Originally from France, Chef Eric Arrouze worked as an executive chef at Le Cap-Estel, a 5-star hotel in the French Riviera. For three years he successfully headed up a team of 14 chefs and has cooked for famous people such as Prince Albert of Monaco, Catherine Deneuve, U2, Enzo and Ferrari.

Chef Eric is the creator of 911cheferic.com, a site for food lovers around the globe who want to cook for pleasure. In addition, he created onlineculinaryschool.net, an online video cooking school geared towards professionals and serious amateurs. Chef Eric has been featured in various media such as USA today, New York Times, and CBC and he has been a culinary arts instructor for UBC Continuing Studies since 2002.

Originally from Rouyn-Noranda in Quebec, Chantale Roy has over 20 years of experience teaching culinary arts, nutrition, health and French as a second language. She completed her Bachelor of Education at the University of Quebec. Chantale loves witnessing her students gain confidence and freedom in speaking, reading and writing another language. She enjoys getting all the senses involved in her teaching, and uses humour as her key tool, and music as her teaching assistant.

Chantale’s passion for food led her to become a Raw Vegan Chef, trained at the Living Light Culinary Institute in California. She has designed and owned two raw food restaurants: “Tout Cru dans L’bec” the first raw vegan food restaurant in Quebec and “Rawfreshing Cuisine” in Nelson, BC. She has consulted for several living food businesses across North America and currently owns a raw chocolate and prepared foods company. By developing culinary courses for “amateurs and professionals” in the kitchen, she hopes to inspire others to build a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.

Dr. John Aveline was born on Toronto Island and first met Latin in 1979 at Jarvis Collegiate. He studied Latin at Brock, McMaster, UBC and Calgary and taught it (beginning in 1986) at those institutions as well as SFU, the Burnaby School Board and St. Georges. When he is not working in the field of Latin, John can often be found at the nearest lawn bowls green. John is a nationally ranked bowler and currently a member of the Canadian National team. You can find more details, including publications, on his website: www.latinforyou.webs.com.

Balwinder Brar was born and raised in Moga, Punjab and holds a Master’s Degree in Punjabi Language from Punjabi University, Patiala, India. Prior to joining UBC, Balwinder taught Punjabi at Kwantlen University College for 13 years. She has also produced a Punjabi Conversation CD course which is available in libraries across North America. In addition to her work as a language teacher, Balwinder is also a Special Education Assistant with the Surrey school district. In her spare time Balwinder likes to cook, read and relax.

Jan Cerny received his MA from Charles University in Prague in 1985. In 2000 he moved to California where he taught in various sectors of public education and individual tutoring. In 2009, after 25 years of engagement in education, Jan joined UBC Continuing Studies where he teaches Czech classes. You can learn more about him and his unique methodology in teaching languages at www.progressivelanguageschool.com.

Tong Chow is originally from Beijing, China. She has been teaching Mandarin Chinese at UBC Continuing Studies since 1987 and has been a Professor of Chinese at Capilano University since 1998. Tong holds an MA in International Relations from Simon Fraser University and a BA in English from Beijing Foreign Studies University. She was the first graduate with International Baccalaureate from Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific in Victoria, BC, in 1982. Tong enjoys interacting with her students and bringing their interests to life during classroom discussions.

Dinorah Dugas has been teaching Spanish with UBC Continuing Studies for 28 years with excellent evaluations from her students. Dinorah is currently the head instructor for the Spanish program and assistant for curriculum development. She is an enthusiastic language teacher who loves her work just as much as the first day and keeps exploring and creating new ideas in the field. Dinorah believes that each student in her class is important and deserves her respect, encouragement and the very best she has to offer.

Marie-Paule Fancello has been a French Instructor UBC Continuing Studies since 2010. She has also taught for the Montreal School Board's Adult Education department, and has worked as a French Immersion teacher for the Vancouver School Board. Marie-Paule studied Fine Arts, Italian and Spanish studies in University. She completed a BA in Philosophy, as well as a BEd, and a Diploma specializing in gifted learners with learning disabilities.

Frieda He has been teaching Mandarin at UBC Continuing Studies for 6 years. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature, a Graduate Diploma in Demography, a Masters Degree in Economics and is a PhD Candidate in Marketing Strategy. Before moving to Canada, Frieda taught Mandarin, Business Mandarin, and Mandarin Narration at universities and colleges in Australia and Japan for over 10 years. She has also been a Mandarin coach for actors such as Keanu Reeves.

With more than 16 years of experience facilitating communication between Canada and China, Jennifer Hsu has worked with many top government officials and business executives, including the Chinese President Jintao Hu, CEO’s of large corporations, mayors, premiers and ministers from China and Canada. Jennifer was a head trainer and the director of the Interpretation and Translation Program at Simon Fraser University for 14 years. In the last two years, she has been teaching business translation courses at UBC and assisting the Chinese Executive program at the Sauder School of Business at UBC.

