The passion to encounter people of other cultural backgrounds and speaking different languages has brought me to a lot of interesting places. Spain and Latin-American countries are my favorites. I am fascinated about the rich Spanish language, the diversity in cultures and nature, the excellent gastronomy, and the hospitable treatment that I always received of the people that I met. These encounters have had a decisive influence on both my personal and my professional development.
On a personal level, at a young age, I experienced that speaking a foreign language is the way to get to the heart of another culture. It is an attempt to truly understand the other and to connect to the other, despite eventual differences in background. The interaction with people of different parts of the world has shown me that we all might be different, but, in the end, we also have shared needs and wishes.
On a professional level, my interest in other languages and cultures has led me to obtain a Bachelor and Master degree in Romance languages and cultures. I spent longer periods of time in Spain, mostly in the Catalonia region, where I did several exchange programs and an internship. Also, I started my professional career in Barcelona, at the export department of a steel wire company. Travelling and working in several Latin-American countries has been a life experience in itself. To me, speaking foreign languages and understanding other cultures is key for a successful cooperation with people of different parts of the world. During my stay in Costa Rica in 2007, I started my own language lab Idiomas Reina Leona (later Spaans in Bedrijf) to pass on my passion for languages and intercultural communication to my students.
I currently work as a postdoctoral researcher and as a senior policy advisor on Internationalisation of Higher Education at NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences, the Netherlands.
Check my LinkedIn for more information.
Leanne Schreurs 