¡Buenos Días! Me llamo Señor Carbaugh y soy profesor de español aquí en la escuela secundaria. For those of you whose Spanish is a bit rusty, my name is Brian Carbaugh and I have had the pleasure of teaching Spanish at Hudson High School since 1998. During that time, I have taught levels I thru AP and currently teach Spanish III and Spanish I. 

My educational background includes a bachelor’s degree in both Spanish and English from Hiram College and a Master’s degree from Kent State University. As an undergraduate, I was bitten by the travel bug after a semester abroad in Costa Rica. To read about a rainforest is one thing, but to actually see one is something entirely different. After Costa Rica, I continued my travels further south in Chile where I participated in the Fulbright Teacher Exchange. This was a wonderful opportunity that gave me the chance to explore such South American wonders as Machu Picchu, Eva Peron’s tomb, Tango dancing, Yerba Mate, Chile’s Fiestas Patrias, and the former homes and inspirations of writers Pablo Neruda and Isabel Allende. These experiences had a profound impact on how I teach these topics as they appear in our curriculum. 

Spanish language and culture are my passion and I hope that this is contagious. I try to make my classes fun, yet challenging, and I love to watch the progression of students as they learn the language. My biggest joy, however, often comes years after when I hear the many ways in which former students are using their Spanish. The list is as long as it is spectacular: Hudson High School graduates are now teaching Spanish, working as volunteers in the Peace Corps, teaching English abroad as a second language, translating for the Hispanic players on their baseball team,  serving the less fortunate in a Chilean orphanage, working abroad in business in Spanish-speaking countries, communicating with their Hispanic patients and/or clients, running with the bulls in Pamplona, speaking with Salma Hayek on the red carpet, and simply understanding and better appreciating the locals during their own travels. Communication is clearly the key to both success and better cultural appreciation. Ojo: the travel bug is truly contagious!