While at Iowa State University, Michael focused on Spanish language. He spent a summer studying Spanish history and culture in Valencia, Spain, and backpacked throughout Western Europe to cities such as Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam, and Rome. He also spent six months in Buenos Aires, Argentina, participating in a Latin American culture studies program, traveling throughout South America, from the Andes Mountains to the sunny beaches of Rio de Janeiro. Upon returning to the U.S., Michael shared his language expertise by tutoring students in both Spanish and English before graduating and moving to Madrid, Spain, where he has been teaching English to children and teenagers ever since. He recently began teaching French as well. In Madrid, he has had an active role in the Chinese community and helped organize and coordinate a summer school program for Chinese youth. Michael has an adventurous spirit and has traveled to Turkey and Morocco, has ridden camels and camped in the Sahara, and walked along the north of Spain on the Camino de Santiago. Michael has previously led Putney’s Middle School Language programs in Spain.