I was born in Manila, Philippines and made Southern California my home when I was 6-years-old arriving in the United States with my parents. Presently, I live in a vibrant beach town called Long Beach (which is about 25 miles from downtown Los Angeles) with my husband, a rambunctious golden retriever, and a tuxedo cat.

As an undergraduate student in college, I had the experience of studying abroad in Oxford, England living with a British family.  My studies in England allowed me to travel to other European countries such as Ireland, France and Germany. 

Another place where I’ve lived was Hawaii where I volunteered for AmeriCorps outreaching to the underserved population on the island of Oahu.

For my enjoyment, I love daydreaming and being curious. I love writing, creating arts and crafts, cooking, baking, traveling, spending time with family and friends and teaching my dog new tricks. I also love watching the sunset in the beautiful parks and marinas around Long Beach.

I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Southern California (USC) in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing. I also hold a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certificate from California State University Long Beach (CSULB).

Within this personal website that I’ve created, which will forever be a work in progress, you will find a myriad of experiences and interests that I hold near and dear to my heart that I’ve cultivated and skills that I’ve gained over a long period of time. I love learning and exploring different and exciting opportunities along my life journey and so I hope that my website reflects that. So, I welcome you right in!

Also, I encourage you to reach out to me should you find that any of my experiences or skills can help build a professional relationship between us that would be conducive and beneficial to both our needs.

With much gratitude,

—Mary Claire