My first toy was a dictionary, so it is no surprise that I have been writing for personal enrichment since I was a child. When I learned that I was categorized as a linguistic learner, according to various theories on learning styles and multiple intelligences during my Master’s program in Education at the University of Phoenix, my whole life made sense. Looking back on my life, these theories explained why I loved being at the library as a child, my lifelong love affair with books, and what enabled me to excel in the Western school system, whose academic instruction highly favored my linguistic learning style. Weaving my way through this traditional learning environment, I eventually enrolled at Stanford University, where I completed my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology.
I didn’t become a psychologist, but instead wove my way through various jobs, which you’ve glanced at in the sidebar. Using my writing talent, latent or otherwise, I worked as a staff writer at Victorious SEO, where I wrote articles for a client marketing protein powders to athletes, a luxury travel company based in Australia, a nutrition supplement distributor, and a tourism company based in Hawaii. I was also a content writer for a software company that provides organizations with a platform to manage their innovation initiatives, as well as an author that published a book about organizational alignment and efficiency. This writing experience gave me valuable technical training on search engine optimization, keywords, and digital marketing, and helped me bridge my love for writing with the changing landscape of how we use technology. I found that this knowledge of how to get written content in front of an audience was helpful for anyone who uses the search function of any browser, and how algorithms reserved certain content for the first page of Google. I continue to lean on this knowledge that I gained as a staff writer and digital content producer to inform my future writing work.
A Global Perspective
To market my travel concierge business, I launched a travel blog where I partnered with tourism boards from around the world to promote my services while covering different corners of the globe. Some of my musings on South Korea, France, and Brazil will broaden your horizons about these countries at the top of my travel list, while my reflections on destinations in my native U.S., like South Carolina and New Mexico, will enlighten travelers who want to understand a bit more about U.S. history.
While my writing format, audience, and tools have changed during my adult life, what’s been consistent over the last 15 years, is my job as an English as a Foreign Language Teacher. Integrating my Education and Psychology degrees, I’ve occasionally found myself in the position of equal parts therapist, ambassador, and language tutor, and have continued to do this job that is rewarding beyond belief. This path has allowed me to connect with students from almost every country and engage in intimate conversations about their homelands, the political and economic systems they were born into, and their personal goals and visions for the future of their families, and our world. These revelatory conversations have informed my work, my perspective on what it means to be an American, and how language, words, and writing can move humanity closer.
An Artist’s Way
Introduced to the logical structure of Hangeul, the Korean alphabet, during a student’s final presentation, I followed the path to Seoul – a place where my art blossomed. Intrigued by the phonics and historical significance of Hangeul, my first stop was a visit to Seoul’s National Hangeul Museum, which showcases the cultural and political paradigms that allowed this language to evolve. Upon returning to the U.S., I decided to learn Hangeul and took classes on how to write Korea’s poetry form, sijo, devouring everything I could about this lyrical literary structure. In 2020, I became certified to teach sijo through the Sejong Cultural Society, and have continued to perfect the craft of writing this style of poetry. Sijo’s three-line format was the perfect antidote to my lengthy blog posts and articles trying to adhere to editors’ word count minimums. This framework forced me to discipline myself with syllables and experiment with the cadence and rhythm revered in this ancient artistic technique.
Since that pivotal trip to Seoul in 2018, my sijo poems have been published in various publications around the world and I won the Friend of the Pacific Rim, Honorable Mention award from the Sejong Cultural Society in 2021 for my sijo about ableism. I’m also writing a book of sijo poetry reflecting on some of the Buddhist spiritual practices that I learned at a monastery in Seoul’s Moaksan mountains during that same visit. My Patreon page showcases my sijo poetry where my patrons receive my monthly sijo poem based on whatever is inspiring me at the moment, behind-the-scenes updates on my art, and an annual art piece where I blend my exploration of Chinese brush painting and poetic musings. You can become a patron with this link and stay connected to my artistic adventures. My latest sijo poem was inspired by a volunteer experience in São Paulo where we delivered supplies to homeless people.
Committing to Communities
Speaking of volunteer experience, throughout all of my international moves, career transitions, and life changes, my commitment to the communities where I work, live, and play is constant. Noting a gap in the Stanford alumni club offerings, in 2019 I co-founded a social impact, innovation, and investing group promoting social impact ventures in the global Stanford alumni community. I also founded the Stanford Professional Women of Orange County, a response to connect both personally and professionally with other women in my community after relocating back to southern California. I also participate in volunteer events around the world, which not only puts me in touch with the communities where I travel but connects me with an international network of volunteers who want to create a positive impact in every corner of the globe. In Brazil, I partnered with Pack for a Purpose and Mais Caminhos to take school supplies to underserved communities in Rio de Janeiro, as well as Kit Com Elas which provides personal hygiene kits to homeless women in São Paulo. Closer to home in the U.S., I have served on the Board of Directors for Las Fotos Project, a non-profit that guides at-risk girls into careers in photography and writing.
Which brings us right back to where we started; a girl who loved writing has grown up to be a woman who still loves writing, and hopes to inspire others with her writing.
Sarah Taylor 