Age: 30
What she does: Rita is a teacher, currently at SSIS in Ho Chi Minh City. She has been teaching for something like 9 years (I think), 6 of those years as an international teacher. But she is so much more than a teacher. She is a friend, an old housemate, a dance partner, and a hero for girls around the world.
Why I admire her: I first met Rita when I moved down to Colombia 4 years ago. I thought she was pretty, energetic, and a girl who knew what she wanted. We ended up becoming housemates a week later, and it was one of the best decisions I've ever made! Rita helped me get through that first year of teaching and living abroad. She helped me communicate when I couldn't speak Spanish, she inspired me as a teacher, and she became my Colombian dance partner! I learned so much from her in the 2 years we lived together, and I miss her dearly. Oh, and how can I forget no-pants-crime-drama-time and Youtube karaoke?
As I mentioned before, Rita is an advocate for girls all around the world. Last year she took up the challenge of raising enough money to send 30 girls to school for a year before she turned 30 at the end of December. She put so much energy, passion, time, and effort into the project, and she ended up raising enough money to give 66 girls an education!! Not only did she raise money, but she created 30 different dance thank you videos to show her donors her appreciation. These dance thank yous were hilarious and amazing! They also provided viewers with important information about female education. Some of my favourites included "What does the fox say", Rita falling and pulling down the decorations in "Timber", and my own personal dance thank you to some K-pop featuring 2 other friends!
My personal dance thank you from Rita! (Featuring Jeff and Tiff)
Even though she already turned 30, you can still help donate to her cause (either through her or through one of the organizations listed on her website). Please check out her 30 by 30 project here! http://30by30reflectbackpayforward.wordpress.com/
Rita is the mona to my chi and she inspires me to be my best self, to give back to the world, to pursue my dreams, and to make the world a better place by dancing. We may be half a world away now, but she will always be a close friend in my heart.
