In this conversation, Anders Hansen shares his fascinating journey through language learning, cultural immersion, and career transitions across various countries. From his early years in Denmark and Portugal to his experiences in the UK, Singapore, China and now Italy, Anders emphasizes the importance of language in opening doors and building connections.

He discusses his sales career, the challenges of adapting to new cultures, and his eventual move to Sardinia, where he embraces the local language and culture while working in the solar power industry and as a hiking guide. The conversation also touches on the role of AI in language learning and business, culminating in Anders' reflections on life lessons and future aspirations.

Languages bring opportunities - Anders shares the career opportunities he had thanks to his languages skills.

Learning from mistakes - he arrived to Shanghai in China with a busy job, communicating in English, and didn't prioritise learning Mandarin Chinese - and left the country 8 years later when he realised the lack of the local language was a disadvantage in his private and professional life.

Making his own opportunities - with solid experience in sales and speaking multiple languages, he was able to work and thrive in various different industries by being intentional in what he chose to do.

Fluency is a feeling - the moment you stop “buffering” when speaking in a foreign language - when thoughts and language flow naturally - marks a turning point in confidence and belonging.

Anders Hansen is a sales leader and certified Italian hiking guide (Guida Ambientale Escursionistica) based in Sardinia, combining more than 25 years of international business experience with a lifelong passion for the outdoors.

Born in Denmark and raised between the forests of Northern Zealand and the coastline of southern Portugal, Anders developed an early love for hiking and the natural world - a passion that has accompanied him through studies in London and Sydney and professional chapters in Europe, Asia, and now Italy.

Known for his optimism, empathy, and trustworthiness, he helps people and businesses grow, whether by promoting renewable energy solutions with Vivisolar or by guiding hikers through Sardinia’s wild landscapes.

• Anders on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/anders-hansen
• Anders Hikes Sardinia on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andershikessardinia
• Anders and Caroline's rental holiday home in Sardinia: https://airbnb.com/h/villabuonasperanza

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/workingwithlanguages.podcast/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/soniakampshoff/
• Website: https://moreperfect.digital/
• Email: sonia@moreperfect.digital

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In this episode, Sonia Kampshoff welcomes Fritz Oberhummer, Head of Solution Architecture for EMEA at Sabre Corp, to share his fascinating journey through languages, cultures, and technology in the travel industry. From growing up in an Austrian ski resort to navigating life and work in London, Madrid, and beyond, Fritz reflects on how language shapes not only communication but also cultural understanding and business relationships. He also explores how AI is transforming the travel industry, from booking experiences to biometric travel, and what this means for the future of travellers worldwide.

• Languages for conflict resolution in business: cultural nuances, workplace dynamics, and even mealtime conversations vary widely across countries and must be adapted to.
• Living abroad is the best way to learn a language: it takes three to four years of immersion to deeply understand both the language and its cultural context.
• TV shows as cultural teachers: watching local TV series helped Fritz and his family not only learn Spanish but also understand the deeper cultural references and humour.
• AI is reshaping travel: from facial recognition at airports to AI-driven personal travel agents, technology is making journeys more seamless and personalized.
• The way we interact with AI matters: speaking to AI rather than typing can produce more context-rich and useful results.
• AI will disrupt jobs as well as industries: while AI brings efficiency and convenience, it also poses challenges for global workforces, especially in industries like customer service and call centres.
• The resurgence of hand-made goods: the AI revolution will bring us to want and purchase more hand-made, authentic goods

Fritz Oberhummer is the Head of Solution Architecture for EMEA at Sabre Corp, a global leader in technology for the travel industry.

Originally from Austria, his family runs a hotel in the third generation. From early on he was surrounded by international visitors, sparking his lifelong passion for languages and cultures.

His career has taken him across the US, UK, Spain, and Germany, giving him first-hand experience of how language and cultural understanding shape global business. Today, he combines his deep knowledge of technology and strategy to bridge the gap between commercial needs and technical solutions, while also exploring how innovations like AI and biometrics are redefining the travel experience.

• Fritz on LinkedIn: Fritz Oberhummer
• His personal website: oberhummer.com

• LinkedIn: Sonia Kampshoff
• Instagram: WorkingWithLanguages
• Website: MorePerfect.Digital
• Email: sonia@moreperfect.digital

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In this episode of Working with Languages, host Sonia speaks with Marina Koleva (linguist and developer) and Manuel Augustin (product owner and plugin release lead) from Yoast. Together, they explore how linguistics, technology, and SEO intersect.

From mastering multiple languages to building features in the Yoast SEO plugin, Marina and Manuel share insights into how language expertise drives better search optimization tools. They also discuss the challenges of adding new languages like Japanese to the plugin, the role of AI in SEO, and why human editing is still essential for high-quality online content.

