What type of job are you looking for?
With my background in business and law I am looking to teach Business and Legal English and help businesses and individuals in Ecuador in dealing with English speakers.
What nationality are you?
I am a citizen of the United States.
What languages do you speak (and at what level)?
I am a native English speaker. I studied Spanish for some years in college including 6 months in Mexico. I am working on regaining my fluency and it has been some years that I am out of practise.
What country or area are you looking to work in and why?
Although I have a great fondness for many countries in Latin America, I prefer to work in the Andean countries. I am attracted to the rich cultural heritage as well as the physical beauty of these countries.
I am looking for work in Ecuador. I have a deep interest in Andean cultures. Given the environmental challenges developing for all humanity I am very interested in the knowledge that indigenous peoples have to live in sustainable ways on our planet.
What countries have you worked in?
I have worked as a consultant for ecotourism in Costa Rica, Peru, and Belize. I am presently in Honduras.
What countries do you have a visa to work in?
I currently have no visas to work in Latin America, but I understand that an employer can assist an employee with the necessary documentation to obtain a visa.
What field do you currently work in?
I am currently teaching English in a private school.
What fields have you worked in before?
Business administration, business marketing, international business and marketing, ecotourism, land and water law
What qualifications do you hold?
B.S. in International Business Marketing M.S. in Psychology J.D. in Law Two years of coursework for a Ph.D. in Education. I studied curriculum development, ecology, and linguistics. Certified mediator.
Which do you consider more valuable? Formal education or skills and why?
I consider skills more valuable. Although I studied many topics in college, the great degree of specialization has reduced the value of the information in terms of application within a specific context. I believe I learned more through my own study and work than I learned in college. I also believe that the rich tradition of indigenous cultures contains knowledge about their ecosystems developed over thousands of years. I am not inclined to dismiss this kind of knowledge lightly as it hold the seeds of self-sufficiency lost to most of the modern world.
Describe the benefits of working with others
Working with others brings the knowledge of a system approach to problems or decisions. Gregory Bateson said that the "whole" is greater than the sum of its parts. From my own experience I have worked intensively on tasks with others who share a common passion. Each member of such a group brings different talents and skills that contribute to a greater solution or resolution than could be achieved with an individual.
Describe the benefits of working alone
Certain task require the specific skills acquired by someone who has specialized in a specific area. For these tasks collaborators without the necessary skills can unnecessarily prolong completion or problem solving.
What was your worst working experience?
My worst working experience was as a supervisor of therapists in a non-profit agency that was supposed to be providing treatment to very disturbed children ages 10 to 17. In my role as clinical supervisor, I found it difficult to be effective. The agency, in my opinion, was being used as an alternative school setting for children for which the public schools could not provide adequate services. As a result, I felt the administrator was resistant to changes that could have provided better services to the clients and families.
What is the most important lesson you have learnt throughout your career?
I worked in many settings in which the status of the job or company was more important than the end product. I now believe that dedication to work should be inspired by a belief in working for the common good.
What unique skills do you have?
I have a very broad set of skills and extensive experience in many areas. My knowledge of business and marketing goes well in this era with an interest in helping the people of Latin America stand toe-to-toe with United States companies.
What would you consider as your 'dream job'?
I would like to work with a company or agency working on behalf of the people of Ecuador. I think my knowledge of the United States legal and business systems would be a real asset to helping Latin American businesses preserve resources to be used in the country and and create more fair agreements with United States companies.
What are the most interesting aspects of your field?
I am very interested in efforts dedicated to preserving indigenous knowledge and lands. What are the most interesting aspects of your field?
I love Latin America with the diverse cultural heritage and emphasis on relationships and family. I am very interested in cultures and cultural interactions. I am also interested in the international community and communications between countries. I love reading and researching and solving problems. I am also interested in the business and legal theories and practises that have evolved in other countries.
Wjat are the least interesting aspects of your field?
The least interesting aspects of my field would be if I found myself in a position in which I didn't feel I was making a contribution to the common good.
What Latin American countries have you lived and traveled in or studied in?
I have lived and traveled in many Latin American countries. I began traveling in Latin America when I was 17 years old and have spent extensive time in Mexico, Costa Rica, Honduras, Belize, Peru, Ecuador, and Argentina. I have studied the indigenous cultures in these countries and also Columbia, Chile, and Bolivia.
How can potential employers contact you?
Please email me: kathie.bishop@gmail.com
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