by Nels Nelsen

California State University, Long Beach graduate, former resident of Mexico and St. John Bosco’s new world language instructor, Mr. Oscar Del Real, answered questions about his experiences in education and in life.

Q: How long have you been an educator? 

A: I have been a teacher for two years, but I was a teacher’s assistant for three years before that.

Q: Why did you come to teach at Bosco? 

A: I saw an ad at EDJOIN and decided to apply. I thought it was a good match for me since I am a Catholic myself.

Q: How long do you plan to stay teaching at Bosco? 

A: I hope I have the opportunity to teach here long-term and teach for many years.

Q: Where did you grow up? 

A: I grew up in a small town, or at least it was by the time, called Tepic, Mexico.

Q: Where did you go to high school? 

A: I did two years of high school in Mexico at a high school called CECYTEN and four years at Bell High School.

Q: What was your best subject overall when you were in school? 

A: I was good at math and Spanish. 

Q: Where did you go to college and what did you study? 

A: I graduated from Cal State Long Beach with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish.

Q: What made you want to teach a world language? 

A: I was an ESL student because I did not know how to speak English at all. I fell in love with the English language and I thought to myself that it was a great opportunity to teach my own language to others.

Q: Favorite Movies/TV shows? Why are they your favorite? 

A: My favorite TV show is That 70’s Show, Friends or How I Met Your Mother. I love them because they are comedy shows and also because those shows helped to learn the language.

Q: Do you have any hobbies?

A: I love to play video games, tennis and to read.

Q: Any Personal interests? 

A: I love games, hiking, exploring new places as wellas learning new hobbies and skills. 

Q: If you were stranded on an island, what three things would you bring and why?

A: I would bring a ball, so I could play and feel like the days pass faster. I would also bring a flare gun and a lighter.

Q: If you could eat dinner with anyone in history, dead or alive, who would it be, where would it be and why? 

A: Probably Nikola Tesla. He is a physicist that I admire a lot, although he was kind of cuckoo the last days of his life. We could have coffee in a coffee shop where we could have a long conversation. 

Q: What keeps you motivated every day? 

A: This is a hard question, and I think one thing that keeps me going is God and my students. I thank God for my life everyday and for the purpose that God has given me, which is to teach. 

Q: What countries have you been to?

A: I have only been to three countries: Mexico, USA and Canada.

Q: Where is your favorite place to be?

A: In an airplane. And it is not because I love to travel, but because I love to learn how to pilot airplanes.

Q: Do you like sports? If so, which sports?

A: I do like sports. I like tennis, boxing and mixed martial arts. 

Q: Favorite fictional character? Why? 

A: Iron-Man. I love how he is always worried for humanity and also how independent he is. 

Q: Favorite food? 

A: I love ramen. 

Q: What is your favorite memory? 

A: It is difficult to decide, but if I had to choose I would say that playing video games with my family and spending time with them.

Q: Any big plans for the future?

A:  I do not think I have any big plans for the future at the time. However, I look forward to whatever life puts in front of me.