• Language knowledge doesn’t need to be perfect to be useful - even partial familiarity with a language can open career opportunities and problem-solving approaches.
• AI enhances SEO tools by suggesting improvements like optimized titles, but still requires a human eye for originality, nuance, and tone.
• Working with languages builds adaptability - the more you get used to linguistic “discomfort,” the easier it becomes to tackle new systems.
• Not all AI replaces traditional methods - rule-based processing remains essential, especially in areas like counting words and sentence structure.
• Human creativity remains central to SEO - automation assists, but originality and cultural context still define high-quality, optimized content.

Manuel and Marina both work at Yoast on their multilingual SEO plugin for WordPress and other website building platforms. They are linguists and also developers - as they tell us in this conversations, at Yoast all linguists need to know about web development, and all developers need to know a bit about languages and linguistics.

• Yoast website: yoast.com
• Manuel on LinkedIn: Manuel Augustin
• Marina Koleva' profile on Yoast: Marina Koleva

• LinkedIn: Sonia Kampshoff
• Instagram: WorkingWithLanguages
• Website: MorePerfect.Digital
• Email: sonia@moreperfect.digital

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In this episode, Sonia sits down with Dominique van Werkhoven, a London-born copywriter now based in the Netherlands, to explore the intersections of language, culture, and entrepreneurship. From growing up in a multicultural household to immersing herself in French, Dutch, and Austrian German, Dominique shares her journey of learning languages by living them.

She also opens up about co-founding The Werks, a copywriting and web development business she runs with her husband, and how they support small businesses, solopreneurs, and nonprofits in being seen, heard, and valued. Together, they discuss the realities of moving countries, the role of patience and persistence in language learning, and how technology like AI is reshaping the future of copywriting.

• Immersion is key: Dominique emphasizes that the fastest way to learn a language is by living in the country and using it daily.
• Building The Works: Combining copywriting and web development creates a streamlined service for small businesses that need strategy as much as execution.
• Collaboration over transaction: Dominique values partnerships with clients, working alongside them to bring their vision to life rather than just delivering outputs.
• AI as a support tool: Rather than replacing copywriters, AI can provide inspiration and structure—human creativity and strategy remain essential.

Dominique van Werkhoven is a multilingual copywriter who co-founded the agency The Werks with her website developer husband Gideon. She grew up in the UK and has lived in Paris and Vienna. Currently she lives in The Netherlands with her husband and three children.

• The Werks website: thewerks.nl
• The Werks on Instagram: WeAreTheWerks
• The Werks on LinkedIn: The-Werks-NL
• Dominique on LinkedIn: Dominique-van-Werkhoven

• LinkedIn: Sonia Kampshoff
• Website: MorePerfect.Digital
• Instgram: WorkingWithLanguages
• Email: sonia@moreperfect.digital

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In this episode, I have a special conversation with Claire Lutton, the US team lead for member support at HomeExchange, a French B Corp company. As a member myself for the past three years, it was a pleasure to delve into how this platform creates such personal and unique travel experiences. We discuss how swapping homes is not just about finding a place to stay, but about connecting with people, living like a local, and even finding support in unexpected situations.

• A Personal Way to Travel: Home swapping offers a more personal and respectful alternative to hotels, allowing you to immerse yourself in a local culture and connect with your host.
• More Than Just Holidays: The platform can be a vital resource for more than just travel, providing accommodation for emergencies, family reunions, or even as a temporary workspace with a change of scenery.
• A Strong, Supportive Community: With a very low cancellation rate, the platform is built on a foundation of mutual respect. In the rare event of a cancellation, the support team successfully finds a replacement in over 90% of cases.
• Bridging Language Gaps: HomeExchange effectively supports its global community by using integrated translation tools and a 24/7 SOS service to handle urgent issues in any language, ensuring members always feel supported. I also integrates with a very easy-to-use and helpful chatbot.

Claire Lutton is the Team Lead of the Member Support Team for the US at HomeExchange. Originally from France, she has lived in the US for over two decades and has always worked in roles that utilise her bilingual skills.

• HomeExchange: homeexchange.com
• If you'd like to sign up, feel free to use this referral code to earn some Guest Pints: sonia-daeb9

Connect with Sonia:

• LinkedIn: Sonia Kampshoff
• Website: MorePerfect.Digital
• Instgram: WorkingWithLanguages
• Email: sonia@moreperfect.digital

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In this engaging conversation, Victoire Galtres shares her journey from a multicultural upbringing to her current role in leadership and culture within a casual dining restaurant chain. She discusses the importance of language, cultural experiences, and how her background in acting enhances her leadership skills. Vic also emphasizes the significance of diversity, inclusion, and empowering women in the workplace, while exploring the impact of technology and AI on modern work environments. The discussion concludes with reflections on the power of human connection beyond words.

