I have always had a passion for travel. In high school I studied abroad for a summer in Spain and spent a summer with a family in France. In college I continued to travel as much as possible – I studied for a summer in Florence, spent a semester in Paris and then worked for a summer in London. After college I led tours through Europe and became completely hooked on the educational travel industry.

I had heard about EF at Middlebury College and thought the company sounded really interesting, so I looked them up when I moved to Boston. I knew from my first visit to EF that this was a good match for me. I was instantly impressed by the people I met, the beautiful office space and the company’s mission.

In my three years as an Educational Tour Consultant I have built strong working relationships with teachers from all across the U.S., helping them realize their dream of showing their students the world. One of my favorite parts of this job is when a teacher calls me after a tour to thank me for preparing them for such an exciting, enriching experience - and then wants to sign up to travel next year!

My work at EF has taken me to many places around the world. I have been on EF tours to France, Spain, Mexico and Belize, and this summer I will travel to Egypt with some of our most experienced EF group leaders. I love to meet our travelers face-to-face and share in their excitement as they see famous landmarks for the first time, meet new people, and discover new things about themselves.

There is always something new and exciting happening at EF. I don’t always know what to expect, but I know that the future will bring new challenges and more travel adventures.

"People ask me where home is and I don’t know exactly what to tell them. The literal answer is Ghana—that’s where I was born and where all my extended family live. However, I grew up in Greece and my parents still live there, so I guess that’s where my greatest ties are. I attribute my passion for travel to the 12 years I lived in Greece, a vantage point that enabled me to visit several other European countries, including Spain, Austria, Italy, Turkey and the Ukraine.

It wasn’t until I enrolled in college in Ohio that I first visited the United States, and I’ve been here ever since. Fulfilling my desire for travel, I eventually found myself in Boston—and was lucky enough to find out about EF! The culture and character of EF really amazed me and during my visit to the office I was shocked to find that by living in two countries I was among those less traveled! After a series of interviews, I was offered a position as a travel consultant with Go Ahead Vacations. To me, there was no better place to work than one that was so friendly, open-minded and whose staff shared my passion for travel. My job was going to focus on talking to people and creating excitement about exploring the world. Was I dreaming?

A little over a year later, I made a real switch. I was given the opportunity to expand my business skills with the EF Finance Department. Working behind the scenes gave me a completely different perspective of how our tours come together—not to mention a profound respect for our accounting staff’s meticulous attention to detail!

As I’ve grown to learn, the only thing constant at EF is change. Another year has passed and I’ve taken on additional responsibilities, back in the fast-paced atmosphere of Go Ahead Sales, but this time as an Assistant Manager. The things I’ve learned and the people I’ve worked with, both customers and colleagues, have made this my most rewarding experience yet.

No matter what part of EF you work for, each day brings new challenges, interesting questions and colorful stories from peoples’ travel experiences. Every morning I wonder what the day will have in store for me—and it always exceeds my expectations."

"I was immediately attracted to EF’s unusual ads in the Boston Globe. A particular ad caught my eye that read, “Do you like to travel? Have you had a few travel experiences yourself which will enable to you talk intelligently about travel?” After my own experiences of living abroad in both Japan and Italy, I knew I wanted to be part of a company that offered programs that would change people’s lives. So, I sent in my resume.

I began my EF career as a Tour Consultant (TC) in Explore America, our domestic tour program. In this role I had the opportunity to talk to group leaders about the benefits of traveling around the US, Canada and Mexico. As part of my training, I went on an Explore America trip where I learned first hand what it was like to be a traveler with EF. The customer service and sales skills I developed prepared me for a transition to another part of the company—Human Resources. Working with all ten EF divisions and partnering with our HR team abroad, I gained a true appreciation for the influence EF’s amazing staff has on students worldwide.

In 2000, a new challenge arrived, this time in EF Au Pair. As the West Coast Recruitment Manager, a six-month project based in Santa Barbara, I helped recruit new Local Childcare Coordinators (LCC’s) to work with the Au Pair program. Upon returning to Boston, I assumed the role of a Regional Manager, where I worked directly with some of the LCC’s I recruited while out on the west coast. It felt great to be part of the process from beginning to end.

In February of 2001, I made my most recent move into EF Foundation for Foreign Study. As a Regional Director, I manage a team of six staff who, with the help of regional volunteers, place foreign exchange students with host families for an academic year in the US. While I envisioned learning a lot about the 28 countries that our students come from, I have actually learned more about small-town America. Do you know there are still places where people don’t lock their doors at night and that there are areas where there is only one traffic light in the whole town? From craw fishing in Louisiana to wheat harvesting in Kansas, our students become active participants in the local culture and make international friendships that will last a lifetime. That’s what makes all the difference.

My friends ask me what’s so special about EF. I guess I’d have to say that it’s the people and the opportunities. Everyone here goes out of their way to make EF a great experience, not only for students and travelers but also for the employees. I’ve never seen such teamwork. Throughout the five years I’ve been at EF, every position has been challenging and given me the chance to grow, both professionally and personally. I don’t know where my next EF opportunity will take me, but I’m sure it will be exciting!"

"EF seemed like a perfect place for someone like myself. The company is a global one with an exciting international flavor. I was born in Sweden and spent much of my childhood in Singapore, so I was able to experience different cultures and ways of life. EF allows its customers to do that, as well as its employees. When I come to work, I feel a part of a diverse community.

I love being a part of such an entrepreneurial company, EF provides real responsibility and you're encouraged to make a real difference. You will constantly be challenged. I had served as President of EF Travel, President of EF Foundation and President of EF Language Travel, before moving to my current position as CEO of EF North America. My background in business at the University of Stockholm and Sorbonne University in Paris helped jumpstart my career in consumer marketing. Yet it's really my job at EF that continues to excite and teach me."

"I graduated from Brown with a degree in Computer Science. My first job out of school was as the Project Leader for EF Multimedia. For several years I developed CD-ROM language learning games in Stockholm. Now I am in Boston, in charge of the Internet Learning division."

"Developing interactive educational materials and language learning has really filled that bill. I've gotten the chance to do at 30 what most of my other friends haven't even begun to dream about yet."