Renske Berns is a familiar face at NedLes. After completing the Research Master’s in Linguistics programme at the University of Amsterdam, Renske worked as a project manager at translation agencies for several years. Although she enjoyed her work, she missed having contact with people and getting hands-on with language. In 2012, she enrolled in an NT2 teacher training programme, which enabled to fulfil her dream of becoming a teacher of Dutch as a second language. Renske is passionate about language learning as a tool for cross-cultural understanding. Teaching Dutch to non-native speakers gives her the opportunity to share her passion, learn about new cultures and meet interesting people from all over the world.
Renske loves cooking and food, especially Italian cuisine. She lived in Italy for three years and has a degree in Italian linguistics. Language also plays an important role in her life outside of work. A few years ago, she took up the challenge of learning Turkish. As a mother of two daughters, her busy life has forced her to put this hobby aside, but she hopes to resume very soon.