Our Team

My name is Aina Ribas, and I am the receptionist at Up! Idiomes. I come from a small town in the Baix Empordà region. I am a university student, and I am about to finish my degree in Social Education.

I have worked as a monitor because I really enjoy spending time with children during leisure activities.

I love nature, so I greatly enjoy hiking, whether it's climbing a mountain, visiting a lake, or taking a short route to breathe in some fresh air.

My name is Laura, and although I was born and raised in Girona, I currently live in Santa Cristina d'Aro. I studied Public Relations at the University of Bournemouth in England. I am responsible for managing the accounting and human resources department at the school. I really enjoy sports and dancing salsa, and whenever I can, I take the opportunity to travel!

Hello! I'm Noelia Orellana. I was born in the Maresme and have been living in Girona for a few years now. I studied Administration and Finance, as well as Business Studies at the University of Girona. I love working in a team and being involved in the daily lives of our students. I try to travel as much as I can to experience new cultures and broaden my horizons.

Hello! I'm Cristina Ramos, and I'm from Banyoles. Currently, I live in Girona, and although I miss the lake, I must confess that I am very happy here. I studied Catalan and "Spanish" degrees at the University of Girona and later pursued a Master's in Teaching Catalan and "Spanish" as a Second Language. I absolutely love teaching languages because it allows me to work with language, which has always fascinated me, and it also lets me explore other cultures and ways of thinking. In my free time, I enjoy playing board games, though I also take great pleasure in music and reading.

I was born in London but lived in various places in the south of England. My father had a hotel and that was why I first got a diploma in Business Studies and then specialised in Hotel and Catering Management. By chance I ended up in Girona and after a few years teaching English, I decided I liked it enough to get serious about it. I took a TEFL course and after a brief spell as a professional hot air balloon pilot I started with UP! Idiomes. 

As well as teaching and trying to run the school I’m on the committee of the British Benevolent Association and was chosen as British Honorary Consul for the Girona Province. Through these organisations and the school, I have been very fortunate to get to know (and teach!) some really great people.

Right from the start I knew that UP! should be different. I didn’t want an “English” school as I believe all languages are equally important. Also, I strongly believe that through communication and learning about life and different cultures we can all become better people. 

My name is Anna Ortega, and I'm from Girona, where I currently reside. I have studied for a degree in Spanish Language and Literature, and I'm completing a Master's in Teaching Catalan and "Spanish" as Second Languages, both at the University of Girona. I work as a teacher of "Spanish" and Catalan as foreign languages, and I had the opportunity to do my teaching internship as a Spanish teacher at the University of Florence. I really enjoy travelling, cooking, and going on excursions!

My name is Julia, and I have studied Catalan and "Spanish" Language and Literature, specializing in Teaching "Spanish" and Catalan as Second Languages. During my Master's degree, I completed my teaching internship as a Spanish teacher at the Università degli Studi di Padova. Since November 2022, I have been a teacher at Up Idiomes Academy. I enjoy reading, music, and travelling. Thanks to my students, I get to learn about new cultures, languages, and customs from different countries.

I'm Alba Almenara, a teacher at UP. Currently, I'm a third-year student in Primary Education at the University of Girona. I live in a small town called Vilablareix, where I've been involved in extracurricular activities, teaching English at the school, and engaging in other leisure activities.

I absolutely love travelling and discovering new places. That's why this year, I had the opportunity to go on an Erasmus exchange to Södertörn University in Sweden. Reading and sports are also hobbies I enjoy very much.

My name is Jessica and I am an English teacher and translator. I am originally from Southampton, England but am now living in Girona. I really love the city! 

Before beginning my career, I studied BA Modern Languages ("Spanish" and Mandarin) and also gained a TESOL Certificate (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) at the University of Portsmouth and then I went on to do a masters in Translation and Interpreting (Spanish > British English) at Swansea University. 

I have been teaching for two years now and really love it!  I have had the wonderful chance to teach a range of ages and love the different challenges each brings. I am currently teaching adults but am very fortunate to have had the experience of both. I also have experience with teaching online and in person.

Something I really love doing is learning languages! I currently speak English, "Spanish" and Italian but have tried to learn languages like French, Mandarin, Arabic and Greek before. My next challenge is Catalan!

I was born in Manchester, where I worked in the insurance industry. I have worked as a tour guide and entertainer in France, Blanes, and L'Estartit. I have been an English teacher for sixteen years. My hobbies include mountain biking and songwriting. I have five YouTube channels, and my favourite football team is Manchester City.

After 30 years in international businesses based in the UK I decided it was time for a change. My wife and I had many adventures travelling the world including being caught up in a powerful earthquake in New Zealand. We moved to Girona last year and enjoy everything about the city...I try and run or cycle...but more slowly than I used to...I am an old man...but our biggest challenge is learning Catalan!

I'm Neus, and in 2020, I completed a double degree in Early Childhood Education and Primary Education. Later, I obtained a C2 level in Catalan and subsequently pursued a Master's in Teaching Spanish and Catalan as a second language, which allowed me to conduct a basic Catalan course at the University of Bari (Italy) in 2022. Currently, I teach classes at UP! Idiomes and offer a Catalan course at the Empordà Formació center in Palafrugell."

I'm Sylvie, and I was born in Lyon, France. I studied at Lamartine Elementary School until the age of 11. Then, I continued my studies at College - Lycée Ampaire in Lyon, where I completed my high school education. I enrolled at Jean Moulin University to obtain a Bac+3 in literature and languages (Spanish and Italian) (equivalent to a diploma or bachelor's degree).

My hobbies include literature, cinema, art in general, and strolling by the seaside. I also enjoy travelling and have been to the United Kingdom, Morocco, Argentina, Italy, and other places.

I was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and in 2007, I fell in love with Catalonia and a Catalan person. Since then, I have been living here and dedicating myself to translation and teaching the Portuguese language since 2011. Language and communication form the basis of my education, and teaching and society are my passion. I graduated in Library Science and Information Sciences and have a postgraduate degree in teaching Portuguese as a second language and as a heritage language. Additionally, I have extensive training in linguistics, philosophy, and teaching.

I have worked as a documentalist for various multinational companies (Tecumseh, Volkswagen...) and as a writer and editor for newspapers like O movimento and Jornal da Cidade. I am a disciple of the Brazilian educator Paulo Freire. I am passionate about music (especially Chico Buarque's), watching movies (with popcorn), being a mother, and nature.

Hi, my name is Vito! I’m from a little town called Piana degli albanesi, located in Sicily, Italy. In this city exists what we call “bilingualism”: my ancestors are from Albania and we speak the same language as 500 years ago!

I’ve studied languages and translation at university and I speak 4 languages! I always have loved teaching languages to foreign people, especially Italian. I know is not that easy… but come on, is one of the languages of love! How can you not study Italian? 

During my free time I love hiking to the mountains or to the lake: my little town is full of nature, and I love it! I like to spend time at museums and watching foreign movies, just to start studying and improving new languages starting from the bottom!