I was born and raised in South America of parents holding US citizenship, and so learned to speak, read and write both Spanish and English at once. I am intimately familiar with slang and colloquialisms, and feel that my work translates not only the words of a piece, but the nuances of it. For my high school foreign language credit I translated Amy Carmichael's "Mimosa" (it was not for publication). I have since done much on-the-spot interpretation and document translation.

Since 1995 I have travelled extensively in Mexico and Central America, by land and by sailboat. I am familiar with many nautical terms, having often assisted other sailors in obtaining visas, permits and extensions. I have also practised extensive rockclimbing, and am familiar with the special lingo of that sport.