I went through 13 thorough years of German school education. After dipping into commercial banking, I realised that languages are more interesting than mortgages and enrolled on a double MA in English Studies and Slavonic Studies at the Carl-von-Ossietzky University of Oldenburg. My language studies abroad led me to Novosibirsk (Russia) and Newcastle, to which I returned in 1995.
I graduated from Durham University with an MA (research by thesis) in Russian on the works of the Strugatsky Brothers in 2005. During my time of study I started teaching German language and developed my own language programs and an interest in TEFL. I subsequently did the CELTA and DELTA and concentrated on teaching ESOL and English for Academic Purposes, both in North Tyneside FE colleges and at Northumbria University.