I play with words and sentences from my cottage in the mountains.

With a master’s degree in interpreting, in 2005 I left Brussels for Mantua, Italy, where I worked as a volunteer behind the scenes at the Festivaletteratura literature festival. Back in Belgium, I looked for a job where I could continue to use my Italian. I started at the Italian customer service department of an international company, also working for six months in its office in Rome.

When the corporate world no longer challenged me, it was time for something else, something that suited me better. Teaching and translating turned out to be the ideal combination. I began working as a freelance translator and language trainer, completed a teacher training course, and discovered in adult education how much I enjoy passing on my love for Italian to a class of motivated students.

I travel with my dog Boris and my house on wheels, a VW Caddy converted into a mini camper. In 2024 I travelled for half a year through Italy and Greece, and camped on deserted beaches, along rushing rivers and under ancient olive trees. I lived to the rhythm of nature and enjoyed the peace and space around me. And I came to realise that there is nowhere I’m happier than in the mountains.

Since October 2024, I’ve been living in a small mountain village in Friuli Venezia Giulia, north-east Italy. The views of the woods from my window give me plenty of inspiration for fluent translations and challenging Italian language lessons. In the summer months, I also offer language holidays in my town.

In my spare time I enjoy going for long hikes with Boris and exploring my new region.

Curious about my stories? How I ended up here and what’s it like to live in the mountains? Read all about it in my blog (only in Dutch).

Welcome!