Jack in the Box

I’m thrilled to be teaching at this remarkable school and sharing my passion for language with the children. Originally from Southern Russia, I studied English and German at university before earning my M.A. in Linguistics. Diploma in hand, I set off for New York City and began my career at a multinational translation company. A few years later, I took my first steps into teaching at Berlitz, where I worked with young learners, and soon realised how much I loved it.

After nine unforgettable years in the U.S.—where I managed to pick up some Spanish and Italian—life took me to Toulouse. I’ve been here for 15 years now, raising two trilingual children and fully embracing the French culture, but English has always held a special place in my heart.  Teaching lets me combine that passion with my professional experience, and there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing children grow in confidence and ability.

An avid reader since childhood, I’ve always sought to share my love of books, inspiring my own children to read and even starting an English-speaking book club in Toulouse. Theatre is another big love of mine—I once performed a 15-minute monologue in Italian in an amateur production in New York, even though I didn’t actually speak the language! These days, our Franco-Russo-American family spends a lot of time biking around Toulouse (dodging urban chaos), travelling across the U.S. and Europe, enjoying quiet movie nights, and playing boisterous games!