My family and friends call me by so many nicknames: Tonette, Antoi, Toi, Panyang. But they all agree that I am more defined by my fondness for animals, especially cats; endless fascination to computers and technology; and passion for adventure and travel. 

To that list you can add love for seafood, acquired while growing up in the coastal town of Surigao. Born to a doctor and nurse, and growing up the only daughter with four brothers in a hilly subdivision without neighbors I came to spend much of my free time with countless pets, reading my father's books and magazines, listening to my father's music collection, getting baking and cooking lessons from my mother, and watching movies with the entire family every weekend until Betamax came along, then movie-watching became a nightly activity for the Go family.

Understanding my interest for travel (inherited from my mother and her mother), father suggested that I take Communication as a college course. He thought I could become a flight attendant, but was actually too short for the height requirement. After obtaining a degree in Communication, with a major in Broadcasting at the University of the Philippines in Quezon City, I decided to find work in Cebu City. Little did I know that after avoiding all Journalism courses in college because I hated writing, that it was actually my writing skills that would see me through three jobs. First, as a copywriter in the advertising department of a pharmaceutical company; then as editor of a travel magazine; and more importantly, as communication officer in the public relations department of San Miguel Corporation, the country's largest and most successful manufacturing company. With over 50 factories and hundreds of sales offices nationwide, I soon enjoyed a busy career in corporate communications. My communication skills expanded and I got actively involved in media relations, lobbying, special events, employee relations on issues ranging from watershed management and reforestation, CBA negotiations, plant inaugurations, sales conventions, and ISO 9000 certification. On the side I took upon new hobbies such as web design, writing articles for magazines, having my own newspaper column, and trekking with mountaineers. I also made short trips to Hong Kong, Kota Kinabalu, and the United States.

After I hit 30 the gypsy in me decided it was time to try something new. I wanted to see more of the world but had also always wanted to become a teacher. I was told that teaching in international schools, particularly in Thailand, will satisfy those dreams of teaching and traveling in exotic places. The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg was offering affordable summer programs in graduate education, including one in Instructional Technology. 

So in the Summer of 1999 I said goodbye to family and friends, packed one suitcase and came to the United States as a foreign student. I completed my masters degree in Instructional Technology in a year, spent another year teaching at Magnolia Junior High while finishing requirements for a teaching license. I attended the overseas job fair in Iowa twice, applying at the Thai-Chinese International School on both occasions when Fate finally intervened on my behalf. I had an appointment with the administrator from a college in Turkey but we missed each other at the hotel and instead I ran into the principal for TCIS. So one hour before my flight back to Mississippi I was offered a position teaching Business, Accounting, and Web Design to which I promptly said yes. Two years since I left the Philippines, I finally realized my goal.