I grew up bilingual, speaking German in the family since childhood and English on numerous occasions of intercultural contacts in the West as well as in South-East Europe. For the latter I cultivated a true passion which came to fruition through philological undergraduate and postgraduate studies. I’m a polyglot with degrees in German, Serbo-Croatian and Modern Greek.

Having acquired most of the aforementioned languages as an adult, I can very well understand the challenge this process poses and I can empathize with learners, accommodating them as they need to overcome hurdles and impasses. I have a lengthy and unbroken experience in teaching. My distinguishing feature is the passion with which I pursue the progress of my students and my ability to keep people motivated and inspire them the self-confidence they need.

My courses stand out through the openness I help create between myself as a trainer and my students as well as among the students themselves. I have an ability to naturally engage people in stimulating conversation on topics which are of interest for the group, continually challenging them to express themselves in the target language, regardless of the level of skill and competence they possess. Thus we share in a sincere appreciation of our joint achievements and establish an enduring connection to last throughout the journey to proficiency over several course modules.

German is part of my heritage. I was born and raised in a multiethnic family typical of Transylvania. English is the second language I’m equally conversant in. I have acquired this ease over time, from the start in elementary school, complemented by over a decade of correspondence with native speakers through to a full course of undergraduate studies and a professional internship in Great Britain. I regard German and English as complementary in my own communication as well as in language training. I showcase their genetic relatedness in order to dispel unfounded prejudices which often stand in the way of the learning process.

Through varied and intense intercultural contacts I have become naturally adaptable to many different cultures and professional environments which I got to know from the inside out. My defining trait however is my creativity which allows me to improvise and adapt to the momentary needs and requirements of the students as I go. In a course I employ all of my skills and natural gifts to create a dynamic and spontaneous experience, complementing my explanations with compelling illustration.

I can help students develop vertically from a level to the next as well as horizontally, by filling in lacunae and improving accuracy and fluency at a particular level. My language proficiency in both German and English grants me the great pleasure of pointing out the greater picture to students and enables me to provide them with clear and reliable clues to guide their progress along the language acquisition process and to appreciate all those exotic new ways of expressing themselves.

The mood of a typical class is informal, relaxed and often cheerful, seeing that a language course should not only be understood as the means to accumulating knowledge but also as a cathartic experience, where one can doff anxieties and inhibitions and indulge a measure of distraction from everyday stress and routine.