I have a background in leisure studies, multilingual business communication, radio broadcasting and journalism.
In my last job, I worked as a project manager for a worldwide software company, leading meetings and software trainings in 10 European countries and 6 languages. Locked up in an office I got really bored.
But during the on site trainings all around Europe, I had so much fun! Connecting with other cultures, speaking (and learning!) the local language all day, that is what made it so much fun.
I learned to switch from language to language in a second. Talking English on the phone, while writing an Italian project plan, an email to a French client and a text message to my brother in Belgium. Then having a coffee with a German colleague, just before giving an online training to a Spanish client.
Actively using 6 languages a day was exhausting at first. Yes, I got them mixed up more than once. But luckily, my intuition taught me to NOT separate the languages in my brain (which is what most people try to do), to NOT put them in separate “boxes”, but to CONNECT THEM as much as possible instead!
That is the key to learning and speaking more than one language: CONNECT the words and concepts. As much as you can! Whether they are synonyms, false friends, opposites, just sounding similar or otherwise connectable. There is always a way to connect a new word with words you already know, in any of the languages you know!
Teaching languages was never my goal. But after discovering the learning ability and the seemingly effective method that I intuitively developed, I decided to pass it on!
That is why I do what I do.
That is why I LOVE what I do!