• Language acquisition is influenced by age and environment: we discuss how language acquisition in childhood differs from later in life, and how frequency of use and environment affect not only the language but grammar mistakes and saliva production.
• Acting skills enhance leadership and communication: through acting we can learn the ability to stand in front of a crowd and articulate well , to appear confident when we are not. Vic now uses these skills through role play in her leadership development workshop.
• Diversity and inclusion are crucial for workplace culture: in any organisations culture happens through leadership which in turn creates a brilliant team. And at the heart of every exceptional team is psychological safety.
• Coaching helps women navigate career transitions: through Tomorrow's Daughter Vic supports and empowers women in the workplace, especially through transitions including becoming a mother and how that affects our identity, our perception of life and work, and our priorities.
• AI can improve efficiency in leadership development and private life occasions: from idea generation for leadership workshops to private use like creating creating a wedding celebrant script that merges English and French to accommodate multilingual guests, Vic brings us wonderful examples of ChatGPT use.

Victoire Galtress is the Head of Leadership & Culture a casual dining restaurant chain, and the founder of Tomorrow's Daughter where she offers bespoke executive and life coaching for women one-on-one and in a small group setting. Originally from France, she spent her childhood between France and Australia with her parents and three sisters. She now lives in the UK with her British husband and three sons.

Connect with Victoire:

• LinkedIn: Victoire Galtress nee Mazounie
• Tomorrow's Daughters - Vic's bespoke executive and life coaching: tomorrowsdaughter.co.uk

Connect with Sonia:

• LinkedIn: Sonia Kampshoff
• Website: MorePerfect.Digital
• Instgram: WorkingWithLanguages
• Email: sonia@moreperfect.digital

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In this episode, I chat with Stefanie Mellano, a UK-native now based in Northern Italy, who works as a film and TV subtitles translator.

Stefanie shares her journey from studying law to pursuing her passion for the Italian language and building a freelance career in subtitling. We explore the technical and creative skills required for subtitling, the importance of specialisation, and how she balances translating for large streaming services with working with independent producers.

• The Power of Specialisation: much like doctors specialise, translators are more effective when they focus on specific industries they know well, such as tourism, business, or in Stefanie's case, the creative industries. This ensures a deeper understanding of the subject matter and accurate use of terminology.
• The Subtitling Process is Both Technical and Creative: subtitling isn't just about direct translation. It involves a technical understanding of character limits and reading speeds, requiring translators to find creative solutions to convey the original meaning perfectly within these constraints.
• Pivoting to English: many large companies use English as a "pivot language" for translation. Content is first translated into English from the original language (like Italian) and then translated from English into many other languages, partly due to the availability of translators.
• Human Translators vs. AI: while AI is a growing trend, it currently struggles to capture the nuance, context, and non-verbal elements of language, particularly a language as expressive as Italian. For high-quality, culturally sensitive content, human expertise remains essential.

Stefanie is a freelance subtitle translator specialising in the film, TV, tourism, and business sectors.

• Website: stefaniemellano.com
• LinkedIn: Stefanie-Mellano

Connect with Sonia:

• LinkedIn: Sonia-Kampshoff
• Website: MorePerfect.Digital
• Instgram: @WorkingWithLanguages
• Email: sonia@moreperfect.digital

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In this first episode, I’m interviewed by my podcast producer, Lucy Lucraft. We discuss my multilingual background, growing up speaking German and Italian, and how this foundation in languages shaped my career path. I share my journey from being a translator and localising software to specialising in digital marketing and advertising on Google and social media.

We delve into how cultural nuances are crucial in international marketing, the role of AI in the industry, and my experience working with technology companies. I also explain why I started this podcast: to explore the many ways people use their language skills in their professional lives.

• My professional journey began as a translator, localising software, which gave me a deep understanding of the technical side of digital products.
• After moving into marketing while continuing to work with my languages, I now specialise in paid media (Google Ads and advertising on social media) which allows me to combine my interest in data and numbers with the psychology of consumer behaviour.
• Cultural and linguistic understanding is essential for effective international marketing, as direct translations for things like SEO often fail to capture local search habits.
• AI has been an integral part of digital advertising for a long time through features like smart bidding and retargeting, long before it became a mainstream topic.
• My goal for this podcast is to showcase the diverse career paths available to people with language skills, moving beyond traditional roles like translation and teaching.

In my day job I help commercially-minded companies to be found on Google and social media through advertising. Thanks to my multilingual upbringing, with this podcast I want to talk to other language fans and inspire many more to understand what careers are available with languages.

• LinkedIn: Sonia Kampshoff
• Website: MorePerfect.Digital
• Instgram: WorkingWithLanguages
• Email: sonia@moreperfect.digital

This episode was written and recorded by me and produced by Lucy Lucraft.

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