Kristi Skinner Sabóia | Admissions Advisor

I’m from a generational airline family, so travel is in my blood. My grandpa was an airline captain when you had to stop 3 times to refuel to get from New York to Paris. I traveled a lot growing up within the US and to Mexico (the border being only 30 minutes from my house), but hadn’t really traveled abroad until after college.

I went on your typical post-grad Eurotrip and didn’t want to come back home. Less than a year later I was enrolled at ITA to get my TEFL Certification which allowed me to experience new cultures in a deeper way. Two weeks after receiving my certificate I started my adventure of teaching ESL abroad…

Real Madrid games and San Fermin in Spain; hiking to whiskey distilleries in Scotland; backpacking along the beach to Independence Day concerts in France; Matsuris, cooking classes, tea ceremonies, and even made a samurai sword in Japan; yoga and surf retreats in Bali; beach days, dancing, and cacao ceremonies in Brazil.

My advice: do the things you are supposed to do in the places you are supposed to do them.

I am from San Diego, California, and went to college at California State University San Marcos.

Your typical Euro-trip. I graduated from college and always wanted to travel. A friend of a friend invited me to join his trip, we had only met once before, but I decided… “why not?!” We traveled together for 2 weeks through France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Another friend decided to meet me for a week of travels in Switzerland, Monaco, Italy, and Germany for Oktoberfest. We met up with my family for a couple of days in Germany. I didn’t want to go back home when I was supposed to, so when I found out that a neighbor of mine was in Scotland, I extended my trip to join him and then continued to travel with people that I met along the way.

Mexico, Bahamas, Costa Rica, Italy, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Monaco, Germany, Scotland, Ireland, Hungary, Czech Republic, England, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Austria, Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, Philippines, Chile, Brazil, Argentina, and Australia.

I have lived in Spain, Brazil, and Japan, and taught English online or three years while traveling the world. 

Solo traveling in the Philippines. I spent 2 weeks island hopping across the Palawan Islands. Snorkeling, hiking, eating fresh caught seafood lunches cooked directly on the boats, and so much more! I found a backpacker hotel on the longest stretch of beach in the Philippines. When I arrived there were no more than 5 people staying on an 8.5 mile long beach covered in white sand and palm trees. The kitchen was on the beach and the accommodation was across the mangrove that had a pullboat to take you back and forth. The locals invited me to eat meals with them, drink rum, sing songs, and go for night swims in the bioluminescent plankton waters that looked like you were swimming in the stars! Even though I started out traveling alone, I felt like I was part of the family.

Often when you travel alone, you end up on the most unexpected and amazing adventures that lead you to meet the most interesting people and experiences.

Everything. I take cooking classes everywhere I have lived and traveled so that I can recreate it back home! It’s never the same at restaurants in the States. If I had to choose… it's a tie between tacos and sushi.

I am excited to pay it forward. As ITA Alumni, I had some amazing experiences, most of which wouldn’t have been possible had I not gotten my TEFL Certificate. I lived on 4 continents, learned 3 new languages, ate the food, drank the drinks and turned many strangers into friends.

I want to help you live your wildest dreams! Teaching ESL allows you to see the world through new eyes and make your dreams to travel/live abroad come true!