It’s August, 2005, and 24 year old Paul Wardwell just got a job at the (Napoli Sotterranea) archeological site as the token English speaking tour guide. I had been working and living in Italy for six months at that point and thought I was going to have to leave soon, but with this job I was able to stay a while longer. I gave tours to large groups of 70+ British school children, and archeologists from the nearby Pompeii excavation sites, as well as dignitaries and generals from the nearby NATO base! One thing I learned was if I was having fun teaching, then my audiences were having fun learning! This was one of the pivotal moments when I first started to discover and realize that teaching and presenting and making community would be a wonderfully fulfilling path for me.
Before this, during the defense of my thesis for my bachelor's degree in Communication at Boise State University, I had to define communication. I chose to define it as simply, "making community." Fast forward some twenty or more years and I have had many great experiences continuing to work towards that definition. I have taught Communication in high schools for 15 years along with other Communication centered subjects. In that time, I was able to complete a master's in education technology through Western Governors University. My time hasn’t all been focused in the education field. I also meet with my community and play soccer on a regular basis. I love skiing in the winter on my home slopes, Bogus Basin. In the summers I love getting into the mountains with friends and family to hike, camp and backpack. My wife and two girls have gone on many trips and extended stays, both domestically and internationally, where we try to spend as much time as we can meeting new people and experiencing new perspectives. It is a pleasure to be learning alongside my students, building meaningful connections, and continuing the lifelong work of “making community” at my local community college, CWI.