Belgium, where I live in a provincial town called Mechelen. It’s a lively place - well worth a visit - with interesting architecture and loads of cultural activities. Part of the year will find me working from my home away from home: Benalmádena in Spain. Nothing beats working from a sunny terrace with a sea view. For me this is the best of both worlds: I can enjoy the lovely weather and Spanish food and I do what I like best: my job.

reading (I never go anywhere without my e-reader!), crafting (knitting & crocheting, scrapbooking, candle making), working in the garden, spoiling my cats, sipping a latte while people-watching, walking, cycling, wild swimming, geocaching and travelling.

Wild swimming deserves a special mention: it connects you with nature, is very refreshing, sometimes adventurous, but also a moment of reflection and mindfulness. I started off in the Ladies’ pond on Hampstead Heath, London & now I organize my travels so that there is a lake or a river nearby for a dip.

A fairly new hobby is walking over hanging bridges – we discovered the first one quite by accident while on holiday in Portugal. Now I search for opportunities wherever I go. It’s yet another factor to take into account when choosing a travel destination.

language! (surprise, surprise!) and also about the freedom & the wonderful opportunities this job offers me. Maybe job is not the right word, it’s more a way of life. I’m constantly using, creating, researching and playing with language. I enjoy the different domains I get to work in – fashion, tourism, management, legal documents, and so on, and I’ve translated a book on management styles to name but a few. Finding the right word is ever so important. Sometimes I get in touch with colleagues or a friend to brainstorm about the right phrasing. And it’s happened more than once that I wake up in the middle of the night because I’ve suddenly come up with a better word.

I’ve recently discovered that something I’ve been doing from a very young age actually has a name: I have a severe case of spoonerism (i.e. switching the initial sounds of two words, which often results in quite funny expressions). Some examples? “I’ll send you the link” becomes “I’ll lend you the sink” or “tail wagging” becomes “whale tagging”. It’s not something I do on purpose, it comes naturally. Just like I can’t help spotting spelling mistakes & sloppy translation work wherever I look – it’s a curse and a blessing.

Interpreting is another passion, albeit one which brings me to different places & lets me discover new worlds. I often interpret for the police or in courts, but also for television shows, at conferences, during driving exams and at wedding ceremonies – never a dull moment.

more of the same. I honestly feel so privileged to do what I do. And whenever a new subject crosses my path I always learn something new, which in itself is something to be grateful for. And as long as I have enough time to do the other things I like…I am clappy as a ham!