PictureIdea:PictureofMs.

Julianplayingbasketball
WordCount:973
Draft#4
[FEATURESTORY]

IfYouCanDreamit,YouCanDunkIt!
ByMILLIEKIM

Shestands.Throughoutthewholegame,sheencouragesherplayersonthecourtandforgetsthe
wearinessinherlegsassheurgesthemon.Getunderthehoop!NiceJob!Thesewordsring
throughoutthebasketballarenaasPalomaJulianmotivateshergirls.Soon,thegameisover.
Independentoftheresults,sheflashesaproudsmileathergirlsfortryingtheirbest.

ManypeopleatSISregardMs.JulianonlyasthehighschoolSpanishteacher.However,thatisnother
onlyinteractionwithherstudents.SheisalsothepassionateVarsityBasketballcoachandcaringfriend
ofvariousfacultymembers.HerexperienceatSISstartedin2009,whenshemovedtoSouthKorea
afterbeingintroducedtotheschoolthroughoneofherfriends.

Ms.JuliansstorystartsinReus,Spain,whereshewasborninthesummerof1974.Shewasraisedina
familyoffive,includingheryoungerbrotherandsister.Theywouldplaytogether,butwouldalsoget
intonumerousarguments.However,itwasthosefights,ratherthantheplaying,thatledtothe
constructionofsuchapowerfulandlovingrelationshipbetweenhersiblings.Asshegrewup,Ms.Julian
spentmostofhertimewiththem,andthusdevelopedevenmorememorieswithherbrotherandsister.
Hercaringpersonalityderivesnaturallyfromthesebondswithhersiblings.

Tothisday,myfamilystillinfluencesandcommunicateswithmeeventhoughwelive6,232miles
away.Ms.Juliansaid.

Attheageofsix,shewasexpectedtomakeanimportantdecisionthatwouldfollowherforever.In
Spain,therewasarulethatwhenachildturnedsixyearsold,heorshehadtochooseonesportthat
theywouldmajorin.Thus,Ms.Juliannaturallychosebasketball,asitwasacommonsportinherfamily
andinSpain.

Mydadplayedbasketballandmycousinwastrainingforthenationalteam.Ms.Juliansaid.

Tomakeherownmarkonbasketball,shededicatedmuchofhertimeandeffortbypracticingatleast
threetimesaweek,andalwaystryingherbest.Soon,basketballhadbecomeapartofhersomething
thatwouldneverseparatefortherestofherlife.SeeinghercousinontheSpanishnationalteam,Ms.
Julianwasmotivatedtotryevenharder.Whenshewas18,shewasinthelowleague.However,each
yearshemovedupalevel.Soon,after4years,shemadeittotheFirstLeague,butmadea
lifechangingdecisiontobecomeateacher.Shemadethisdecisionasshedecidedthatateacherwould
fitherintereststhemost.

Atthattime,Ididntknowitwassuchahugeachievement,butnowIrealizethatIgaveupalotof
opportunities,Ms.Juliansaid.However,Idonotregretmydecisionofchoosingthislife.

Withthat,herownbasketballcareerpaused,butherpassionforbasketballdidnotcease.Herinterest,
knowledge,andskillinvolvingbasketballenabledhertobecomeacoachafewyearslater.Herfirst
endeavortobecomeacoachstartedwhenshewas15.Shewouldcoachbasketballtoelementary
studentsbecauseshelikedplayingwithkidsandwasanexpertofthesport.

Ialwayswantedtoteachsomethingtoothers,Ms.Juliansaid.Coachingallowsmetocommunicate
withvariousstudents,notjustmySpanishstudents.Beingacoachpromotescloserelationshipswith
studentsinahealthyenvironment.

Furthermore,inordertoexpandherculturalexperience,shedecidedtotakeherteachingcareeroutof
thebordersofSpain.ShetraveledtoNorthAmerica,Ireland,Portugal,Finland,Germany,Switzerland,
Taiwan,Thailand,Japan,ChinaandfinallytoKorea,whereshecurrentlycontinuesherteaching
career.Thisdefinitelyshowshervigorinteachingandenthusiasmtoexperiencenewculturesand
environments.

IvealwayswantedajobwhereIcouldtravelandmeetnewpeople.Ilikelearningandunderstanding
culturesandIespeciallyenjoyteachinginternationally,Ms.Juliansaid.

Inaddition,thegirlsinherteamalsofeelverycloselytiedwithher,astheyspendfourdaysaweekwith
thecoachesduringpractice.SheismySpanishteacherandbasketballcoach.Inthegym,shefeels
morelikeamentortomyselfandsheisverysupportive,saidSueLee(9),studentatSIS.Although
shecanbestrictsometimes,Ifeelasifshesoneofthebestteachersatourschoolassheis
passionate.

BasketballallowsMs.Juliantofosteracloserrelationshipwithherstudentsbecausetheyareagroupof
girlswhowanttobethere.ItisacompletelydifferentrelationshipastheplayersfeelMs.Julians
passionwhensheiscoaching.

Mygoaleveryyearisformygirlstoenjoyplayingbasketballandlearnaboutsportsmanship,whether
theywinorlose.Ms.Juliansaid.

FouryearsatSeoulInternationalSchoolseemstobeinfluencingMs.Julianinmanyways.Shehas
developedfriendshipswiththefaculty,astheyliveinaverycloseknitcommunity.ComingtoSISinthe
sameyearandbothsportlovers,Mrs.HubleyisoneofMs.Juliansmostclosestfriends.Sheis
probablythemostloyalfriendbecauseshewillbeonyoursideforeverythingnomatterwhat.Ms.
Hubleysaid.

Currently,Ms.Julianisdeterminedtocontinuehercareerasasuccessfulteacherandcoach.Students
atSISrespectherandthewordscorroboratedbynumerousstudentsreflectherpersonalityasbeing
dedicated,caringandpassionateaboutherwork.Herchildhoodbondswithfamily,herchoiceto
coach,andinteractionwithstudentsallportrayherpassionanddedicationforteaching.Ms.Julians
inspirationandmotivationtocoachlikenoneotherhascarriedhertobecomeanauspiciousmodelfor
thosearoundher.