Claudia Irace received her Laurea in Modern Foreign Language and Literature from the Istituto Universitario di Napoli, Italy where she studied Chinese, English and Korean as well as Far East Asian history, philosophy, arts, and linguistics. She studied and worked in China for two years where she met her Canadian husband and moved to Vancouver in 1999. She spent four years as School Coordinator for the Italian Cultural Centre before joining UBC. Her interests are languages and world cultures as well as kayaking, music, films and animals.

Alice Ishii was born in São Paulo, Brazil and holds a degree in Portuguese Language from the University of São Paulo. She also obtained a minor in Spanish from the University of Wisconsin and attended the Education program at Simon Fraser University. Alice has taught Portuguese and English as a Second Language, in Wisconsin, Montreal and Vancouver for over 15 years. Alice’s passion for teaching has been always her motor in life, inspiring her to learn, travel, and interact with people.

Hyoshin Kim works as a program leader for UBC Continuing Studies Language, Cultures & Travel programs. She was born and raised in Seoul, Korea and has taught Korean in London, San Francisco, and Vancouver. Besides teaching Korean, she enjoys learning other languages such as Japanese, Russian and Mandarin. Her interests include educational technology, intercultural communication and adult education. She loves travelling, reading and fine arts.

Yong Nan Kim left her native Korea for Paraguay and later Brazil. She has lectured in Spanish, Portuguese, and Hispanic linguistics, and teaches Spanish translation and interpretation at UBC and VCC. She is also a translator/interpreter in Korean, Spanish, and Portuguese for the Canadian Government and for various provincial institutions and private companies. Yong studied linguistics and literature and holds a BA in Spanish, an MA in Hispanic Linguistics and is a PhD candidate in Spanish Applied Linguistics.

Originally from Bombay, Uma Kumar moved to Vancouver in 2003 and has been teaching with UBC Continuing studies since 2005. She holds a Master’s in English Literature and a Master’s in German Studies from Bombay University. Uma spent six years at the University of Vienna, doing research on Austrian Literature. A teacher for over 20 years, Uma enjoys making learning fun, and introducing grammar in a non-intimidating way. She loves watching how quickly students can learn to speak the German language, in a short amount of time.

Born and raised in France, Chantal Lecorvec studied English and Political Sciences at the University of Bordeaux before moving to Montreal where she started teaching French to adults. Nine years later, she settled with her family in Vancouver and worked for a French publisher, representing the company over the four Western provinces. In 1992, Chantal joined the French teaching team at UBC Continuing Studies. She enjoys teaching to all levels, and her students appreciate her energy, enthusiasm and positive attitude.

Joan Li is from Beijing, China and has a Master’s Degree in Applied Linguistics from Britain. In the past years of her career, she has mainly been involved in language teaching and translation in China, Japan and Canada. Since joining UBC Continuing Studies in 2005, she has taught Mandarin at Introductory and Beginner 1 levels, as well as Chinese Characters courses. Joan enjoys teaching and, at the same time, learning new things from her students.

Akash Lochan is originally from the Fiji Islands. She studied in Fiji and later at Simon Fraser University. She has taught Hindi and Indian Cooking at the University of British Columbia and Continuing Education in Vancouver and Burnaby since 1986. Akash loves meeting and interacting with people in her classes. She enjoys helping her students learn Hindi, as well as get familiar the culture and tradition that colors the language. Akash is warm, friendly and has a contagious passion and enthusiasm that flavours her classes!

Jenny Lu is from Beijing, China, where she taught at the university level for many years. She considers teaching a calling and her enthusiasm shows in her Mandarin classes, where she combines the beauty of Chinese culture with the learning of the language. Jenny engages students individually and in groups creating a positive participatory learning environment. Each student can progress based on his or her level and rate and students are encouraged to share personal experiences in Mandarin. At the end of each course, many students are eager to continue Mandarin studies and also travel to China to use the new skills that they have learned.

Julie Martin is deaf, originally from Wisconsin, USA, and now residing in Coquitlam, BC. In addition to working at UBC, she is also an American Sign Language instructor in the ASL and Deaf Studies Program at Vancouver Community College. She has worked with the Department for 15 years, teaching ASL to hearing students. She obtained a BA degree in ASL from Gallaudet University and a BC Provincial Instructor Diploma from Vancouver Community College. As an active member of Deaf community, and a Deaf adult model of ASL, she brings her experience to the classroom.

Igor Maslennikov has been teaching German with UBC Continuing Studies for over 4 years. He graduated from the Minsk State University of Foreign Languages and has a diploma from the Carl Duisberg Gesellschaft, in Cologne, Germany. Igor has been working as a German instructor and translator for over 15 years. His recent works can be viewed at Translation Journal.

Yolande Morin came to Vancouver in 1972 to do a Masters Degree and has been teaching at Continuing Studies since 1976. She grew up in Quebec with a French speaking father and an English speaking mother, living on the fence between two cultures and becoming bilingual both verbally and culturally. Yolande often leads groups to France to learn and practice the language, understand the culture and do photography. Being a language teacher at UBC offers her the opportunity to share her passion for culture, music, and human nature.

