“Where are you from?” is a question that I find extremely difficult to answer. I have lived in a multilingual environment since I was two, and each language has given me a new identity, making it difficult for me to identify with one country and one culture.

I grew up in Japan where I went to Russian school and spoke Bulgarian at home, and Japanese outside. I attended a French high-school, did my undergraduate degree in English and Japanese Studies, and a minor in French Studies. I completed a Ph.D. in Japanese literature and comparative culture in Japan where I spent more than half of my life. I have a passion for learning and teaching languages, and I believe that learning a foreign language is a treasure which is not only good for your brain but also for your soul. I have taught languages to children of all ages, college students, and adults since high-school.

I love reading, hiking, gardening, and yoga.