Growing up, I never realized how fortunate I was, uprooting all the time. Raised in a military family, every 2 to 3 years, as tradition would have it, I’d change schools, and shuffle back and forth between English and French environments.

Though my entire education was split between both official languages—right up to bilingual degrees from Ottawa U—I had no idea what it really took to learn another tongue until, as an adult, I moved to Mexico. Thinking I could easily pick up Spanish, I booked a flight, packed my bags and accepted a job in a new land.

By now, you can probably imagine the wake-up call. Difficult and wonderfully challenging, it finally made me realize just how you go about learning, exploring and mastering a new language and culture. I experienced all the usual embarrassing situations, pushed through and ended up running a marketing, PR and communications firm in English and Spanish. To this day, thanks to my work in travel, I maintain inspiring friendships all over the world.

Isabelle and I recently bonded over a love of learning, teaching, business, books and yoga. As a copywriter who believes in clear, empathetic communications and human to human business relationships, I think ease and proficiency in another language helps us all better connect and understand each other. Ultimately, that makes for better relations on all levels.

Mother to a budding performer, I’m pleased to be back on Quebec territory, spending time with my partner, my family, and a newfound community of clever, courageous entrepreneurs. When not writing or reading, you’ll most likely find me on my mat, walking my dog, paddling on a lake or experimenting in my kitchen.