Megumi Oba has been teaching at UBC for 15 years. Originally from Yokohama, Japan, Megumi studied English Language and Psychology at The Sacred Heart College in Tokyo. She also worked as an English Instructor in Japan, before moving to Canada. Megumi loves Japanese art forms. She studied calligraphy for many years, and holds a certificate in traditional Kamakura-bori carving. She also likes travelling and enjoys practicing her basic Spanish whenever she can.

Originally from Lyon, France, Raphaël Perdriau has a background in Public Relations. He discovered language instructing in Vancouver, when several of his friends started asking him to teach them French. Taking a great liking to it, Raphaël went on to develop a diverse clientele, including the Federal Government, Telus and le Centre culturel francophone de Vancouver. What he enjoys most is making sure his students come out of his class with the confidence to speak the language. Raphaël has been teaching French to adults for five years.

Dominique Prinet has been teaching French with UBC Continuing Studies for eleven years. She is a graduate of the University of Paris and McGill University, with a major in languages. She also holds certificates from the Chambre Officielle de Commerce Franco-Allemande, the French British Chamber of Commerce, and the University of Freiburg, Germany. For many years she was a teacher of French and German in various schools in Montreal and Vancouver. She loves reading and travelling, and enjoys hiking, skiing and cycling with her family and friends.

Originally from Lima, Peru, Rita Santillan has over 16 years of experience teaching languages to adult learners. Rita has been teaching Spanish at UBC Continuing Studies since September 2008. She holds a Bachelor of Education and Arts, a Certificate in Professional Translation and Interpretation, a Spanish Teaching Certificate, and a Master's Degree in Educational Technology. Having lived in Spanish-speaking countries such as Venezuela, Argentina, Mexico and Colombia, Rita enjoys bringing cultural aspects to the classroom.

“Originally from Japan, I know how hard it is to learn a second language. Being able to communicate in another language is so thrilling and to see that excitement in my students drives my passion even more. Receiving my MA at UBC and teaching at several other institutions for almost 17 years, I know of no other learning institution that has such highly trained professionals so dedicated in their teachings. I am truly honoured that students have chosen to learn Japanese and am privileged to share my experience and culture with them. I feel that I learn more from them than they from me.”

Tunde Szamoskozi is originally from Hungary where she received her MA in Hungarian at the University of Szeged. She came to Vancouver in 2006 and teaches all levels of Hungarian at various organizations. She is also involved with ELTE-Origo as a Hungarian language examiner.

“Hungarian is mostly learned for family reasons and I love the feeling of helping families get closer together on a deeper level of understanding, not just by the power of language but by becoming familiar with the culture, history and the Hungarian way of thinking.”

Bekircan Tahberer is originally from Adana, Turkey. He studied to be a teacher of German and began teaching German, English and Turkish in 1981, in addition to working as a freelance translator. Bekircan is a certified translator, and a member of Society of Translators and Interpreters of BC. He wrote his own Turkish text book, which has proven to be practical in his classes. Bekircan is also a historian and is fascinated with the etymology of words. His courses combine language lessons with the fascinating history of Turkey.

Adam Tan has been teaching languages for over 20 years. Originally from Mainland China, Adam has taught English in Mainland China and Mandarin in Hong Kong and Canada. His two native tongues are Mandarin and Cantonese. Adam enjoys meeting new students and talking about cultures while teaching languages. Having the experience of being an ESL student himself, Adam knows first-hand what a student’s needs and wants are when learning a second language. As an interpreter and translator by profession, Adam thoroughly enjoys working with languages and with people.

Elizabeth Toews was born in Holland in the city of Leeuwarden and studied at Lienward College and the University of Groningen. She enjoys the experience of teaching the Dutch language and sharing the Dutch culture with her students. Elizabeth finds it a privilege to meet people from so many different cultural backgrounds, who bring their enthusiasm and their sense of humour to the classroom and are committed to studying the Dutch language. “How wonderful it is when they do succeed in learning to speak ‘De Nederlandse Taal’.”

“When I was in China, when asked, I told people I was 'a foreign language teacher.' I taught English in Nankai University for 15 years. Over 10 years ago, I immigrated to Canada. Here, when asked, again, I tell people I am 'a foreign language teacher.' I teach Mandarin. I have a wide range of interests: I play erhu, taichi and I took continuing studies courses to become a licensed home inspector. Hmmm, continuing studies courses are good to take!”

A qualified expert in wine and spirits, Lynn Coulthard has worked in the hospitality and wine retail industries for over 20 years. Lynn is a certified Sommelier, a recipient of the prestigious WSET Diploma, and is currently working toward her MW. Recently she qualified as a Spanish Wine Educator through the Spanish Wine Academy and achieved her Certified Spirits Specialist qualification through the North American Society of Wine Educators.

Pursuing her passion for wine education and knowledge outside of the classroom, Lynn has traveled extensively through the world’s greatest wine regions, such as Tuscany, Piemonte, Veneto, southern France, Rhone, Portugal, California, Washington, and the Okanagan. For the past three years, Lynn has been active in wine and spirits education conducting WSET courses for the BCLDB and teaching various wine and spirit courses for UBC Continuing Studies and Fine Vintage Consultants.