance missionary. Each decade has just gotten better for me, and I was able to thrive in the challenging environment of the breakup of the Soviet Union and the interesting (but less exciting) years since as Russia works its (sometimes tortured) way towards its future.

I'm now heading into my next chapter after returning to the U.S. at the end of 2014, beginning with California. Looking for new challenges and adventures ahead.

Through it all, I've met an astounding variety of wonderful people, befriended many and enlarged my understanding and appreciation of the world.