DANA GUEST
Founder and Teacher
About me
Hey again! I’m Dana – your friendly Polish-American business teacher with a knack for the English language and a love for exploration. Believe it or not, I’ve got not one, not two, but three homes: Poland, the good ol’ USA, and the land of maple syrup, Canada. After three decades of traversing foreign lands, I made the bold decision to settle in Poland and establish The American Academy of Business, Language, and Culture.
Now, to unravel the mystery of my roots, the first thing I did upon my move, I went full-on Sherlock and did a DNA test. Turns out, I’m a delightful mishmash of 40% Balkan, 30% Baltic, 22% Scandinavian, and a sprinkle of 8% Eastern European. No wonder I’ve got a taste for Balkan wines and a soft spot for the Polish sea – it’s all in the genes, folks.
I moved to Canada when I was a teenager with about as much English as a parrot. High school was like a crash course in the language of Shakespeare – sink or swim, baby! But hey, through perseverance, I made it through and now I’ve got a soft spot for helping others navigate the choppy waters of language learning.
Fast forward a bit, armed with degrees in marketing, finance, and economics from the University of Guelph in Canada, I set sail for the United States. There, I graduated from the University of Georgia and the University of Oregon with a degree in Education and School Leadership and delved into a 20+ year career in American education. Teaching business courses and life skills at both high school and university levels, I even earned a nomination for High School Teacher of the Year along the way.
Then came the grand adventure in Indonesia and India, where I immersed myself in the world of international school principalship. It was a whirlwind of instructional coaching, cultural enlightenment, and more passport stamps than I can count.
While I still hold certifications as a business teacher and principal in Georgia and Oregon, it’s the rich tapestry of experiences across Canada, the USA, Southeast Asia, and now Poland that truly shape my approach to guiding students on their English learning journey.
As for Poland, since 2019, I’ve been soaking up the local culture like a sponge. From leisurely strolls along Sopot’s sandy shores to cycling through the picturesque trails of the Tricity, every day feels like a new adventure. And with my son by my side and visits from my daughter in Canada, life here is vibrant and full of joy.
Though I now call Poland home, a piece of my heart will forever belong to the Great White North and the good ol’ US of A. After all, you can take the girl out of America, but you can’t take America out of the girl. Cheers to new adventures and old homes!
Dominick Simon
Teacher
About me
Dominick is a Polish-American hybrid with a side of humor and a dash of adventure. Despite hailing from the good ol’ USA, Dominick proudly waves the Polish flag, proving that nationality is more about heart than a birth certificate. Armed with fluency in English and a knack for deciphering basic Polish, he’s a linguistic ninja in the making.
High school in the States? Check. A year-long escapade in Indonesia? Double check. Attending an international high school? Triple check. Dominick’s passport is practically begging for more stamps than a collector’s edition. Thanks to his globetrotting escapades, he’s got more connections than your grandma’s knitting club.
Fast forward to November 2019, and you’ll find Dominick settling into the Polish scene like a pro. When he’s not busy cracking codes or debugging algorithms, you’ll likely spot him donning an apron and whipping up culinary delights in the kitchen. And if he’s not cooking up a storm, he’s out there in the great outdoors, basking in the beauty of nature with his trusty band of pals.
But let’s not forget about his Himalayan conquest – because who doesn’t love a good trek through the clouds?
Dominick’s adventurous spirit knows no bounds, whether he’s scaling peaks or conquering virtual realms as a video game developer hobbyist.
And just when you thought he couldn’t fit any more excitement into his life, here comes the plot twist: Dominick is currently moonlighting as a student at the Polish-Japanese Academy of Information Technology diving headfirst into the world of computer science and engineering. Because, you know, why settle for one adventure when you can have them all?
