I love how every language class is different because every student brings their own unique experiences and background. I love to meet people from all around the world in the classroom. I love how fast you get to know each other in a language class because we use language to connect. I’m passionate about languages and I always try to convey my enthusiasm for language to my students. My aim is to help my students to see the fun in learning Dutch.  I love to integrate songs and games into my classes and to make my classes highly interactive; you won’t get bored! However, I’m also aware of the challenges you face when you’re trying to master a new language and trying to adjust to a new society. I experienced this myself while learning Swedish and living abroad. This is why I find it very important to show that learning a language does not only mean learning grammar and words. It also includes learning about the culture. Discussing (and making fun of) Dutch culture is a natural component of my classes. I hope this helps my students to understand Dutch people better and to feel at home in Amsterdam. Besides teaching Dutch to internationals, I also teach and translate Swedish and I am a teacher of (academic) writing at the University of Amsterdam. I hold a Ph.D. in linguistics (specialization: second language acquisition) from Ghent University in Belgium, where I also taught Swedish and linguistics. Besides teaching language, you can also catch me performing poetry on stage. Basically everything I do (for work at least) is peppered with language!