Katja was born and raised in the Soviet Union, in Moscow to be precise. She studied history there. After graduating, she worked as a guide, interpreter/translator and taught English to children. She also trained as a teacher of Russian as a foreign language.
"When people come to Regina Coeli, they have made a decision: they are going for it. That is a great first step. I enjoy guiding my students through their learning process. I emphasise communication. It is a wonderful moment when someone forms their first sentences in Russian and realises: I can already say something. I can already tell a little story. Then a smile appears, and that is worth its weight in gold.
Russian is a rich language. You can express feelings, nuances and images in so many ways.
I have been learning Italian for a number of years myself. It is a beautiful language and Italy is a source of inspiration for me. When you learn to speak the language of a country, you gain a different perspective. You begin to understand the country, its people and its culture from the inside.”