Episode 10

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Published on:

22nd Feb 2021

Julia Gaona

Julia Gaona has been an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher in Irvington, New Jersey for the past sixteen years. A first-generation immigrant, born and raised in Moscow, Russia, she came here as a student and earned her second Master's Degree in TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) from Arizona State University on a full-tuition scholarship. In addition, she teaches writing classes to ESL students at Kean university as an adjunct faculty member, and is studying in a post-Masters Graduate program at Kean. She and her husband are raising ten-year-old twins, and she is also the mother of a son who resides in Philadelphia with his fiancée. During the Covid crisis, she has been balancing these demanding roles, and like so many other teachers, Julia is one of our unsung heroes.

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About the Podcast

EXTRAordinary PEOPLE
Interviews with individuals whose stories inspire and motivate in all walks of life.
EXTRAordinary People lets you inside the world of the people you may see everyday, but those who have let their light shine onto the world because of their unique talents, contributions, and STORIES. In their own words, each discusses the hardships which they have encountered and what it took for them to rise above the obstacles and make a difference. Join Shirley Wachtel and be inspired by these EXTRAordinary people!

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Shirley Wachtel

Shirley Wachtel is an author, educator, a wife, mother, and grandmother, and like you, she is a curious individual. Her background as a reporter has fostered an interest in people, especially those who have excelled in their fields or overcome adversity, or created something never before seen. In other words, the people who inspire. Sit down, relax, and listen to the conversations with people who inspire, who go beyond the ordinary, the EXTRAordinary People!