Hector "Teto" Morales

Hector Hugo Morales Cifuentes, a.k.a Teto, was born and raised in the Guatemalan western highlands. Teto has been his nickname since he was born and everyone in his hometown, new friends, and students alike affectionately call him Teto. He is a Software Engineer with a specialization in data base management, informatics, and computer science by training, but followed his passions towards experiential education. Teto has worked as a Spanish instructor for over a decade, as well as having completed his Master’s of Business Administration degree in Guatemala.

Since he was a kid, Teto has lived in Quetzaltenango (the second largest city in Guatemala) during the weeks and in the rural areas during the weekends to stay with his grandparents. Living in the rural areas is where he learned how many of the people of Guatemala spend their time more surrounded and connected to nature, rivers, and mountains. When he started college, he first earned his teaching certificate and found a part time job as a Spanish instructor to support his studies. That job was the gateway to multi-cultural exchange as Teto would work with foreign students traveling to Guatemala to learn Spanish. As a Spanish instructor, Teto tries to keep learning from his students in addition to teaching, which keeps the role fresh and evolving each time. Teto has been working with visiting students since 2010 and has been leading Dragons students throughout Guatemala during that time. In addition to being a passionate educator, Teto is a musician, taught by his father and they continue playing music together and with friends. Teto’s father was forced to leave Guatemala during the internal armed conflict, which engendered a deep personal connection to the nation’s tumultuous history. Teto is passionate about building bridges between communities, mentoring international students, and building empathy across material and cultural differences. He believes the most important part of his work is the exchange of stories and traditions that takes place between himself, his students, and the amazing local communities with whom he has been connected for decades.