Hi, We’re Fernweh Collective.
Welcome to Fernweh Collective, Inc! We are a 501c3 non-profit corporation run by a small group of passionate and talented volunteers. We are committed to providing accessible education opportunities through sustainable experiential learning--we believe we learn best through action, in community with others.
Our name reflects the collective desire of our members to embrace community and learn from each other and from cultures outside of our own. Fernweh is a German word that expresses the urge to travel and discover the world. Literally translated, Fernweh means "far-sickness" and conveys the idea of a home-sickness for, and longing to experience, places one has not yet visited.
We like to think this idea applies not only to geographical places, but artistic and philosophical places, as well. The Collective got our start by offering affordable, short-term cultural experiences abroad to community college students in San Diego county. We are proud to have since expanded to offer local cultural education to students of all ages.
We are based in San Diego, California, and we offer both virtual and in-person humanities programming. Our goal is to present University-quality offerings at accessible price points to build intentional human-centered community for adults, kids, and families.
We founded the Collective with the intention of creating community through classes, programs, and events that combine the magic of mythology and movement for kids, their adults, and families of all sizes, ages and stages. Our team of professional artists, performers, musicians, and wellness practitioners are here to support you and your family in whatever stage of life you're currently in. Come as you are.
Welcome to your village.
Our Team
Lorena Wentling, MPH Early Childhood Educator
Lorena Wentling grew up in Quito, Ecuador. She is a passionate teacher committed to making a difference in the lives of children and youth through education. She has worked with diverse populations and ages for over eight years. She earned her Bachelor's Degree in Childhood Education with the Concentration in Teaching and Initial Education Management in 2011 at the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador. Later in 2019, Lorena obtained a Master of Public Health with a concentration in Mental Health at National University.
Lorena's language skills are high, being fluently bilingual in English and Spanish. As an international student herself, she has gained firsthand knowledge and the right skills to understand the needs and characteristics of bilingual students and provide them with the right tools and activities to learn a second language with a more natural approach.
Besides her passion for teaching, Lorena loves spending time with her family, reading, hiking, going to the beach, listening to music, doing karaoke, or taking pictures.
Maria Zschemisch Early Childhood Educator
Maria Zschemisch is a Preschool Teacher and Early Childhood Educator. She completed her degree in Early Childhood Education in 2006 in Germany and is now working on her Bachelor in Professional Health and Social Services. She was born and raised in Germany and moved to San Diego in 2012.
Her main focus lies on language development and working with multilingual and multicultural children and families. Maria taught at bilingual and full immersion schools in both Germany and San Diego, including die Rasselbande German Immersion Preschool in El Cajon. Maria is continuously amazed that children can learn different languages so fast, especially if they start at a young age.
Outside of work, Maria loves to go hiking with her daughter and husband, go to the beach and enjoy life in San Diego.
Randall Ulyate, PhD, RPYT, TESOL Collective Founder & President
Randall is a yoga instructor, educator, and mom. She has a BA in English, a PhD in mythology, and a graduate certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), and is currently working on her 300-hour advanced yoga teacher training certification.
Randall's background in child development combined with her passion for movement, language, and song has driven her dedication over the last 20+ years to working with students of all ages both in and out of the classroom. She has served at summer camps, roller rinks, and in dance and yoga studios around Southern California, and you can find her now on community college campuses around San Diego as a Humanities and Mythology professor. Her most recent project is co-hosting the podcast The Mything Link.
When she’s not busy teaching or momming, Randall spends her time playing guitar, reading, roller skating, and singing in the tenor sections of Encore Vocal Ensemble and the House of Germany Choir. Randall is an intermediate Spanish and German speaker, and is learning more every day! Randall is thrilled to share her passion of mythology, music, and movement with her community.